Bradley Ruzicka

Headline: More quarterback woes as the Green Bay Packers complete a mere five touchdown passes while another losing record prompts Dan Devine’s departure.

Regular Season Record: 6 – 8 (Third Place NFC Central Division)

Offseason Highlights: After winning the NFC Central in 1972, Green Bay Packers fans everywhere again had hope that the franchise could reestablish itself among the NFL’s elites. Those hopes hit a major speed bump in 1973 when the Packers slid to third place with a 5-7-2 record. Injuries were a factor, but Head Coach Dan Devine’s inability to identify a starting quarterback may have doomed their title chances from the start. What was a concern in 1972 became a crisis last season as holdovers Scott Hunter and Jerry Tagge, along with offseason acquisition Jim Del Gazio, were found wanting. The result was a season long quarterback carousel that crippled the offense.

“How do you pick up the pieces after a wreck like 1973?” asked Stanton Greene in his book, The Green Bay Packers The Dan Devine Years 1971-1974. “You start with the draft.” Devine used his first-round pick, 12th overall, and his only selection in the first four rounds on University of Richmond Running Back Barty Smith. Given the continued absence of a legitimate quarterback and difference making wide receivers, the choice of Smith was puzzling. “With Brockington at his peak, everyone wondered where Smith was going to play. In fact, Devine was toying with the idea of moving him to tight end or linebacker … which truly begs the question of why he drafted him in the first place.”

Devine could have selected players such as future Hall of Fame wideouts Lynn Swan or John Stallworth, who combined for over 14,000 receiving yards and 100 touchdowns with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also available was quarterback Danny White, who played 15 years for the Dallas Cowboys, passing for 21,959 yards and 155 touchdowns during his career. Unfortunately, Smith wouldn’t have an opportunity to achieve his potential. He suffered a serious left knee injury during the now defunct Coaches’ All-American Football Game before he ever played a down for the Packers, an injury that caused him to miss the first six games of the season, and one from which he never fully recovered.

During Smith’s seven-year career, all with Green Bay, the big fullback started 42 of 67 games, rushing for just 1,942 yards on 544 carries (3.6 yards per carry) while scoring 21 total touchdowns. All in all, Green Bay’s draft yielded some solid players but no blue chippers, including wide receivers Steve Odom (116th overall) and Ken Payne (142nd overall) out of Utah and Langston respectively as well as Connecticut running back Eric Torkelson (272nd overall). But their sixth-round pick, New Mexico running back Don Woods, did rush for over 1,000 yards and was ultimately named the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately, Woods did it for the San Diego Chargers, not the Packers.

The 134th overall selection performed well in three preseason games, with 20 carries for 139 yards. Ultimately, Devine had to choose between Woods or Torkelson, deciding to release Woods at the end of training camp. He was subsequently picked up by the Chargers for the $100 waiver fee. Despite not suiting up until the season’s third week, Woods went on to set a then NFL rookie rushing record of 1,162 yards in 12 games, including another rookie record of seven 100-yard rushing performances. After a knee injury in 1975, Woods was never able to recapture his rookie form. He finished with 4,405 total yards and as well as 21 total touchdowns during seven years in San Diego.

Meanwhile, Torkelson went on to gain 1,776 rushing and receiving yards and scored 8 touchdowns over eight seasons in Green Bay. Odom totaled 84 catches for 1,613 yards (19.2 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns with the Packers, finishing his career in 1979 with the New York Giants. His forte was as a kick returner, setting franchise records with the longest punt return (95 yards) as well as career kickoff return attempts (179) and yardage (4,124), while scoring 3 total touchdowns. Payne spent just over three of his five seasons with the Packers, totaling 103 receptions for 1,395 yards (13.5 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns, before ending his career as a Philadelphia Eagle in 1979.

Another Green Bay running back, drafted 77th overall in 1941, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 1974. Tony Canadeo played for 11 seasons and was the first Packer to rush for 1,000 yards in a season (1,052 yards in 1949). The fifth leading rusher in team history is a member of the Hall of Fame’s All-1940s team, a decade in which he helped lead Green Bay win an NFL title (1944). Canadeo is also one of only six Packers to have his number retired. His was retired upon his retirement in 1952, preceded by Don Hutson in 1951 and followed by Bart Starr in 1973, Ray Nitschke in 1983, Reggie White in 2005, and Brett Favre in 2015.

Many experts believe Pittsburgh had the best draft in league history in 1974, selecting four players later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: University of Southern California’s Lynn Swann (21st overall), Kent State Linebacker Jack Lambert (46th), Alabama A&M’s John Stallworth (82nd), and Wisconsin Center Mike Webster (125th). Also, a fifth Steeler Hall of Famer, Safety Donnie Shell, was signed as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina State. In total, 1974 produced seven future Hall of Famers including the Denver Broncos’ Linebacker Randy Gradishar out of Ohio State (14th overall) and the Oakland Raiders’ Dave Casper out of Notre Dame (45th overall).

The Houston Oilers had the first overall pick in the draft based on last season’s 1-13 record. But they traded that pick, as well as their first pick in the third round, to Dallas in exchange for defensive end Tody Smith and wide receiver Billy Parks. The Cowboys then used these picks to select two future Pro Bowlers, end Ed “Too Tall” Jones and Danny White. This was the first draft since 1938 where no quarterbacks were taken in the first round. Also, it’s one of only two drafts where no quarterback was taken in the first two rounds. Overall, 1974 is generally regarded as one of the worst quarterback classes of all time, with only White and Stanford’s Mike Boryla making a Pro Bowl.

However, the draft was only the beginning of what would be an offseason of chaos and change. Two major and ultimately interrelated events, the advent of the World Football League and the NFL Players Association strike, along with a package of major rule changes designed to improve offensive output, would have the biggest impact on the league since the 1970 merger. Founded by Gary Davidson, the man who helped start the American Basketball Association and the World Hockey Association, the WFL had planned to commence play in 1975. However, the league came under pressure to push up its timetable, largely due to strained labor relations affecting the NFL and the CFL.

As a result, the 12 team WFL’s inaugural season started on Wednesday, July 10 and ended on Wednesday, November 13. It was a 20-game season over 19 weeks – a schedule accomplished by having double games on Labor Day weekend. By the start of the season, at least in part as a result of ongoing labor unrest between NFL owners and the NFLPA, the WFL claimed to have some 60 NFL players under contract. Many were in the form of futures contracts where players would complete their existing NFL deals then jump to the WFL. Included were stars such as quarterbacks Ken Stabler and Craig Morton, receivers John Gilliam and Ted Kwalick, and running back Calvin Hill.

Fortunately for the NFL, most of their players never actually made it to the WFL. In spite of various disasters during the 1974 season including franchise relocations and collapses, owner and commissioner changes, a lack of resources, and an inability on the part of many teams to consistently meet payroll, the league returned for the 1975 season. But as financial issues continued to plague the WFL, particularly the absence of a television deal and the resulting lack of revenue, the league folded on October 22. The Birmingham and Memphis franchises both attempted to join the NFL but were refused. Yet, despite its short tenure, the WFL would have a lasting impact on the NFL.

The WFL produced a variety of coaches who eventually migrated to the NFL, including Jack Pardee, Marty Schottenheimer, and future Green Bay Head Coach Lindy Infante. The fledgling league also succeeded in raising stagnant NFL salaries at a time when average player compensation was among the lowest of the four major North American sports leagues. For example, the Memphis franchise paid $3.5M for Miami Dolphins’ fullback Larry Csonka and wideout Paul Warfield, both future Hall of Famers, as well as halfback Jim Kiick, in what was the richest three player deal in sports history. The threat of the WFL signing away the league’s star players forced an increase in NFL salaries.

Among those targeted by the WFL was Packers’ star running back John Brockington. Prior to the 1975 season, acquiring Brockington was rumored to be a priority for the Chicago Fire. Green Bay proceeded to sign the three-time Pro Bowler to a controversial three year, no cut contract, worth $150,000 per year guaranteed, one of the richest deals in the league. According to Stanton Greene in his book Falling Starr – Bart Starr as Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers 1975-83, it was an Executive Committee member, recently inducted Hall of Famer Tony Canadeo, who pushed hardest for the unprecedented contract. It was ultimately a deal the franchise would come to regret.

