American Football Hall of Fame in History

Events in Sport

  • 1991-01-26 Jan Stenerud becomes 1st pure placekicker to make NFL Hall of Fame

Birthdays in Sport

  • 1879-10-22 Joe Carr, American Pro Football HOF contributor (NFL President 1921-39), born in Columbus, Ohio (d. 1939)
  • 1895-09-16 Charles Bidwill, American Pro Football HOF team owner (Chicago Cardinals 1933-46), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1947)
  • 1898-03-06 Jimmy Conzelman, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, coach, team owner (Chicago Cardinals), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1970)

Curly Lambeau (1898-1965)

1898-04-09 American Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback, coach (founder, first coach Green Bay Packers), born in Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • 1898-04-21 Steve Owen, American Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle (NY Giants) and coach (NFL C'ship 1927, 34, 38; NY Giants), born in Cleo Springs, Oklahoma (d. 1964)
  • 1902-12-01 Red Badgro, American Pro Football Hall of Fame end and coach (NY Giants) and baseball outfielder (St. Louis Browns), born in Orillia, Washington (d. 1998)
  • 1903-05-27 Walt Kiesling, American Pro Football Hall of Fame guard (NFL 1920s All-Decade Team; First-team All-Pro 1929, 30, 32; Chicago Cardinals, Chicago Bears) and coach (Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers), born in Saint Paul, Minnesota (d. 1962)
  • 1903-11-27 Johnny "Blood" McNally, American Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback and coach (NFL champion 1929-31, 36; Green Bay Packers), born in New Richmond, Wisconsin (d. 1985)
  • 1904-09-01 Ray Flaherty, American Pro Football Hall of Fame end (NFL C'ship 1934 NY Giants; First-team All-Pro 1928, 29, 32) and coach (NFL C'ship 1937, 42 Washington Redskins), born in Lamont, Washington (d. 1994)
  • 1906-10-11 Dutch Clark, American Pro/College Football HOF back (Colorado College; 6 × First-team All-Pro; 3 × NFL rushing TD leader & NFL scoring leader; Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions), born in Fowler, Colorado (d. 1978)

Paul Brown (1908-1991)

1908-09-07 American NFL hall of fame coach (Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals), born in Norwalk, Ohio

  • 1910-04-02 Arnie Herber, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (NFL C'ship 1930, 31, 36, 39; First-team All-Pro 1932, 35, 36; Green Bay Packers, NY Giants), born in Green Bay, Wisconsin (d. 1969)
  • 1910-05-01 Cliff Battles, American College/Pro Football HOF halfback (West Virginia Wesleyan College; 3 x First-Team All-Pro; NFL rushing yards leader 1932, 37; Boston Braves/Redskins, Washington Redskins), born in Akron, Ohio (d. 1981)
  • 1911-10-26 Sid Gillman, Pro & College Football Hall of Fame end (Ohio State U) and coach (U of Cincinnati, LA Rams, Houston Oilers), born in Minneapolis, Minnesota (d. 2003)
  • 1913-01-31 Wayne Millner, American NFL Hall of Fame football end, 1936-45 (Boston/Washington Redskins), and US Navy WWII veteran, born in Roxbury Massachusetts (d. 1976)

Vince Lombardi (1913-1970)

1913-06-11 American Pro Football Hall of Fame coach (Green Bay Packers 1959-67; NFL Coach of the Year 1959, 61; Super Bowl I, II), born in Brooklyn, New York

Sammy Baugh (1914-2008)

1914-03-17 American College/Pro Football quarterback (TCU; NFL C'ship 1937, 42; 4 × First-team All-Pro; 6 × Pro Bowl; 4 × NFL passing yards leader; Washington Redskins), born in Temple, Texas

