1.
Tight end
–
The tight end is a position in American football, Arena football, and formerly Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics. Like offensive linemen, they are lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be effective blockers. On the other hand, they are eligible receivers adept enough to warrant a defenses attention when running pass patterns, because of the hybrid nature of the position, the tight ends role in any given offense depends on the tactical preferences and philosophy of the head coach. In some systems, the end will merely act as a sixth offensive lineman rarely going out for passes. Other systems use the tight end primarily as a receiver, frequently taking advantage of the tight ends size to create mismatches in the defensive secondary. Many coaches will often have one tight end who specializes in blocking in running situations while using a pass catching tight end in obvious passing situations. Offensive formations may have as few as zero or as many as three tight ends at one time. If a wide receiver is present in a formation, but outside the tight end, also the offensive coordinator could use the tight end for a fullback. The advent of the end position is closely tied to the decline of the one-platoon system during the 1940s and 50s. Originally, a derived from the games evolution from other forms of football limited substitutions. Consequently, players had to be adept at playing on both sides of the ball, with most offensive linemen doubling as defensive linemen or linebackers, and receivers as defensive backs. As the transition from starters going both ways to dedicated offensive and defensive squads took place, players who did not fit the mold of the traditional positions began to fill niches. Those who were both good pass catchers and blockers but mediocre on defense were no longer liabilities, instead, many were too big to be receivers yet too small for offensive linemen. Greater use of the end as a receiver started in the 60s with the emergence of stars Mike Ditka. Until then most teams relied on the tight ends blocking as almost a sixth offensive lineman, in addition to superb blocking, Ditka offered great hands receiving and rugged running after a completion. Over a 12-year career, he caught 427 passes for over 5,800 yards and 43 touchdowns, Mackey brought speed, with six of his nine touchdown catches in one season being breakaways over 50 yards. Starting in 1980 the Coryell offense debuted tight end Kellen Winslow running wide receiver-type routes, tight ends prior to Winslow were primarily blockers lined up next to an offensive lineman and given short to medium drag routes
2.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
–
Fort Lauderdale /ˌfɔərt ˈlɔːdərdeɪl/ is a city in the U. S. state of Florida,28 miles north of Miami. It is the county seat of Broward County, as of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a city of the Miami metropolitan area, which was home to an estimated 6,012,331 people at the 2015 census. The city is a popular tourist destination, with an average temperature of 75.5 °F and 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. Greater Fort Lauderdale which takes in all of Broward County hosted 12 million visitors in 2012, the district has 561 hotels and motels comprising nearly 35,000 rooms. Forty six cruise ships sailed from Port Everglades in 2012, greater Fort Lauderdale has over 4,000 restaurants,63 golf courses,12 shopping malls,16 museums,132 nightclubs,278 parkland campsites, and 100 marinas housing 45,000 resident yachts. Fort Lauderdale is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the Second Seminole War, the forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale, younger brother of Lieutenant Colonel James Lauderdale. William Lauderdale was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort, however, development of the city did not begin until 50 years after the forts were abandoned at the end of the conflict. The area in which the city of Fort Lauderdale would later be founded was inhabited for more two thousand years by the Tequesta Indians. For the Tequesta, disease, coupled with continuing conflict with their Calusa neighbors, although control of the area changed between Spain, United Kingdom, the United States, and the Confederate States of America, it remained largely undeveloped until the 20th century. The Fort Lauderdale area was known as the New River Settlement before the 20th century, in the 1830s there were approximately 70 settlers living along the New River. William Cooley, the local Justice of the Peace, was a farmer and wrecker, who traded with the Seminole Indians. On January 6,1836, while Cooley was leading an attempt to salvage a ship, a band of Seminoles attacked his farm, killing his wife and children. The first United States stockade named Fort Lauderdale was built in 1838, the fort was abandoned in 1842, after the end of the war, and the area remained virtually unpopulated until the 1890s. The city was incorporated in 1911, and in 1915 was designated the county seat of newly formed Broward County, Fort Lauderdales first major development began in the 1920s, during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. The 1926 Miami Hurricane and the Great Depression of the 1930s caused a deal of economic dislocation. In July 1935, an African-American man named Rubin Stacy was accused of robbing a woman at knife point. He was arrested and being transported to a Miami jail when police were run off the road by a mob, a group of 100 white men proceeded to hang Stacy from a tree near the scene of his alleged robbery
3.
Northeast High School (Oakland Park, Florida)
–
Northeast High School is a high school in Broward County, Florida. Northeast serves Oakland Park and Fort Lauderdale as well as the portion of North Lauderdale east of Floridas Turnpike, the school is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district. Northeast High School is an all magnet school with three specialties, Biotechnology, Latin and Alternative Energy, all students must choose one of the three magnet programs to enroll in, and this determines several courses that the students will take. As of 2011, the student enrollment was 2764. The ethnic makeup of the school was 46% White, 27% Black, 23% Hispanic, 1% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1% Multiracial, sandy Melillo, an English and TV Production teacher at Northeast, was named Broward Countys 2008 Teacher of the Year and state finalist. In 2009, she moved to Pompano Beach High School, where she teaches now, in 2007, Northeast was awarded a GOLDEN SCHOOL AWARD from the State of Florida Commissioner of Education Jeanine Blomberg. This award was given in recognition of the leadership and support rendered to the volunteer program. Mike Mularkey - former NFL player and current head coach of the Tennessee Titans, earlier in the same school year, Florida-822 won its first ever first place overall by winning the Lake Worth High School Regional Drill Meet. To finish out the year the unit went to its first ever national drill meet. The drill team and color guard finished in the top five units in the country of over thirty schools participating, other Notable Events,1989 - Eunice Taylor became the first female corp commander. 1991 - Frantz Petitpapa became the first African American corp commander,2008 - The Northeast Drill Team won second place in the Eastern Division National Drill Meet hosted by the Air Force Association in Macon, Georgia
4.