However, by far the WFL’s most significant impact was on the Dolphins. Miami had just won consecutive Super Bowls, dominating the NFL with a 32-2 record, before the WFL snagged three of their best offensive players, effectively breaking up the great Dolphins’ roster at a time when they were playing the best football of anyone in the league. These losses potentially changed the course of NFL history by opening the door for Pittsburgh to overtake Miami on their way to becoming the best team of the 1970s. It’s difficult to assess just how much the absence of Csonka, Kiick, and Warfield played in Miami’s subsequent decline, however, the team never again reached the same level of success.

With competition from the WFL as well as criticism that the NFL game had become too conservative, changes were adopted in 1974 to add both tempo and action, including a sudden death overtime period and moving the goal posts to the back of the end zone. Also, changes relating to missed field goals, punt returns, pass defense, and offensive penalties were added in an effort to increase scoring. Specifically, to decrease ties, one sudden death overtime period was added to all games; if no team scored in this period, only then would the game end in a tie. To reduce the number of games decided by field goals and increase their difficulty, goal posts were moved from the goal to the end line.

Also, for missed field goals, the defensive team would take possession of the ball at the scrimmage line or the 20-yard line, whichever is farther from the goal. To promote more returns, kickoffs were moved from the 40-yard line to the 35-yard line. On punt returns, the kicking team could not go past the scrimmage line until the ball was kicked, except for the player at the farthest end of each side of the snapper. To incentivize the passing game, an eligible receiver could only be contacted once by defenders after the receiver had gone three yards past the line of scrimmage. Finally, offensive holding, illegal use of hands, and tripping penalties were all reduced from 15 to 10 yards to improve output.

The other major event with long term repercussions was the NFLPA’s decision to strike, the second since 1970. With the previous four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire, the players walked out on July 1. One of their major issues concerned the disposition of the so called “Rozelle Rule” and its impact on player movement. A lawsuit filed by NFLPA President John Mackey in 1971 challenged the rule as violating federal antitrust laws. The rule, named after Pete Rozelle, who instituted it in 1963, allowed the commissioner to award players or draft choices to a team losing a free agent if both the signing team and the departing player’s team could not agree on fair compensation.

The NFLPA believed the rule denied them true free agency, as few teams were willing to sign high-profile players whose contract had expired only to risk having their own rosters raided. At the time of the strike, resolution of the Mackey case was still pending in the courts. In addition to elimination of the “Rozelle Rule”, players wanted elimination of the option clause, the draft, and the waiver system, as well as impartial arbitration of disputes and individual, rather than uniform, contracts. However, less than three weeks into the strike, players began crossing picket lines, including Packer starters Jim Carter and Chester Marcol. There were rumors that additional players were ready to join them.

On August 11, the players caved, returning to training camp without a new agreement. Instead, they would pursue free agency through the courts. Only one pre-season game, the College All-Star Game, was canceled, as the first three preseason contests were played with all rookie rosters. Although the court eventually ruled in favor of the players in 1976, overturning the “Rozelle Rule”, the NFLPA did not achieve unrestricted free agency as compensation remained tied to draft picks that were awarded based on the salary of the departing free agent, while teams maintained the right of first refusal. The NFL and NFLPA would finally reach agreement on a new five-year CBA in March 1977.

Regular Season Highlights: For the second straight season, the Green Bay Packers finished third in the NFC Central Division in what became Dan Devine’s final season. The 10-4 Minnesota Vikings and 7-7 Detroit Lions outplayed 6-8 Green Bay, with the 4-10 Chicago Bears bringing up the rear. It was a particularly difficult offseason for the Lions. Tragedy struck when former Baltimore Colts Head Coach Don McCafferty died of a heart attack after a single season in Detroit. He was just 53 years old. Assistant Rick Forzano coached the team through their last season in Tiger Stadium. A third coach, the Bears’ Abe Gibron, was fired after three last place finishes and a 11-30-1 record.

According to Lew Freedman in his book, The Packer Experience, if the previous year taught Devine anything, it was that he was undermanned at quarterback, and that none of the three available looked like a winner. The first to go was Scott Hunter. Curiously, despite the fact the coach had demoted Hunter to the taxi squad last season and didn’t invite him to spring camp, the now fourth year signal caller was signed to a multi-year deal in May. Devine then turned around and traded him on July 29 to the Buffalo Bills for running back Pete Van Valkenburg and defensive tackle Steve Okoniewski. Van Valkenburg was released after five weeks while Okoniewski went on to start 11 games.

Hunter finished his Packers career completing 196 of 446 (43.9%) for 2,904 yards, 15 touchdowns, 30 interceptions, and a 49.0 QBR. He played four more year with Buffalo, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Lions before retiring after the 1979 season. So why did Devine resign Hunter when it seemed clear he was no longer part of the coach’s plans? Perhaps Devine felt he needed insurance in case Jerry Tagge, his 1972 first round pick, ultimately couldn’t cut it and Hunter was his safest choice. Holdover Jim Del Gazio, an inexperienced backup quarterback when he was acquired from the Miami Dolphins the year before, hadn’t exactly distinguished himself over the course of the 1973 season.

To his credit, Hunter started 29 of 35 games he was active, had a winning record of 15-11-3, and helped the team win a division title in his second season. His job on the line, Devine couldn’t afford another losing season and putting all his chips on Tagge, given his own struggles, was a big risk. Then why trade Hunter several weeks later? Part of the reason may have been the union man’s strong support for the NFLPA strike and his close relationship with Packers player representative, Ken Bowman. Jerry Poling stated in his book, Downfield, “It seemed Devine … [let] personal vendettas affect … on-field decisions.” Hunter told Poling, “Devine treated us like we were striking against him.”

Just days before Hunter was traded, Devine acquired quarterback Jack Concannon, in his tenth year, from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 1975 fifth-round draft pick. This despite the fact the 31-year-old had been on the Cowboys taxi squad the past two seasons. Once the veterans were back in camp, Concannon and Del Gazio vied for the backup quarterback position the remainder of the preseason. In the end, Devine chose Concannon and Del Gazio was dealt to the New York Giants for a 1976 third round pick on September 10. Later in the day, the coach traded that pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for yet another quarterback, Dean Carlson. He was released not having thrown a pass.

Quarterback was not the only area experiencing change prior to the start of the season. On August 14, Devine made a trade that turned out to be the steal of the season, giving up second year linebacker Tom MacLeod and an eighth-round draft pick in 1975 to the Colts for future Hall of Fame linebacker Ted Hendricks and Baltimore’s second round selection in next year’s draft. The three-time Pro Bowler, entering his sixth season, had announced earlier in the summer he had signed a contract beginning next season with Jacksonville of the WFL. A week later, Baltimore General Manager Joe Thomas traded him to Green Bay stating, according to Hendricks, “I’m putting you in cold storage.”

Devine also attempted to shore up an already deteriorating offensive line prior to the season by acquiring ninth year tackle Harry Schuh from the Los Angeles Rams for a 1975 sixth round draft pick on August 28 as well as eighth year guard Bruce Van Dyke, a Pro Bowler the year before, on September 9 from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 1976 third-round selection. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined Van Dyke two weeks into the season and was subsequently put on injured reserve as of September 28. With fifth year tackle Bill Hayhoe on injured reserve the entire season, Schuh, a three-time Pro Bowler, ended up splitting the left tackle job with third year veteran Keith Wortman.

Another starter, tenth year center Ken Bowman, was placed on injured reserve shortly before the opener, elevating second year center Larry McCarren. On the defensive line, tackle Bob Brown, starting his ninth season, was traded to the San Diego Chargers on September 5 for a 1975 third round draft pick. The 1972 Pro Bowler was replaced by the recently acquired Okoniewski and third year tackle Dave Pureifory. Brown would go on to start another three years, first for San Diego and then for the Cincinnati Bengals, before retiring at the end of the 1976 season. With Bowman and Brown now gone, only guard Gale Gillingham remained from Vince Lombardi’s Super Bowl Champion teams.

With the regular season about to begin, all was not well. The passing game remained a huge question mark. Tagge, the only surviving quarterback from last season and with just six starts in his first two years, would now be the starter. Concannon, who hadn’t thrown a regular season pass in two years, would be his backup. Outside of tight end Rich McGeorge, the receivers were still unproven. Also, tensions between Devine and his players, present from the start of the head coach’s tenure, had been exasperated by the NFLPA strike. Bowman, for example, believed Devine placed him on injured reserve with a phantom injury as a way of getting even for being a leader of the players’ strike.

