Tag: NFL history

In 2020, 37-year-old RB Frank Gore could make pro football history

The list of successful 37-year-old running backs is virtually nonexistent. Frank Gore is looking to change that.

Since Frank Gore was selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft, he’s been one of the most consistent and beloved players in the league. The consistency is obvious — from 2005 through 2016, he missed the 1,000-yard mark in just three seaasons (2005, 2010, 2016), and over that stretch, no other running back has more rushing attempts (2,965), or rushing yards (13,065), and only Adrian Peterson and LaDainian Tomlinson have more rushing touchdowns than Gore’s 74.

Gore has plied his trade for the 49ers, the Colts, the Dolphins, and the Bills through his 15-year career, and now, he’ll be running the ball the Jets, who signed him to a one-year contract on Tuesday, per Gore’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Gore will turn 37 on May 14, which puts him in rarefied air for his position. We all know that running backs are fungible as other positions aren’t, and that running backs tend to get used up by the sheer physical demands of what they do.

But if Gore is able to match or exceed the 599 yards on 166 carries he put up for the Bills last season, he’ll make even more history than he already has. Hall-of-Famer Marcus Allen, in his final NFL season, ran for 505 yards and 11 touchdowns on 124 carries at age 37. After that, you have to hit the Wayback Machine for the next most prolific back at the age Gore will be when the 2020 season begins: John Henry Johnson for the AFL’s Houston Oilers in 1966, with his 226 yards and three touchdowns on 70 carries. No other running back in professional football history has managed even 100 yards in a season at age 37 or older. Only Allen and John Riggins gained more rushing yards at age 36 than Gore did, so there’s that.

Most of the most prolific runners 37 years of age or older, in fact, are quarterbacks. Doug Flutie (1999), Steve Young (1998), and Ryan Fitzpatrick (2019) rank second, third, and fourth on the single-season Old Guys rushing list regardless of position, and after John Henry Johnson pops up, it’s John Elway (1997), Roger Staubach (1979), and Flutie three more times (2000, 2001, and 2003). Heck… Earl Morrall, who would never be recognized as the most athletic quarterback at any point in his career, ran for more yards in 1972 at age 38 for the perfect Dolphins (67) than the next running back after Gore and Johnson on the list — 37-year-old Tony Richardson of the Jets in 2008 (65).

So, when we say that it is exceedingly rare for a running back of any stripe to have the potential to be productive at Frank Gore’s level at his age, there is a historical component which says that this just doesn’t happen. If Gore is able to beat Father Time this time around, it will be uniquely historic — and another component to when should eventually be his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Because being the best old running back ever? It’s a pretty remarkable feat.

Video: Falcons trade up for Julio Jones in 2011

Nine years ago, the Atlanta Falcons made a splash when they moved up in the 2011 draft to pick No. 6 and selected All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones.

Nine years ago, the Atlanta Falcons made a splash when they moved up in the 2011 draft to pick No. 6 and selected All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones.

The trade remains one of the most successful moves of Thomas Dimitroff’s tenure as general manager. In nine seasons with the Falcons, Jones has recorded 797 catches, 12,125 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns.

As we are now less than a week away from the league’s first virtual draft, let’s relive the moment when Atlanta selected Jones, as shared by the NFL’s Twitter account below:

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Matthew Stafford turns 32: Here’s how he ranks historically at that age

Happy 32nd birthday to Lions QB Matthew Stafford

Happy birthday to Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford! The Lions longtime QB turns 32 today (Feb. 7th).

Stafford has already played 11 NFL seasons at his relatively young age. He ranks very high in a plethora of historical categories for NFL players through age 31.

Here are a few examples of Stafford’s historical rankings:

Passing yards – 41,205, second (Peyton Manning 41,626)

Worth noting that Stafford has played in 149 career games, 11 fewer than Manning did on his 32nd birthday.

Passing TDs – 256, third (Manning 306 and Dan Marino 290)

Completions – 3,559, first (Manning 3,468 is next)

Attempts – 5,696, first (Drew Bledsoe 5,599 is 2nd)

Interceptions – 138, 17th

Marino and Bledsoe top the INT list with 165 apiece. Most of the other QBs above Stafford here played in the less passer-friendly era before Marino, a list that includes five Pro Football Hall of Famers. Stafford’s INT rate of 2.35 (INTs thrown per 100 throws) is 16th-best all-time for his age. Aaron Rodgers is the best at 1.64.