Florida Gators football
–
The Florida Gators football program represents the University of Florida in American college football. Florida competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and they play their home games in Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the universitys Gainesville campus. The Gators have won three championships and eight SEC titles in the 108-season history of Floridas varsity football program. The Florida football program has evolved from its beginnings and achieved notable successes. Florida has had a home field since the beginning of their football program. Since 1930, their home field has been Steve Spurrier-Florida Field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the stadium was known as Florida Field until 1989 when its name was extended to honor alumnus and sports benefactor Ben Hill Griffin. During the 1990s, football coach Steve Spurrier called the stadium the Swamp, the quickly became popular. Since 1906 Florida has had twenty-five head coaches, including three who were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for their coaching success and their first head coach was Pee Wee Forsythe in 1906, the 2015 season was the first for their twenty-fifth head coach, Jim McElwain. During the programs early years, Florida was a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, in 1932 the University of Florida was a founding member of the Southeastern Conference, and it is currently one of fourteen member institutions. The Gators have competed in the SEC Eastern Division since the league began play in 1992. Florida plays an eight-game SEC schedule, with six games against the other Eastern Division teams, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, the schedule is filled out with an annual game against Louisiana State and a rotating SEC Western Division team. Until 2003, the Gators also played Auburn every season, Florida has also played in-state rival Florida State every year since 1958, usually facing off in the last game of the regular season. The two teams emergence as perennial football powers during the 1980s and 1990s helped build the Florida–Florida State rivalry into a game often has national-title implications. The remaining dates on Floridas regular schedule are filled by non-conference opponents which vary from year to year, previously known as the worlds largest outdoor cocktail party, it is most commonly called the Florida–Georgia game by Gator fans. The game is held at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, the designated home team alternates, with ticket distribution split evenly between the schools. In the rivalrys early years, games rotated among locations in Savannah, Georgia, Tampa, Florida, Jacksonville and, occasionally, Gainesville, since 1933 the game has been played in Jacksonville, except for 1994 and 1995. Georgia had early success in the rivalry, winning the first six games, after the 2014 game Florida had won 21 out of the most-recent 27 games, and holds a 38–28–1 advantage in the series since 1950. The Bulldogs lead the overall, 49–43–2
5.
Minnesota Vikings
–
The Minnesota Vikings are an American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as a team in 1960. The team competes in the National Football Conference North division, before that, the Vikings were in the NFC Central, the team has played in four Super Bowl games, but lost each one. The team plays its games at U. S. Bank Stadium in the Downtown East section of Minneapolis, professional football in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area began with the Minneapolis Marines/Red Jackets, an NFL team that played intermittently in the 1920s and 1930s. However, a new team in the area did not surface again until August 1959. Skoglund, and Max Winter were awarded a franchise in the new American Football League. Ole Haugsrud was added to the NFL team ownership because, in the 1920s, when he sold his Duluth Eskimos team back to the league, the agreement allowed him 10 percent of any future Minnesota team. Coincidentally or not, the teams from Ole Haugsruds high school, Central High School in Superior, Wisconsin, were called the Vikings. From the teams first season in 1961 to 1981, the team called Metropolitan Stadium in suburban Bloomington home, the Vikings conducted summer training camp at Bemidji State University from 1961 to 1965. In 1966, the moved to their current training camp at Minnesota State University in Mankato. The Vikings played their games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis from 1982 to 2013. The Vikings played their last game at the Metrodome on December 29,2013, since the teams first season in 1961, the Vikings have had one of the highest winning percentages in the NFL. As of 2014, they have won at least three games in every season except in 1962, and are one of only six NFL teams to win at least 15 games in a regular season. The Vikings have won one NFL Championship, in 1969, before the merger with the American Football League. Since the league merger in 1970, they have qualified for the playoffs 26 times, the team has played in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX, and XI, though failing to win any of them. In addition, they have lost in their last five NFC Championship Game appearances since 1978, the team currently has 13 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team was named the Minnesota Vikings on September 27,1960
6.
Pittsburgh Steelers
–
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steelers compete in the National Football League, as a club of the leagues American Football Conference North division. Founded in 1933, the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC, Pittsburgh has won more Super Bowl titles and hosted more conference championship games than any other NFL team. The Steelers have won 8 AFC championships, tied with the Denver Broncos and they share the record for most conference championship games played in with the San Francisco 49ers. The Steelers share the record for second most Super Bowl appearances with the Broncos, and Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers lost their most recent championship appearance, Super Bowl XLV, on February 6,2011. The Steelers were founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 8,1933, by Art Rooney, taking its name from the baseball team of the same name. The ownership of the Steelers has remained within the Rooney family since its founding, the current owner is Arts son, Dan Rooney, who has given much control of the franchise to his son Art Rooney II. The Steelers enjoy a large, widespread fanbase nicknamed Steeler Nation, the Steelers currently play their home games at Heinz Field on Pittsburghs North Side in the North Shore neighborhood, which also hosts the University of Pittsburgh Panthers. Built in 2001, the stadium replaced Three Rivers Stadium which hosted the Steelers for 31 seasons, prior to Three Rivers, the Steelers had played their games in Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL first took to the field as the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 20,1933, through the 1930s, the Pirates never finished higher than second place in their division, or with a record better than.500. Prior to the 1940 season, the Pirates renamed themselves the Steelers, during World War II, the Steelers experienced player shortages. They twice merged with other NFL franchises to field a team, during the 1943 season, they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles forming the Phil-Pitt Eagles and were known as the Steagles. In 1944, they merged with the Chicago Cardinals and were known as Card-Pitt and this team finished 0–10, marking the only winless team in franchise history. The Steelers made the playoffs for the first time in 1947 and this forced a tie-breaking playoff game at Forbes Field, which the Steelers lost 21–0. The Steelers also received a $3 million relocation fee, which was a windfall for them, the Steelers history of bad luck changed with the hiring of coach Chuck Noll for the 1969 season. The Pittsburgh Steelers 1974 draft was their best ever, no team has ever drafted four future Hall of Famers in one year. They also enjoyed a regular season streak of 49 consecutive wins against teams that would finish with a record that year. The Steelers suffered a rash of injuries in the 1980 season, the 1981 season was no better, with an 8–8 showing
7.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
–
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers currently compete in the National Football League as a team of the National Football Conference South division. Along with the Seattle Seahawks, the joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team. After the season, the club switched conferences with the Seahawks, during the 2002 league realignment, the Bucs joined three former NFC West teams to form the NFC South. The club is owned by the Glazer family, and plays its games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. They are also the first team since the merger to complete a season when starting 10 or more rookies. In 1976 and 1977, the Buccaneers lost their first 26 games, after a brief winning era in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the team suffered through 14 consecutive losing seasons. Over the course of 41 seasons, the Buccaneers have compiled an record of 256–402–1, with a regular-season record of 250–393–1. Unlike in the case of Green Bay, Wisconsin, there is no municipality known as Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay in the names of local professional sports franchises, such as the Buccaneers, Rowdies, Rays, Lightning and Storm, denotes that they represent the entire region, the Tampa Bay expansion franchise was originally awarded to Tom McCloskey, a construction company owner from Philadelphia. McCloskey soon entered a dispute with the NFL, so the league found a replacement in Hugh Culverhouse. A name-the-team contest resulted in the nickname Buccaneers, a reference to the legends of Southwest Florida. They were one of the few teams to wear white home uniforms, the teams first home was Tampa Stadium, which had recently been expanded to seat just over 72,500 fans. Steve Spurrier was the quarterback for Tampa Bay during their expansion season, the Buccaneers joined the NFL as members of the AFC West in 1976. The following year, they were moved to the NFC Central, while the other 1976 expansion team, the Seattle Seahawks, switched conferences with Tampa Bay and joined the AFC West. This realignment was dictated by the league as part of the 1976 expansion plan, instead of a traditional schedule of playing each division opponent twice, the Buccaneers played every conference team once, plus the Seahawks. Tampa Bay did not win their first game until the 13th week of their second season, until the Detroit Lions in 2008, the 1976 Bucs held the dubious title as the worst team in NFL history. Their losing streak caused them to become the butt of late-night television comedians jokes and their first win came in December 1977, on the road against the New Orleans Saints
8.