Success would once more depend on Devine’s tried and true formula: a strong running game, an improved defense, and revitalized special teams. In the opener at Lambeau Field, after a 10-10 halftime tie, Tagge (9 of 20, 102 yards, 21.2 QBR) was picked off three times in a 32-17 defeat at the hands of the Vikings. With three of the five starting offensive linemen being newcomers, the running game struggled as well, with just 96 yards on 33 attempts. The offense was again held in check the next week against the Baltimore Colts, with only 193 total yards. But the defense saved the day, intercepting quarterbacks Marty Domres and Bert Jones four times, to salvage a 20-13 road win.

Tagge showed slight improvement, completing 10 of 16 for 109 yards, 1 interception, and a 56.5 QBR. More concerning, the running game was held under 100 yards for a second straight week (43 carries for 84 yards). Green Bay finally exceeded 100 yards rushing in the third week against Detroit (32-154), but 61 of those yards were gained by little used second year running back Les Goodman (3-61). Over three games, three-time Pro Bowler John Brockington had been held to just 125 yards on 50 attempts while his running mate, MacArthur Lane, had gained a paltry 97 yards on 42 carries. Both were averaging well under 3.0 yards per rush and had scored three total touchdowns.

Yet, despite three turnovers, the Packers managed to beat the Lions in a come from behind thriller. Tagge, along with third year kicker Chester Marcol, were the heroes of the game. Completing 18 of 38 for 237 yards, Tagge threw his first touchdown of the season, a 27 yarder to second year wide receiver Barry Smith. Meanwhile, Marcol hit four of six field goals, his last late in the game to give Green Bay the lead. Detroit drove into field goal range with just 24 seconds remaining, but Errol Mann missed a 47-yard field goal attempt, giving the Packers a 21-19 victory. The 1972 All-Pro was one of the few bright spots early in the season, converting 7 of 10 field goals for 26 total points.

Unfortunately, Tagge (17-31, 141, 39.9) regressed the next week in a discouraging 27-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. His two interceptions gave him a total of seven against just one touchdown pass on the season. Brockington and Lane combined for 100 yards on 25 carries and 1 touchdown. After being the workhorse for the past three seasons, the big fullback expressed frustration with his role to date, saying to the Milwaukee Sentinel on October 7, “It’s not like the old days. Before I’d get the ball 25 times a game. Now, I’m lucky to get it 15.” After the season’s first month, Green Bay sat at second place in the division with a 2-2 record, tied with Chicago and two games behind 4-0 Minnesota.

The season’s high point came the next week in Milwaukee County Stadium. Devine’s formula of defense, the running game, and special teams defeated the 3-1 Los Angeles Rams. Said Stanton Greene, “[It] was payback for the previous year’s embarrassment in Los Angeles.” While the Packers were outgained 251 to 142 yards, their defense countered by intercepting quarterbacks John Hadl and James Harris four times, three by newly acquired Ted Hendricks. A 68-yard punt return by Jon Staggers in the second quarter and a 32-yard Marcol field goal in the third gave Green Bay the points needed for victory. Brockington’s 5-yard fourth quarter touchdown run iced the game, 17-6.

The return of the running game (44-143) against a solid Rams defense gave fans hope that the offense could get untracked. Brockington had gotten his wish, carrying the ball 26 times for 89 yards. “But … the game was more illusion than reality.” stated Greene. Tagge was just 2 of 9 for 17 yards and an interception. His 0.0 QBR was both a season and career low. Still, the worst was yet to come. In the sixth week against Chicago, on a Monday night in Soldier Field, the offense hit rock bottom in a troubling 10-9 loss. The defense was solid, with Hendricks tallying another interception. Marcol hit all three of his field goals. But it wasn’t enough to overcome turnovers and missed opportunities.

According to Greene, “Tagge’s passes [seemed] to lack zip, hanging in the air as the Bears plundered him for [two] interceptions while limiting the Packer running game to 91 yards.” Unbeknownst at the time, Tagge would not play another down, finishing the season completing 70 of 146 (47.9%) for 709 yards, 1 touchdown, 10 interceptions, and a meager 36.0 QBR. Although the 3-3 Packers remained in second place, still tied with the Bears and two games behind the 5-1 Vikings, Greene observed, “You could feel the doom creeping in as it had the previous year at midseason, maybe not as dramatically, no key players had been lost, … but you knew the season was teetering on extinction.”

Devine had a choice to make. He could stay with Tagge, hoping for a quick turnaround, despite all evidence to the contrary. Or he could once more enter the trade market. His last fore had been a failure when he traded two second round picks last offseason for Del Gazio, a young and untested backup quarterback, now playing for the Giants. This time, he wanted a signal caller with experience, a leader who could elevate an offense seemingly stuck in the mud. Apparently, Devine had been considering a change since the team’s victory over the Rams. One report had Green Bay finalizing a trade with the 1-4 New Orleans Saints for 25-year-old Archie Manning prior to the Chicago game.

Manning, the second overall selection in the 1971 draft, had been demoted in favor of second year quarterback Bobby Scott prior to New Orleans’ October 21st game against the Atlanta Falcons. However, when Scott blew out his knee in the Atlanta loss, leaving rookie Larry Cipa as the only available quarterback, the Saints quickly decided not to follow through on a deal. Devine also reportedly had discussions with Dallas regarding a trade for 31-year-old Craig Morton. But the coach wanted an established starter and ultimately passed on acquiring the ten-year veteran. Morton was subsequently traded to the Giants for a first-round pick on the same day Devine made his fateful decision.

Whether or not acquiring Manning or Morton were real possibilities, the October 22 NFL trade deadline forced Devine’s hand. With both the season and his Packers career on the line, Devine went all in, trading five draft choices, including a first and second round pick in both 1975 and 1976 as well as a third rounder in 1976, to Los Angeles for 34-year-old John Hadl. Devine decided to pull the trigger without any advance consultation with the Executive Committee. According to Greene, Bob Harlan was quoted as saying, “I don’t think there was a soul in the organization who knew about the deal other than Dan. It was a huge mistake. … I knew how the Executive Committee was going to feel.”

Even though Hadl had lost his starting job to Harris after the Rams loss to Green Bay, Greene stated that “Devine had been enamored of Hadl since he had coached against him as a collegian more than a decade earlier.” He considered the 13-year veteran a big-league quarterback who’d led San Diego to success in the 1960s and Los Angeles to a division title just last season. However, with the Rams, Hadl was surrounded by top notch lineman, backs, and receivers. That wouldn’t be the case with the Packers. Two days after the trade, Devine told the Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter, “Someone asked me if we’re trading away our future, that’s a ridiculous question.” Time would tell.

Regardless of the reasoning, the six-time Pro Bowler was now a Packer. Concannon started the next two games while Hadl attempted to assimilate the offense. Surprisingly, despite not having any starts in almost three years, the former Bear acquitted himself well against the Lions, going 17 of 30 for 237 yards, 1 interception, and a 68.3 QBR. Similar to the game a month ago, it was a back-and-forth affair, with the lead changing hands four times. But this time, Errol Mann made a last second 41-yard field goal for a 19-17 Lions victory. Concannon didn’t fare as well in his second start (8-20, 67, 9.8), tossing two interceptions, the last a pick six, for a 17-6 Washington Redskins victory.

A good performance by the defense, holding the Redskins to 237 total yards and 10 points, was offset by three interceptions and a running game that failed to gain more than 100 yards for the sixth time in eight games. Ready or not, Hadl saw his first action after Concannon was injured late in the final period, completing 9 of 15 for 99 yards, 1 interception, and a 51.8 QBR. He was now the starter with Concannon as his backup. However, three consecutive losses had put Green Bay into quite a hole. At 3-5, they were tied with Chicago for last place in the division, three games behind 6-2 Minnesota with only six left in the season. Getting back into the playoffs would be an uphill climb.

Against the Bears in Milwaukee County Stadium, the change in quarterback seemed to motivate the team, despite the offense’s continued struggles. Hadl’s first Packers start was unimpressive (9-20, 119, 43.5) and the running game again totaled less than 100 yards. However, the defense and special teams more than made up for the offense’s deficiencies. Green Bay forced five turnovers, including four fumbles, limiting Chicago to 235 total yards and three points. Steve Odom’s 95-yard punt return for a touchdown and two Marcol field goals (45, 24) gave the Packers a 13-3 fourth period lead. Tackle Mike McCoy’s interception led to Brockington’s 1 yard score to ice the game, 20-3.

The next two weeks would see the offense play its best football of the season. To date, Brockington had failed to gain over 100 yards in a game after doing so 11 times over the past three years, totaling an anemic 491 yards on 169 carries and a career low 2.9 yards per rush. But, in the tenth week against the Vikings, the three-time 1,000-yard runner would have a career day with 203 total yards (137 rushing, 66 receiving). The offense totaled 393 yards (202 rushing and 191 passing), with Hadl going 10 of 19 for 199 yards, including a 68-yard touchdown pass to Lane in the fourth period for a 19-7 road victory. Lane, in his seventh year, spoke for the team, saying, “It was a lot of fun.”

