Quirky Research
@QuirkyResearch
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"A blog whose name is self-explanatory" –@nytimes
Joined February 2017
On this date in 1983, the winningest quarterback in Super Bowl history checked into a Louisiana hospital using an assumed name.
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In 1980, Nick Saban replaced Pete Carroll as Ohio State’s secondary coach.
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On this date in 1996, Panthers mascot Sir Purr was admonished but not flagged for downing a live punt in the field of play.
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The Titans are the first NFL team ever to be down 14 points with less than 2:55 left and win without overtime.
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On this date in 2002, Chiefs tackle John Tait's 28-yard run, the 2nd-longest ever by an offensive lineman, helped lead to the game-winning field goal. Browns LB Dwayne Rudd's helmet toss, which extended the game by one untimed down, was a slightly bigger contributor to the win.
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On this date in 1992, Jets defensive coordinator Pete Carroll gave the choke sign to Dolphins kicker Pete Stoyanovich after Stoyanovich missed a game-tying extra point with 2:30 left. Two minutes later, Stoyanovich kicked the game-winning field goal.
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On this date in 1997, Steelers coach Bill Cowher barely restrained himself from punching the Jaguar who was returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown.
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On this date in 1989, Buddy Ryan's Eagles used a 14-man "Polish punt team" to prevent a blocked punt or long return in the last seconds of a close game. Neither CBS nor the refs noticed.
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On this date in 1975, the Seattle NFL expansion franchise picked its nickname.
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On this date in 1986, the Eagles added an extra cynical wrinkle to a fake punt.
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On this date in 1991, the Saints and 49ers continued to play while the Superdome burned above their heads.
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Six selected clips from the 49ers-Giants playoff game broadcast by John Madden, OTD 1984.
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On this date in 1987, Cowboys quarterback Danny White threw a touchdown pass and then threw down.
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1981: John Madden and Pat Summerall spend a full minute critiquing Oilers coach Ed Biles's choice of headset.
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Bolton, who had two interceptions in the game, broke two fingers when he punched Tarkenton in the face mask.
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On this date in 2000, the Patriots and Dolphins were forced to return to the field from their locker rooms a half hour after the game had supposedly ended because the officials had improperly run the final three seconds off the clock.
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On this date in 1993, Steve Young caught his own downfield pass.
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On this date in 1925, Iowa State, up 7-0 midway through the fourth quarter, ran out the clock by taking three consecutive intentional safeties, regaining possession at their own 30 after each one. The free kick rule was added the next season.
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On this date in 1983, a group of SMU football players followed the wrong people when looking for a Tokyo disco.
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On this date in 1971, Dick Butkus's extra point provided the winning score in the Bears' 16-15 win.
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On this date in 1992, Scott Norwood kicked the Bills to the Super Bowl.
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The game recap of Indiana's last win at Notre Dame, plus an accusation that Michigan was stealing its opponent's signals.
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On this date in 1982, the Oilers decided to lateral back to their quarterback.
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A list of every NFL regular and postseason game John Madden ever called, in case anyone wants to watch a game or ten:
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On this date in 1986, Patriots WR Irving Fryar, who had fumbled away the previous possession, fair caught a punt with no time left and his team down 7.
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Some NFL things I'm still waiting to see:.- A team having exactly 4 points.- A one-point safety.- Triple overtime.- A team deferring the coin toss option to start overtime.- A team returning its own non-fumbled punt for a touchdown.- A drive that takes an entire quarter.
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On this date in 1964, the Lions' 7th-round draft pick walked out of training camp after a hard morning's practice.
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On this date in 2000, Warrick Dunn and Shaun King improvised their way to a first down.
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On this date in 1990, the Bears punted for a first down.
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On this date in 1985, Saints starting quarterback Dave Wilson was benched after throwing 18 straight incompletions.
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You make the call, OTD 1986: Miami ball, 4th down @ the 24. The punter drops the snap, recovers at his 10, runs to the 15, and pitches the ball forward to a blocker, who then throws a pass downfield. The receiver, trying to lateral, fumbles into the end zone and Atlanta recovers.
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The last NFL player before Cole Kmet to score a touchdown and then snap for the extra point was the Eagles' Mike Bartrum in 2005.
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On this date in 1992, Sterling Sharpe pulled a Leon Lett a month before anyone knew what that meant.