Buffalo Bills
–
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League, as a club of the leagues American Football Conference East division. The team plays their games at New Era Field in Orchard Park. The Bills are the only NFL team that plays its games in the state of New York. The Bills conduct summer training camp at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, New York, the Bills began play as an original franchise of the American Football League in 1960. The club joined the NFL as a result of the AFL–NFL merger for the 1970 season, the 1964 and 1965 Bills were the only teams representing Buffalo that won major league professional sports championships. The Bills are the team to win four consecutive conference championships and are the only NFL team to lose four consecutive Super Bowl games. The team was owned by Ralph Wilson from the founding in 1960. After his death, Wilsons estate reached an agreement to sell the team to Terry and Kim Pegula, which was approved by the other NFL team owners on October 8,2014. The Bills began competitive play in 1960 as a member of the American Football League led by head coach Buster Ramsey. The Bills won two consecutive American Football League titles in 1964 and 1965, but the club has yet to win a championship since. Once the AFL–NFL merger took effect, the Bills became the second NFL team to represent the city, they followed the Buffalo All-Americans, Buffalos team in the All-America Football Conference in 1946 was the Bisons. In 1947 a contest was held to rename the team, which was owned by James Breuil of the Frontier Oil Company, the winning entry suggested Bills, reflecting on the famous western frontiersman, Buffalo Bill Cody. Carrying the frontier theme further, the contestant offered the team was being supported by Frontier Oil and was opening a new frontier in sports in Western New York. When Buffalo joined the new American Football League in 1960, the name of the citys earlier pro football entry was adopted, on October 8,2014, Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula received unanimous approval to acquire the Bills during the NFL owners meetings. The Bills uniforms in its first two seasons were based on those of the Detroit Lions at the time, the teams original colors were Honolulu blue, silver and white, and the helmets were silver with no striping. There was no logo on the helmet, which displayed the players numbers on each side, in 1962, the standing red bison was designated as the logo and took its place on a white helmet. In 1962, the colors also changed to red, white
9.
Miami Dolphins
–
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football franchise based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues American Football Conference East division. The Dolphins play their games at Hard Rock Stadium in the northern suburb of Miami Gardens, Florida. The Dolphins and the Atlanta Falcons are the oldest NFL franchises in the Deep South, however, of the four AFC East teams, they are the only team in the division that was not a charter member of the American Football League. The Dolphins team was founded by attorney-politician Joe Robbie and actor-comedian Danny Thomas and they began play in the AFL in 1966. For the first few years the Dolphins full-time training camp and practice facilities were at Saint Andrews School, in 1970 the Dolphins joined the NFL when the AFL–NFL merger occurred. The team made its first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl VI, Miami also appeared in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XIX, losing both games. For most of their history, the Dolphins were coached by Don Shula. Under Shula, the Dolphins posted losing records in two of his 26 seasons as the head coach. During the period spanning 1983 to the end of 1999, quarterback Dan Marino became one of the most prolific passers in NFL history, Marino led the Dolphins to five division titles,10 playoff appearances, and Super Bowl XIX before retiring following the 1999 season. During the summer of 1966, the Dolphins training camp was in St. Pete Beach with practices in August at Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport. The Dolphins had a combined 15–39–2 record in their first four seasons under head coach George Wilson, before Don Shula was hired as head coach. Shula was a Paul Brown disciple who had been lured from the Baltimore Colts after losing Super Bowl III two seasons earlier to the AFLs New York Jets and finishing 8–5–1 the following season. Interestingly, Shula got his first NFL coaching job from then-Detroit Head Coach George Wilson, when Shula replaced Wilson at Miami the Colts charged the Dolphins with tampering in their hiring of Shula, costing the Dolphins their first round draft pick in 1971. Shula introduced himself to the Miami press by saying that he didnt have any magic formulas, Shulas early training camps with the Dolphins, with four workouts a day, would soon be the stuff of sweltering, painful legend. But Shulas hard work paid dividends, as Miami improved to a 10–4 record and their first-ever playoff appearance. The Dolphins were successful in the early 1970s, becoming the first team to advance to the AFC Championship for three consecutive seasons and they captured the AFC championship in 1971 behind quarterback Bob Griese, running backs Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, and wide receiver Paul Warfield. The AFC Divisional Playoff Game, in which the Dolphins defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, was the longest contest in NFL history, in Super Bowl VI, however, Miami lost to the Dallas Cowboys 24–3
10.
Atlanta Falcons
–
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference South division. The Falcons joined the NFL in 1965 as an expansion team, the AFL instead granted a franchise to Miami. The Falcons are tied with the Dolphins for being the second-oldest NFL franchise in the Deep South, the Falcons played their home games at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta from the 1992 to 2016 NFL seasons. Construction began on Mercedes-Benz Stadium in May 2014, with play projected to begin there during the 2017 season and their headquarters and practice facilities are located at a 50-acre site in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Two years later, the AFL held another exhibition, this time with the New York Jets taking on the San Diego Chargers, in 1965, after the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium was built, the city of Atlanta felt the time was right to start pursuing professional football. Another group reported it had deposited earnest money for a team in the AFL and he forced the city to make a choice between the two leagues. By June 30, the city picked Rankin Smith and the NFL, former commissioner Pete Rozelle and Smith made the deal in about five minutes and the Atlanta Falcons brought the largest and most popular sport to the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta expansion franchise became the 15th NFL franchise, and they were awarded the first pick in the 1966 NFL draft as well as the pick in each of the first five rounds. The Falcons drafted All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis from the University of Texas with the first pick of the draft, the league also held the 1966 NFL Expansion Draft six weeks later in which the Falcons selected unprotected players from existing franchises. Although the Falcons selected many players in those drafts, they still were not able to win right away. The Atlanta Falcons Football Club received its nickname on August 29,1965, miss Julia Elliott, a school teacher from Griffin, Georgia, was singled out from many people who suggested Falcons as the nickname for the new franchise. Elliott wrote, the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and it is deadly and has a great sporting tradition. The Falcons had their first season in 1966, and their first preseason game on August 1,1966, under Head Coach Norb Hecker they lost their first nine regular-season games in 1966 and secured their first victory on the road against the New York Giants. The team finished the 1960s with only 12 wins, the Falcons had their first Monday Night Football game in Atlanta during the 1970 season. The only two winning seasons in this period were 1971 and 1973. In the 1978 season, the Falcons qualified for the playoffs for the first time, the following week, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27–20 in the Divisional Playoffs. In the 1980 season, after a winning streak, the Falcons posted a franchise then-best record of 12–4
11.
