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Terrell Davis poses with his Hall of Fame Enshrinement bust at the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Stadium

NFL History

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Latest Stories

Head coach Herm Edwards of the Arizona State Sun Devils

Philadelphia Eagles History

The Life And Career Of Herm Edwards

Most NFL fans know Herm Edwards as an analyst for ESPN and a former head coach in both college and professional football. What those same fans may not know is that Edwards was an undrafted player who spent a decade in the league with three teams. He also made one of the most memorable plays i...

Ben Donahue • 1 week ago

Steven Jackson #39 of the St. Louis Rams runs with the ball

St Louis Rams History

The Life And Career Of Steven Jackson

The Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams have had a few notable running backs in team history. Names like Erick Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Jerome Bettis and Todd Gurley have lined up in the backfield for the franchise. Then there was Steven Jackson. His nine-year total with the Rams produced over 10,00...

Ben Donahue • 1 week ago

Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts

Seattle Seahawks History

The Life And Career Of Richard Sherman

Seattle Seahawks fans remember Richard Sherman as a ball-hawking, trash-talking cornerback who was one of the founding members of the “Legion of Boom.” Although he is best known for his time in the Pacific Northwest, Sherman was talented enough to play for any NFL club. https://twitter.com/Fa...

Ben Donahue • 1 week ago

More from Pro Football History on NFL History

Robert Edwards of the New England Patriots poses for a portrait

New England Patriots History

The Life And Career Of Robert Edwards

Flag football will make its Olympic debut during the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Just like they have in hockey and basketball, pro athletes are vying for the few coveted spots on the official U.S. team roster. In a March 2026 exhibition, several current and former NFL players competed a...

Ben Donahue • 1 week ago

Quarterback Kerry Collins #5 of the Tennessee Titans moves to pass

New York Giants History

The Life And Career Of Kerry Collins

In 1995, the Carolina Panthers began play as one of two NFL expansion teams. Before the season began, the organization drafted Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins to lead the franchise into the future. Collins had been one of the best players in Penn State history, and he received numerous a...

Ben Donahue • 1 week ago

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers History

The Life And Career Of John Brodie

San Francisco 49ers fans are well aware of franchise quarterback legends Joe Montana and Steve Young. Together, they brought home five Super Bowl trophies over the span of 15 years. Before Montana arrived in San Francisco in 1979, John Brodie was the “it” QB for the Niners. Brodie was fortuna...

Ben Donahue • 1 week ago

detail view of a Los Angeles Rams helmet

Los Angeles Rams History

The Life And Career Of Norm Van Brocklin

Ben Donahue • 2 months ago Over the past three-plus decades, pass-happy NFL offenses (and individual players) have broken numerous all-time league records. However, one lofty mark that hasn’t been broken yet is the single-game passing yards record, set way back in 1951. Incredibly, that was the year that Norm Van Brock...

Running back Curt Warner #28 of the Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks History

The Life And Career Of Curt Warner

Ben Donahue • 2 months ago Before Kurt Warner became a household name for his remarkable story and eventual induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there was Curt Warner. Unlike Kurt Warner (who was a quarterback), Curt Warner was a talented running back who was a heralded player at Penn State. After being chosen...

Robert Porcher #91 of the Detroit Lions celebrates on the field

Detroit Lions History

The Life And Career Of Robert Porcher

Ben Donahue • 2 months ago In the 1980s and 1990s, the NFL experienced a significant resurgence of sack artists. Players like Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Derrick Thomas, Richard Dent, Mark Gastineau, and many others thrilled fans with their consistent harassment of quarterbacks. Somewhat overlooked amon...

Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers History

The Life And Career Of Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Donahue • 2 months ago The Pittsburgh Steelers experienced considerable success in the 1970s, winning four Super Bowls in four attempts. When their future Hall of Fame quarterback retired following the 1983 season, no one thought it would be two decades before the organization found its next franchise QB. Ben Roeth...

Helmets of the New York Giants

New York Giants History

The Life And Career Of Mel Hein

Ben Donahue • 3 months ago For the first 30 years of its existence, the NFL used a one-platoon system. That meant the same players who lined up at various positions on offense were also required to line up on defense. The “60-Minute Men” were subject to the usual beatings common to the sport, but for a much longer peri...

