Key Figures in the History of American Football (non-players)
Submitted by podizz on Thu, 10/20/2011 - 08:17
- Pete Rozzelle NFL Commissioner 1960-1989 Its almost hard to overstate the impact Rozzelle had in turning fooball into the national obsession and economic superpower it is today. A gifted marketer first and foremost, he sold football to mainstream America through the use of television, making autumn Sundays practically synonymous with football. First nonathelete to with Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Baseball had six commissioners during his tenure. Got all teams to give up their individual television rights and put them one pot to be sold to the networks and equally divided amongst themselves. From 1962 to 1987-each team's slice of that pot rose from $326,000 to $17 million. Largely responsible for Monday Night Football, which most at the time thought would bomb. 1963-suspended Paul Hornung and Karras for gambling, 2 of the biggest names in the sport.
- Vince Lombardi
- Paul Brown-When you've got a professional sports team named after you, you know you've truly arrived. Paul Brown is called the father of the modern offense, and for good reason. Practically every strategy coaches use today to outwit their opponents was originally the brain child of this man--using playbooks, studying game film, establishing a year-round coaching staff. Putting his Master's degree to good use, Brown turned his players into students of the game, teaching them both on the field and in the classroom. Moreover, he was the first coach to call his teams plays, elevating the level of play by leaps and bounds. HIs innovations demonstated their effectiveness almost immediately, as he took the Browns to ten straight championships behind the arm of Otto-matic Graham. Brown would go on the found the Bengals years later, cementing his status as a true titan of the game. , established the draw play,, use a radio transmitter to communicate with quarterback, and install face masks on helmets at the professional level.-sent plays in through messenger player-prior to that qbs called plays. practice squads, team scouting. Didn't care about race, before jackie robinson he signed important black stars
- Bert Bell-Bert Bell was the first person to articulate the "any given Sunday" adage, and he would spend much of his career working towards that end. Founding the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933, Bell soon found his In 1936, he would propose that the NFL hold a yearly draft, a move that would prove instrumental in ensuring parity throughout the league. He also First NFL commissioner 46-59, presiding over the NFL becoming the first coast-to-coast sports industry and presiding over the end of racial segregation in the NFL, enacting an anti-gambling resolution into the NFL constitution, merging the NFL with the AAFC, and developing league-wide team schedules that improved the competitive balance within the league. Also, from television's very beginnings, he set television policy for the NFL. He negotiated the first league-wide television contract, which included a TV revenue-sharing plan for NFL franchises. He enacted rule changes to enhance the appeal of the game for television viewers, paying spectators, and corporate television sponsorship, which eventually enabled football to become the first dominant sports attraction on television.
- Joseph Carr-Involved in formation of American Professional Football Association, the direct predecessor to the NFL. President of NFL from its inception in 1921 until his death in 1939. Drafted a league constitution and by-laws, gave teams territorial rights, and issued standings for the first time, so that the APFA would have a clear champion. Gave NFL credibility and stability through his strong leadership. Realized the best way for the league to grow and prosper was to moving the game to major cities, where they would best be able to thrive.
- Ed Sabel-Before Ed Sabol, football was merely a game. Soon upon his ascendance, it had become epic theatre. A former coat salesman, Sabol decided to take a stab at turning his hobby of shooting video into a profession. Unknown and without much real experience, he would make the bold move of bidding $5000 for the rights to film the 1962 title game, calling his company Blair Motion Pictures. Skeptical at first, Rozelle reluctantly agreed to give Sabol a go of it, and within two years, he was deemed such success that he would be brought in-house and rebranded NFL Films. Sabol sought not to just document the game, but to bring fans right into the huddle. More cameras, slow motion, close-ups, dramatic music, and that iconic voice of John Facenda. Players were now warriors, coaches their generals. Far from just a tool for documenting and promoting the game, NFL Films had lifted football to truly grand proportions, giving it a status almost mythological in nature.
- Al Davis-
- Lamar Hunt-Orgininally wanted to acquire and NFL team, and upon being repeatedly rebuffed, he made the bold move to simply start his own league. Founded AFL in 1959 when he was 27, Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, who were the most successful original AFL club (they would play Packers in Super Bowl I, originated term Super Bowl. In a letterrsent to Rozelle in 1966, Hunt wrote " If possible, I believe we should coin a phrase for the Championship game...i have kiddingly called it the Super Bowl which can obviously be improved upon. " (He had thought of the term while watching his kids play with the Wham-O Super Ball.) Before they had a chance, the media had begun to run with it. Instrumental in the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. AFC champions are awarded Lamar Hunt Trophy.In the Hall of Fames of three different sports. (Tennis and Soccer) If necessity is the mother of invention, the AFC's need to merely survive ended up creating a host of innovations that helped to ultimately enrich the sport once the fighting stopped. Son of self-made oil billionaire. Borrowing an idea from baseball owner Bill Veeck, Hunt introduced the practice of television revenue sharing, which would later be adopted by Pete Rozelle and the NFL at large upon their merger.