Jacksonville Jaguars
–
The Jacksonville Jaguars are an American professional football franchise based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference South division. The team plays its games at EverBank Field. The Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers joined the NFL as expansion teams for the 1995 season, since their inception, the Jaguars have won division championships in 1998 and 1999 and have qualified for the playoffs six times, most recently in 2007. From their inception until 2011, the Jacksonville Jaguars majority owner was Wayne Weaver, the team was then purchased by Pakistani-born businessman Shahid Khan for an estimated $770 million. In 2015, Forbes estimated the value at $1.48 billion. In 1989, the ownership group Touchdown Jacksonville. The group initially included future Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Jacksonville developer Tom Petway, in 1991, the NFL announced plans to add two expansion teams in 1994, its first expansion since the 1976 addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Announced its bid for a team, and Jacksonville was ultimately chosen as one of five finalists, along with Charlotte, St. Louis, Baltimore, Jacksonville was considered the least likely expansion candidate for several reasons. The Jacksonville metropolitan area and television market were smaller than those of every team in the league. There were 635,000 people in Jacksonville proper according to the 1990 census, additionally, the Gator Bowl was outdated, and the ownership group struggled to negotiate a lease with the city. The troubled negotiations over the Gator Bowl lease led the group to withdraw from the NFL expansion bidding in July 1993. Charlotte was awarded the first franchise – the Carolina Panthers – in October 1993, surprisingly, the naming of the second expansion city was delayed a month. Most pundits speculated that the delay was made to allow St. Louis to shore up its bid, at the time, St. Louis was considered the favorite for the second franchise, with Baltimores three bids also considered strong. However, in a move, the NFL owners voted 26–2 in favor of awarding the 30th franchise to Jacksonville. After the Gator Bowl game on December 31,1993, the old stadium was demolished and replaced with a reinforced concrete superstructure. All that remained of the old stadium was the west upper concourse, in January 1994 Wayne Weaver chose Tom Coughlin as the first-ever head coach of the Jaguars. While he had previously had success with Boston College, many at the time believed his hiring was a risky move
12.
Tennessee Titans
–
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League as a club of the American Football Conference South division. Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team play in 1960 in Houston. The Oilers won the first two AFL Championships, and joined the NFL as part of the AFL–NFL merger in 1970, the team relocated from Houston to Tennessee in 1997, and played at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis for one season. The club moved to Nashville in 1998 and played in Vanderbilt Stadium, for those two years, the team was known as the Tennessee Oilers, but changed its name to Titans in 1999. The team plays at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, which opened in 1999 as Adelphia Coliseum, the Titans training facility is at Saint Thomas Sports Park, a 31-acre site at the MetroCenter complex in Nashville. When the team debuted as the Houston Oilers in 1960, the logo was an oil rig derrick. Except for minor changes throughout the years, this logo remained the same until the team was renamed the Titans in 1999. The logo was originally called Ol Riggy, but this was dropped before the start of the 1974 season, the Oilers uniforms consisted of blue or white jerseys, red trim, and white pants. From 1966 through 1971, the pants with both the blue and white jerseys were silver, to match the color of the helmets, for selected games in 1973 and 1974, and again from 1981 through 1984, the Oilers wore their white jerseys at home. The light blue pants were discarded by coach Jeff Fisher in 1995, from 1960 to about 1965 and from 1972 to 1974, they wore blue helmets, from 1966 to 1971, the helmets were silver, and they were white from 1975 to 1998. During the 1997–98 period, when they were known as the Tennessee Oilers, the uniforms consist of white helmets, red trim, and either navy or white jerseys. White pants are worn with the navy jerseys, and navy pants are worn with the white jerseys. On both the navy and white jerseys, the shoulders and sleeves are light Titans blue. In a game against the Washington Redskins in 2006, the Titans wore their jerseys with navy pants for the first time. Since 2000, the Titans have generally worn their dark uniforms at home throughout the preseason and they have worn white at home during daytime contests on many occasions for September home games to gain an advantage with the heat except in the 2005,2006, and 2008 seasons. The Titans introduced an alternate jersey in 2003 that is light Titans blue, with navy outside shoulders and that jersey was usually worn with the road blue pants. When it was the jersey from 2003 to 2007, the Titans wore the jersey twice in each regular season game
13.
American football
–
The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs, or plays, or else they turn over the football to the opposing team, if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs. Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the teams end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponents goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins, American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of association football and rugby football. The first game of American football was played on November 6,1869, during the latter half of the 1870s, colleges playing association football switched to the Rugby Union code, which allowed carrying the ball. American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States, Professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game, with the other major levels being high school and youth football. As of 2012, nearly 1.1 million high school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually, almost all of them men, in the United States, American football is referred to as football. The term football was established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season. The terms gridiron or American football are favored in English-speaking countries where other codes of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, American football evolved from the sports of association football and rugby football. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6,1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams, the game was played between two teams of 25 players each and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head or sides, Rutgers won the game 6 goals to 4. Collegiate play continued for years in which matches were played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19,1873 to create a set of rules for all schools to adhere to. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet were specified, Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. An 1875 Harvard-Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two impressed Princeton athletes and these players introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to selling refrigerators to Eskimos. Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia then agreed to play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, although Yale did not join until 1879, the introduction of the snap resulted in unexpected consequences. Prior to the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position, however, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they now could hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, both teams in a game between Yale-Princeton used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records, each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0-0 tie
14.
College football
–
It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. No minor league farm organizations exist in American football and it is in college football where a players performance directly impacts his chances of playing professional football. The best collegiate players will declare for the professional draft after 3 to 4 years of collegiate competition. Those not selected can still attempt to land an NFL roster spot as a free agent. Even after the emergence of the professional National Football League, college football remained extremely popular throughout the U. S, in many cases, college stadiums employ bench-style seating, as opposed to individual seats with backs and arm rests. This allows them to more fans in a given amount of space than the typical professional stadium. College athletes, unlike players in the NFL, are not permitted by the NCAA to be paid salaries, colleges are only allowed to provide non-monetary compensation such as athletic scholarships that provide for tuition, housing, and books. Modern North American football has its origins in various games, all known as football, by the 1840s, students at Rugby School were playing a game in which players were able to pick up the ball and run with it, a sport later known as Rugby football. The game was taken to Canada by British soldiers stationed there and was soon being played at Canadian colleges, the first documented gridiron football match was a game played at University College, a college of the University of Toronto, November 9,1861. One of the participants in the game involving University of Toronto students was William Mulock, a football club was formed at the university soon afterward, although its rules of play at this stage are unclear. In 1864, at Trinity College, also a college of the University of Toronto, F. Barlow Cumberland, modern Canadian football is widely regarded as having originated with a game played in Montreal, in 1865, when British Army officers played local civilians. The game gradually gained a following, and the Montreal Football Club was formed in 1868, early games appear to have had much in common with the traditional mob football played in England. The games remained largely unorganized until the 19th century, when games of football began to be played on college campuses. Each school played its own variety of football, Princeton University students played a game called ballown as early as 1820. A Harvard tradition known as Bloody Monday began in 1827, which consisted of a mass ballgame between the freshman and sophomore classes, in 1860, both the town police and the college authorities agreed the Bloody Monday had to go. The Harvard students responded by going into mourning for a figure called Football Fightum. The authorities held firm and it was a dozen years before football was again played at Harvard. Dartmouth played its own version called Old division football, the rules of which were first published in 1871, all of these games, and others, shared certain commonalities
15.
