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Most Significant Sports History on December 28th
Learn about December 28th's most significant sports history including the "Greatest Game Ever Played", the 1st 0-16 team, and more!
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As the year comes to a close, the history of many of the league’s most iconic playoff and championship moments will come into focus. December 28th is no different, as this day lays claim to the “Greatest Game Ever Played” in NFL history in addition to the namesake of the “Hail Mary”. More recently, two RBs had a season for the ages in the early 2000’s while Detroit reached professional football’s deepest abyss. Lastly, two of the most iconic basketball players of all-time squared off for the first time in their NBA careers after some iconic collegiate battles, rounding out a day known for some of the NFL’s greatest highs and lows.
See what happened on this day in: 2020 | 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjGxpE5BX0o
YEAR: 1958
SIGNIFICANCE: Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants in the 1st OT NFL Championship Game
In the NFL’s primitive days, every game that remained tied through regulation was deemed a tie until 1940, when a 15-minute OT period was authorized if needed to decide a division title. Though this did not apply to the NFL Championship until 1946, it would not be needed until this date in 1958, when the Colts and Giants battled for the title in the “Greatest Game Ever Played”. Football was beginning to strangle away baseball’s “favorite pastime” label due to further adoption of the television, and much of the popularity boom during the late-1950’s and ’60’s has been attributed to the OT thriller that was the 1958 NFL Championship.
A back and forth contest that featured its fair share of sloppiness — seven turnovers, two missed FGs from Baltimore — the drama began building late in the fourth quarter. After Frank Gifford scored on a 15-yard REC, the Colts’ final drive of regulation began from their own 14. Johnny Unitas missed on his first two attempts, but then Lenny Moore managed a first down with an 11-yard REC. Hitting LG Dupree two plays later for a 25-yard gain, Unitas and Raymond Berry would then connect for 37 yards on the next two plays to put Baltimore on the 13-yard-line with :07 remaining — just enough time for a game-tying FG.
To begin the very first OT period in NFL Championship history, the Giants won the kickoff but went three-and-out, punting away to Baltimore’s 20-yard-line. Unitas would then lead the Colts on a 12-play, 79-yard march down to the one-yard line where, in legendary fashion, Alan Ameche plunged into the end zone to end the “Greatest Game Ever Played”. Leaving Yankee Stadium with their very first NFL Championship after playing an extra 8:15, the Colts would meet the Giants yet again the following year and became repeat champions in front of their home crowd.
https://twitter.com/PrescottCoop/status/1168718499323273218
YEAR: 1975
SIGNIFICANCE: Roger Staubach threw a 50-yd PASS TD to Drew Pearson with 0:32 remaining that served as the 1st “Hail Mary”
On December 28th, 1975, one of the most iconic plays in NFL history took place as the heavily-favored Vikings hosted Dallas for an NFC Divisional bout. The 2x reigning NFC Champions, Minnesota held a 14-10 lead with only :32 left. On 4th-and-17 the play before, HOF QB Roger Staubach connected with Drew Pearson deep down the sideline to get to the 50-yard-line. Then, he launched a desperation heave to the goal line, which was caught and brought into the end zone by Pearson despite being blanketed by a DB. “I guess you could call it a Hail Mary. You throw it up and pray,” said Staubach afterward, coining the term that has transcended football.
YEAR: 2008
SIGNIFICANCE: Detroit Lions became the very 1st team to go winless through a 16-game NFL schedule
As the New York Jets have successfully avoided the dreaded winless season in 2020, this day marks the anniversary of the very first 0-16 team in NFL history. After going 7-9 in his second season at the helm, HC Rod Marinelli led the Lions through an undefeated preseason that provided some legitimate optimism for the 75th season of the “Detroit Lions”. That was gone by Week 3, however, as President/GM/CEO Matt Millen was fired after an 0-3 start where the team was outscored 59-113.
They placed a healthy Jon Kitna on IR in order to start Dan Orlovsky (and eventually dragged Daunte Culpepper out of retirement), then traded their best weapon — WR Roy Williams — to the Dallas Cowboys for three draft picks (including a 2009 first-rounder) after Week 5. Yet, they weren’t even the worst passing team that season, as the Browns and Bengals tied for last in YPA while Calvin Johnson led the league in REC TDs as a rookie (12). The other side of the ball, however, ranked dead-last in PASS (8.8 YPA, 4 INTs) and RUSH defense (5.1 YPA, 31 TDs) while allowing 517 total points — second-most in NFL history (1981 Colts).