  • 1919-05-05 Tony Canadeo, American NFL hall of fame halfback (Green Bay Packers), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2003)
  • 1923-01-03 Hank Stram, American Pro Football Hall of Fame coach (KC Chiefs Super Bowl 1970), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2005)
  • 1925-05-01 Chuck Bednarik, Pro/College Football HOF center/linebacker (Uni of Pennsylvania; NFL C'ship 1949, 60; 10 × First-team All-Pro; 8 × Pro Bowl; Philadelphia Eagles), born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (d. 2015)
  • 1926-03-15 Norm Van Brocklin, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (NFL MVP 1960; First-team All-Pro 1960; 9 × Pro Bowl; LA Rams, Philadelphia Eagles) and coach (Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons), born in Parade, South Dakota (d. 1983)
  • 1927-01-22 (Fletcher) Joe Perry, American AAFC/NFL Hall of Fame fullback, 1948-63, 3X Pro Bowl (San Francisco 49ers; Baltimore Colts), and US Navy veteran, born in Stephens, Arkansas (d. 2011)
  • 1927-11-12 Jack Butler, American Pro Football HOF cornerback (First-team All-Pro 1957-59; Pro Bowl 1955–58; Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 2013)

Don Shula (1930-2020)

1930-01-04 American Pro Football Hall of Fame coach (Super Bowl 1972, 73; Miami Dolphins; Baltimore Colts; NFL Coach of the Year 1964, 67, 68, 72), born in Grand River Ohio

Ollie Matson (1930-2011)

1930-05-01 Pro/College Football Hall of Fame halfback (First-team All-Pro 1952, 54–59; Pro Bowl 1952, 54–58; NFL 1950s All Decade Team), born in Trinity, Texas

  • 1930-05-08 Doug Atkins, American College/Pro Football HOF defensive end (Uni of Tennessee; NFL C'ship 1954, 63; First-team All-Pro 1963; 8×Pro Bowl; Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, NO Saints), born in Humbolt Tennessee (d. 2015)

Bill Walsh (1931-2007)

1931-11-30 American Pro Football HOF coach (Super Bowl 1981, 84, 88; NFL Coach of the Year 1981; SF 49ers; Stanford University 1977–78), born in Los Angeles, California

  • 1932-01-19 Joe Schmidt, College/Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (10 x Pro Bowl; 8 x First-team All-Pro; NFL C'ship 1953, 57; Detroit Lions) and coach (Detroit Lions 1967-72), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • 1932-10-20 "Rosey" Roosevelt Brown, American NFL hall of fame tackle (NY Giants), born in Charlottesville, Virginia (d. 2004)
  • 1933-02-27 Raymond Berry, American Pro Football HOF split end (NFL C'ship 1958, 59 Baltimore Colts; First-team All-Pro 1958, 59, 60; 6 × Pro Bowl) and coach (New England Patriots 1984–89), born in Corpus Christi, Texas
  • 1933-10-18 Forrest Gregg, American Pro Football HOF tackle (9 x Pro Bowl; 7 × First-team All-Pro; Green Bay Packers) and coach (Cleveland Browns, Toronto Argonauts, Cincinnati Bengals, GB Packers), born in Birthright, Texas (d. 2019)
  • 1934-01-09 Bart Starr, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, coach (Green Bay Packers), born in Montgomery, Alabama (d. 2019)
  • 1934-07-24 Willie Davis, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (Super Bowl I, II; Pro Bowl 1963-67; First-team All-Pro 1962, 64–67; Green Bay Packers), born in Lisbon, Louisiana (d. 2020)
  • 1935-01-25 Don Maynard, American Pro Football HOF wide receiver (Super Bowl 1969; First-team All-AFL 1968, 69; AFL All-Star 1965, 67–69; NY Titans/Jets), born in Crosbyton, Texas (d. 2022)
  • 1935-06-06 Bobby Mitchell, American Pro Football Hall of Fame running back (Pro Bowl 1960, 62–64; First-team All-Pro 1962–64; Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins), born in Hot Springs, Arkansas (d. 2020)
  • 1936-12-23 Willie Wood, American Pro Football Hall of Fame safety (Pro Bowl 1962, 64–70; Super Bowl 1967, 68; Green Bay Packers), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2020)
  • 1937-01-24 Bobby Beathard, American Pro Football Hall of Fame executive (GM Washington Redskins Super Bowl 1982, 87; San Diego Chargers), born in Zanesville, Ohio (d. 2023)
  • 1938-03-24 Larry Wilson, American Pro Football Hall of Fame free safety (8 x Pro Bowl; 6 x All Pro 1st Team; NFL Defensive Player of Year 1966; St. Louis Cardinals), born in Rigby, Idaho (d. 2020)
  • 1938-03-31 Jimmy Johnson, American Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback (4-time Pro Bowl), born in Dallas, Texas
  • 1938-12-09 Deacon Jones, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (8 × Pro Bowl; 5 × First-team All-Pro; LA Rams, SD Chargers), born in Eatonville, Florida (d. 2013)
  • 1939-06-08 Herb Adderley, American Pro Football HOF cornerback (Super Bowl 1967, 68, 71; 5 x Pro Bowl; 4 × First-team All-Pro; Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2020)
  • 1940-08-03 Lance Alworth, American College/Pro Football HOF wide receiver (Uni of Arkansas; Super Bowl 1971 Dallas Cowboys; 6 × First-team All-AFL; 7 × AFL All-Star; SD Chargers), born in Houston, Texas
  • 1940-12-02 Willie Brown, American Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, coach and executive (Super Bowl 1976, 80, 84; Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders), born in Yazoo City, Mississippi (d. 2019)
  • 1942-12-09 Dick Butkus, American College-Pro Football HOF linebacker (Uni of Illinois; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1969, 70; 5×First-team All-Pro; 8xPro Bowl; Chicago Bears), sportscaster (CBS, ESPN) and actor (My Two Dads), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2023) [1]

