Unforgettable moments abound in NFL history on September 21! From Steve O’Neal’s astounding 98-yard punt in 1969—a record that still stands—to a 99-yard pick-six by Johnnie Johnson in 1980, this date has delivered incredible individual feats. It also marks the start of the 1982 NFL player strike that reshaped a season, and the legendary Ken O’Brien vs. Dan Marino shootout of 1986, which saw a record 884 total passing yards. Beyond the pros, we celebrate the birthdays and legacies of College Football Hall of Famers like Brock Strom and Sandy Stephens, pioneers who broke barriers and led their teams to glory. Dive into these epic gridiron anniversaries!
Football History Headlines of September 21
September 21, 1946 – At the top, we have a classic program image of the 1946 game played between the Illinois Illini and the Pitt Panthers in Pitt Stadium. Illinois had hoped to roll out their new transfer Perry Moss, recently transferred from Tulsa, but NCAA requirements forced Moss to watch from he sidelines in street clothes.
The way the game started, it looked as if the Illini would run away with the contest as star Buddy Young scampered for a 45-yard touchdown less than two minutes into the game. The Panthers rallied, though, and at halftime the score was knotted at seven apiece.
The second half was a different story. Illinois’ potent offense found its groove, scoring twice in the third and fourth quarters to roll to a 33-7 victory.
The program cover is in the public domain via Wikimedia Commons and features the work of Lon Keller, who illustrated the cover.
September 21, 1969 – A special teamer booted a 98-yard punt in a professional NFL football game. Yes, you read that correctly, 98 green grass yards! Please check out the video clip here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI1ZAgbM_I). New York Jets punter Steve O’Neal took the snap from the two-yard line and caught and punted the ball from deep in his own endzone. The ball sailed past a Denver Bronco punt return man, who had his arms outstretched, and landed at the Denver 33-yard line. The impact with the ground sent the kick screaming towards the Denver goal line and apparently into the end zone. WOW! Needless to say, it is a record that will probably stand the test of time!
September 21, 1980 – Rookie strong safety Johnnie Johnson of the Los Angeles Rams has a 99-yard pick-six! Not to be outdone by the rook, Ram’s veteran cornerback Rod Perry intercepted a pass of his own and returned it 83 yards as LA exploded for 37 second-half points in a 51-21 blowout of the Green Bay Packers.
September 21, 1980 – New York Jets quarterback Richard Todd sets a single-game record by completing 42 passes in a game! The Jets signal caller didn’t have much choice in the matter when the visiting San Francisco 49ers, with Joe Montana under center, jumped out to an early 24-0 lead in the first half. Being down by four scores took any thoughts of running the ball in the game plan right out the window. The 42 receptions didn’t help the Jets overcome the deficit, though, as the Niners left Shea Stadium with a 37-27 victory.
September 21, 1982 – NFL players began a 57-day strike on this day. The strike forced the NFL to shorten the usually 16-game schedule to a condensed 9-game regular season and placed 16 teams into a special playoff format. Eight teams from each Conference were seeded, and divisional standings were ignored. The Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns each made the memorable playoff cut with losing records. The champion of the NFL was still decided in a final game, though, as Super Bowl XVII, played at the Rose Bowl, was won by the Washington Redskins 27-17 over the Miami Dolphins.
September 21, 1986 – A record 884 yards of total passing was registered in one game as the New York Jets toppled the Miami Dolphins 51-45 in Overtime. Quarterbacks Ken O’Brien and Dan Marino were slinging the old pigskin around the yard that day.
September 21, 1986 – Kick return specialist Mel Gray of the New Orleans Saints returns a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. It wasn’t enough as the San Francisco 49ers held on to win 26-17.
