From First Passes to Rushing Records: October 27 is Football History Gold! 🏈
Ready for a single day packed with gridiron milestones? October 27 delivered historic moments, from the first documented professional football pass completion way back in 1906 to the births of legends like defensive pioneer Bill George and SMU star Kyle Rote. This date also features Emmitt Smith smashing the NFL’s all-time rushing record (2002), Dan Marino’s spectacular debut, and the creation of the Baltimore Ravens franchise. Click through to explore the massive upsets and record-shattering feats that cemented this day in football lore!
October 27 Football History Headlines
- October 27, 1906Â – Per the Pro Football Hall of Fame website, the very first documented pass completion in a professional football game came when George (Peggy) Parratt of the Massillon Tigers threw a completion to Dan “Bullet” Riley in a victory over a team that was comprised of a combined mix of Benwood players and Moundsville players.
- October 27, 1973: NFF tells us 1988 College Football Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon and his brothers Lucious and Dewey combined for 26 tackles as Oklahoma downs Kansas State 56-14 in the 16th game of a 37-game unbeaten streak for the Sooners.
- October 27, 1979 – Per the National Football Foundation’s website, No. 12 Pittsburgh freshman quarterback and future College Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns as the Panthers sunk undefeated No. 17 Navy Midshipmen, 24-7. Pitt starting quarterback Rick Trocano went down early in the first quarter and never regained his starting spot from Marino. The Midshipmen jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second quarter before giving up 24-straight points in the losing effort.
- October 27, 1979 – From Wake Forest Athletic Department- James McDougald rushed for four touchdowns, three in the second half, to lead 18th-ranked Wake Forest to a come-from-behind 42-38 win over Auburn at Groves Stadium. The win improved Wake Forest’s season record to 7-1. Â
- October 27, 1984:Â Per the NFF website, 2005 College Football Hall of Famer Willie Totten of Mississippi Valley State passes for 599 yards against Prairie View, the third-best single-game performance in I-AA history. Totten threw for over 530 yards in a single game four times in his collegiate career.
- October 27, 1995, Art Modell and officials in Baltimore, Maryland, finalized the move of the Cleveland Browns’ franchise to Baltimore by signing the contract. We, of course, later learned that the City of Cleveland would retain Brown’s name, and the former Browns franchise would become the Baltimore Ravens.
- October 27, 2001, The 13th edition of the College Football Holy War took place as Boston College beat Notre Dame 21-17 in Chestnut Hill.
- October 27, 2002 – Dallas Cowboys runner Emmitt Smith breaks Walter Payton’s career rushing yards record of 16,726 yards to become the NFL’s All-Time Leading Rusher, per the onthisday.com website. Smith ended up rushing for 109 yards in the game, but the Cowboys fell to the Seattle Seahawks 17-14 in the contest. To jog your memory, Walter Payton held the record since October 7, 1984, when he surpassed the mark Jim Brown had held for decades.
October 27 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
- Kyle Rote
- Bill George
Conclusion
From the humble origins of the forward pass in 1906 to the emotional shift of the Cleveland Browns franchise in 1995, and the monumental record-breaking run by Emmitt Smith in 2002, October 27 is a day woven deeply into the fabric of American football history. It celebrates innovators like Bill George, who literally changed defensive strategy, and highlights the birth of dynamic talents like Kyle Rote. This collection of milestones—encompassing everything from statistical marvels and historic upsets to the formal acknowledgment of lasting legends—underscores the game’s constant evolution and the unforgettable moments that continue to define the sport for every generation of fans.