University of Florida
–
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university on a 2, 000-acre campus in Gainesville, Florida. It is a member of the State University System of Florida and traces its origins to 1853. The University is classified as a Research University with Very High Research by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, for 2017, U. S. News & World Report ranked Florida as the fourteenth best public university in the United States. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and it is the third largest Florida university by student population, and is the eighth largest single-campus university in the United States with 49,913 students enrolled for the fall 2012 semester. The University of Florida is home to sixteen colleges and more than 150 research centers. The University of Florida traces its origins to 1853, when the East Florida Seminary, on January 6,1853, Governor Thomas Brown signed a bill that provided public support for higher education in Florida. Gilbert Kingsbury was the first person to take advantage of the legislation, and established the East Florida Seminary, the East Florida Seminary was Floridas first state-supported institution of higher learning. James Henry Roper, an educator from North Carolina and a senator from Alachua County, had opened a school in Gainesville. In 1866, Roper offered his land and school to the State of Florida in exchange for the relocation of the East Florida Seminary to Gainesville, the second major precursor to the University of Florida was the Florida Agricultural College, established at Lake City by Jordan Probst in 1884. Florida Agricultural College became the states first land-grant college under the Morrill Act, in 1905, the Florida Legislature passed the Buckman Act, which consolidated the states publicly supported higher education institutions. The member of the legislature who wrote the act, Henry Holland Buckman, later became the namesake of Buckman Hall, the Buckman Act organized the State University System of Florida and created the Florida Board of Control to govern the system. The City of Gainesville, led by its Mayor William Reuben Thomas, on July 6,1905, the Board of Control selected Gainesville for the new university campus. Andrew Sledd, president of the pre-existing University of Florida at Lake City, was selected to be the first president of the new University of the State of Florida, architect William A. Edwards designed the first official campus buildings in the Collegiate Gothic style. Classes began on the new Gainesville campus on September 26,1906, in 1909, the schools name was simplified from the University of the State of Florida to the University of Florida. The alligator was incidentally chosen as the mascot in 1911, after a local vendor ordered. Murphree is the only University of Florida president honored with a statue on the campus, before this, only the summer semester was coeducational, to accommodate women teachers who wanted to further their education during the summer break. Lassie Goodbread-Black from Lake City became the first woman to enroll at the University of Florida, john J. Tigert became the third university president in 1928. By the end of the 1946–47 school year,954 men were enrolled at the Tallahassee Branch, the following semester, the Florida Legislature returned the Florida State College for Women to coeducational status and renamed it Florida State University
16.
National Football League
–
The National Football League is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL is one of the four professional sports leagues in North America. The NFLs 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing 16 games, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season, the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. S. The NFLs executive officer is the commissioner, who has authority in governing the league. The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen, the current NFL champions are the New England Patriots, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in Super Bowl LI. Another meeting held on September 17,1920 resulted in the renaming of the league to the American Professional Football Association, the league hired Jim Thorpe as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals, remain, the first event occurred on September 26,1920 when the Rock Island Independents defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at Douglas Park. On October 3,1920, the first full week of league play occurred, the following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys controversially winning the title over the Buffalo All-Americans. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League, in 1932, the season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied for first in the league standings. This method had used since the leagues creation in 1920. The league quickly determined that a game between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the leagues champion. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0. Fan interest in the de facto championship game led the NFL, beginning in 1933, the 1934 season also marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the league. The de facto ban was rescinded in 1946, following public pressure, the NFL was always the foremost professional football league in the United States, it nevertheless faced a large number of rival professional leagues through the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate American Football Leagues and the All-America Football Conference, on top of regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these leagues, including the Los Angeles Rams
17.
Oakland Park, Florida
–
Oakland Park, officially the City of Oakland Park, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 41,363, mainly due to annexation of North Andrews Gardens. It is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, originally named Floranada, the town was forced into bankruptcy after the hurricane of 1926. When the municipality reincorporated, residents chose to make it a city, Oakland Park is located at 26°10′35″N 80°8′40″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 8.1 square miles. Oakland Park is bisected by the Florida East Coast Railway, which runs parallel to Dixie Highway through the citys downtown, the City of Oakland Park has put into place new zoning regulations intended to transform downtown Oakland Park into a mixed-use pedestrian community. One element of the proposal is the creation of a new rail station on the FEC rail line. Oakland Park borders the city of Wilton Manors, which is experiencing a tremendous amount of new development, increased property prices in Wilton Manors have pushed up prices in Oakland Park and spurred interest in the citys downtown redevelopment plan. As of 2010, there were 20,076 households out of which 12. 8% were vacant. As of 2000,24. 5% had children under the age of 18 living with them,32. 3% were married couples living together,13. 3% had a householder with no husband present. 35. 1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7. 4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 3.00. In 2000, the city the population was out with 20. 9% under the age of 18,9. 0% from 18 to 24,38. 7% from 25 to 44,21. 3% from 45 to 64. The median age was 36 years, for every 100 females there were 109.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.8 males, in 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $35,493, and the median income for a family was $38,571. Males had an income of $30,269 versus $25,514 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,873, about 13. 3% of families and 16. 5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22. 1% of those under age 18 and 11. 3% of those age 65 or over. As of 2000, Oakland Park was the fifteenth most Brazilian-populated area in the US at 2. 76% and these are the neighborhoods and communities that are officially recognized by the City of Oakland Park. The movie theater chain Muvico has its headquarters in Oakland Park, also home to Oakland Park is the Funky Buddha Brewery, a facility that produces beers unique to the South Florida market, its most popular arguably being Hop Gun
18.
