NFL Films

By 1967, Green Bay was already considered "Titletown U.S.A." Throughout the decade, the Packers had won four NFL Championships and Super Bowl I. Better still; they were coached by Vince Lombardi,...

By 1967, Green Bay was already considered "Titletown U.S.A." Throughout the decade, the Packers had won four NFL Championships and Super Bowl I. Better still; they were coached by Vince Lombardi, who was relentless in his pursuit of perfection. But that season, Lombardi faced his greatest challenge yet: winning back-to-back Super Bowls -- one of Pro Football's toughest feats -- in a town that expected nothing less. The old master was up to the task. Lombardi had a core of veteran players in...

Prior to the 1968 season, the AFL was considered a minor league compared to the more established NFL. The league had already lost Super Bowls I and II. So the success of the New York Jets, and their...

Prior to the 1968 season, the AFL was considered a minor league compared to the more established NFL. The league had already lost Super Bowls I and II. So the success of the New York Jets, and their quarterback, Joe Namath, could not have come at a better moment. Namath, who had a quick release and charisma to burn, piloted a Jets offense that set a franchise record by scoring 419 points that season. Still, his high-flying attack played into the perception that the AFL had finesse teams. But...

They entered Super Bowl IV as 13-point underdogs. But the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs' decisive victory over the Minnesota Vikings put to rest any questions as to whether the fledgling American Football...

They entered Super Bowl IV as 13-point underdogs. But the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs' decisive victory over the Minnesota Vikings put to rest any questions as to whether the fledgling American Football League could compete against the established NFL. It also validated the careers of five future Hall of Fame players and their flamboyant head coach Hank Stram. To become world champions, Kansas City had to overcome more than its share of adversity. Quarterback Len Dawson missed nearly half the...

By any other standard, it was a season of triumph. Eleven regular season wins, two more in the playoffs, and then the crowning glory of victory in Super Bowl V. >But for the 1970 Baltimore Colts,...

By any other standard, it was a season of triumph. Eleven regular season wins, two more in the playoffs, and then the crowning glory of victory in Super Bowl V. >But for the 1970 Baltimore Colts, the victory remained in the shadow of a devastating defeat - their crushing upset loss to the Jets two years earlier in Super Bowl III. America's Game relives the Colts bittersweet season from their regular-season rematch against the Jets, through the first year of a merged NFL, to the comedy of...

The team wasn't especially big, quick, or flashy. It rarely blew away opponents. Its best player was a fullback, its defense was anonymous, and it played without its Pro Bowl quarterback for most of...

The team wasn't especially big, quick, or flashy. It rarely blew away opponents. Its best player was a fullback, its defense was anonymous, and it played without its Pro Bowl quarterback for most of the year. Still, the 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only team to finish a season undefeated -- 17-0, to be exact -- in National Football League history. Fresh off a Super Bowl loss the season prior, Miami played like a team determined to win a championship, racking up 14 straight regular season wins....

It was a dilemma no other NFL team had ever faced: How do you improve on perfection? The 1972 Miami Dolphins became the first team in pro football history to finish a season unbeaten, going 17-0...

It was a dilemma no other NFL team had ever faced: How do you improve on perfection? The 1972 Miami Dolphins became the first team in pro football history to finish a season unbeaten, going 17-0 with a Super Bowl title. That kind of success could make anyone complacent. But head coach Don Shula was not going to allow it. He believed his Dolphins could perform even better. Still, the 1973 Dolphins did not match the same level of success as the season prior. They exceeded it, according to Shula....

It was perhaps the finest collection of talent in NFL history - and in 1974 nearly no one knew it. For five seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll had meticulously built the team in his...

It was perhaps the finest collection of talent in NFL history - and in 1974 nearly no one knew it. For five seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll had meticulously built the team in his own image - tough and physical. In 1974, he added a draft class that included four future Hall of Famers. By the postseason, the team that would become the decade's best was ready to arrive. The Steelers rose to the top of the football world by upsetting the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX. It...

The 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers quickly discovered that one of the most difficult feats in all of sports is defending a world title. At the beginning of the season, coach Chuck Noll's team didn't even...

The 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers quickly discovered that one of the most difficult feats in all of sports is defending a world title. At the beginning of the season, coach Chuck Noll's team didn't even look like they had the stuff to reach the playoffs, let alone win back-to-back championships. Fresh off an upset in Super Bowl IX, the Steelers were not a dynasty just yet, not even with nine future Hall of Fame players. In Week 2, the team lost at home to O.J. Simpson's Buffalo Bills for a 1-1...

In 1976, the Oakland Raiders reached the summit of professional football by defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. It was the culmination of more than a decade of excellence under the...