Joe Namath (80 years old)

1943-05-31 American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (Super Bowl 1969; Super Bowl MVP 1969; Pro Bowl 1972; NY Jets), born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

  • 1943-11-01 Tom Mack, American Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman (11 x Pro Bowl; LA Rams), born in Cleveland, Ohio
  • 1944-02-18 Pat Bowlen, American Pro Football Hall of Fame team owner (Super Bowl 1998, 99, 2015 Denver Broncos), born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (d. 2019)
  • 1945-11-02 Larry Little, American Pro Football Hall of Fame guard (5-time Pro Bowl; Super Bowl 1972-73; Miami Dolphins), born in Groveland, Georgia
  • 1946-03-01 Elvin Bethea, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (8 × Pro Bowl; 5 × All-Pro; Houston Oilers), born in Trenton, New Jersey
  • 1946-09-24 Joe Greene, American Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle (Super Bowl 1974, 75, 78, 79; 10 × Pro Bowl; 5 × First-team All-Pro; Pittsburgh Steelers), born in Temple, Texas
  • 1952-02-24 Fred Dean, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (Pro Bowl 1979–81, 83; First-team All-Pro 1980, 81; Super Bowl 1981, 84; SD Chargers, SF 49ers), born in Arcadia, Louisiana (d. 2020)

Walter Payton (1954-1999)

1954-07-25 American Pro Football HOF running back (NFL MVP 1977; 9 x Pro Bowl; 5 x First Team All Pro; Chicago Bears), born in Columbia, Mississippi

  • 1959-12-27 Andre Tippett, American NFL Hall of Fame linebacker, 1982-93, 5X Pro Bowl (New England Patriots), born in Birmingham, Alabama
  • 1960-12-13 Richard Dent, American football Hall of Fame defensive end, 1983-97 (MVP, Super Bowl XX - Chicago Bears; 3 other teams), born in Atlanta, Georgia
  • 1961-10-16 Chris Doleman, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (8 × Pro Bowl; 3 × First-team All-Pro; Minnesota Vikings), born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2020)
  • 1962-07-31 Kevin Greene, American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (5 x Pro Bowl; First-team All-Pro 1989, 94, 96; LA Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers), born in Schenectady, New York (d. 2020)

Jerry Rice (61 years old)

1962-10-13 American Pro and College Football Hall of Fame wide receiver (SF 49ers, 13 x Pro Bowl), born in Starkville, Mississippi

  • 1969-01-19 Junior Seau, American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (12 x Pro Bowl; 6 × First-team All-Pro; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1992; SD Chargers), born in Oceanside, California (d. 2012)
  • 1971-06-22 Kurt Warner, American Pro Football HOF quarterback (Super Bowl XXXIV [MVP] St. Louis Rams; NFL MVP 1999, 2001; First-team All-Pro 1999, 2001), born in Burlington, Iowa

Michael Strahan (52 years old)

1971-11-21 American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (7 x Pro Bowl; Super Bowl 2007; NY Giants) and broadcaster (Fox NFL Sunday, co-host ABC's Good Morning America), born in Houston, Texas

  • 1972-12-19 Warren Sapp, American Pro Football HOF defensive tackle (Super Bowl XXXVII; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1999; 4 × First-team All-Pro; 7 × Pro Bowl; TB Buccaneers; Oakland Raiders), born in Orlando, Florida