Dan Orlovsky #8 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass

Detroit Lions History

The Life And Career Of Dan Orlovsky

Ben Donahue • 3 months ago Backup quarterbacks seem to have it all, especially in today’s NFL. They receive a nice paycheck, rarely work, get to travel in luxury, and aren’t typically blamed for the failures of a franchise. Of course, many of them are anonymous and only get noticed if the starter goes down. Dan Orlovsk...

Kurt Warner #13 of the St.Louis Rams heads downfield

St Louis Rams History

The Life And Career Of Kurt Warner

Ben Donahue • 3 months ago The underdog story has been prevalent in Hollywood forever, especially for sports movies. Usually, the story begins with someone who didn’t quite measure up as a can’t-miss pro prospect. After years of struggling and making incremental gains, the underdog is given a break and suddenly becomes...

Chicago Bears helmet and football

Chicago Bears History

The Life And Career Of Mark Carrier

Ben Donahue • 3 months ago NFL safeties are expected to be an intimidating lot as they throw caution to the wind and lay waste to opponents. The larger the impact, the more likely said opponents will flinch when asked to proceed into the safety’s territory. Take Mark Carrier, for instance. In 11 seasons, he blew up man...

Chargers helmet

San Diego Chargers History

The Life And Career Of Charlie Joiner

Ben Donahue • 4 months ago Receivers are known for their uncanny ability to catch passes, outmaneuver defenders and take licks yet keep ticking. Getting plastered after a reception is expected, and this is also why modern receivers are compensated well. The life expectancy of a pass-catcher is about three years, althou...

Adam Jones #24 of the Cincinnati Bengals returns the kickoff

Cincinnati Bengals History

The Life And Career Of Adam "Pacman" Jones

Ben Donahue • 5 months ago There’s no question that Adam Jones had great talent on the gridiron as a cornerback and return specialist. “Pacman” was adept at gobbling up errant passes and affecting the psyche of opposing receivers while also breaking ankles, returning punts and kicks. https://twitter.com/JoeGoodberry/st...

Ronde Barber #20 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on

Tampa Bay Buccaneers History

The Life And Career Of Ronde Barber

Ben Donahue • 5 months ago It’s tough enough for an athlete to make it to the National Football League. Even more difficult is having siblings play in the league at the same time. In the entire history of the NFL, there have been a few football families. The Manning, Matthews, Browning, Long and Sharpe families are fre...

Aeneas Williams #35 of the Arizona Cardinals points during the game

Arizona Cardinals History

The Life And Career Of Aeneas Williams

Ben Donahue • 5 months ago Before he was a standout corner and safety in the NFL, Aeneas Williams was a walk-on at Southern University. In fact, he went to college not to play football but to be an accountant. It wasn’t until he was a junior that Williams decided to suit up and then played for three seasons. By the tim...

A Philadelphia Eagles helmet is pictured during the football game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Philadelphia Eagles History

The Life And Career Of Mike Quick

Ben Donahue • 5 months ago Mike Quick may not have been the quickest receiver in NFL history, but he had great hands and could turn a routine catch into a huge gain. A first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1982, he led the NFL in receiving yards in just his second year. By the end of his fourth season, Quick h...

Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers reacts

San Diego Chargers History

The Life And Career Of Philip Rivers

Ben Donahue • 5 months ago It might sound cliche, but Philip Rivers was born to play football and to be a quarterback. After first standing up under center in middle school, Rivers continued to rise up the ranks and become one of the best passers in NFL history. The fact that he never played in a Super Bowl doesn’t cha...

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Tim Dwight

San Diego Chargers History

The Life And Career Of Tim Dwight

Ben Donahue • 6 months ago Tim Dwight was listed as a receiver during his decade playing in the NFL. However, his best work was actually as a kick and punt returner for five different franchises. During his rookie year in 1998 with the Atlanta Falcons, Dwight played in Super Bowl XXXIII. In the fourth quarter of the co...

Cornerback Eric Davis of the San Francisco 49ers looks on

San Francisco 49ers History

The Life And Career Of Eric Davis

Ben Donahue • 7 months ago Eric Davis played college ball at a small school, but he ended up as a second-round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 1990. It wasn’t luck that landed Davis with the defending world champions. The corner more than held his own at Jackson State, then proved himself as one of the best in...

