The NFL Zoo Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hogs

The nickname was bestowed on linemen Joe Jacoby, George Starke, Russ Grimm, Mark May, and Jeff Bostic; and tight ends Don Warren and Rick Walker, in 1982 by line coach Joe Bugel, who was taken by the group's size. They embraced the nickname, gained more fame from it than most offensive lines ever did, and with some changes to the lineup over the years, brought the team and head coach Joe Gibbs three Super Bowl titles between 1982 and 1991.

Answer: Alan Ameche

Alan "The Horse" Ameche rushed for 4,045 yards and scored 44 touchdowns rushing and receiving during his 1955-1960 NFL career, all with the Baltimore Colts. He made the Pro Bowl in four of his six seasons and is most famous for scoring the winning touchdown in the 1958 NFL championship game, pro football's first title game to be decided in overtime.

Answer: Ken Stabler

Stabler, a native Alabaman who succeeded Joe Namath as Crimson Tide quarterback, compiled a 28-3-2 record in his three seasons as a college starter. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 1968 and eventually took over the starting QB role from Daryle Lamonica.

His first prominent game was the 1972 "Immaculate Reception" playoff loss to the Steelers. Before finishing his NFL career with the Oilers and Saints, he'd won the 1974 NFL MVP award, and taken the 1976 Raiders to a Super Bowl title.

Answer: Bill Parcells

Widely regarded as a master of turning around lousy teams after winning two Super Bowls with the Giants, taking the Patriots to the Super Bowl, and almost doing so with the Jets, Parcells got his nickname during his time with the New England Patriots.

Some players somehow thought that they could pull a fast one on their coach, and he told them, "You guys must think I'm Charlie the Tuna."

Answer: The Mad Stork

During Hendricks' college career at Miami, his slim physique and intense style of play won him the "Mad Stork" nickname. Drafted by the Baltimore Colts, he won a Super Bowl title with that team, then three more with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders before retiring after the 1983 season.

His height made him a fearsome kick blocker, and he blocked 25 field goal and extra point attempts during his career.

Answer: Six of the 11 starters had last names that started with "B"

The last names of six of the starters - Bob Baumhower, Doug Betters, Glenn Blackwood, Lyle Blackwood, Kim Bokamper, Bob Brudzinski - gave the defense its nickname. In the period between the retirement of many of the offensive stars from the 1970s, and the 1983 arrival of Dan Marino, the Bees helped the Dolphins to continue their outstanding winning ways in the early 1980s, including a trip to the 1982 Super Bowl.

Answer: Ernie Ladd

Ernie "The Big Cat" Ladd played in three AFL title games with the San Diego Chargers before finishing his football career with the Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs. His size (6'9" and 315 pounds) made him a standout in an era with smaller players. Having wrestled part-time during his playing days, Ladd turned to pro wrestling upon his football retirement.

He was one of the first black pro wrestlers to embrace a "villain" role for himself. Ladd retired from wrestling in 1986 and was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame in 1995.

Answer: Moose

Daryl "Moose" Johnston helped the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s win three Super Bowls, largely by blocking for Emmitt Smith. Carl "Moose" Eller was a mainstay of the Minnesota Vikings "Purple People Eater" defenses in the 1960s and 1970s, and was selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

Answer: The Dirty Bird

The "Dirty Bird" dance, an awkward combination of hopping and flapping, was introduced by running back Jamaal Anderson and tight end OJ Santiago during the Falcons' 1998 season. Before the team lost that season's Super Bowl to the Denver Broncos, they even persuaded straight-laced coach Dan Reeves to perform the dance for the media.

Answer: The Dawg Pound

The Dawg Pound nickname began in 1985 and was applied to the rabid fans who sat in the bleacher seats in the end zone at Cleveland Stadium, where the Browns of that era played. Fan hijinks since that time (the Pound continued on when the Browns were reborn in a new stadium in Cleveland) included pelting opposing players with dog food and dog biscuits, and building a dog house to hide a beer keg.

These antics resulted in the Browns increasing security around those fans, for the protection of both the other fans, and the opposing players. One prominent member of the group legally changed his name to John Big Dawg Thompson.