Ray Lewis (48 years old)

1975-05-15 American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (13 × Pro Bowl; Super Bowl MVP 2000; Baltimore Ravens), born in Bartow, Florida

Randy Moss (47 years old)

1977-02-13 American Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver (6-time Pro Bowl), born in Rand, West Virginia


Deaths in Sport

  • 1939-05-20 Joe Carr, American Pro Football HOF contributor (NFL President 1921-39), dies from a heart attack at 59
  • 1959-10-11 Bert Bell, American Pro Football HOF executive (NFL Commissioner 1946-59; owner Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers), dies from a heart attack at 64
  • 1962-03-02 Walt Kiesling, American Pro Football Hall of Fame guard (NFL 1920s All-Decade Team; First-team All-Pro 1929, 30, 32; Chicago Cardinals) and coach (Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers), dies from bacteremia at 58
  • 1964-05-17 Steve Owen, American Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle (NY Giants) and coach (NFL C'ship 1927, 34, 38; NY Giants), dies at 66

Curly Lambeau (1898-1965)

1965-06-01 American Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback, coach (founder, first coach Green Bay Packers), dies of a heart attack at 67

  • 1969-10-14 Arnie Herber, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (NFL C'ship 1930, 31, 36, 39; First-team All-Pro 1932, 35, 36; Green Bay Packers, NY Giants), dies at 59
  • 1970-07-31 Jimmy Conzelman, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, coach, team owner (Chicago Cardinals), dies at 72

Vince Lombardi (1913-1970)

1970-09-03 American Pro Football Hall of Fame coach (Green Bay Packers 1959-67; NFL Coach of the Year 1959, 61; Super Bowl I, II), dies at 57

  • 1976-11-19 Wayne Millner, American NFL Hall of Fame football end, 1936-45 (Boston/Washington Redskins), and US Navy WWII veteran, dies of a heart attack at 63
  • 1981-04-28 Cliff Battles, American College/Pro Football HOF halfback (West Virginia Wesleyan College; 3 x First-Team All-Pro; NFL rushing yards leader 1932, 37; Boston Braves/Redskins, Washington Redskins), dies at 70
  • 1983-05-02 Norm Van Brocklin, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (NFL MVP 1960; First-team All-Pro 1960; 9 × Pro Bowl; LA Rams, Philadelphia Eagles) and coach (Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons), dies from a heart attack at 57
  • 1985-11-28 Johnny "Blood" McNally, American Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback and coach (NFL champion 1929-31, 36; Green Bay Packers), dies from a stroke at 82

Paul Brown (1908-1991)

1991-08-05 American NFL Hall of Fame coach (Cleveland Browns, 1946-62, 1968-69; Cincinnati Bengals, 1970-75), dies of pneumonia at 82

  • 1994-07-19 Ray Flaherty, American Pro Football Hall of Fame end (NFL C'ship 1934 NY Giants; First-team All-Pro 1928, 29, 32) and coach (NFL C'ship 1937, 42 Washington Redskins), dies at 90
  • 1998-07-13 Red Badgro, American Pro Football Hall of Fame end and coach (NY Giants) and baseball outfielder (St. Louis Browns), dies after a fall at 95

Walter Payton (1954-1999)

1999-11-01 American Pro Football HOF running back (NFL MVP 1977; 9 x Pro Bowl; 5 x First Team All Pro; Chicago Bears), dies of Cholangiocarcinoma at 45

  • 2003-11-29 Tony Canadeo, American NFL hall of fame halfback (Green Bay Packers), dies at 84
  • 2005-07-04 Hank Stram, American Pro Football Hall of Fame coach (KC Chiefs Super Bowl 1970), dies of diabetes complications at 82

Bill Walsh (1931-2007)

2007-07-30 American Pro Football HOF coach (Super Bowl 1981, 84, 88; NFL Coach of the Year 1981; SF 49ers; Stanford University 1977–78), dies of leukemia at 75

  • 2008-10-20 Gene Hickerson, American football Hall of Famer (b. 1935)

Sammy Baugh (1914-2008)

2008-12-17 American College/Pro Football quarterback (TCU; NFL C'ship 1937, 42; 4 × First-team All-Pro; 6 × Pro Bowl; 4 × NFL passing yards leader; Washington Redskins), dies at 94