After the Packers handed the Lions their historic 16th loss of the season, Marinelli and the majority of his staff were ousted. While the stench of 0-16 forced a uniform and logo update, the careers of many players and coaches were ruined, as 12 of the team’s 45 total starters would never take an NFL snap again. Amid the Great Recession, which severely hindered Detroit’s auto industry, the 2008 Lions were seen by many as an even greater disaster that furthered the city’s misery to an unfathomable degree. The horrific season did grant Detroit the right to draft Matthew Stafford, however, who has turned into the franchise’s all-time leading passer.
October 12, 2008
— Someone's An Idiot (@SomeonesAnIdiot) October 12, 2020
Lions QB Dan Orlovsky ran out of the back of his own end zone and didn’t even realize it at first
pic.twitter.com/1AWXkNmn0s
Random highlights: 2001-2003 Priest Holmes
— Four Verts 🏈 (@FourVerticals_) September 4, 2020
Holmes from 01-03 (ranks among RBs)
•960 carries (4th)
•4590 rush yds (1st)
•4.78 YPC (3rd)
•56 rush TDs (1st)
•206 receptions (5th)
•1976 rec yds (1st)
•5 rec TDs (8th)
•83.7 catch% (2nd)
•3x Pro Bowler
•3x First-Team All-Pro pic.twitter.com/oS1L43F0oW
YEAR: 2003
SIGNIFICANCE: Priest Holmes set the single-season RUSH TD record AND Jamal Lewis rushed for 2,000 yards
In the early stages of the new millennium, the NFL saw a resurgence at the RB position behind the likes of LaDanian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander, Ricky Williams, Corey Dillon, Edgerrin James, Ahman Green, Curtis Martin, Clinton Portis, and many others. On this date in 2003 — the season’s final day — both Priest Holmes and Jamal Lewis finalized some remarkable season stat totals that led the league in YDS and TDs, respectively.
Despite an inefficient outing against the Bears (20 ATT, 50 YDS), Holmes reached the end zone twice to break Marshall Faulk’s single-season RUSH TD record of 26. Scoring his 26th and 27th TDs of the year in addition to another 1,420 YDS, Holmes’ incredible three-year stretch ended with nearly 4,600 RUSH YDS, 56 TDs, and an average of 4.8 YPC. Joining Emmitt Smith as the only players to score 20+ TDs in consecutive seasons, his 2004 would come to a premature end after scoring 14 times in only eight games.
Later that evening, the Ravens hosted the Steelers while Jamal Lewis entered as the league’s rushing leader (1,952). Totaling 114 YDS on 27 ATT, he became only the fifth in NFL history to surpass 2,000 RUSH YDS in a season while scoring his 14th TD in the 13-10 victory. Since he joined the club, only two others have broken the 2,000-yard threshold — Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson. Though his numbers were inflated by a record-breaking 295-yard day against the Browns (his future team), Lewis’ 2,066-yard 2003 season still ranks third in NFL history, behind only Adrian Peterson (2012) and Eric Dickerson (1984).
Shattering the Ravens franchise rush record on Thursday deserves more attention (2,674 yds in 2003).
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) December 17, 2019
Jamal Lewis was a MONSTER that year, including setting an NFL single-game rush record (295).
The 2019 Ravens outperforming that year speaks volumes.pic.twitter.com/zPGljaiewH
On this date in 1979: Larry Bird and Magic Johnson squared off in the NBA for the first time. pic.twitter.com/2jZ0utZvGq
— ESPN (@espn) December 28, 2017
YEAR: 1979
SIGNIFICANCE: Larry Bird and Magic Johnson faced off for the first time
While the parties involved in rivalries may have a particular disdain for each other, they may have more in common than they’d like to admit. Both 12x All-Stars and 3x MVPs, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the epitome of rivals with their flame being sparked in the 1979 NCAA Championship game earlier in March. Johnson was instrumental in conducting Michigan State to the win over Bird’s Indiana State, and the HOFer’s rivalry would fester for over a decade in the NBA.
They’d both be drafted top six in 1979 — the year the 3-point line was introduced — as future cornerstone pieces for their franchises. The standout rookies’ inaugural matchup came on this day exactly 41 years ago in a resounding 123-105 Laker win over Boston, Johnson outdueling Bird with a game-high 23 points. Larry and Magic would go head-to-head 18 times in the regular-season — Magic winning 11-of-18 — and three times in the Finals — the Lakers taking two-of-three.
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