In 1976, the Oakland Raiders reached the summit of professional football by defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. It was the culmination of more than a decade of excellence under the leadership of Raiders owner/coach, Al Davis. The 1976 Raiders suffered some early setbacks, losing several defensive linemen to injury. Head coach John Madden found a quick solution, dropping his 4-3 scheme in favor of a 3-4. Offensively, the Raiders had an embarrassment of riches. Four starters --...

In 1977, the Dallas Cowboys sent four picks to Seattle in exchange for the second overall choice in the NFL Draft. With that pick, halfback Tony Dorsett, the Cowboys had landed the final piece to...

In 1977, the Dallas Cowboys sent four picks to Seattle in exchange for the second overall choice in the NFL Draft. With that pick, halfback Tony Dorsett, the Cowboys had landed the final piece to their Championship puzzle. Combined with the ingenuity of quarterback Roger Staubach and the leadership of coach Tom Landry, Dallas surged to a 12-2 regular season record. Dorsett provided the break-away speed Dallas coveted in its backfield, rushing for 1,007 yards and 12 touchdowns to win Rookie of...

Terry Bradshaw was always at his best on Super Bowl Sundays. The Pittsburgh quarterback went a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowl play during the 1970s, throwing for 932 yards and nine touchdowns combined as...

Terry Bradshaw was always at his best on Super Bowl Sundays. The Pittsburgh quarterback went a perfect 4-0 in Super Bowl play during the 1970s, throwing for 932 yards and nine touchdowns combined as the Steelers became a dynasty. But Bradshaw's most validating season during that run, and perhaps in his entire career, came in 1978. Bradshaw led the AFC in passing as the Steelers went 14-2 during the regular season. His main target was Lynn Swann, who posted career highs in catches and receiving...

By the fall of 1979, Pittsburgh was known as the "City of Champions." That October, the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series, their second championship of the decade....

By the fall of 1979, Pittsburgh was known as the "City of Champions." That October, the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series, their second championship of the decade. Meanwhile, the Steelers had constructed a dynasty, boasting three world titles over the past five years. The fan base no longer hoped for victories. Now they expected them. So the standards were high for the '79 Steelers. But every player on the team was confident it could meet them. "Once you have the...

Nobody loves reclamation projects more than Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis. Jim Plunkett knew this. A former Heisman winner out of Stanford, Plunkett was cast out of New England and then released by...

Nobody loves reclamation projects more than Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis. Jim Plunkett knew this. A former Heisman winner out of Stanford, Plunkett was cast out of New England and then released by San Francisco before arriving at Davis' doorstep in 1978. It proved to be a perfect match. In week 6 of the 1980 season, head coach Tom Flores gave Plunkett his chance. From there, he rewarded the team's confidence in him by leading Oakland to Super Bowl XV. There, backed by a renegade defense led...

"The Catch." In San Francisco, it means just one thing - Joe Montana's pass...Dwight Clark's leap...and the birth of a dynasty. The dramatic win over Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship Game became...

"The Catch." In San Francisco, it means just one thing - Joe Montana's pass...Dwight Clark's leap...and the birth of a dynasty. The dramatic win over Dallas in the 1981 NFC Championship Game became the team's, and the franchise's legacy -- but it's only part of the story. Bill Walsh's groundbreaking West Coast attack, and an upstart defense fueled a remarkable turnaround for a once moribund franchise. San Francisco went from 2-14 in Walsh's first year, to 6-10, to 13-3 in '81, when Clark's...

The 1982 NFL season wasn't a marathon, it was a sprint. A players' strike reduced a 16-week schedule to nine that season, leaving teams scrambling to reach the playoffs. Most clubs appeared frantic...

The 1982 NFL season wasn't a marathon, it was a sprint. A players' strike reduced a 16-week schedule to nine that season, leaving teams scrambling to reach the playoffs. Most clubs appeared frantic and rusty after the layoff. But the Washington Redskins dominated all comers under head coach Joe Gibbs. Washington hired Gibbs in 1981, and just one season later, had molded the team in his hardnosed image. The offensive line, nicknamed "The Hogs," was equally adept at blasting holes for fullback...

Led by head coach Tom Flores, the 1983 Los Angeles Raiders entered Super Bowl XVIII as underdogs. But the Raiders proved that they were the NFL's best as they manhandled the highest scoring team in...

Led by head coach Tom Flores, the 1983 Los Angeles Raiders entered Super Bowl XVIII as underdogs. But the Raiders proved that they were the NFL's best as they manhandled the highest scoring team in the league, the Washington Redskins, 38-9 to win their third Vince Lombardi Trophy. Al Davis has done more than anybody in the history of the game - through personal achievement, team achievement and contribution to the game - and has demonstrated more than ever that he is and always will be...