Quarterback
–
A quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the team and line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is considered the leader of the offensive team. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually the leader of the offense, the quarterback touches the ball on almost every offensive play, and his successes and failures can have a significant impact on the fortunes of his team. Accordingly, the quarterback is among the most glorified and scrutinized positions in team sports, prior to each play, the quarterback will usually tell the rest of his team which play the team will run. After the team is lined up, the center will pass the ball back to the quarterback, usually on a running play, the quarterback will then hand or pitch the ball backwards to a half back or full back. On a passing play, the quarterback is almost always the responsible for trying to throw the ball downfield to an eligible receiver downfield. Depending on the scheme by his team, the quarterbacks role can vary. While quarterbacks in Canadian football need to be able to throw the ball often, in the NFL, quarterbacks are required to wear a uniform number between 1 and 19. In the CFL, the quarterback can wear any number from 0 to 49 and 70 to 99. Because of their numbering, quarterbacks are eligible receivers in the NCAA, NFHS, after a Super Bowl victory, the starting quarterback is the first player to be presented with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The starting quarterback of the victorious Super Bowl team is chosen for the Im going to Disney World. Campaign, whether they are the Super Bowl MVP or not, examples include Joe Montana, Trent Dilfer, Dilfer was chosen even though teammate Ray Lewis was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV, due to the bad publicity from Lewis murder trial the prior year. In addition to their role, quarterbacks are occasionally used in other roles. Most teams utilize a backup quarterback as their holder on placekicks, in the Wildcat, a formation where a halfback lines up behind the center and the quarterback lines up out wide, the quarterback can be used as a receiving target or a blocker. A more rare use for a quarterback is to punt the ball himself, Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was known to perform quick kicks occasionally, typically when the Broncos were facing a third-and-long situation. As Roger Staubachs back-up, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White was also the teams punter, ascending the starting role upon Staubachs retirement, White held his position as the teams punter for several seasons—a double duty he performed to All-American standard at Arizona State University. White also had two touchdown receptions as a Dallas Cowboy, both from the halfback option, if quarterbacks are uncomfortable with the formation the defense is using, they may call an audible change to their play
19.
High school football
–
High school football is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular sports in both countries. It is also popular amongst American High school teams in Europe, High school football began in the late 19th century, concurrent with the start of many college football programs. In the late 19th and early 20th century, many college, other traditions of high school football such as pep rallies, marching bands, mascots, and homecomings are mirrored from college football. No true minor league farm organizations exist in American football, therefore, high school football is generally considered to be the third tier of American football in the United States, behind professional and college competition. The National Federation of State High School Associations establishes the rules of high school football in the United States, two states, Texas and Massachusetts, use NCAA playing rules except as shown below. Kickoffs take place at the kicking teams 40-yard line, as opposed to the 35 in college, if an attempted field goal is missed it is treated as a punt, normally it would be a touchback and the opposing team will start at the 20-yard line. However, if it not enter the end zone, it can be downed or returned as a normal punt. Any kick crossing the line is automatically a touchback, kicks cannot be returned out of the end zone. Pass interference by the results in a 15-yard penalty. Pass interference by the results in a 15-yard penalty, from the previous spot. The defense cannot return an extra-point attempt for a score, any defensive player that encroaches the neutral zone, regardless of whether the ball was snapped or not, commits a dead ball foul for encroachment. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot, prior to 2013, offensive pass interference resulted in a 15-yard penalty AND a loss of down. The loss of down provision has been deleted from the rules starting in 2013, in college and the NFL, offensive pass interference is only 10 yards. The use of overtime, and the type of overtime used, is up to the state association. The NFHS offers a suggested overtime procedure based on the Kansas Playoff, intentional grounding may be called even if the quarterback is outside the tackle box. The home team must wear dark-colored jerseys, and the team must wear white jerseys. In the NFL, the team has choice of jersey color, and in the NCAA
20.
Gainesville, Florida
–
Gainesville is the county seat and largest city in Alachua County, Florida, United States, and the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of Gainesville in the 2013 US Census estimates was 127,488, Gainesville is the largest city in the region of North Central Florida. It is also a component of the Gainesville-Lake City Combined Statistical Area, Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, the nations ninth-largest university campus by enrollment, as well as to Santa Fe College. The Gainesville MSA was ranked as the No.1 place to live in North America in the 2007 edition of Cities Ranked and Rated, also in 2007, Gainesville was ranked as one of the best places to live and play in the United States by National Geographic Adventure. About 12,000 years ago Paleo-Indians lived in Florida, although it is not known for certain whether any permanent settlements from that period were in the present city limits of Gainesville, archaeological evidence of human presence exists. Eventually more complex social organization and agricultural practices emerged into what archaeologists classify as the Deptford culture, a Deptford culture campsite has been excavated beneath the subsequent Alachua culture Law School Burial Mound on the grounds of the University of Florida. The UF campus burial mound was built about 1000 A. D. by Alachua culture inhabitants who lived along the shore of Lake Alice. In the recorded period, the region was home to the Potano, the remaining Timucua were converted to Roman Catholicism and organized into missions overseen by Franciscan priests. The Mission San Francisco de Potano, the first doctrina in Florida west of the St. Johns River, was founded in 1606 at the edge of present-day San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park. Chief Potanos town was relocated in the period to the vicinity of the Devils Millhopper. Spanish colonists began cattle ranching in the Paynes Prairie area using Timucua labor, between 1763 and 1784 what is now Gainesville fell within the jurisdiction of the colony of British East Florida. Gainesville was founded to place the Alachua County seat on the route of the Florida Railroad Companys line stretching from Cedar Key to Fernandina Beach. County residents decided to move the county seat from Newnansville in 1853, a site on Black Oak Ridge where the railroad was expected to cross it was selected in 1854. It is generally accepted that the new settlement was named for General Edmund P. Gaines, the railroad was completed from Fernandina to Gainesville in 1859, passing six blocks south of the courthouse. Hogtown is the village of the adjacent Hogtown Creek, which flows 5.7 miles through Gainesville. Hogtown continued to exist until after Gainesville was founded, as evidenced on a map showing both towns, which was published in 1864 based on surveys from 1855, two residents of Hogtown played a prominent role in establishing Gainesville. William Lewis, who owned a plantation in Hogtown, delivered 20 votes pledged to him to create a new town on the route of the railroad. Tillman Ingram, who owned a plantation and a sawmill in Hogtown
21.
Charley Pell
–
Charles Byron Pell was an American college football player and coach. Pell was an Alabama native and an alumnus of the University of Alabama and he is most notably remembered as the head coach of the Clemson University and the University of Florida football teams. Pell was credited with laying the foundation for the success of both programs, but his coaching career was tainted by National Collegiate Athletic Association rules violations. Charley Pell was born in Albertville, Alabama in 1941, neither of his parents had completed any education beyond the fifth grade. He did not play football until his year of high school. After graduating from school, he attended the University of Alabama. Pell was undersized at 187 pounds, but he became an all-Southeastern Conference guard, Pell played for Bryants Crimson Tide from 1961 to 1963, including Bryants first national championship team in 1961. After graduating from the University of Alabama, Pell stayed in Tuscaloosa, charlie Bradshaw, a former Alabama assistant and current Kentucky Wildcats football head coach, offered Pell a position as the defensive line coach at the University of Kentucky. While coaching at Kentucky, Pell met his wife, Ward Noel. Pell earned his first head coaching job at age 28 when he was hired by Jacksonville State University in 1969 and he coached the Gamecocks to four consecutive winning seasons, including a 10–0 record and a Gulf South Conference championship in 1970. His overall record as coach was 33–13–1. In 1974, Pell left NAIA Jacksonville State to become defensive coordinator for Division I Virginia Tech Hokies and he stayed for just two seasons. After taking the defensive position for the Clemson Tigers football team in 1976. In his first year, he led the Tigers to the 1977 Gator Bowl—their first bowl invitation in 18 years. A year later, his Tigers won their first Atlantic Coast Conference championship in 11 years, Pell was named ACC Coach of the Year in 1978, and compiled an 18–4–1 record. He also recruited many of the players who helped lead the Tigers to the championship in 1981. Pell left Clemson after the 1978 regular season to become coach at the University of Florida. He was succeeded at Clemson by assistant coach Danny Ford, who led the Tigers in the Gator Bowl
22.
