A Football Life: Five NFL Notables Who Deserve Their Close-Up
By Erik Lambert
Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) talks with Fox broadcaster Terry Bradshaw after winning the NFC Championship game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. The 49ers won 28-24. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
NFL Network is giving fans an inside look at the complex stories and characters throughout the history of pro football. So who are some names that need to make that list? The year 2014 has become the season of the running backs. Earl Campbell, the powerhouse star of the Houston Oilers was the latest to premier, joining Eric Dickerson, Terrell Davis, and Ricky Williams among the names to showcase Season Four. The series has certainly garnered mainstream attention, receiving an Emmy nomination. As the season winds down towards the end of November, here are some players, coaches or events that absolutely need a 45-minute showcase for how they impacted the game.
Terry Bradshaw
If people don’t know the name Terry Bradshaw, then they don’t watch football. The cooky analyst and media personality made his name as quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers where he won four Super Bowl titles in a six-year span, a feat no other player at his position has accomplished in the modern era. A number one pick in 1970, his career took several twists and turns as he battled erratic play, attention deficit disorder, being benched multiple times (often in the same season) and divorce to become a Hall of Fame player.
The Drive
If NFL Network could do an entire episode of “A Football Life” on the Immaculate Reception, then why not a sequence of plays? “The Drive” as it later became known was the signature moment for eventual Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway as he led his Denver Broncos on a 98-yard march to a game-tying touchdown against the Cleveland Browns before pulling out a win in overtime and reach his first of five Super Bowls. It was also another in a series of gut-wrenching losses the Browns suffered in that decade but probably the worst since a stop would’ve meant their first ever championship appearance in the Super Bowl era. They are still waiting.
George Allen
Not only did he create some of the best defenses in NFL history, but George Allen was also one of the engrossing characters ever. As a defensive coordinator he received the game ball for the 1963 championship victory for the Chicago Bears. In 12 years as a head coach he never had a losing season but never won a championship. He hated rookies so much that he often traded away all his teams’ draft picks for veteran players. Opponents accused him of spying on practices and other immoral activities in order to gain an edge. There is even speculation that he actually died as an indirect result of a Gatorade shower.
Mark Gastineau
- Broke his leg as a child so badly doctors said he’d never walk again.
- Was the first ever draft pick for his college
- Collected 107.5 career sacks including 22 in 1986
- Created a sack dance that was so infuriating to opponents it was eventually banned.
- Went to five Pro Bowls and still holds the Pro Bowl record with four sacks in a game
- Dated and had a kid with Brigitte Nielsen of Red Sonja and Beverly Hills Cop II fame
One could go on but the facts are clear. Mark Gastineau could fill an entire season of episodes with personality.
San Diego ’63
Cleveland fans like to argue they have had to wait the longest for a pro sports championship, having not seen one since 1964. In truth San Diego has them beat, as their last title celebration took place in 1963. The San Diego Chargers that year were an offensive juggernaut, scoring at least 30 points six times and 50 points three times. Head coach Sid Gillman was at the cutting edge of offense that utilized the forward pass ahead of the run. So much in fact that wide receiver Lance Alworth was league MVP that year. What many may also not know is that Chargers team is also believed to be among the very first in pro football to use steroids.