The ugliest winning seasons in NFL history

The 2023 Steelers have an ugly winning season, but it’s not the worst winning season in pro football history. Not even close.

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Folks, the Pittsburgh Steelers just keep winning ugly. In their 23-19 Sunday win over the Green Bay Packers, Mike Tomlin’s team continued its streak of being outgained by every single one of its opponents. This time, the Packers gained 399 net yards to Pittsburgh’s 324. The Steelers are now the only professional football team since at least 1933 to be outgained in every game and still have a winning record.

Impressive? In a perverse way, yes.

Despite this lack of offensive firepower, and a point differential of -26, the Steelers stand at 6-3 on the season, which got us thinking — what are the worst winning seasons in NFL history? Those seasons in which you think to yourself, “There’s no WAY these guys can be winning,” but they are anyway?

As it turns out, the Steelers are nowhere near the worst winning teams in these categories. But it is notable that in all three seasons of Matt Canada’s tenure as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator, the Steelers are either on this list, or in the discussion.

Texas Football: A look at the six retired jersey numbers

Taking a look at the Longhorn legends who had their numbers retired after a stellar collegiate career at the University of Texas.

If you’re blessed to have your jersey number retired, it’s an honor that immortalizes a player in the record books of their team or school.

It’s something that only legends of a program are able to achieve. Oftentimes, great players are even left out. It has to be an indescribable feeling to know that the number can longer be worn by anyone else that follows in your footsteps. For example, in Major League Baseball, the No. 42 is retired to honor Jackie Robinson.

The Longhorns have retired a total of six numbers in their football programs history. There have been other great players that have graced the Forty Acres, but did not have the impact that these six had.

Let’s take a look at who the Texas football program has immortalized:

Texas Football: A look at the six retired jersey numbers

Taking a look at the Longhorn legends who had their numbers retired after a stellar collegiate career at the University of Texas.

If you’re blessed to have your jersey number retired, it’s an honor that immortalizes a player in the record books of their team or school.

It’s something that only legends of a program are able to achieve. Oftentimes, great players are even left out. It has to be an indescribable feeling to know that the number can longer be worn by anyone else that follows in your footsteps. For example, in Major League Baseball, the No. 42 is retired to honor Jackie Robinson.

The Longhorns have retired a total of six numbers in their football programs history. There have been other great players that have graced the Forty Acres, but did not have the impact that these six had.

Let’s take a look at who the Texas football program has immortalized:

Visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Lions fan

Our Jeff Risdon visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame to explore the museum as a Lions fan

For the first time in nearly 25 years, I made a return visit inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Friday. Along with my family, I made the trek back to where pro football began.

I’ve been at the Hall of Fame for the enshrinement ceremonies and the annual exhibition game (canceled this year) several times over the years, most recently in 2017. But I haven’t toured the Hall since 1995, when I was fortunate enough to get to access some of the archives in the basement library as a college student doing research on my senior thesis.

It had been too long. Even as a Detroit Lions fan, there’s still a lot to take in and experience at the Hall of Fame.

Despite the team’s relative lack of success for the last few decades, the Lions are distinctly represented. One of the very first busts you encounter in the (truly grand) hall of enshrinees is Dutch Clark, the touchdown master of the 1930s. Seeing the busts of Joe Schmidt, Charlie Sanders, Dick Lebeau, Lem Barney, Barry Sanders and other Detroit legends brings an instant connection with the reason why we are Lions fans.

Outside the main hall, there is quite a lot of fascinating NFL history. Some of it encapsulates the Lions, with mementos like Matthew Stafford’s draft selection card from 2009 and a purple (?!?) coach’s jacket with Honolulu blue trim from a bygone era. The large board with the team records year-by-year and color coding for success is a reminder of the Lions’ dominance back in the 1950s, the Bobby Layne era. Layne is the featured performer in the Lions section of a well-produced video on NFL dynasties.

Outside of Lions fandom, it’s worth a trip. The theater featuring a Joe Namath hologram is impressive. My kids were both worried it would be cheesy but the technology worked well. The Madden exhibit is currently limited due to COVID-19 restrictions, unfortunately. I enjoyed the small USFL display and the Black College Hall of Fame in that area.

Some of the objects on display are eye-opening. Seeing the progression of helmets from leather to the modern ones is crazy. The old uniforms are fascinating too.

Canton is a little over a three-hour drive from Ford Field. If you haven’t been in the last few years, it’s worth a refresher trip. Tip: wear Lions gear and represent your fandom.

Former Longhorn Bobby Dillon To The NFL Hall of Fame

Former Longhorns defensive back Bobby Dillon has been elected to the 2020 NFL Hall of Fame class.

The Texas Longhorns welcomed another member to the NFL Hall of Fame with former defensive back Bobby Dillon who joins the 2020 class. Dillon played for Texas from 1949-1951, he also lettered in track. He recorded 13 interceptions during those three years in Austin. In 1951, Dillon was named First Team All-American. He was a member to both the football and track & field conference champions in 1950.

Dillon would be drafted in the third round of the 1952 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Nicknamed “Hawk” for his ability to snag interceptions at the highest level of football. Dillon recorded 52 interceptions during that eight-year career and he is still the Packers all-time leader in interceptions.

During his career, Dillon was named All-Pro team six straight times as well as four Pro Bowl selections. Bobby Dillon is also a member of the Packers Hall of Fame. He joins three other student athletes from Texas in the Hall of Fame with Tom Landry, Bobby Layne and Earl Campbell. Tex Schramm is also in the NFL Hall of Fame but he wasn’t a student athlete at Texas.

Bobby Dillon passed away at the age of 89 in August of 2019.

 

Texas Longhorns Represented In ESPN’s Top 150 College Football Players List

The Texas Longhorns are well represented on the ESPN Top 150 college football players of all-time.

In a continued celebration of 150 years of college football,  media organizations have produced lists such as the top 150 teams in college football history. That list came from USA Today Sports, however ESPN has recently released number 26-150 of the top 150 college football players.

Once again you can bet your bottom dollar that the Texas Longhorns would have players who make the list. Four Texas Longhorns players were represented among the first 125 players on their initial list, there are still 25 more players to be released, with players 12-25 to be announced on the story linked above and the top 11 to be revealed during halftime of the National Championship Game on Monday.