Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. After graduating from Syracuse, Jim Brown went on to play nine seasons in the NFL. Despite his dominance, he only led the league in rushing five times during his career (1957 to 1965). He won a championship with the Cleveland Browns in 1964.
2. Kurt Warner's rags to riches story is perhaps the most amazing of any in league history. In 1994 (after not being drafted), Warner was invited to try out for the Green Bay Packers, failing to make the roster before the season began. After playing in the Arena Football League from 1995 to 1997, he was signed to the St. Louis Rams in 1998. He got his chance to play in 1999 when a preseason injury to starting quarterback Trent Dilfer propelled him into the limelight. Having gone 4-12 the year before, Kurt Warner led the Rams to a 13-3 record, throwing for 41 touchdowns and over 4,300 yards. He capped off his Cinderella story by winning the Super Bowl (and Super Bowl MVP) the same year.
3. Upon graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Dan Marino went on to be an NFL superstar. Over a 17-year career with the Miami Dolphins, he became one of the most prolific passers of all time. He retired with over 60,000 yards passing, 420 touchdowns, and a championship in 1984. His sophomore year yielded 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns (records that stood for 20 and 27 years, respectively).
4. Barry Sanders eluded opposing defenses during his 10-year career with the Detroit Lions, running for 15,269 yards and 99 touchdowns. Although he was performing at an elite level, the Hall of Fame tailback decided to retire in 1998, despite receiving a unanimous vote for league MVP the year before. The elusive runner left the game with less than 1,500 yards between him and Walter Payton's career mark of 16,726 yards.
5. Johnny Unitas quarterbacked the Baltimore Colts for 17 years, leading them to two NFL championships in 1958 and 1959, and one Super Bowl victory in 1970 (receiving Super Bowl MVP honors). He was named league MVP three times ('59, '64, '67), and was elected to the Pro Bowl on 10 occasions, six of them First-Team All-Pro. He retired with the Colts in 1972, and his record for consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass (47) was broken by Drew Brees in 2012.
6. The Green Bay Packers have been around longer than any NFL franchise. They won their 5th Super Bowl championships in 2010. Under Vince Lombardi, the team won three of the first four Super Bowls (starting in 1966). Bart Starr was crowned MVP in Super Bowl I & II, with Aaron Rodgers named MVP in their 2010 championship.
7. In 1987, San Fransisco's Jerry Rice caught a record-setting 22 touchdown passes in 16 games. He managed to catch 197 in his career, scoring 208 overall. Emmitt Smith is second to him with 175 career touchdowns. The single-season mark was broken by Randy Moss in 2007, pulling down 23 through 16 games.
8. Quarterback Bobby Douglass played 10 years in the NFL, six of of them with the Chicago Bears. Although he was not very successful (with a career record of 16-36-1), Douglass was known for his outstanding running ability. Most notably, he became the first quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards in 1972, well before Michael Vick accomplished the same feat in 2006.
9. Dick Butkus is often cited as one of the greatest defensive players of all time. His Hall of Fame career spanned from 1965-1973, played entirely for the Chicago Bears. In nine seasons, he forced 47 turnovers, including a then-record 25 fumbled recoveries. In 1969, Butkus became the only defensive player to receive MVP honors, despite his team winning only 1 game.
10. Joe Montana played quarterback from 1979 to 1994. His ability to perform under pressure led him to four Super Bowl victories in 1981-84-88-89. He retired holding the record for Super Bowl MVP honors with three, and was named MVP two times in a row (1989 and 1990), becoming the first player to win it back-to-back.
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SportsTriva123
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