That fun continued into the next week against San Diego. Green Bay played their most complete game of the season, dominating the 3-7 Chargers, 34-0, in Lambeau Field. Although the running game couldn’t duplicate results from the previous week, gaining only 73 yards, the passing game made up the difference with 224 yards. Hadl went 14 of 22 for 157 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, and an 81.1 QBR before giving way to Concannon, his last action as a Packer. Concannon finished his season completing 28 of 54 (51.9%) for 381 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions, and a 57.7 QBR. It was the first time in over a year that Green Bay had thrown for more than 200 yards in a game.

Despite the turmoil to date, the Packers were 6-5, one game behind both Minnesota for the division title and Washington for the wild card, with three games left against teams with losing records. However, those hopes all but ended the next week in Philadelphia with a decisive 36-14 loss to the Eagles. Green Bay was their own worst enemy, losing five fumbles, three by Hadl (16-41, 237, 58.0), who also threw an interception. A Lane fumble at the Philadelphia 12-yard line in the second quarter proved to be the turning point. Eagles end Will Wynn picked up the loose ball, running 87 yards for a touchdown and a 15-0 lead. Down 29-0, the Packers scored two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough.

A Vikings victory combined with losses by Green Bay and Detroit gave Minnesota their sixth division title. With nothing left to play for, the Packers folded, losing their last two games, bringing the season to an ugly end. The offense reverted to early season form, with three Marcol field goals accounting for all the Packers scoring in their 7-6 and 10-3 defeats to the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons respectively. Overall, Green Bay finished the season 17th in passing (2,036), 19th in rushing (1,571), and 21st in scoring (210). Hadl played in seven games for the Packers, starting the last six, going 89 of 184 (48.4%) for 1,072 yards, 3 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and a 54.0 QBR.

Due to the high cost and limited return, the Hadl trade is regarded by many experts and fans as the worst in franchise history. One of those experts is noted pro football analyst Dennis Ruzicka who said, “Forget Jim Del Gazio; let’s talk John Hadl!”. In addition to the quarterback chaos, the running game continued its descent, from fourth overall in Devine’s first season, to seventh in 1972, to 12th in 1973, to 19th in 1974. Working behind an aging, patchwork line, Brockington’s production dropped below 1,000 yards for the first time in his career (883 on 266 attempts, 3.3 yards per carry, 5 touchdowns). Still, his totals were enough to rank second in the NFL in attempts and sixth in yards.

For the second straight season, Lane, in his third year with Green Bay, saw his totals decline (137-362, 2.6, 3). Goodman was the only other back to gain more than 100 yards on the season (20-101, 5.1). Brockington led all receivers with 43 catches for 314 yards (7.3 yards per reception), followed by Lane (34-315, 9.3), fifth year wide receiver Jon Staggers (32-450, 14.1), and Rich McGeorge (30-440, 14.7). Amazingly, Packers quarterbacks collectively threw just five touchdown passes against 21 interceptions, with Lane on the receiving end of three. Still, the fact that the passing game consisted mostly of short passes to the backs highlighted the continued lack of talent at receiver.

However, Green Bay’s offensive ineptitude was offset by significant improvements in the defense and special teams. As a result of the Hendricks acquisition, the Packers had arguably the best linebacking core in the league, with Hendricks, Fred Carr, and Jim Carter. The return to form of Pro Bowl cornerback Willie Buchanon, after a broken leg kept him out the last eight games of 1973, along with fellow Pro Bowl corner Ken Ellis again elevated the secondary. Hendricks led the defense with five interceptions followed by Buchanon (4). The two time All-Pro also blocked seven kicks. Fifth year ends Alden Roche and Clarence Williams anchored the line with seven sacks a piece.

Overall, Green Bay’s defense five times held rivals to a touchdown or less, finishing eighth against the run (1,641), seventh against the pass (2,000), and fifth in points allowed (206), a huge upgrade over the 259 allowed last season. Marcol reclaimed the league lead in points scored (94) as well as most field goals attempted (39) and made (25), finishing eighth in field goal percentage (64.1%). He also made all 19 of his extra points. The importance of Marcol to the Packers offense can be summed up in one statistic; the two time All-Pro was responsible for 45% of Green Bay’s total points. Of their 19 touchdowns, five were scored by the special teams and the defense (21%).

As another losing season came to an end, tensions among both players and coaches regarding support for Devine, heightened at the beginning of the season as a result of the players strike, boiled over. According to former team trainer Dominic Gentile in his 1995 book, The Packer Tapes, the flash point came the week prior to the finale versus the Falcons, when reports surfaced of some players and coaches being so dissatisfied with the situation that there was talk of intentionally skipping the flight to Atlanta and potentially forcing the team to actually forfeit the game. “That stretch [the last three games of the season] easily was the darkest period of my 32 years with the Packers.”

When he heard about the potential mutiny, Gentile said he did everything he could to curb it. “I told them it would be suicidal to their football careers and would jeopardize the team’s future. At the very least, it would be the blackest mark in the history of the franchise.” Outside of Gentile’s book, there’s been limited confirmation of this incident over the past 50 years. Of the players who were there, only Brockington and Ellis have ever publicly discussed it. In a February 5, 1981 interview with the Milwaukee Journal, Brockington said, “Half the guys wanted [Devine] gone and half didn’t know.” Ellis told Cliff Cristl in January 2016, “I don’t know how close [the mutiny] came to happening.”

Fortunately for all involved, the mutiny never happened. But Devine’s fate remained an open question. Publicly, the coach reiterated his commitment to Green Bay before the Atlanta game. “I would just like to clear the air so that we can be thinking football. I’m making plans for being here in ’75.” Privately, Devine longed to return to the collegiate ranks. Then, he hit the jackpot. Notre Dame asked him to be their head coach starting in 1975. All indications were that the deal was done prior to the Packers’ final game. According to Greene, Father Joyce called Devine the Friday before and offered him the job. “He accepted without hesitation, calling it the shortest job interview in history.”

In 2004, Hadl told Pete Jackel of RacineSportsZone.com that, as the closing minutes of the Falcon game ticked away, he offered Devine his consolation. “Coach, I’m sorry this thing didn’t work out.” To his surprise, Devine responded, “John, don’t worry about me. They’re going to announce me as the head Notre Dame coach tomorrow.” Hadl added, “I couldn’t believe that.” But Devine didn’t tell this to Green Bay’s Executive Committee until after they’d decided to pay him for the final year of his contract. Less than a week after stating his desire to remain in Green Bay, on December 17, Devine’s resignation as the Packers’ Head Coach and General Manager was announced to the press.

The Oakland Raiders finished with the league’s best record at 12-2, wining the AFC West. The two-time Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins finished with the second-best record at 11-3, taking the AFC East. The Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC Central with a record of 10-3-1. The St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota, and Los Angeles all ended the season at 10-4, winning the NFC East, NFC Central, and NFC West respectively. Washington was back in the playoffs as the NFC’s Wild Card team, also with a record of 10-4, while Buffalo was the AFC’s Wild Card representative with a record of 9-5. St. Louis finished ahead of Washington in the NFC East based on a head-to-head sweep.

It was the first time the Cardinals won a division title since 1948, when the team was based in Chicago. It was also St. Louis’ first winning season since 1970, when the team went 8-5-1. But it was the battle for the AFC East that proved to be the most intriguing. The New England Patriots won six of their first seven, then turned around and lost six of their last seven to finish 7-7. Buffalo won seven of their first eight before finishing the season losing four of six. Still, it was the first time in eight seasons that Buffalo qualified for the post season, this time as a wild card. Miami started slowly with a 3-2 record but then dominated down the stretch, finishing 8-1 to win their fourth straight division title.

However, for Dallas, the season marked the first in nine years where the team failed to make the playoffs and would be the only time between 1966 and 1983 they would not qualify for the post-season. Meanwhile, Oakland Quarterback Ken Stabler won MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, going 178 of 310 (57.4%) for 2,469 yards, a league leading 26 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a QBR of 94.9. Pittsburgh Tackle Joe Greene and Linebacker Jack Lambert won Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year respectively. San Diego Running Back Don Woods won Offensive Rookie of the Year while St. Louis Head Coach Don Coryell won Coach of the Year.

