SHN Presents: The Official Football Learning Academy Podcast - SHN Trailers

07/07/23 • 5 min

Pro Football in the 1970s

The Official Football Learning Podcast is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

HIGHLIGHTED SHOW - FOOTBALL LEARNING ACADEMY

Each week, the official Football Learning Academy podcast will take you deep into the history of this great game.

Through interviews with players, coaches, or administrators in the NFL, as well as interviews with Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors, authors, and historians, you will learn about how the game evolved and important moments that shaped the sport into what it is today.

You will also get first-hand accounts from the people who have made history in pro football.

Host: Ken Crippen

Ken Crippen was in a leadership position within the Professional Football Researchers Association for 15 years and is now the founder and lead instructor at the Football Learning Academy.

He has been researching and writing about pro football history for over 30 years and has been a sought-after interview for publications like the Wall Street Journal and Rolling Stone magazine, and a sought-after guest on podcasts and radio shows, namely The History Channel, ESPN Radio, and Fox Sports Radio.

He has written two books, been the managing editor of two other books, and a contributor to yet two more books. He has also written hundreds of articles on pro football history, has won the Dick Connor Writing Award for Feature Writing (which is now called the Lesley Visser Enterprise News/Features Award) from the Pro Football Writers of America, as well as the Professional Football Researchers Association’s Ralph Hay Award for lifetime achievement in pro football research.

Learn more about the show on the Sports History Network.

The Official Football Learning Podcast is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

HIGHLIGHTED SHOW - FOOTBALL LEARNING ACADEMY

Each week, the official Football Learning Academy podcast will take you deep into the history of this great game.

You will also get first-hand accounts from the people who have made history in pro football.

Host: Ken Crippen

Ken Crippen was in a leadership position within the Professional Football Researchers Association for 15 years and is now the founder and lead instructor at the Football Learning Academy.

Learn more about the show on the Sports History Network.

Previous Episode

Remembering the Greatest Individual Defensive Performance in NFL Playoff History

Pro Football in the 1970s is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

The 1979 AFC Playoffs brought an unsung hero, Vernon Perry of the Houston Oilers, into the spotlight. Despite being relatively unknown, Perry's defensive prowess came to the forefront in a memorable game against the highly-favored San Diego Chargers. Riddled with injuries, the Oilers' chances seemed slim, but Perry's exceptional performance completely shifted the narrative.

During the game, Perry astonishingly intercepted four passes from San Diego's Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts, effectively derailing the Chargers' typically high-scoring offensive drive. Perry’s interceptions and his pivotal block of a field goal attempt led to a Houston field goal, eventually providing the Oilers with their margin of victory, 17-14. These efforts confounded the Chargers and played a crucial role in keeping them scoreless in the final quarter of the game.

Vernon Perry's performance during the 1979 AFC Divisional Playoffs is now a part of pro football trivia. He remains the only player in the league’s modern era to intercept four passes and block a field goal in a single playoff game. His exceptional display of defensive skill proved to be the spark the injury-ridden Oilers needed to advance to the AFC Title Game, cementing his place in football history.

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

PRO FOOTBALL IN THE 1970S BACKGROUND

Pro Football in the 1970s is a podcast dedicated to teaching fans about the history of the NFL during the 1970s, a time when the host (Joe Zagorski) grew up as a rabid fan of the game. Joe is also an author of multiple NFL books. See Joe's books below.

The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade

The Year the Packers Came Back: The 1972 Resurgence

America's Trailblazing Middle Linebacker: The Story of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Lanier

Next Episode

Remembering Chester Marcol's Incredible Rookie Season

Pro Football in the 1970s is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

By the time of the 1972 NFL Player Draft, the Green Bay Packers, in particular their head coach Dan Devine, had had enough. Divine's first year at the helm of the Packers would end up with a poor 4-8-2 record.

There were plenty of reasons for this, one of the most prominent of which came with the team's inability to successfully convert field goals. A total of nine different place kickers attempted at least one field goal from 1968 to 1971. There was simply no consistency in the team's kicking position to be found.

None. Many people would voice their displeasure over Green Bay’s kicking woes, as they asked themselves during this time “How tough could it be to find a kicker?” Well, it took several years, but Green Bay and Dan Divine in particular, finally found a good place kicker......

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

PRO FOOTBALL IN THE 1970S BACKGROUND

The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade

The Year the Packers Came Back: The 1972 Resurgence

America's Trailblazing Middle Linebacker: The Story of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Lanier