December 27th is an exciting and extremely memorable day in the history of professional sports considering all that has been accomplished. Multiple all-time NFL leaders were established and recognized both on and off the field on this day. Cleveland’s long championship drought began after winning it all over half a century ago. Recently, this date marked the emergence of an NBA icon who revolutionized the league and brought an unprecedented amount of international attention. Additional events set 12/27 aside as an unmissable day in sports history.

See what happened in sports on this day in: 2020 | 2019

Jaime Segui & Alex Raphael covered the MLB & NBA sections in this article.

All-Time NFL Leaders

Today in 1987, the @Seahawks Steve Largent set the all-time NFL reception record when he hauled in number 752. Jerry Rice holds the current record at 1,549 receptions... pic.twitter.com/EDTDzyKaw3
— 80s Sports N Stuff (@80sSportsNStuff) December 27, 2018

YEARS: 1987, 1998, & 2019

SIGNIFICANCE: A HOF WR and RB set career records while the NFL concluded its all-time top 100 list

Near the end of his 12th season with the Seahawks, Steve Largent was inching closer and closer to history. An incredibly consistent target throughout the years, he had led the NFL in yardage twice while scoring double-digit TDs three times. On this date in a blowout loss to the Chiefs, however, Largent made his 752nd career REC to become the NFL’s all-time leader, breaking Charlie Joiner’s mark of 750 that was established just a year earlier. Playing two more years, he would retire in 1989 with 819 career RECs in addition to the career REC TD record (100) that were both surpassed by Jerry Rice soon after.

Eleven years later, Emmitt Smith broke an all-time NFL record of his own, passing Marcus Allen with his 124th RUSH TD. The Cowboys’ run game had been essentially nonexistent in the latter half of 1998, as Smith hadn’t recorded a TD since Thanksgiving. On this date in a season-ending victory over Washington, however, Emmitt totaled 67 yards on only ten carries while punching in the record-breaking TD during the second quarter. He would score again — his 125th — on a 26-yard scamper to finish the season with 13 TDs and 1,332 YDS, good for fourth and fifth in the league.

Just last year, the NFL unveiled its “Top 100 Players” list in conjunction with the league’s 100th anniversary. An entire position group was released every Friday night on NFL Network, and the list finally came to a close on this date one year ago as the top-10 QBs in NFL history were unveiled. The hallowed group included early legends such as Johnny Unitas, Roger Staubach, and Otto Graham, but also recent icons including Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and Peyton Manning. Capping the spectacle with the greatest of the sport’s most vital position, the top four QBs of all-time were ranked: 1. Sammy Baugh 2. Tom Brady 3. John Elway and 4. Brett Favre.

On this day in 1998 Emmitt Smith set an NFL record for career touchdowns with 125. He finished his career with 175 behind Jerry Rice with 208. #SchoolinSession pic.twitter.com/VBRLjR3omr
— Bradley McKee (@Bradley_B_Roll) December 27, 2017

Linsanity in NY

Over a 9 game stretch without Carmelo in 2011-2012, Linsanity:

🔘 Averaged 25 PPG
🔘 Averaged 58% TS
🔘 Averaged 9.2 APG
🔘 Led the Knicks to an 8-1 record pic.twitter.com/g9hbNlOwUf
— . (@WBallCentral) July 21, 2020

YEAR: 2011

SIGNIFICANCE: Jeremy Lin signed to the New York Knicks where he’d post perplexing stat lines for an iconic “Linsanity” run

The dynamic nine-year NBA career of Jeremy Lin can be described as a rollercoaster ride, dawning eight different jerseys from 2010-2019. The Harvard-man saw minimal minutes his rookie year after going undrafted, then was signed by the Golden State Warriors a month later. He’d play 29 games before being waived, at which point the Knicks signed Lin to an unguaranteed minimum contract on December 27^th, 2011. New York did this to fill the void of injured guard Iman Shumpert but would be receiving much more than a role player.