Ollie Matson (1930-2011)

2011-02-19 Pro/College Football Hall of Fame halfback (First-team All-Pro 1952, 54–59; Pro Bowl 1952, 54–58; NFL 1950s All Decade Team), dies of dementia at 80

  • 2011-04-25 (Fletcher) Joe Perry, American AAFC/NFL Hall of Fame fullback, 1948-63, 3X Pro Bowl (San Francisco 49ers; Baltimore Colts), and US Navy veteran, dies of complications from dementia at 84
  • 2012-05-02 Junior Seau, American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (12 x Pro Bowl; 6 × First-team All-Pro; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1992; SD Chargers), commits suicide at 43
  • 2013-06-03 Deacon Jones, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (8 × Pro Bowl; 5 × First-team All-Pro; LA Rams, SD Chargers), dies from natural causes at 73
  • 2015-03-21 Chuck Bednarik, Pro/College Football HOF center/linebacker (Uni of Pennsylvania; NFL C'ship 1949, 60; 10 × First-team All-Pro; 8 × Pro Bowl; Philadelphia Eagles), dies of Alzheimer's disease and dementia at 89
  • 2015-12-30 Doug Atkins, American College/Pro Football HOF defensive end (Uni of Tennessee; NFL C'ship 1954, 63; First-team All-Pro 1963; 8×Pro Bowl; Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, NO Saints), dies at 85
  • 2019-04-12 Forrest Gregg, American Pro Football HOF tackle (9 x Pro Bowl; 7 × First-team All-Pro; Green Bay Packers) and coach (Cleveland Browns, Toronto Argonauts, Cincinnati Bengals, GB Packers), dies of Parkinson's disease at 85
  • 2019-05-26 Bart Starr, American Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, coach (Green Bay Packers), dies of effects of stroke at 85
  • 2019-07-16 Pat Bowlen, American Pro Football Hall of Fame team owner (Super Bowl 1998, 99, 2015 Denver Broncos), dies of complications of Alzheimer's disease at 75
  • 2019-10-21 Willie Brown, American Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, coach and executive (Super Bowl 1976, 80, 84; Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders), dies at 78
  • 2020-01-28 Chris Doleman, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (8 × Pro Bowl; 3 × First-team All-Pro; Minnesota Vikings), dies of brain cancer at 58
  • 2020-02-03 Willie Wood, American Pro Football Hall of Fame safety (Pro Bowl 1962, 64–70; Super Bowl 1967, 68; Green Bay Packers), dies of dementia at 83
  • 2020-04-05 Bobby Mitchell, American Pro Football Hall of Fame running back (Pro Bowl 1960, 62–64; First-team All-Pro 1962–64; Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins), dies at 84
  • 2020-04-15 Willie Davis, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (Super Bowl I, II; Pro Bowl 1963-67; First-team All-Pro 1962, 64–67; Green Bay Packers), dies from kidney failure at 85

Don Shula (1930-2020)

2020-05-04 American Pro Football Hall of Fame coach (Super Bowl 1972, 73; Miami Dolphins; Baltimore Colts; NFL Coach of the Year 1964, 67, 68, 72), dies at 90

  • 2020-09-17 Larry Wilson, American Pro Football Hall of Fame free safety (8 x Pro Bowl; 6 x All Pro 1st Team; NFL Defensive Player of Year 1966; St. Louis Cardinals), dies at 82
  • 2020-10-14 Fred Dean, American Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end (Pro Bowl 1979–81, 83; First-team All-Pro 1980, 81; Super Bowl 1981, 84; SD Chargers, SF 49ers), dies from COVID-19 at 68
  • 2020-10-30 Herb Adderley, American Pro Football HOF cornerback (Super Bowl 1967, 68, 71; 5 x Pro Bowl; 4 × First-team All-Pro; Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys), dies from COVID-19 at 81
  • 2020-12-21 Kevin Greene, American Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker (5 x Pro Bowl; First-team All-Pro 1989, 94, 96; LA Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers), dies at 58
  • 2023-01-30 Bobby Beathard, American Pro Football Hall of Fame executive (GM Washington Redskins Super Bowl 1982, 87; San Diego Chargers), dies from Alzheimer's disease at 86