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On this date in 1999, 330-pound Chiefs defensive tackle Chester McGlockton intercepted Peyton Manning, then broke five tackles before blindly lateraling the ball over his shoulder.
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On this date in 2000, Giants LB Jack Golden tackled teammate Fred Lewis on what would have been a game-clinching interception, causing a fumble and a game-losing Jaguars touchdown.
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On the day before this date in 1984, the Seahawks converted 1st and 29 by passing to their right guard. Robert Pratt's 30-yard catch-and-run is the longest pass to an initially-ineligible offensive lineman in NFL history.
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On this date in 1989, the Seahawks' Ruben Rodriguez downed his own punt 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
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On this date in 1991, the Steelers' Ernie Mills returned a punt for a 0-yard touchdown after the Patriots kicked the ball into the upback's backside.
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Lofton's 83-yard run was the longest by a wide receiver in NFL history until this 86-yard run by Joey Galloway in 1995.
September 20, 1982. James Lofton. The world-class sprinter's 83-yard reverse under the Monday Night lights at the Meadowlands. The longest run from scrimmage by a wide receiver in #Packers history.
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OTD in 1988, Sport magazine football expert Mike Francesa, going against consensus, picked Iowa to win the national championship because "they have the best shot of going undefeated.". Iowa lost its opener to Hawaii and would win fewer than half of its games. @BackAftaThis
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On this date in 1992, Deion Sanders did Deion Sanders things.
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On this date in 1981, the Falcons' onside kick attempt was stolen off the tee.
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On this date in 1976, Chargers kicker Ray Wersching made the last successful fair catch kick in NFL history.
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On this date in 1993, the Mike Ditka-O.J. Simpson Madden '93 Bowl came down to the final seconds.
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On this date in 1970, the Super Bowl IV organizers decided to reenact the Battle of New Orleans in the middle of the halftime show.
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On this date in 1997, Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh was placed on unpaid leave.
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On this date in 1981, Denver's potential game-tying drive was stalled by the most convoluted rule in NFL history.
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Latest NFL game has been 0-0, 1948-now:.0:17 4Q: 2007 Steelers-Dolphins.3:21 4Q: 1974 Browns-49ers.~4:00: 1953 Washington-Eagles.4:02: 1971 Vikings-Packers.4:40: 1982 Patriots-Dolphins.5:02: 1976 Chargers-49ers.8:50: 1979 Bucs-Chiefs.9:48: 1987 Bills-Giants.
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Two minutes of Cris Collinsworth and the 1986 Bengals watching an already-eliminated team determine their team's playoff fate in the last game of the season:
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On this date in 1986, the Seahawks faced 2nd and goal from their own 48 after a series of penalties .
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That was the most yardage on an intentional grounding safety in NFL history.
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On this date in 1975, the Bears drafted Walter Payton, much to the disgust of one draftnik in attendance at the New York Hilton.
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The highlight of the short-stinted Vin Scully-John Madden pairing:
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On this date in 1982, Penn State, trailing Alabama 27-21 with five minutes to go, made what might be the most negative-yardage punt in college football history.
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In 2006, Colts punter Hunter Smith fumbled the snap then shoveled a pass to fellow Notre Damer Rocky Boiman for a 16-yard loss. No Notre Dame alum has thrown a pass in the playoffs since.
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On this date in 1974, Packers running back MacArthur Lane found himself unable to stop after crossing the goalline.
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DeAundre Alford's 96-yard FG return is the longest in NFL history that didn't result in a touchdown.
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This is no longer true.
Randy Johnson to Ron Johnson remains the only NFL passer-receiver TD combo where both players had the same first initial and last name. (Ignoring cases where someone threw a TD pass to himself.)
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On this date in 1992, the Giants decided to run up the score after the Packers schiano'd their attempt to kneel out the clock. Players ejected after the ensuing fight: Holland & Oates.
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On this date in 1983, the cast of Rocky III reunited at Super Bowl XVII.
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On this date in 1980, the Oilers tried to kneel out the clock but didn't quite know what a kneeldown play should look like.
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On this date in 1990, Vinny Testaverde had perhaps the most unlikely 100-yard rushing game in NFL history.
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On this date in 1984, Freddie Falcon gave up on his team.
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On this date in 1976, John Madden invented the "kick a quick field goal when down by 9 or 10 points in the last minute" strategy, delighting everyone who had Raiders +6.5.
