NFL Firsts Trivia Quiz

Answer: O.J. Simpson

Orenthal James Simpson is considered by most the best running back of his generation. In 1973, the Buffalo Bills superstar rushed for 2,003 yards in a 14 game season, setting an NFL record. Eric Dickerson broke Simpson's record in 1984 by rushing for 2,105 yards.

Answer: Jackie Slater

An offensive tackle drafted out of Jackson State by the Los Angeles Rams in 1976, Slater played in one game when the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, officially giving him 20 seasons in the league. George Blanda played 26 years (1949-1975) for the Bears, Oilers, and Raiders. Jan Stenerud played 19 years (1967-1985) for the Chiefs, Packers, and Vikings. Y.A. Tittle played from 1950 to 1964, mostly with the 49ers and Giants.

Answer: Bart Starr

Quarterback Bart Starr led his Green Bay Packers to a 35-10 victory over the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs in what was then known as The NFL-AFL World Championship game. Starr would again be named MVP in Super Bowl 2 when the Packers beat the Oakland Raiders 33-14.

Answer: Baltimore Colts

Colts fullback Alan Ameche scored on a one yard touchdown run after 8 minutes and 15 seconds of overtime, giving the Colts a 23-17 victory over the New York Giants in the 1958 NFL Championship game. The Colts and Giants would face each other again for the 1959 NFL Championship, with the Colts winning again, 31-16.

Answer: Jerry Rice

Rice scored his 200th career touchdown on Monday Night Football against the Denver Broncos in November of 2002. Though he spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, Rice was a member of the Oakland Raiders when he reached this milestone. In that same game, Rice also surpassed Walter Payton's record of 21,804 career all-purpose yards.

Answer: New York Jets and Cleveland Browns

On September 21, 1970, quarterback Joe Namath led his New York Jets onto the field in Cleveland to face the Browns in front of 80,000 screaming fans. The Browns won the game 31-21, and a staple of sports television was born.

Answer: Emmitt Smith

Considered by many to be to small to play in the NFL, Emmitt Smith was the first round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in 1990. Emmitt was selected as a Pro Bowl starter for the first time in 1991, and was selected for the fourth consecutive year in 1994. Smith was also the first Cowboy to lead the league in rushing in 1991, the first Cowboy to rush for 100 yards in a Super Bowl (Super Bowl XXVII), and was the first player in NFL history to have five consecutive seasons with 1,400 or more rushing yards (1991-1995).

Answer: Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins were crushed 24-3 by the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, but returned in Super Bowl VII to cap their undefeated season with a 14-7 victory over the Washington Redskins. The Dolphins repeated as champions with a 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII.

The Buffalo Bills were the next team to appear in at least 3 consecutive Super Bowls and the first to appear in four straight, losing all four. The Broncos and Vikings both appeared in three Super Bowls in four years.

Answer: Joe Namath

As a member of the New York Jets, Namath finished the 1967 season by passing for 343 yards in a 42-32 win against the San Diego Chargers, giving him 4,007 yards for the season. Namath would end his career with the L.A. Rams after the 1977 season with 27,663 career passing yards.

Answer: London

The Chicago Bears defeated the Dallas Cowboys 17-6 at London's Wembley Stadium in 1986. Responding to international interest in American football, the NFL broadened the American Bowl series over the years to include Tokyo, Berlin, Montreal, Mexico City, Toronto, Barcelona, Monterrey, Dublin, Vancouver, and Sydney.