Post Season Highlights: Opening day of the playoffs saw the NFC division winning St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings clash in Metropolitan Stadium. Meanwhile, the two best AFC teams, the Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins, squared off in the Oakland Coliseum. The following day, the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the AFC’s wild card team, the Buffalo Bills, in Three Rivers Stadium. The last game of the divisional round had the NFC’s wild card, the Washington Redskins, taking on the Los Angeles Rams in the Coliseum. The winners would advance to their respective conference title games. This was the last season where playoff game sites would alternate by division.

On December 21, aided by two St. Louis turnovers, the Vikings scored 16 unanswered points in less than seven minutes during the third quarter, to again advance to the NFC Championship Game. The Cardinals won their first seven games and were at least tied for first place from first week to the end of the regular season. But a 3-4 finish almost allowed Washington to overtake them for the division title. Unfortunately for St. Louis, they would not have the opportunity to host a playoff game. Had the 1974 playoffs been seeded, as they would starting next season, the Cardinals would instead have hosted the Rams in the divisional round instead of having to go on the road to Minnesota.

After a scoreless first quarter, St. Louis got on the board first when first time Pro Bowl quarterback Jim Hart, now in his ninth season, threw a 13-yard touchdown to wideout Earl Thomas, in just his first year with the Cardinals. But the Vikings countered with quarterback Fran Tarkenton’s 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Gilliam to tie the game at 7-7. St. Louis had an opportunity to take the lead, driving 56 yards to Minnesota’s 6-yard line. However, Jim Bakken missed a 23-yard field goal attempt as the half expired. On the third play of the second half, the Vikings intercepted a Hart pass and returned it 18 yards, setting up Fred Cox’s 37-yard field goal, for a 10-7 lead.

On the Cardinals’ ensuing drive, second year running back and leading rusher Terry Metcalf lost a fumble, which cornerback Nate Wright picked up and returned 20 yards for a touchdown, increasing Minnesota’s advantage to 17-7. On their next possession, Tarkenton finished off a 16-point third quarter with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Gilliam, for a 23-7 lead, after Cox missed the extra point. In the fourth quarter, Vikings’ running back Chuck Foreman added a 4-yard touchdown to give Minnesota an insurmountable 30-7 lead. By the time Metcalf rushed for an 11-yard touchdown late in the game, it was too little, too late for St. Louis. The Vikings walked away with a comfortable 30-14 win.

Later that day, in a famous play that became known as the “Sea of Hands”, Oakland running back Clarence Davis somehow caught the winning touchdown pass between three Miami defenders with 24 seconds left to advance to the AFC title game, ending the Dolphins historic run of three straight Super Bowl appearances and two NFL titles. Analysts were referring to the matchup as “Super Bowl Eight-and-a-Half” as Miami and Oakland were the league’s two best teams in 1974 with the winner widely expected to advance to Super Bowl IX. It would be the last game that Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Paul Warfield would play for the Dolphins as they joined the WFL the next season.

The game began with rookie Nat Moore returning the opening kickoff 89 yards for a Miami touchdown and a 7-0 lead. The Raiders subsequently tied the game, 7-7, on Ken Stabler’s 31-yard touchdown pass to running back Charlie Smith in the second period. With 1:01 left in the half, Garo Yepremian kicked a 33-yard field goal to put Miami back in the lead, 10-7, at halftime. Oakland scored on their opening drive of the third quarter with Stabler’s 13-yard touchdown strike to star wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff, giving the Raiders a 14-10 lead. Aided by a 29-yard pass interference penalty against Oakland, Miami struck back with quarterback Bob Griese’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Warfield.

But the Raiders blocked the extra point, keeping the Dolphins lead at just two points, 16-14. Early in the fourth quarter, Yepremian increased Miami’s lead to 19-14, with a 46-yard field goal. Later in the period, Oakland got the ball on their own 17-yard line. On the second play of the drive, Stabler threw a pass to wide receiver Cliff Branch at the Dolphins 27. Branch made a spectacular diving catch, then got back up and ran the rest of the way to the end zone, for a 72-yard touchdown, giving the Raiders a 21-19 lead with 4:37 left in the game. But Miami took back the lead, 26-21, with a 68 yard, 4 play drive that ended with running back Benny Malone’s 23-yard touchdown romp.

On what would be the last possession of the game, Oakland got the ball on their own 32-yard line with two minutes left to play and all three timeouts remaining. After a 6-yard completion to tight end Bob Moore, Stabler went deep to Biletnikoff, completing two consecutive passes for gains of 18 and 20 yards. Then, after a four yard catch by Branch, little used wide receiver Frank Pitts, in his final season, made a bobbling first down catch at the Dolphins’ 14-yard line. On the next play, Davis ran the ball six yards to the 8, where the Raiders called their final timeout. On the next play, Stabler dropped back to pass and looked for Biletnikoff in the end zone, but he was tightly covered.

Rolling to his left, with fourth year defensive end Vern Den Herder dragging him down, Stabler threw a desperation lob towards the left side of the end zone, into a literal “sea of hands”, where Davis fought his way through the Miami defenders to make an 8-yard touchdown catch. Trailing 28-26, the Dolphins got the ball back with 24 seconds left to play. But, on their second play of the drive, linebacker Phil Villapiano picked off Griese’s pass at Oakland’s 45-yard line, allowing the Raiders to run out the clock. Oakland’s 28-26 win ended Miami’s quest for a remarkable third straight Super Bowl victory. “This has to be the toughest loss I’ve ever suffered”, said Dolphins’ head coach Don Shula.

On December 22, running back Franco Harris led Pittsburgh to a victory over Buffalo by scoring three touchdowns in the second quarter. The Steelers outgained the Bills in first downs, 29-14, and total yards, 438-264, including 235 rushing yards versus just 100 for the NFL’s ninth best rushing attack. In the only playoff game of his 11-year Hall of Fame career, O. J. Simpson was held to only 49 yards on 15 carries (3.3 yards per rush), 3 catches for 37 yards, and a 3-yard touchdown reception. The three time All-Pro, coming off consecutive rushing titles, did not lead the league in 1974 but did cross the 1,000-yard mark (270-1,125, 4.2), good for third overall despite a season long sore knee.

Pittsburgh scored on their first possession, with Roy Gerela’s 21-yard field goal, for a 3-0 advantage. A poor Steelers’ punt gave the Bills a first down on their own 44. Buffalo subsequently drove 56 yards, scoring on second year quarterback Joe Ferguson’s 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Paul Seymour, also in his second year, for their only lead of the game, 7-3. In the second quarter, Pittsburgh took over the game, tallying 26 unanswered points with a single quarter playoff record four touchdowns. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw began the scoring onslaught with a 27-yard touchdown pass to running back Rocky Bleier, giving the Steelers a 9-7 lead after Gerela’s extra point was blocked.

Following a Bills punt, Pittsburgh increased their lead to 16-7 with a 66-yard drive that concluded with a 1-yard touchdown by Harris. Buffalo’s fourth year running back Jim Braxton then lost a fumble, which the Steelers recovered on the Bills’ 42. Pittsburgh then scored on Harris’ 4-yard touchdown for a 22-7 lead after another blocked extra point. With 16 seconds left in the half, Harris scored his third touchdown to cap a 56-yard drive, upping the lead to 29-7. Buffalo cut the score to 29-14 in the third period with Ferguson’s touchdown pass to Simpson. But that would be the end of the scoring for the Bills. Gerela’s 22-yard field goal in the fourth period made the final score 32-14.

In the last game of the divisional playoffs, fourth year All-Pro linebacker Isiah Robertson returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown to clinch a Los Angeles victory over Washington. It was a brutal defensive battle in which both teams combined for just 444 total yards. Ultimately, six turnovers proved too much for the Redskins to overcome. The two teams had met on the same field thirteen days earlier on a Monday night, won by the Redskins 23-17, the sole home loss of the season for the Rams. Washington started the season slowly, going 4-3, including two losses to the 7-0 Cardinals. They stormed back, winning six of their last seven, barely losing the division title to St. Louis.

Los Angeles scored on the opening drive of the game, a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Bob Klein from sixth year quarterback James Harris, in his third year with the Rams after the former Bill was signed as a free agent in 1972, for a 7-0 lead. However, the Redskins then scored 10 unanswered points before halftime. First, quarterback Billy Kilmer’s 41-yard completion to seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Charley Taylor got the team in position for a 35-yard Mike Bragg field goal, making the score 7-3. Later on, 14th year cornerback Pat Fischer’s interception of Harris set up running back Moses Denson’s 1 yard touchdown, giving Washington their first lead, 10-7, to end the half.