Sacked – 347, 6th

Randall Cunningham was sacked 439 times in just 103 career starts by his 32nd birthday. Stafford has been sacked the exact same amount of times as Russell Wilson, who turns 32 in November. Stafford has the same career sack rate (5.7 sacks per 100 dropbacks) as Brett Favre, Dan Fouts and Troy Aikman when those Hall of Famers all turned 32.

Pick-sixes – 20, 1st (Marino, 16)

Not a category Stafford wants to lead…

Game-winning drives – 34, 1st (Matt Ryan and Marino, 32)

4th quarter comebacks – 28, 1st (Ryan, 24)

No quarterback has ever created more late-game victories prior to age 32 than Matthew Stafford.

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Notre Dame Football: National and Super Bowl Champs

As we sit just days away from the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers strapping up to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, we’ll be having some sporatic fun here at Fighting Irish Wire in terms of former Notre Dame players and coaches who have had an impact on “The Big Game”.

Notre Dame has had a rich history not only in the NFL but in the NFL’s biggest game, the Super Bowl.

As we sit just days away from the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers strapping up to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, we’ll be having some sporatic fun here at Fighting Irish Wire in terms of former Notre Dame players and coaches who have had an impact on “The Big Game”.

Let’s start this by having a list in regards to Notre Dame trivia:

Are you aware that 10 players have won a national championship at Notre Dame and gone on to win a Super Bowl?

How many can you name?

It’s not an official Sporcle quiz, but perhaps it should be.

We’ll go in chronological order.  Feel free to pass along and share with your biggest Notre Dame/NFL Fan friends:

The first happened in Super Bowl IV, a Kansas City Chief

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11

Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey chasing history in Week 17 vs. Saints

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is looking for his first 1000/1000-yard season in Week 17 against the New Orleans Saints.

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The Carolina Panthers don’t have much to play for in Week 17, but they aren’t going to pull any punches against the New Orleans Saints. Panthers offensive coordinator Scott Turner told ESPN’s David Newton that he plans to funnel as many touches as possible to running back Christian McCaffrey, who is close to making NFL history as just the third player to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

McCaffrey needs 67 yards through the air to join that company, having already racked up 1,361 rushing yards this year. He collected 69 receiving yards against the Saints in their meeting earlier this season, including a touchdown grab, which is slightly higher than his season average (62.2). He’s averaged 58.4 receiving yards per game against the Saints in five previous games.

If McCaffrey does go the distance, he’ll take his place next to two NFL legends: San Francisco 49ers great Roger Craig (1,050 rushing yards and 1,016 receiving yards in 1985) and then-St. Louis Rams star Marshall Faulk (1,381 rushing yards and 1,048 receiving yards in 1999). It’s a testament to McCaffrey’s athleticism, durability, and versatile set of skills that he’s put the team on his back this season and put up this level of production.

Hopefully, the Saints defense will be prepared to deny him that spot next to Craig and Faulk. They could be short-handed after losing defensive linemen Marcus Davenport and Sheldon Rankins to injured reserve a few weeks ago, and with defensive backs Marcus Williams and Eli Apple exiting last week’s game with the Tennessee Titans. Just because they’re almost to the playoffs doesn’t mean they can overlook this opponent.

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Trio of Chargers in pursuit of history

Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler are looking to accomplish something that hasn’t been done in 11 seasons.

Despite a season of offensive struggles, the Los Angeles Chargers have a chance to accomplish a special milestone.

Wide receivers Mike Williams, Keenan Allen and running back Austin Ekeler are looking to be the first Chargers trio to amass 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 1980.

In that year, wide receiver John Jefferson led the team with 1,340 receiving yards followed by tight end Kellen Winslow (1,290) and wide receiver Charlie Joiner (1,132).

Only five teams in NFL history have had three players with 1,000 receiving yards or more in a single season. The last team to do it was the Arizona Cardinals in 2008 with Larry Fitzgerald (1,431), Anquan Boldin (1,038) and Steve Breaston (1,006).