San Francisco 49ers
–
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team located in the San Francisco Bay Area. They compete in the National Football League as a member of the leagues National Football Conference West division, the team currently plays its home games at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, California, located 45 miles southeast of San Francisco in the heart of Silicon Valley. Since 1988, the 49ers have been headquartered in Santa Clara, the team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and joined the NFL in 1949 when the leagues merged. The 49ers were the first major professional sports franchise based in San Francisco. The name 49ers comes from the prospectors who arrived in Northern California in the 1849 Gold Rush, the team is legally and corporately registered as the San Francisco Forty Niners, Ltd. The team began play at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco before moving across town to Candlestick Park in 1970 and then to Levis Stadium in Santa Clara in 2014. The 49ers won five Super Bowl championships between 1981 and 1995, led by Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, and coach Bill Walsh. As of the 2016 NFL season, the team has won a total of six championships, with the first in 1981. The 49ers have been in the playoffs a total of 26 times,25 times in the NFL. According to Forbes Magazine, the team is the 4th most-valuable team in the NFL, in 2016, the San Francisco 49ers were ranked the 10th most valuable sports team in the world, behind the Los Angeles Lakers and above Bayern Munich. In 1957, the 49ers enjoyed their first sustained success as members of the NFL, the 49ers fell behind the Bears 17–7. Tragically, 49ers owner Tony Morabito collapsed of a heart attack, the 49ers players learned of his death at halftime when coach Frankie Albert was handed a note with two words, Tonys gone. With tears running down their faces, and motivated to win for their departed owner, dicky Moegles late-game interception in the endzone sealed the victory. After Tonys death 49er ownership went to Victor Morabito and Tonys widow, the 49ers special assistant to the Morabitos, Louis G. Spadia was named general manager. They became the only full-house backfield inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for most of the next 13 years, the 49ers hovered around.490, except for 1963 and 1964 when they went 2–12 and 4–10 respectively. Key players for these 49ers included running back Ken Willard, quarterback John Brodie, during this time the 49ers became the first NFL team to use the shotgun formation. It was named by the man who devised the formation, San Francisco 49ers coach Red Hickey. The formation, where the lines up seven yards behind the center, was designed to allow the quarterback extra time to throw
23.
1985 Minnesota Vikings season
–
The 1985 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchises 25th season in the National Football League The Vikings finished with a record of seven wins and nine losses. The team was able to bring back Bud Grant, ^ As part of the initial trade between the Vikings and Oilers, the Vikings agreed to not draft DE Ray Childress or trade the pick to a team that would draft Childress. Houston drafted Childress with the 3rd overall pick and this selection was returned to Minnesota. ^ San Diego traded their 3rd round selection to Minnesota for CB John Turner, ^ The Rams traded their 4th round selection to Minnesota for QB Steve Dils. ^ The Raiders traded their 6th round selection and 1986 2nd round selection to Minnesota for LB Brad Van Pelt, ^ Minnesota traded their 7th round selection to Green Bay for PK Jan Stenerud
24.
1989 Pittsburgh Steelers season
–
The 1989 Pittsburgh Steelers were considered a rebuilding team filled with many young players, especially after the release of longtime center Mike Webster in the offseason. The young team showed its inexperience in the first game of the season, the loss marked the Steelers worst defeat in franchise history. The following week wasnt much better, losing 41–10 to another division rival, however, the Steelers clinched the final playoff spot in the last week in the season with a 9–7 record. Chuck Noll, in his 21st season as the head coach, was named the NFLs Coach of the Year for the only time in his coaching career. Noll was renowned as a character, but in complete contrast was his reaction to Jerry Glanville. After the Steelers second meeting, Noll in the post game handshake grabbed Glanville and this was in reaction to Glanvilles earlier comments on how the Oilers field was the house of pain and his prediction that his players would intentionally hurt the Steelers. Despite the personal discord between the two coaches, at the end of the season, Glanville publicly revealed that he would vote for Noll for NFL Coach of the Year. Though the Steelers would not make the playoffs again under Chuck Noll, until 2015, it was the last season the Steelers made the playoffs in a season the Super Bowl aired on CBS. Each of the six such seasons would see the team missing the playoffs. The offseason was marked with the team deciding not to renew the contract of longtime center Mike Webster, websters release marked the end of the Super Bowl-era players on the team. Although Dwayne Woodruff was still with the Steelers and had won a Super Bowl ring during his rookie year, meanwhile, the team drafted UCLA safety Carnell Lake in the second round of the 1989 draft. Lake would be a key member of the teams defense through the 1998 season, although his accomplishments would often be underlooked as opposed to his teammate, Rod Woodson. Miller 20 pass from McMahon Pittsburgh – FG Anderson 28 San Diego – FG Bahr 27 Pittsburgh – Woodson 84 kickoff return San Diego – A and this game was played in a driving rain storm
25.
Lineman (gridiron football)
–
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line. A number of NFL rules specifically address restrictions and requirements for the offensive line, linemen are usually the largest players on the field in both height and weight, since their positions usually require less running and more strength than skill positions. An offensive linemans motion during a play is limited to just a few quick steps to establish position. Offensive linemen thus tend to be the largest players on the field, with excellent agility and balance, most pro and college football offensive lineman tend to weigh over 300 pounds. On passing plays, the line is responsible for stopping defensive players from tackling the quarterback before he has thrown the ball. The interior offensive line consists of the center, who is responsible for snapping the ball into play, in addition to the interior line, a full offensive line may also include a Tight End outside one or both of the tackles. However, ends are eligible to catch passes, when an offensive lineman knocks a player down on a block, leaving the defensive player lying flat on his back, it is colloquially known as a pancake block. When an offensive line has an number of men on either side of the center. The defensive line consists of one or two defensive tackles and two ends who play outside the defensive tackles. The defensive line works with the linebackers to try to control the line of scrimmage, the 4-3 defensive formation, most commonly used in the NFL, employs two defensive tackles, while the 3-4 formation uses just a single defensive tackle, called the nose tackle. However, defensive ends in a typical 3-4 have responsibilities more similar to a 4-3 defensive tackle than 4-3 defensive ends, on running plays, the goal is to tackle the ball carrier. The defensive tackles are usually the most skilled run defenders on the team, on passing plays, the defensive line tries to reach the quarterback. Defensive ends are usually the most skilled pass rushers on the team, in order to increase the pressure on the quarterback, teams will often have players other than the defensive line attempt to tackle the quarterback, this is called a blitz. Defensive linemen—particularly defensive ends—are called upon to do more running than offensive linemen, thus they usually tend to be somewhat lighter and faster
26.
