Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I guess its a simple question.....I get "Immaculate Reception" stuff and its a wacky play but its not like a history-changing event....the Steelers lost to the Dolphins the next week and got pounded by the Raiders in the 73 playoffs. So....IMO, the greatest moment/NFL Films shot of NFL history is....Joe Namath running off the field after winning SB III. What is yours?

An early "singular moment" would be the signing of Red Grange, I would think.

If you're talking about on-field or captured on film it might be difficult to separate out a single instance (imo).

1958 OT Title Game Nationally televised. Baltimore Colts 23-17 OT win over New York Giants. Signaled start of NFL's rise to prominence over baseball which probably culminated with the aforementioned NY Jets victory over the Colts (some of the same players on Colts too!) that propelled football into the number sports position in the USA. Baseball's status (interest, not attendance numbers, but intensity of fan interest) has dropped off dramatically since 1968. So those two events, in my opinion started jet propelling the NFL to the #1 position in American sports.

JuggernautJ wrote:An early "singular moment" would be the signing of Red Grange, I would think.

If you're talking about on-field or captured on film it might be difficult to separate out a single instance (imo).

Signing of Joe Namath was another huge moment in terms of National publicity. It may have been on a par with the critically important signing of Red Grange, which I agree was a huge deal. I know he (Namath ... & Grange too now that I think about it) played on bad knees, and I think he is more of a HOVG QB rather than a HOF-er, but the January 1969 Super Bowl ensured his future HOF status forever.

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As an aside: I still recall what Frank Ryan said about Namath ("If he is worth $400,000, I am worth a million") And I tend to agree with him. Frank Ryan was a vastly underrated QB and if not for arm injuries, he might have been a HOF-er himself. It didn't help his cause starting out with the Rams, who started Billy Wade Ryan's first 3 years and then played Zeke Bratkowski more than Ryan in 1961. (Unless I am missing something huge, I think Ryan should have been the starter all along for LA.)

EDIT: Just checked the HOVG and didn't see Frank Ryan as being in there. IMO he richly deserves to be a member. I am not eligible to nominate, but if I was, he would be on my short list.

Cali_Eagle wrote:1958 OT Title Game Nationally televised. Baltimore Colts 23-17 OT win over New York Giants. Signaled start of NFL's rise to prominence over baseball which probably culminated with the aforementioned NY Jets victory over the Colts (some of the same players on Colts too!) that propelled football into the number sports position in the USA. Baseball's status (interest, not attendance numbers, but intensity of fan interest) has dropped off dramatically since 1968. So those two events, in my opinion started jet propelling the NFL to the #1 position in American sports.

This is a great one.

Also, the AFL/NFL war with the Giants signing Pete Gogolak. Who knows what would have occurred if there was no merger.

The kickoff to the 1933 NFL Championship game ... Finally, seperate divisional leaders would square off for a postseason game for the world championship ... The SB was the culmination

Brian wolf wrote:The kickoff to the 1933 NFL Championship game ... Finally, separate divisional leaders would square off for a postseason game for the world championship ... The SB culminated ...

The 1932 NFL Championship Game (Technically a regular season game,) but I read somewhere that it inspired George Preston Marshall to recommend Divisions and a Championship Playoff for 1933 and beyond. Baseball's World Series may have been on his mind as an influencer as well. Surely a big moment for NFL history, but probably not the defining or Greatest moment in NFL history. There could have been one in 1931 had Joe Carr not sided with the Green Bay Packers over a disputed scheduled game GB against the Portsmouth Spartans. GB claimed the game was only arranged orally and tentatively. while the Spartans of course regarded it as carved in stone. A Spartan win in that game and you either have co-champs or the 1st ever NFL post-season Title Game.

Yes, the 1958 Champ game help propel the league into the modern era. That would get my vote.

Alex Karras ("Mongo") punching out a horse in Blazing Saddles.

Cali_Eagle wrote:1958 OT Title Game Nationally televised. Baltimore Colts 23-17 OT win over New York Giants. Signaled start of NFL's rise to prominence over baseball which probably culminated with the aforementioned NY Jets victory over the Colts (some of the same players on Colts too!) that propelled football into the number sports position in the USA. Baseball's status (interest, not attendance numbers, but intensity of fan interest) has dropped off dramatically since 1968. So those two events, in my opinion started jet propelling the NFL to the #1 position in American sports.

I was a third grader on Christmas vacation when I turned on the TV and saw the end of the 1958 Championship game. In my minds eye I see Steve Myhra lining up for the field goal attempt, swinging his arms waiting for the snap. The kick was good. The announcer said something about "Sudden Death." What was that? It meant playing for a win not a tie, which I understood. The Colts QB had the striking name of Johnny Unitas and moved the Colts down the field. I still see in my mind's eye, the Giants backed up to their 1-yard line and the Colt offense lining up. Ameche goes into the end zone.

Even then you could tell it was an epic event in Sports. If there is such a thing, it was the singular greatest moment in NFL history.