NFL 1980s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dan Fouts

Dan Fouts of the San Diego Chargers threw for 4,715 yards to lead the NFL during the 1980 regular season. Fouts was a Charger for all 15 of his NFL seasons, leading the NFL in passing yardage 4 consecutive times from 1979-82. Steve Bartkowski of the Atlanta Falcons threw for 3,544 yards good enough for 4th in the NFL.

However, Bartkowski did lead the NFL with 31 touchdown passes in 1980. Brian Sipe of the Cleveland Browns finished 2nd in passing yardage to Fouts with 4,132 yards, and matched Fouts and Vince Ferragamo with 30 touchdown passes, one behind Bartkowski. Archie Manning finished the regular season with 3,716 passing yards, 3rd best in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints.

Answer: Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack

As a rookie fullback in 1985, Kevin Mack led the Browns with 1,104 rushing yards during the regular season. Mack never bested 1,000 yards again during his 9-year career. Earnest Byner broke the 1,000 plateau by 2 yards in 1985. Byner also had consecutive 1,000 yard seasons while playing for the Washington Redskins in 1990 and 1991.

Answer: George Rogers

New Orleans Saints rookie running back George Rogers led the NFL for the 1981 regular season with 1,674 rushing yards. Rogers came to the NFL highly regarded after winning the 1980 Heisman Trophy while rushing for the Gamecocks of South Carolina. Rogers would break the 1,000 yard rushing barrier 4 times during his 7-year NFL career. Ottis Anderson finished 5th in rushing yards in 1981, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 1979, Ottis Anderson set the record for rushing yardage as a rookie with 1,605 yards before being bested by Rogers. Anderson would later be named the MVP of Super Bowl XXV for the New York Giants. Second year player Billy Sims of the Detroit Lions ran for 1,437 yards, finishing 3rd in the NFL. Sims finished 5th in rushing yardage during his rookie campaign in 1980. Sims won the 1978 Heisman Trophy while playing for the Oklahoma Sooners. William Andrews of the Atlanta Falcons ran for 1,301 yards in 1981 finishing 7th in the NFL. Both Andrews (6 NFL seasons) and Sims (5 NFL seasons) had shortened careers due to severe knee injuries.

Answer: Charles White

Charles White led the NFL with 1,374 yards playing in 15 games for the Los Angeles Rams. During White's 7 other NFL seasons, he never even came within 1,000 yards of his 1987 mark. Eric Dickerson ran for 1,288 that season in only 12 games. He was traded from Rams after 3 games in a three team deal to the Indianapolis Colts for the final 9 games of the regular season, in which he amassed 1,011 yards.

Herschel Walker ran for 891 yards in 12 games for the Dallas Cowboys in 1987. In 1988, Walker finished second in rushing yards to Dickerson. Marcus Allen ran for 754 yards as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders. Both Charles White and Marcus Allen won the Heisman Trophy while playing running back at USC in college, White in 1979, and Allen in 1981.

Answer: Todd Christensen

Todd Christensen, while playing tight end for the Los Angeles Raiders, led the NFL with 95 receptions in 1986. Christensen was the premier tight end in the NFL from 1983-86 while averaging 87 catches for 1099 yards and 8 touchdowns during that 4-year span.

In 1986, Jerry Rice finished 2nd to Christensen with 86 receptions, but did lead the NFL with 1,570 receiving yards. Washington Redskins wide receiver Art Monk finished the 1986 season with 73 receptions. In 1984, Monk broke the NFL single-season record with 106 receptions. Monk's record stood for 8 years until former Green Bay Packer wide receiver Sterling Sharpe caught 108 passes in 1992 (Sharpe's record has since been broken). Steve Largent only had 70 receptions in 1986, but went on to a Hall of Fame career (1995 inductee) while playing 14 seasons, all for the Seattle Seahawks.

Answer: Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders, a cornerback from Florida State University was the 5th overall selection by the Atlanta Falcons. Derrick Thomas, an outside linebacker from the University of Alabama was the 4th overall pick going to the Kansas City Chiefs. Thomas once recorded 7 sacks in a single NFL game during the 1990 season versus the Seattle Seahawks. Thomas' 11-year NFL career was cut short.

He passed away in 2000 the result of a car accident, but still managed to record 126.5 career quarterback sacks. Barry Sanders, a running back from Oklahoma State University was the 3rd overall draft pick selected by the Detroit Lions. Sanders was the 1988 Heisman Trophy winner and led the NFL in rushing 4 times ('90, '94, '96, '97) during his 10-year NFL career, all with the Lions. Sanders was a 2004 Hall of Fame inductee.

The Dallas Cowboys had the 1st overall selection and picked Troy Aikman, a quarterback from UCLA. Aikman would go on to win 3 Super Bowls ('92, '93, '95) during his 12-year Hall of Fame career (2006 inductee), all as a member of the Cowboys.

Answer: Minnesota Vikings

Doug Martin played his entire 10-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings. He is the first player to lead the NFL in sacks. The NFL made the quarterback sack an official stat starting in 1982. Martin edged out Dennis Harrison of the Philadelphia Eagles by one sack to claim the sack title.

Answer: Neil Lomax

St. Louis Cardinal quarterback Neil Lomax finished 2nd in passing yardage during the 1984 NFL regular season with 4,614 yards. Phil Simms of the New York Giants finished 3rd with 4,044 passing yards, the highest single season total for Simms in his 14-year career. Joe Montana threw for 3,630 yards good enough for 6th in the NFL in 1984. Houston Oilers rookie quarterback Warren Moon threw for 3,338 in 1984. Dan Marino not only led the NFL in passing yardage during the 1984 season, but also broke the single season passing yardage record by throwing for 5,084 yards, (previously held by Dan Fouts 4,802 yards in 1981). Marino also broke the single season touchdown passes mark by throwing 48, a record that stood for 20 years until it was broken by the Colts Peyton Manning 49 touchdown passes in 2004.

Answer: Scott Norwood

Posting a league leading 129 points, Scott Norwood of the Buffalo Bills led the NFL during the 1988 regular season. Norwood is better remembered for missing the game-winning 47-yard field goal in Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants as time expired. Jerry Rice led the NFL in scoring during the 1987 regular season with 138 points. Rice totaled only 60 points, on 10 total touchdowns in 1988. Gary Anderson, then kicking for the Pittsburgh Steelers finished 3rd in the NFL with 118 points. Anderson would go on to have an amazing 23 year career totaling 2,434 career points. Morten Andersen was kicking for the New Orleans Saints in 1988.

He finished the season with 110 points.

Answer: Lynn Dickey

Lynn Dickey of the Green Bay Packers passed for 4,458 yards, threw 32 touchdowns, and threw 29 interceptions. Perhaps a young Brett Favre was inspired by this truly unique statistical season. In 1983, Danny White of the Dallas Cowboys threw for 3,980 yards passing (3rd in the NFL), 29 touchdown tosses (tied for 2nd), and 23 interceptions (tied for 4th). Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Sipe threw for 3,566 yards (6th in the NFL), 26 touchdowns (tied for 4th), and 23 interceptions (tied for 4th). Bill Kenney of the Kansas City Chiefs threw for 4,348 yards (2nd in the NFL), 24 touchdown passes, and 18 interceptions.