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On this date in 1998, Penn State's Eric McCoo ran for a 57-yard touchdown despite running out of bounds for 10 yards mid-play.
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On this date in 1978, the owner of the Colts announced that he would personally get involved in contract negotiations with his disgruntled star running back.
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On this date in 1989, Redskins defensive end Dexter Manley was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for waving his arms in an effort to get the crowd to make noise.
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University of Pacific safety Pete Carroll targets a defenseless Idaho receiver at a not-yet-roofed Kibbie Dome, 1972.
Spectacular job by @PacificLibrary Archives 📚 to digitize & preserve so much UOP football 🐅 history. 🙏 @PeteCarroll had 22 total collegiate INTs & returned punts once upon a time! #RaiderNation @RAIDERS_PR @QuirkyResearch @collegefb_ref @minakimes @theleviedwards @PSchrags 🏈
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On this date in 1989, Eastern Michigan was robbed of what should have been a Hail Mary win.
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On this date in 1983, the Redskins tried to kneel out the clock on fourth down.
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On this date in 2013, Peyton Manning ran for a positive gain for what would be the only time in his entire season.
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On this date in 1981, second-round wide receiver Cris Collinsworth signed with the Bengals, spurning a larger offer from the Montreal Alouettes.
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On this date in 1983, Jim Zorn went 2 of 8 for minus-6 yards in the first half, finished 4 of 16 for 13 yards, and fumbled into his own end zone for a safety. Thanks to 8 Raider turnovers, the Seahawks won 38-36 anyway.
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Football analytics, 1976: . "Having completed five years of computer research into NFL statistics, Goode is now convinced that the formula for success is to run with the football at least for 40 plays (out of an average of 54 per team) in each game rather than pass the football."
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It should come as no surprise that you can no longer draw a penalty by doing this.
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On this date in 1995, the Jets completed a Hail Mary to finish a last-minute 99-yard touchdown drive. They then missed the 2-point conversion, losing to the Bills 28-26.
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On this date in 2012, the Patriots had Tom Brady punt on third down up 35 points with three minutes left against the Tim Tebow Broncos.
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The Saints' 1984 media guide has the best cover I've ever seen.
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On this date in 1985, the Saints faked a punt twice on the same drive.
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On this date in 1992, the Chiefs' Tim Grunhard became the most recent and possibly the last ever NFL player to be flagged for helping the runner.
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On this date in 1978, the 49ers were forced to use a wide receiver and a safety as emergency quarterbacks after both of their rostered QBs got injured in the game.
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On this date in 2006, Tom Brady was denied access to the officials' locker room before the Patriots-Broncos playoff game.
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On this date in 1988, John Madden put the coaches' clicker to good use.
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On this date in 1983, the Steelers recovered the opening kickoff for a touchdown after the Chargers' James Brooks muffed it. On the ensuing kickoff, Brooks fumbled again, pinning the Chargers at their own 2.
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On this date in 1984, 40,000 New Orleans Breakers fans simultaneously competed in a paper airplane throwing contest to win one of 3 Dodge Chargers.
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This never would have happened had the Ravens' pinnie proposal passed.
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QBs to throw TD passes to themselves:.Josh Allen, 12/1/2024 (lateral from receiver).Marcus Mariota, 1/6/2018.Brad Johnson, 10/12/1997.Frank Ryan, 10/30/1960 (lateral from receiver).Roy Zimmerman, 10/29/1944 (lateral from receiver).
QBs to throw TD passes to themselves:.Marcus Mariota, 1/6/2018.Brad Johnson, 10/12/1997.Frank Ryan, 10/30/1960 (lateral from receiver).Roy Zimmerman, 10/29/1944 (lateral from receiver).
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On this date in 1991, Patriots P Shawn McCarthy made the second-greatest punt in NFL history.
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On this date in 1987, Rams replacement player Suge Knight made his NFL debut.
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This will not be the first ever Monday Wild Card game. There have been 2 others. All the NFL Monday playoff games in history (notice the pattern):.12/26/88 WC LAR-MIN.12/26/83 WC LAR-DAL.12/26/77 DIV CHI-DAL.12/26/77 DIV MIN-LAR.12/26/60 NFLCG GB-PHI.12/26/55 NFLCG CLE-LAR.
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On this date in 1935, the Bears chose not to kick their final two extra points into a rowdy Philadelphia crowd that had mostly come to the game to cheer on a recently-released convicted felon.
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