Linebacker Trev Alberts of the Indianapolis Colts stretches

Indianapolis Colts History

The Life And Career Of Trev Alberts

Ben Donahue • 7 months ago With the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected Nebraska linebacker Trev Alberts. The selection sparked a firestorm between a member of the ESPN broadcast team and the Colts’ general manager. It turns out that the talking head was (somewha...

Helmets of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers History

The Life And Career Of Ray Seals

Ben Donahue • 8 months ago Most sports fans are aware that high school basketball athletes used to be eligible to jump straight to the NBA. That changed in 2005, but hockey players can still go from high school to the pros if they are talented enough. Football players, on the other hand, have not had this option in the...

Portrait of Al Davis (1929 - 2011) Principal owner and general manager of the Los Angeles Raiders

Oakland Raiders History

The Life And Career Of Al Davis

Ben Donahue • 8 months ago “Just win, baby!” Late Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders owner Al Davis uttered those words as a rallying cry to his troops. After coaching the franchise for three years in the mid-1960s, Davis took part ownership soon after. His mantra would lead the Raiders to three world titles in five Super Bow...

Todd Blackledge walks on the field

Kansas City Chiefs History

The Life And Career Of Todd Blackledge

Ben Donahue • 8 months ago As many NFL fans are painfully aware, pro quarterbacks are not created equal. They may have a fantastic college resume as a signal-caller, but once they reach the big time, a vast majority of field generals wilt under the pressure. Take Todd Blackledge, for instance. In 1983, no less than six...

New England Patriots helmet

New England Patriots History

The Life And Career Of Tony Eason

Ben Donahue • 8 months ago The 1983 NFL Draft is remembered for six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the event. Tony Eason was the fourth signal-caller taken, one pick after Jim Kelly and before Ken O’Brien and Dan Marino came off the board. Eason was coming off two spectacular years at the University of Ill...

Dallas Cowboys helmets

Dallas Cowboys History

The Life And Career Of Danny White

Ben Donahue • 8 months ago Being a starting quarterback in the NFL brings a tremendous spotlight because it’s arguably the most scrutinized position in all of professional sports. It’s even worse if QB1 is under center for the Dallas Cowboys. Given the franchise’s storied history and because it's referred to as “Americ...

Indianapolis Colts helmet on the field

Indianapolis Colts History

The Life And Career Of Chris Hinton

Ben Donahue • 9 months ago In 1983, Chris Hinton was involved in one of the most notable trades in NFL Draft history. After the Denver Broncos selected Hinton with the fourth overall pick in the draft, the franchise then traded him to the Baltimore Colts. In exchange, the Colts gave Denver their draft pick, Stanford qu...

Bart Starr competes in the Thursday Pro Am

Green Bay Packers History

The Life And Career Of Bart Starr

Ben Donahue • 9 months ago There’s little doubt that, if Bart Starr played college football today, he wouldn’t be a starter. He also wouldn’t have been drafted by the NFL and would have been lost to history. Actually, that’s almost what happened in the first place. After passing for only 1,903 yards, 10 touchdowns and...

Helmets of the New York Giants

New York Giants History

The Life And Career Of Christian Peter

Ben Donahue • 10 months ago One of the most perplexing and troubling things for sports fans is watching an athlete derail a promising career because of poor decisions. Whether it’s by drugs, alcohol, choice of friends, bad grades, rotten attitude, an inflated ego (or all the above), a talented athlete can watch their dr...

Ken Harvey #57, Linebacker for the Washington Redskins during the National Football Conference

Arizona Cardinals History

The Life And Career Of Ken Harvey

Ben Donahue • 10 months ago NFL history is chock full of stories about how players overcame financial and physical adversity to become great pros. For Ken Harvey, his journey to the league started by overcoming a comment leveled by his high school football coach. He dropped out of school and flipped burgers before decid...

NFL

The Life And Career Of Guy Chamberlin

Ben Donahue • 10 months ago The NFL has been around for over a century and the sport is currently the most popular in the nation. Players today are some of the most talented, highly paid and recognized in all of professional sports. Of course, today’s millionaire NFL players owe a great debt to those who came before the...