Two Washington turnovers in the second half set up 37- and 26-yard field goals by Los Angeles’s David Ray, to give the Rams back the lead, 13-10, early in the fourth quarter. Head Coach George Allen then decided to replace the struggling Kilmer with Sonny Jurgensen. It would be his first and last playoff appearance. With the Redskins driving for the possible game tying field goal, 13-time Pro Bowl tackle Merlin Olsen pressured Jurgensen into throwing the game clinching pick six to Robertson, extending the Los Angeles lead to nine points after Ray missed the extra point. Olsen then got two more sacks, ending any hopes of a Washington comeback, preserving a 19-10 Rams victory.

On May 1, 1975, Christian Adolph “Sonny” Jurgensen III reluctantly retired from pro football after 18 seasons. “I still think I can do it,” Jurgensen said at an emotional news conference. Unfortunately for the 41-year-old signal caller, Coach Allen had made it clear he was not of the same opinion, and Jurgensen decided to end his career rather than play for another team. Selected 43rd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1957, Jurgensen started three seasons after taking over for retired Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin in 1961, his only All-Pro season. He was traded to the Redskins in 1964 in exchange for third year quarterback Norm Snead, where he spent the rest of his career.

Jurgensen is recognized as the finest pure passer of his time. A five-time Pro Bowler, he earned three individual passing titles, exceeded 400 yards passing in a single game five times, and threw five touchdown passes in a game twice. He completed 2,433 of 4,262 (57.1%) for 32,224 yards, 255 touchdowns, 189 interceptions, and an 82.6 QBR, also rushing for 493 yards and 15 touchdowns. During his only season in Washington, legendary Vince Lombardi once told Green Bay Packers’ Director of Player Personnel, Pat Peppler, that, “If we would have had Sonny Jurgensen in Green Bay, we’d never have lost a game.” Jurgensen was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

On December 29, the NFC Championship Game pitted Los Angeles against Minnesota in Metropolitan Stadium while Pittsburgh played Oakland in the Coliseum for the AFC title. It was the first championship game for the Rams since they played for the NFL title in 1955 when the team was still in Cleveland. Both the Vikings and the Raiders were tied or led their respective divisions the entire season and both were favored to win at home in their respective conference championship games. Meanwhile, the Rams and the Steelers both dealt with quarterback controversies that hindered them at various times during the season, but each still managed to win their divisions convincingly.

In the NFC, the Vikings were able to hold onto the ball for the final 5:37 of the game to preserve a win over the Rams. Los Angeles outgained Minnesota, 340-269, but couldn’t overcome five turnovers. Quarterback John Hadl entered the season as the undisputed starter after finishing second in MVP voting to the incomparable O.J. Simpson last year. However, Hadl struggled over the first five games, with only six touchdowns versus five interceptions, and Los Angeles limped into the sixth week an anemic 3-2. Head Coach Chuck Knox decided to make a change, making James Harris his starter. Two days later, Hadl was traded to Green Bay and Harris finished the season with a 7-2 record.

After a scoreless first quarter, Fran Tarkenton threw a 29-yard touchdown to wideout Jim Lash for a 7-0 lead. David Ray later added a 27-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3 before halftime. In the third quarter, the Rams advanced the ball from their own 1-yard line to the Viking 1 yard line, with the big play being a 73-yard pass from Harris to wide receiver Harold Jackson. The three-time Pro Bowler finished with 3 catches for 139 yards. But, with a first and goal from inside the 1-yard line, a controversial illegal procedure penalty pushed Los Angeles back to the 6. Two plays later, linebacker Wally Hilgenberg intercepted Harris’s pass in the end zone for a touchback, ending the threat.

Minnesota then drove 80 yards in 15 plays, taking almost eight minutes off the clock. Tenth year running back Dave Osborn’s 4-yard touchdown increased the Viking lead to 14-3 early in the fourth period. With 7:15 left in the game, the Rams cut the deficit to 14-10, with Jackson’s 44-yard touchdown strike from Harris. After forcing Minnesota to punt, Los Angeles drove to the Viking 45-yard line. But a third down sack forced the Rams to punt again, and Minnesota ran out the clock for a 14-10 victory. The Viking defense limited two-time Pro Bowl running back Lawrence McCutcheon, who gained more than 1,000 yards for the second straight season, to just 32 yards on 12 carries.

Later that day, Pittsburgh scored three touchdowns in the final period to defeat Oakland and earn their first trip to the Super Bowl. The Raiders only two losses of the regular season were by a total of just four points, 21-20 to Buffalo in the opener and 20-17 to the Denver Broncos ten weeks later. But, observed Pro Football Prospectus in 2006, “Coach John Madden’s Raiders were a consistently good regular season team, but the playoffs were a different story.” Oakland lost the American Football League title to the New York Jets (1968) and Kansas City Chiefs (1969) as well as the AFC title to the Baltimore Colts (1970) and Miami (1973). Regrettably, 1974 produced another loss.

The first half was controlled by both defenses. The Raiders got a big opportunity in the first period when they recovered a muffed punt by rookie Lynn Swann on the Steelers 41-yard line. But cornerback Mel Blount’s deflection of 29-year-old Ken Stabler’s third down pass forced Oakland to settle for a 40-yard field goal from 47-year-old George Blanda and a 3-0 lead. But another Blanda field goal attempt in the second quarter was blocked. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh managed to get close to the Raider end zone twice but had only a single Roy Gerela 23-yard field goal to show for their efforts after the two-time Pro Bowler missed a 20 yarder in the first quarter, tying the game 3-3 at halftime.

Oakland took a 10-3 lead in the third quarter, with Stabler’s 38-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cliff Branch. However, the Steelers once more tied the game at 10-10 six seconds into the fourth quarter, with running back Franco Harris’ 8-yard touchdown run at the end of a 61-yard drive. Linebacker Jack Ham then intercepted his second Stabler pass of the day, returning it to the Raiders’ 9-yard line. Terry Bradshaw subsequently threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Swann for Pittsburgh’s first lead of the game, 17-10. On their next possession, Oakland responded with a drive to Pittsburgh’s 12-yard line. But a blitz forced Stabler to throw the ball away, forcing a 24-yard Blanda field goal.

Pittsburgh’s lead had been cut to four points, 17-13. Oakland managed to get the ball back for a chance at a go-ahead touchdown. However, cornerback J.T. Thomas made a clutch interception of a Stabler pass, his third of the game, returning the ball 37 yards to the Raider 24-yard line. A few plays later, Harris scored on a 21-yard touchdown run to put the game away for the Steelers, 24-13. It was the second time in three years that Pittsburgh had eliminated Oakland from the playoffs. This was also the final season for two-time AFL MVP quarterback Daryl Lamonica. After eight years with the Raiders, six as their starter, Lamonica defected to the WFL in 1975, retiring after the league folded.

For the Steelers, the NFL’s seventh oldest franchise, Super Bowl IX would be the first NFL Championship Game in their 42-year history. For the Vikings, it would be their third Super Bowl in five years, as well as their second consecutive appearance. Minnesota was looking to redeem themselves after two lopsided losses, in 1969 to Kansas City, 23-7, and then to Miami last season, 24-7. Sports writers and fans predicted that this Super Bowl would be a low scoring game, primarily because of the defenses involved. Pittsburgh’s “Steel Curtain” led the AFC in fewest points allowed (189), second overall, while the Vikings’ “Purple People Eaters” had given up 195, right behind their opponent.

Super Bowl Highlights: On January 12, the Minnesota Vikings, led by Head Coach Bud Grant, played the Pittsburgh Steelers, led by Head Coach Chuck Noll, in Super Bowl IX. On April 3, 1973, for the second time, the owners selected two consecutive Super Bowl host cities during the same meeting (New Orleans and Miami). The game was originally scheduled to be played at the Louisiana Superdome, however, as of July, construction on the dome was not yet finished, so the league moved the Super Bowl to 48-year-old Tulane Stadium. It would be the last professional football game played there. This was also the third time the Super Bowl was being played in New Orleans.

Owner Art Rooney’s semi-pro team joined the NFL in 1933 as the Pittsburgh Pirates, changing its name to the Steelers in 1940. Rooney’s team was a study in frustration for the first 39 years of its existence. Prior to 1972, they posted a winning record only eight times, broke even six times, and made the playoffs just once. For two seasons during World War II, due to a shortage of players, Pittsburgh had to briefly merge with other teams, first the Philadelphia Eagles in 1943 and then the Chicago Cardinals in 1944, becoming the Steelers again in 1945. Finally, after twelve years and a single winning season, Pittsburgh made the playoffs in 1947, tying for first place in the East division.