Kevin Gilbride
–
Kevin Bernard Gilbride is a retired American professional football coach. Gilbride was a coach for twenty years in the NFL and is a friend of Tom Coughlin since his days in Jacksonville. He spent seven years as the coordinator for the New York Giants. From 1997-1998, Gilbride was the coach for the San Diego Chargers. Gilbride attended Southern Connecticut State University, where he played quarterback and tight end and earned a degree in Physical Education. He then went to Idaho State University, where he earned a degree in athletic administration. Gilbrides coaching career began in 1974 as an assistant, where he served as linebackers coach for the 1974 season. Gilbride was also the coach for the Idaho State womens basketball team in their inaugural year. Gilbride joined Tufts prior to the 1976 season as a linebackers coach and he held that position for two seasons. Following the 1977 season, he joined American International College and he was a Defensive Coordinator at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts for two seasons. He would later coach at his alma mater for five seasons starting in 1980, Gilbride spent his first year overseeing the passing game, in a sort of quarterback-coach like position. Gilbrides team finished 3-8, winning their first game, and then their final two, following the season he was hired by the Houston Oilers as their quarterback coach and made the jump to the National Football League. Gilbride served as assistant coach for the Rough Riders in 1985, the team finished 7-9 but made the playoffs, where they lost in the eastern semi-final to the Montreal Concordes. The next season they were 3-10 and failed to qualify for the postseason, from 1989-2014, Gilbride served as an assistant with a number of NFL franchises, working as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Gilbride began his NFL career as a coach for the Oilers. In his first season, quarterback Warren Moon passed for over 3,600 yards with 23 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, following a solid year by Moon, the Oilers named Gilbride Offensive Coordinator for the 1990 season. During his time with the Oilers, Gilbride ran a variation of the Run & Shoot offense, the team finished in the top 5 in scoring each year with Gilbride as offensive coordinator. The team scored 405 points in Gilbrides first season, including Moon passing for 33 touchdowns against 13 interceptions for over 4,000 yards, despite the offense finishing second in the league, the team finished 9-7, second in the division
27.
Hines Ward
–
Hines Edward Ward Jr. is a retired American football wide receiver, businessman, and television personality. He is the current NBC studio analyst who played 14 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League and he played college football at the University of Georgia. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the round of the 1998 NFL Draft. Ward was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL, and upon retirement was one of only thirteen NFL players to have 1,000 or more career receptions. Born in Seoul, South Korea to a Korean mother and an African American father and he has become an advocate for the social acceptance of foreigners in Korea, especially mixed-race youth. He was a studio analyst for NBCs Football Night in America from 2012 to 2015, Ward was born in Seoul, South Korea, to an African American father, Hines Ward Sr. and Korean mother, Kim Young Hee. His family moved to Atlanta and East Point, Georgia when Hines Jr. was one, Ward would later be reunited with his mother at age 7. During this time, Hines Ward Sr. did not support Ward with child support or visit Ward regularly with Ward stating that he talks with his father once every two years. Ward has stated that he has never reconciled with his father who abandoned him when he was 2 years old and he also excelled in baseball and was selected by the Florida Marlins in 73rd round of the 1994 MLB Draft. As a wide receiver for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, Wards 149 career receptions for 1,965 yards placed him second in team history and he also played tailback and totaled 3,870 all-purpose yards, second only to Herschel Walker in Bulldogs history. In 1996, Hines had 52 receptions for 900 yards, in 1997, Hines hauled in 55 passes for 715 yards and scored six touchdowns while, and also ran 30 times for 223 yards, getting All-SEC honors in the process. When he came out of college, it was discovered that Ward was missing an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Sports article, Ward broke his kneecap in the fourth grade and the doctors never accounted for the ligament. Coming out of the University of Georgia, Ward was regarded as one of the top five receivers in the 1998 NFL Draft, along with Kevin Dyson and he was projected to be selected at the end of the first round or beginning of the second. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts expressed major interest in him, after it was discovered Ward did not have an ACL in one of his legs, his value dropped. The Buccaneers chose to draft Jacquez Green and Jerome Pathon instead, Ward was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. On July 20,1998, the Steelers signed him to a three-year, Ward began his rookie season as the fourth receiver on the Steelers depth chart. He played in his first career game on September 6,1998, against the Baltimore Ravens, during a Week 10 contest against the Green Bay Packers, he caught a season-high 2 passes for 56-yards. Although he appeared in game during his first season, he finished with only 15 receptions for 246 receiving yards
28.
Antwaan Randle El
–
Antwaan Randle El is a former American football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for nine seasons. He attended Indiana University where he played football for the Indiana Hoosiers. He is currently the sideline reporter for the Big Ten Network for interconference games that the Indiana football team plays, following four years at Indiana, Randle El was chosen in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Playing with the Steelers for four seasons, he was active in all 64 regular season games with 23 starts, finding success as a receiver, kick returner. After the 2005 NFL season, Randle El was signed as an agent to the Washington Redskins. As a receiver for the Redskins, he scored ten touchdowns, catching eight, in 2007, Randle El was sidelined for a game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury, to date being his only inactive game. Randle El was released by the Redskins in March 2010, re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers shortly after, Randle El was also named fifth in USA Todays All-Decade kick returners. Randle El was born in Riverdale, Illinois as the son of Curtis Randle El Sr. a food distributor, and Jacqueline, Randle El was raised a Pentecostal Christian. A Chicago Bears fan, he attended Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois and he was a high school teammate of future NFL linebacker Napoleon Harris, as well as NBA center Melvin Ely and former NFL wide receiver Tai Streets. After graduating from Thornton Township in 1997, Randle El was drafted in the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft, despite this, he opted to pursue a football scholarship at Indiana University, despite being told he was too small during the recruiting process. Randle El attended Indiana University from 1998 to 2001, playing college football primarily as a quarterback, due to a low SAT score, he sat out his first full technical year at Indiana as a partial academic qualifier. The Hoosiers would go on to win the game, 45–30 and his performance was also the third all-time highest passing yards in a single game for Indiana, and would earn Randle El the co-Big Ten Player of the Week award. In the same season, Randle El would lead the team to victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes on October 17,1998, Randle El would win the Big Ten Player of the Week award for a second time for his performance. On December 1,1998, Randle El was announced as the winner of the 1998 Big Ten Freshman of the Year award, the award was later re-titled the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year award, partly in honor of Randle Els successful college career. He finished the season and his year with 1,745 passing yards and six touchdowns, as well as 873 yards rushing as a quarterback. While at Indiana, Randle El became the first player in NCAA Division I history to pass for 40 career touchdowns, in 2001, he was awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, presented by the Chicago Tribune to the Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Conference. Tallying 7,469 passing yards,3,895 rushing yards, Randle El ended his college career with a 26–15 win over the Kentucky Wildcats, passing for two touchdowns. In 2000, Penn State coach Joe Paterno said of Randle El and it is scary to watch him