- Tex Schramm-The man responsible for building the Cowboys into "America's Team" also had his hand in just about every new development of his era. As leader of the league's Competition Committee, Schramm oversaw such rule changes as moving the goalposts to the back of the end zone (duh), implementing overtime, and creating the 30-second play clock. Furthermore, Schramm laid the groundwork for the NFL Scouting Combine, helped introduce instant replay, and, of course, brought us the all-important Dallas Cowboy Chearleaders, a first for the NFL. So innovative was Tex that Don Shula once said, "I truly believe he had as much, or more, to do with the success of professional football as anyone who has ever been connected with the league."
- Tom Landry-Tom Landry was the champion of a bygone era, an era when coaches wore jackets, ties, and in his case, even that iconic fedora instead of sweatshirts with the sleeves cut off. Aside from the mystique Landry brought to the sideline, the Dallas figurehead revolutionized the game with his invention of the 4-3 defense, dropping his legendary stalwart Sam Huff into coverage where he would be free to roam, creating an environment for a kinds of new defensive variations. Landry would further refine this strategy with the "Flex defense" allowing his players to read the offense and better adapt to their ever-changing tactics. Over a 29 year tenure with the Cowboys, Landry would amass 270 wins, an all-time NFL leading 20 playoff victories, and an unheard of 20 consecutive winning seasons. Began coaching career in 1956 as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants alongside Vince Lombardi, who was offensive coordinator. Met in 2 consecutive NFL championships, each settled on deciding plays on the one yard line. saturday night massacre.
- Bill Walsh- 2 time coach of the year and 3 time super bowl champion, popularized west coast offense, expert drafter (3 of the top 10 greatest players of all time in Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott) passing game an extension of running game, planted seeds in cincinnati with Paul Brown because of weak QB Virgil Carter-took it to san fran, short pass set up pass instead of run setting up pass- nickel and dime offense-change adds up, based on timing routs, quick throws, yards after catch, shallow crosses and slant routes
- George Halas-63 years as an owner, 40 as a coach, 324 wins, and 8 NFL titles as a coach or owner. First to use film to analyze and evaluate both his players and opponents. Popularized the T formation along with his fellow coaching staff.
- John Madden-second highest win percentage in league history for a coach. One of the most iconic and beloved football broadcasters in history, winning 14 Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Event Analyst. popularized the telestrator during broadcasts. Known for All-Madden team and Turducken. Lent his name and voice to the video game Madden Football, one of the most innovative and best selling video game franchises of all time.
- Roone Arledge-Father of Monday Night Football
- Sid Gillman
- Tim Mara
- Art Rooney
- Bear Bryant
- George Preston Marshall
- Dan Reeves
- Dick LeBeau-originated zone blitz
- Curly Lambeau
- Amos Alonzo Stagg-Wholely or partially responsibile for introducing the huddle, pre-snap shift, statue of libery play, end around, man in motion, line shift, lateral pass and T formation. Spent 50+ years coaching football, most notably for the university of Chicago. Also elected to the Basketball hall of fame for his early contributions to the game.
- Glenn "Pop" Warner-Coached nearly 50 years for 9 different school. Won three national championships coaching Pitt and another with Stanford- early innovater who introduced the screen pass, single and double wing formations, and spiral punt. Best remembered for helping to start the youth football league that now bears his name. Wrote one of the first books of football strategy in 1927, his Football for Coaches and Players. Originated 3 point stance and reverse play. One of first coaches to take advantage of forward pass.
- Walter Camp
- Eddie Cochems -father of the forward pass-became legal in 1906-first to build his offense around it, propelling his St Louis University squad to an 11-0 record, outscoring opponents by a combined 407-11.
- Knute Rockne
- Grantland Rice-helped popularize sport with his game descriptions. Called Red Grange "The Galloping Ghost" and dubbed Notre Dame's "Four Horsemen" backfield.
Pete Gogolack-emigrated after hungarian revolution-first soccer-style kicker-moved goalposts back-used to be lineman-also first player to be plucked from AFL by NFL
Joe Namath-ligitimized AFL
1978 rule changes-defense was dominating-too little scoring, excitement, designed to open up passing game--limit contact between dbs and receivers-now only 5 yard window. linemen could now open hands inside elbows-better pass production, 1970-77-no qb threw 30 tds in a season, since-39 times
Often overlooked, the NFL broke the color barrier months before the much heralded debut of Jackie Robinson
A hallmark of egalitarianism in the oligarchical world of professional sports.
astroturf-1965-astrodome opened-installed turf after grass died,-soon spread throughout league-made game faster,giving advantage and importance to skill positions. more injuries, wreaked havoc on knees-replaced by field turf
instant replay-first used in 1963 army-navy game-1986 a replay official instituted, left in 1993
Red Grange signs with Bears-boosts popularity and validity of NFL
1992-players gained right to free agency-now constant changeover of personnel (about a quarter of each team is new each season)
Deacon Jones- originated term 'sack.' glamorized defensive end position and the pass rushing that came with it. As he put it, "sacking the quarterback is just like devastate a city, or you cream a multitude of people. i mean its just like you put all the offensive players in one bag and i just take a baseball bat and beat on the bag"