While the cultural phenomenon of “Linsanity” hadn’t quite taken shape yet, the puzzle pieces were falling into place. Lin took the floor for only 55 minutes until February 4^th where he logged 36, proceeding a Knicks’ skid of 11 losses in 13 games. Lin dropped an surprising 25 PTS/7 AST/5 REB in a 99-92 win over the Nets. This performance appearing as an anomaly would, in reality, serve as the norm for a month. “Linsanity” took the sports world by storm as Lin continued creating riveting storylines, with 38 points versus Kobe Bryant’s Lakers and the game-winning triple to take down Toronto.

In the 12 games leading up to the All-Star break, Lin averaged 23 points and nine assists to cement his unexpected stardom. The end of this incredible run was as abrupt as it’s beginning as Lin suffered a torn meniscus on March 31^st, ending his brief era in New York. While his peak playing days were behind him, Lin made history in 2019 — his final NBA season — by becoming the first Asian-American to win an NBA championship.

Cleveland's Last Title

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dye_jPK9cs

YEAR: 1964

SIGNIFICANCE: Cleveland Browns shut out the Baltimore Colts to win their final, most-recent NFL Championship

While the Cleveland Browns’ entrance to the NFL and subsequent run to six consecutive title games was among one of the most successful stints in pro sports history, Paul Brown’s dynasty struggled to add more hardware in the late 1950’s and early ’60’s. After defeating the Lions in the 1957 title game — Jim Brown’s rookie year — the Browns would not find themselves in a championship game again until this date in 1964.

Facing off with the Baltimore Colts at Cleveland Stadium, the Browns shut out one of the league’s greatest QB-HC duos in NFL history: Johnny Unitas and Don Shula. While allowing less than 200 total yards, Browns QB Frank Ryan completed 11-of-18 for 206 yards and a TD in addition to Jim Brown’s 114 RUSH YDS. Cleveland’s eighth overall championship, they would return the following year but lost to Green Bay in Jim Brown’s final career game, as the 27-0 victory in 1964 represented the city of Cleveland’s last pro championship until the 2016 Cavaliers monumental victory.

All-Time Bad Game

On this date in 1991, Tim Hardaway of the Golden State Warriors attempted 17 shots in a game and made none of them; an NBA record for most shots without a make. #AustinsBarandGrill #TBT pic.twitter.com/OQZNhrvgxR
— Austins Bar & Grill (@Austins_Bar) December 27, 2018

YEAR: 1991

SIGNIFICANCE: Tim Hardaway set a dubious NBA record with the most field goal attempts in a game without a make (0-17)

In the NBA, everybody has off nights that not even All-NBA talent is exempt of. On this day in 1991, 5x All-Star Tim Hardaway took the court in what panned out to be a rather embarrassing display. The third-year Golden State Warrior SG shot 46.1% on FGs coupled with 23.4 points a game that season, however, he was subject to the single-worst shooting night in NBA history exactly 29 years ago.

His 18-8 Warriors barely beat a lousy 4-21 Timberwolves team 106-102 in OT, no thanks to Hardaway who couldn’t take the lid off all night. Playing 44 minutes, Hardaway dished out 13 dimes but went 0-for-17 from the field to set the record for most misses in a game without a single make. He ended the game with two points due to taking a trip to the free-throw line which, at least, spared him the humiliation of not collecting any points at all.

Largest Pitcher Deal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuysWEuO34Q

YEAR: 2006

SIGNIFICANCE: SP Barry Zito signed the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history—7yr/$126M

Five years after Mike Hampton’s massive 8yr/$121M contract with the Colorado Rockies, former Oakland Athletics SP Barry Zito signed a 7yr/$126M deal with the San Francisco Giants. Zito’s $126M deal became the second $100M+ contract ever given to a pitcher and also surpassed Hampton’s deal as the largest ever for a starting pitcher.

The loopy-curveball-throwing southpaw had a 3.55 ERA in seven seasons with the A’s. In 2002, he won the AL Cy Young after going 23-5 with a 2.75 ERA. However, Zito never really returned to form while pitching in the other side of the bay. In his seven seasons with the Giants, Zito had a 4.62 ERA and never posted an ERA lower than 4.03. His best Giants moments came in the 2012 Postseason, when he redeemed himself with huge wins in Game 5 of the NLCS and World Series Game 1 for a SFG Championship.