The fabled West Coast offense wasn't invented in San Francisco, but the father of the system, Bill Walsh, certainly perfected it there as head coach of the 49ers. With quarterback Joe Montana at the...

The fabled West Coast offense wasn't invented in San Francisco, but the father of the system, Bill Walsh, certainly perfected it there as head coach of the 49ers. With quarterback Joe Montana at the controls, the Niners were a dominant passing team, winning four Super Bowls in the 1980s. And of those four, their record-setting season in 1984 may have best captured the deadly efficiency of the West Coast attack. The Niners receiving corps had many ways to beat you. To move the chains, Montana...

The 1985 Chicago Bears were larger than life. They had in-your-face personalities. They boasted Hall of Fame-caliber players. But most importantly, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts....

The 1985 Chicago Bears were larger than life. They had in-your-face personalities. They boasted Hall of Fame-caliber players. But most importantly, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Chicago dominated opponents like few others. The Bears offense was a reflection of their hard-nosed head coach, Mike Ditka. First and foremost, Ditka liked to establish the run, with Walter Payton rushing for 1,551 yards on 324 carries. Still, the coach could be creative, too. He occasionally used a...

Bill Parcells has coached many great players over his NFL career, yet only a select few have been allowed to enter his inner circle. These are his "guys." A "Parcells guy" is usually someone you...

Bill Parcells has coached many great players over his NFL career, yet only a select few have been allowed to enter his inner circle. These are his "guys." A "Parcells guy" is usually someone you don't have to worry much about. He's reliable, productive, and smart. Even if he plays like a star, he rarely acts like one. The 1986 Giants had a few "Parcells guys". Outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor collected 20.5 sacks that season and won the NFL MVP Award, the first defensive player to do so...

During the 1987 season, Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs had a lot of explaining to do. He told backup quarterback Doug Williams he was being traded to the Raiders, and then reconsidered...

During the 1987 season, Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs had a lot of explaining to do. He told backup quarterback Doug Williams he was being traded to the Raiders, and then reconsidered just hours later. The coach also demoted Jeff Bostic from starting center to snapper on punts, angering the veteran to the point of demanding a trade. Worse yet, Gibbs had to counsel his entire team as they sat out on strike -- while coaching their replacements. But Gibbs had all the right answers that...

What's the best way to replace a coaching legend? Quietly. When Bill Walsh retired from the San Francisco 49ers following the 1988 season, the team opted not to sign a big name as his successor....

What's the best way to replace a coaching legend? Quietly. When Bill Walsh retired from the San Francisco 49ers following the 1988 season, the team opted not to sign a big name as his successor. Instead, the organization stayed in-house, hiring defensive coordinator George Seifert. It was perfect casting. The stoic Seifert promptly led the team to new heights in his first year on the job. The 49ers were already a dynasty, winning three Super Bowls over the decade, so Seifert wasn't pressed to...

When Phil Simms sprained his foot against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, an unproven Jeff Hostetler was thrust to the forefront. Hostetler exceeded expectations by winning four straight starts,...

When Phil Simms sprained his foot against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15, an unproven Jeff Hostetler was thrust to the forefront. Hostetler exceeded expectations by winning four straight starts, including two playoff games, to reach Super Bowl XXV. Veteran Ottis Anderson, a fill-in for the hobbled Rodney Hampton, rushed for 102 yards as New York beat Buffalo, 20-19, in one of the most thrilling Super Bowls ever.

The Washington Redskins always possessed a terrific offensive line under coach Joe Gibbs. Era after era, from one Super Bowl to the next, Gibbs' line was a huge, run-blocking, pass-protecting force....

The Washington Redskins always possessed a terrific offensive line under coach Joe Gibbs. Era after era, from one Super Bowl to the next, Gibbs' line was a huge, run-blocking, pass-protecting force. Nicknamed "The Hogs," the unit was probably at its best in 1991, allowing Mark Rypien ample time to become the premier long-range passer in the NFL. Over time, Gibbs noticed that Rypien threw an accurate deep ball, so the coach had the quarterback throw less, but go deep more to wide receivers Gary...

Talent is a cure-all in the NFL. That's the lesson of the 1993 Dallas Cowboys. That season, the Cowboys were saddled with injuries, a key holdout, and tension between the owner and head coach. But...

Talent is a cure-all in the NFL. That's the lesson of the 1993 Dallas Cowboys. That season, the Cowboys were saddled with injuries, a key holdout, and tension between the owner and head coach. But Dallas overcame all those distractions thanks largely to the star power of its roster. For starters, the Dallas "Triplets" were in their primes. Quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin were among the best at their positions. In all, 11 Cowboys were named to...