Allen was the first to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He has a team-high 1,046, followed by Williams (912) and Ekeler (892). This marks the third consecutive season that Allen has posted more than 1,000 receiving yards.

Turnovers and missed opportunities in red zone situations have been the difference between winning and losing, as they’re only averaging 21.4 points per game. But these three players, along with tight end Hunter Henry have been the bright spots on the offensive side of the ball.

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Buccaneers set a couple of records in Week 15’s win over Lions

Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to the Motor City to take on the Detroit Lions in Week 15. With the Lions defense struggling and the Buccaneers offense rolling, it appeared as if the barrel may have flipped when Winston tossed …

Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveled to the Motor City to take on the Detroit Lions in Week 15. With the Lions defense struggling and the Buccaneers offense rolling, it appeared as if the barrel may have flipped when Winston tossed another interception on the opening drive. That however, became just a blemish on his stat sheet as he finished the game with four touchdown passes, giving him 30 on the season, breaking his single-season record of 28.

Winston also has the most passing yards in a two-game span in Buccaneers history with 914 yards, combined. 458 yards on the day will also put Winston in a class of his own within the NFL stat book, as he is the first player in history to throw for over 450 yards in consecutive games.

For the highs and lows that Winston provides the team, it should be noted that Mike Evans went down last week, for the remainder of the season, with a hamstring injury, the team also lost WR’s Chris Godwin and Scotty Miller against the Lions in their 38-17 victory.

The Buccaneers will look to win five straight as the Houston Texans come to town for a Saturday showdown at Raymond James Stadium in Week 16.

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Falcons QB Matt Ryan has tenth-most passing yards in NFL history

The Falcons defeated the Panthers in Week 11, thanks in part to quarterback Matt Ryan’s 311 passing yards.

The Falcons defeated the Panthers in Week 11, thanks in part to quarterback Matt Ryan’s 311 passing yards. It was a typical day at the office for Ryan, who’s routinely thrown for big numbers during his twelve NFL seasons.

The former MVP QB has now moved into the top ten in terms of career passing yardage, passing Warren Moon on Sunday.

At 34 years old, Ryan could potentially play for another five seasons, which would likely put him into the top five or higher if he keeps up his current level of production.

Ryan has 49,383 passing yards, which puts him just 2,092 yards behind Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, who is ninth on the list with 51,475 career passing yards.

Statistically, it’s clear that Ryan is one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history, however, he needs to win a Super Bowl to really cement his legacy.

Ryan should have at least a few more cracks at redeeming the Falcons’ 2016 Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots. However, this season may have already gone to waste with the team starting 3-7.

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes continues to break NFL records

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ performance on Sunday helped him leave his mark on NFL history yet again.

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If you’re in need of an indication that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is back and as good as ever, this should do the trick.

Mahomes made his 25th career start on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. It also marked his return from a kneecap dislocation. Despite the Chiefs’ loss, Mahomes completed 36-of-50 passes for 446 yards and three touchdowns.

A lot of NFL records have crumpled at the hands of Mahomes, and he added several more on Sunday. According to NFL Communications, Mahomes now holds the record for the most passing yards through 25 career games with 8,007. Hall of Famer Kurt Warner is the only player who comes close to that in 25 games, with just under 7,400 passing yards.

That isn’t the only record Mahomes surpassed. He also passed Dolphins legend Dan Marino for the most passing touchdowns through 25 career games with 68. Marino had 65 in his first 25 career games.

And that’s not all. According to Chiefs team reporter Matt McMullen, Mahomes has the highest passer rating and the most completions in his first 25 starts of any player in NFL history. He’s essentially leading all quarterbacks in four of the most meaningful passing categories through 25 games.

Finally, Sunday’s game marked Mahomes’ 16th with at least 300 passing yards. It was enough to surpass Warner for the most games with at least 300 passing yards in a player’s first 25 games.

You won’t see Mahomes bragging about these individual accolades, especially when the Chiefs aren’t winning. Still, it’s awe-inspiring how every time Mahomes steps on the football field he manages to break another record and etch his name in the NFL history books. You can rest assured this won’t be the last time you hear about Mahomes surpassing a record. The next one may even happen as early as Week 11 against the Chargers in Mexico City.

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