The tie forced a playoff game with 8-4 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, which the Steelers lost 21-0. It was the last time the team would make the playoffs for another 25 years. Despite their futility during this time, Pittsburgh did boast a number of Hall of Fame players including defensive tackle Ernie Stautner and defensive back Jack Butler as well as quarterback Bobby Layne and running back John Henry Johnson. Stautner and Butler spent their entire careers with the Steelers while Layne and Johnson played for multiple teams but finished their careers in Pittsburgh. Johnson in particular had his best years with the Steelers, twice rushing for more than 1,000 yards in 1962 and 1964.

In January 1969, Rooney hired Chuck Noll to be the team’s 14th head coach, and their fortunes finally began to turn. The 37-year-old was an assistant defensive coach the previous eight seasons under two future Hall of Fame head coaches, Sid Gillman (San Diego Chargers) and Don Shula (Baltimore Colts). After finishing 1-13 in his inaugural campaign, Noll cut much of the team’s roster prior to the 1970 season, returning only 14 players. Laying the foundation for the coaching style he became known for, Noll told them, “The reason you’ve been losing is you’re not any good. You’re not fast enough, strong enough, quick enough, smart enough. I’m going to have to [let go] most of you.”

Fortunately, Noll’s strength was his ability to identify high quality players, starting with drafting defensive tackle Joe Greene in 1969. In 1970, Noll drafted quarterback Terry Bradshaw with the first pick of the draft as well as cornerback Mel Blount. Linebacker Jack Ham and safety Mike Wagner, as well as tackles Ernie Holmes and Dwight White, joined the roster in 1971. Running back Franco Harris was added in 1972. Lastly, in 1974, the Steelers added linebacker Jack Lambert, safety Donnie Shell, and center Mike Webster as well as wide receivers Lynn Swan and John Stallworth. The future Hall of Fame coach had selected ten future Hall of Famers players in his first six years.

Noll’s revamped roster saw notable improvement in 1970 with a record of 5-9 and more gradual progress to 6-8 in 1971. But it wasn’t until 1972 that Pittsburgh fielded their first championship contending team since 1947. On the strength of a powerful defense and strong running game, both ranked second in the NFL, the Steelers went 11-3, their best record ever. After winning their first playoff game over the Oakland Raiders on Harris’s “Immaculate Reception”, Pittsburgh lost the AFC title game to Miami, 21-17. The team took a step back in 1973 but still finished at 10-4, making their second straight playoff appearance. However, the Steelers were decisively defeated, 33-14, by the Raiders.

Prior to the 1974 regular season, Noll stated that the starting quarterback position was “wide open” among Terry Bradshaw, Joe Gilliam, and Terry Hanratty. After being the consensus number one selection in the 1970 draft, Bradshaw split the starting job with Hanratty, drafted 30th overall in 1969, before taking over the starting job in 1971. But the “Blonde Bomber” was erratic, throwing 46 interceptions in his first two seasons. He slashed his interception total in half in 1972, but Pittsburgh’s passing game still ranked a miserable 22nd out of 26 teams. Bradshaw and Hanratty again split starts in 1973 as both were slowed by injuries, opening the door for Gilliam, selected 273rd in 1972.

Gilliam preseason performance won him the starting job, becoming the first African American quarterback to start the opening game. After a slow beginning to the season, the third-year signal caller won three straight games. However, despite a 4-1-1 record, Noll benched Gilliam in late October for his lackluster performance as well as ignoring team rules and game plans, turning to Bradshaw instead. But the coach wasn’t yet sure he’d found the answer to his quarterback dilemma. After two victories and a loss to their division rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, Noll made another change, sitting Bradshaw in favor of Hanratty in the tenth week against another division rival, the Cleveland Browns.

However, Hanratty’s poor performance (2 of 15, 63 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions, 27.2 QBR) finally convinced Noll that Bradshaw was his best option. With the 26-year-old back at the helm, the Steelers won three of their last four, notching their second division title in three years with a 10-3-1 record. For the season, Bradshaw, in his fifth year, completed 67 of 148 (45.3%) for 785 yards, 7 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, a 55.2 QBR, and a 5-2 record. Gilliam finished 4-1-1, completing 96 of 212 (45.3%) for 1274 yards, 4 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, and a 55.4 QBR. Hanratty completed 3 of 26 for 95 yards, one touchdown, 5 interceptions, and a 15.5 QBR, winning his only start.

Pittsburgh’s quarterback carousel was almost surely a factor in their 21st overall finish in passing yards (1,958). Wideout Frank Lewis led the team in receptions and receiving yards (30 for 365, 12.2 yards per catch, 4 touchdowns) followed by fellow wide receiver Ron Shanklin (19-324, 17.1, 1). Noll again leaned heavily on the running game to carry the offense. Harris came back from last season’s injuries to once again rush for over 1,000 yards, the second time in his first three years. The three-time Pro Bowler’s 1,006 yards and his 4.8 yards per carry was good for fifth and fourth in the NFL respectively. Harris was also second on the team in catches with 23 for 200 yards and a touchdown.

Meanwhile, running backs Rocky Bleier, Preston Pearson, and Steve Davis contributed a combined 936 yards and 9 total touchdowns as the Steelers finished second overall in rushing yards (2,417). Placekicker Roy Gerela also finished second overall in scoring with 93 points, hitting 20 of 29 field goals and 33 of 35 extra points, earning his second Pro Bowl selection in three years. It was also the third straight year Gerela had finished top five in scoring. Rookie Lynn Swann returned 41 punts for 577 yards, 14.1 yards per return, finishing second, first, and fourth in the league respectively. Swann also brought back a punt for a touchdown. Overall, Pittsburgh finished sixth in points scored (305).

But the Steelers’ primary strength during the season was their staunch “Steel Curtain” defense, allowing the fewest total yards (3,074) and passing yards (1,466) in the NFL. Pittsburgh also finished sixth in rushing yards (1,608) and second in points allowed (189), behind only the Los Angeles Rams. Greene won Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in three years and, along with end L.C. Greenwood and Ham, were both All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections. Linebacker Andy Russell was also named to the Pro Bowl while Lambert was chosen Defensive Rookie of the Year. Cornerback J.T. Thomas and safety Glen Edwards, along with Ham, led the team in interceptions (5).

After decisively losing Super Bowl VIII to the Dolphins the previous season, Minnesota rebounded to win their sixth division title in seven years. They also would have been the NFC’s top seed had playoff teams been seeded. At first, showing no ill effects from their second Super Bowl defeat, the Vikings charged out of the gate with five straight victories. But the team then suffered an uncharacteristic mid-season slump, with just two wins in their next six games. By the end of the eleventh week, Minnesota was just one game ahead of the Green Bay Packers for the division lead. However, the Vikings won three straight to finish 10-4 while the Packers lost three to end the season at 6-8.

Offensively, Minnesota finished fifth in scoring (310) and second in passing (2,755) but slumped to 15th in rushing (1,856). Quarterback Fran Tarkenton, now in his 14th year, completed 199 of 351 (56.7%) for 2,598 yards, 17 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and an 82.1 QBR while also rushing for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. Overall, the 34-year-old finished third in completions, fifth in attempts, and third in yards. The running game was again led by Chuck Foreman with 777 yards on 199 attempts (3.9 yards per carry) while also leading the team in catches with 53 for 586 yards (11.1 yards per catch). The two-time Pro Bowler led the NFL in touchdowns (15), nine rushing and six receiving.

Dave Osborn, Oscar Reed, and Ed Marinaro combined for another 1,280 yards and 7 touchdowns rushing and receiving. Wide receivers Jim Lash and John Gilliam were the deep threats, with 32 catches for 631 yards (19.7 yards per reception) and 26 catches for 578 yards (22.2) and 5 touchdowns respectively. Gilliam, despite what for him was a down season, was a Pro Bowl selection for a third straight year. Also, for a four straight season, seventh year tackle Ron Yary was both a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro. Foreman led the team in scoring with 90 points followed by placekicker Fred Cox with 68 (12 of 20 field goals, 32 of 39 extra points), the lowest point total of his 12-year career.

Defensively, the Vikings ranked third overall in points allowed (195), trailing only the Rams and the Steelers, finishing fifth in rushing yards (1,605) and 18th in passing yards allowed (2,302). The line was led by tackle Alan Page and end Carl Eller, four and five time All-Pros respectively. The 29-year-old Page was the team leader in sacks with 11 followed by Eller, in his 11th season, with 10. Third year middle linebacker Jeff Siemon had two interceptions and recovered three fumbles. The Wrights, cornerback Nate and safety Jeff, both in their fourth season with Minnesota, led the secondary with six and four interceptions respectively while Paul Krause was named to his seventh Pro Bowl.

The game would be played in some of the worst conditions ever for a Super Bowl. An early morning rainstorm, cold, overcast skies, and a strong wind left participants and fans alike with a damp, penetrating chill that lasted throughout the afternoon. This was the last Super Bowl to be played in inclement weather for over thirty years, and it still holds the mark as the second-coldest outdoor game with a temperature of 46 °F at kickoff. Only Super Bowl VI, also played at Tulane Stadium, had a colder game-time temperature (39 °F). Unavailability of the Superdome prompted the NFL to adopt a rule prohibiting a new stadium from hosting the Super Bowl following its first regular season.

The first quarter was completely dominated by both defenses. Minnesota was limited to 20 passing yards, zero rushing yards, and one first down. Pittsburgh did slightly better, with 18 passing yards, 61 rushing yards, and four first downs. The Steelers did manage to get close enough for two Roy Gerela field goal attempts. However, he missed a 37 yarder, and a bad snap prevented the second one from getting off the ground, this time from 33 yards out. In the second quarter, the Vikings got an opportunity to score when they recovered Rocky Bleier’s fumble at Pittsburgh’s 24-yard line but could only move the ball two yards in their next three plays. Fred Cox then missed a 39-yard field goal.

The first score of the game occurred later in the period when Dave Osborn fumbled a pitch from Fran Tarkenton on their own 10-yard line. Tarkenton quickly dove on the ball as it rolled into the end zone to prevent a Steeler touchdown, but he was downed by Dwight White for a safety, giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. It was the first safety scored in a Super Bowl. Minnesota threatened to score when Tarkenton drove them 55 yards to the Steelers 20. With 1:17 left in the half, the seven-time Pro Bowler threw a pass to John Gilliam at the 5-yard line. But Glen Edwards hit him just as he caught the ball. It popped out of his hands and was intercepted by Mel Blount, ending the Vikings scoring threat.

The first half ended with Pittsburgh up 2-0, the lowest halftime score in Super Bowl history. On the opening kickoff of the second half, Minnesota fumbled the ball, and the Steelers recovered at the Viking 30-yard line. A 24-yard Franco Harris run moved them to the 6. One play later, Harris scored on a 9-yard touchdown burst, giving Pittsburgh a 9-0 lead. On the second play of their next drive, Tarkenton’s pass was deflected behind the line of gain by L.C. Greenwood. The ball bounced back into Tarkenton’s hands, and he then threw a 41-yard completion to Gilliam. Officials ruled that the quarterback’s first attempt was a completion to himself, and thus his second was an illegal forward pass.

Five plays later, White deflected a second Tarkenton pass, and this time Joe Greene intercepted the ball, ending another Minnesota threat. Early in the final quarter, the Vikings got one more opportunity, when Paul Krause recovered a Harris fumble on the Steelers 47-yard line. On the next play, a 42-yard pass interference penalty on safety Mike Wagner moved the ball to the 5. Once again, Pittsburgh stopped Minnesota from scoring, when Greene forced and recovered a Chuck Foreman fumble. But the Steelers failed to get a first down and were forced to punt from their own 15. Matt Blair burst through the line to block the punt, and the Vikings recovered the ball for a touchdown.

Cox missed the extra point, but Minnesota had cut their deficit to 9-6 with 10:28 left in the game. Incredibly, they were just a field goal away from a tie after more than three periods of offense ineptness. However, on the ensuing drive, Pittsburgh put the game out of reach with a 66 yard, 11 play drive that took almost seven minutes off the clock and featured three successful third down conversions. The first was a 30-yard pass from Bradshaw to tight end Larry Brown. Brown fumbled as he was being tackled, and two officials initially ruled the ball recovered by the Vikings. But in what would prove to be the final turning point, the call was overruled, and the Steelers retained possession.

After a 17-yard run by Rocky Bleier moved the ball to Minnesota’s 16-yard line, another third down pass to Bleier from Bradshaw advanced Pittsburgh to the 5. Finally, on third down from the 4-yard line, the future Hall of Famer’s touchdown pass to Brown gave the Steelers a commanding 16-6 lead with only 3:31 remaining. On the first play of the Vikings next drive, Tarkenton’s pass was intercepted by Wagner. Pittsburgh then ran off seven consecutive running plays, taking the clock all the way down to just 38 seconds before turning the ball over on downs. Minnesota attempted two pass plays to close out the game. The Steelers had won the first NFL Championship in their history, 16-6.

In total, Pittsburgh limited the Vikings to Super Bowl record lows of 9 first downs, 119 total yards, 17 rushing yards, and no offensive scores. They accomplished this despite losing Russell and Lambert to injuries for most of the second half. Harris, who ran for a record 158 yards and one touchdown, was named Most Valuable Player. The Steelers finished with 57 total rushing attempts, which remains the Super Bowl record. Although Bradshaw went just 9 of 14 for 96 yards, he committed zero turnovers. After the game, 74-year-old owner Art Rooney received the Vince Lombardi Trophy from Commissioner Pete Rozelle in an iconic scene, ending his franchise’s 42-year championship drought.

Conclusion: With Dan Devine’s departure, the Green Bay Packers were a team facing an uncertain future. The now former head coach and general manager ended his four-year tenure with a 25-27-4 record. His decision concluded a regime that had seen the College Football Hall of Fame coach scale the heights of professional football, named 1972’s NFC Coach of the Year, only to send the team spiraling back into an abyss two years later, deeper than the one he had momentarily rescued them from. All in all, a majority of his players, such as defensive tackle Mike McCoy, later stated that Devine was just not a good fit for the NFL and was better suited to deal with college players.

So, how should the Devine Era be assessed? Stanton Greene for one believed there were actually two eras. The first two years culminated in the miraculous 1972 season. For the first time in five years, the Packers won a division title and made the playoffs. “[It] was the result of a combination of factors that included his inheriting a solid core of ballplayers from [Vince] Lombardi and [Phil] Bengtson, shrewd drafting by [Devine] and Pat Peppler and excellent assistant coaches led by Bart Starr and Dave [Hog] Hanner.” There’s no question the coaches did a superb job of “bringing together a young team perfectly peppered with a handful of veterans who provided locker room leadership.”

Unfortunately, that early success raised both fan and organizational expectations to an unstainable level, setting Devine and his team up for a huge fall. The last two seasons “was the result of a myriad of events, chiefly involving [Devine’s] errors in judgement as well as the machinations of a cabal of ex-Lombardi acolytes who were determined to wrest control of the team.” In his autobiography, Simply Devine: Memoirs of a Hall of Fame Coach, he implied that Dave Hanner and Public Relations Director Chuck Lane as well as former Lombardi players such as Hall of Fame linebacker Dave Robinson and five-time Pro Bowl guard Gale Gillingham had poisoned the well against him.

In any case, after 1972, he couldn’t find the right mix again, eventually losing control of the team. Ultimately, Devine was the one responsible for all front office, coaching, and player personnel decisions. Either out of inexperience, naivety, or desperation, he squandered draft picks on the likes of Scott Hunter (6th), Jerry Tagge (1st), Jim Del Gazio (2-2nds), Jack Concannon (5th), and John Hadl (2-1sts, 2-2nds, 3rd) in his quest to find a franchise quarterback. In the final analysis, Greene believed Devine should never have gotten out of renovation mode. “[T]he team needed a long-term rebuilding program and 1972 took them out of it, creating the illusion that the Pack was back.”

In any case, the Devine Era was over and, for the third time since Lombardi’s departure at the end of 1967, the franchise would have to start again in 1975. Overall, Green Bay was a team with a solid defense and good special teams when healthy, but the offense was in need of a complete overhaul. This included an aging offensive line, a running game in decline, a quarterback with a tired arm in twilight of his career, and a receiver group that was one of the weakest in the league. Devine had mortgaged the Packers future in the mistaken belief he had a true championship contender. And now he was gone, leaving his successor a severely divided franchise at the time of his departure.

To end this post, I’ve attached the NFL Films Super Bowl IX Highlight video narrated once again by the great John Facenda. In addition, I’ve included a clip highlighting the Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders Divisional Playoff game, including the famous “Sea of Hands” catch. Enjoy!

As always, your feedback is appreciated!