1970's NFL Quarterback Passing Leaders

[@RodericSpode]

Today that hit on Blanda at the start of the video would not only be a Roughing the Passer penalty, but would also qualify for a misdemeanor charge of Elder Abuse.

[@RIbigDave]

@@RodericSpode the last time I saw George blanda play quarterback it was when he was in the game for the Oakland raiders at the age of 46.

[@RodericSpode]

@@RIbigDave Yeah it's amazing. He had a career like no one else.

[@NigelIncubatorJones]

The most amazing thing about this video is the offensive linemen blocking without grabbing a handful of jersey. Great stuff, again and as usual. Thanks.

[@markgardner9460]

I'm glad that you brought that up. It would be fun to see how today's game would be altered if they hand to block without blatent holding. Alas, it would end up with less points being scored, so can't have that.

[@chazzx1018]

Defensive lineman were not as fast back then. It was a slower game back then. Not discrediting, just pointing out.

[@markgardner9460]

Deacon Jones was very fast, but I hear what you're saying.

[@chazzx1018]

@@markgardner9460 always have fast defenders and Deacon would get flags all day today. He used to pound guys in the head didn't he?

[@chazzx1018]

@@markgardner9460 football was alot more mean in the day though. Nothing but bad intentions out there before the 90s. Mofos were destroying each other.

[@xray86delta]

No joke, I was actually watching that Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders game that you showed Blanda getting spiked hard by "Buck" Buchanan on live TV! 😂

[@markgardner9460]

Good memory! Those types of tackles happened from time to time back then and it was considered to be part of the game.

[@Grim1son]

Wow, what a great block by that little back at 3:25 on Bobby Bell. It took a ton of courage to be a qb or receiver back then. Bert Jones never get's mentioned in the strongest arm discussion but he probably should. And he had a couple of great Miller Lite commercials! I hope you never tire of making these video's.

[@markgardner9460]

I'm gonna have to check out that block - I don't recall it...or those Bert Jones commercials! Yes, hopefully it'll continue to be full-steam ahead cuz I really enjoy putting these videos together. Thank you!

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@Grim1son Loved watching Bert Jones when he was healthy!

[@MarkHermann-u5p]

Fantastic qbs 😊

[@acornsucks2111]

@@stevenzimmerman4057 They had a decent team with Bert, but they never did anything in the playoffs.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@acornsucks2111 Yeah Pittsburgh drilled them in 76, and the Raiders beat them in overtime in 1977( Ghost to the Post!)

[@evanmeier3570]

I would have never guessed Ferguson led in 77. Those 24 interceptions. Ouch! I remember him finishing his career with a putrid Lions team around 1985. He certainly played a long time. Amazing that Brodie, Hadl, Anderson and Jones aren’t in the HOF. Almost criminal in the cases of the first three. Loved seeing Joe Willie light it up for one last season. Great sound effects on this one. I guess you covered the HOF cases of some of them in earlier videos. Those would be good to review the playlist for folks that didn’t see them. Excellent video Mark!

[@russellburgess684]

Ferguson got knocked out by Wilbur Marshall in '85

[@markgardner9460]

Bears players had their share in '85, that's for sure.

[@berardfedele3486]

The white eagle uniforms are badass!

[@markgardner9460]

One of my favorites! I totally dig the helmet.

[@BarneyHefner]

That Isaac Curtis was a gazelle. Poetry in motion if there ever was such a thing.

[@markgardner9460]

He was smooth, wasn't he? Very graceful

[@GeorgeFreda]

Kenny Anderson should be in the hall of fame

[@markgardner9460]

No doubt about it!

[@RAJohns]

Back in the day it was said by Lombardi, “Three things can happen when you pass the ball, and two of them are bad.”

[@evanmeier3570]

That

[@evanmeier3570]

Was a great quote. I always attributed it to Woody Hayes. I’m probably wrong though.

[@RAJohns]

@@evanmeier3570 Ah, I think you are correct.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

No Woody Hayes said something similar!

[@RIbigDave]

I think that might have been Woody Hayes but I've always loved that quote

[@argelbargel7680]

Nice to see when defense was legal.

[@markgardner9460]

You said it!!

[@emptyhand777]

Better uniforms, better fields, better stadiums, better referees, better announcers, and defense was allowed to play. Today the game is like a 3 1/2 hour commercial for plastic.

[@markgardner9460]

You nailed it all.

[@atg1338]

Ignorance

[@BarneyHefner]

Except: Turf. The Dolphins played on basically colored concrete with more loose seams than 100 Betsy Ross types could sew back together.

[@markgardner9460]

Curt Gowdy said during one telecast that the playing field had turned blue-ish in color due to the jet fuel exhaust that fell onto it and made a chemical reaction to the artificial turf.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Holy smokes ​@@markgardner9460

[@JS-fm9hm]

Really impressive that these QB's were able to post these kinds of stats. Defenses were fierce and allowed to do a lot more to both the QB and WR's. Bump and run off the line to screw up timing patterns. Sure the WR could sometimes get past this and had some space before a safety could close in but that also relied on the O line keeping the Defense off the QB to give him enough time to see where to put the ball. No wonder there were so many interceptions. Exceptional men these guys.

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you for your insightful commentary - good stuff!

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@JS-fm9hm I totally agree! These guys had stones!

[@surfshack2]

@@JS-fm9hm It was very competitive back then. If you didn’t get it done you’d get replaced , the game was played with pride and dignity (and revenge lol).

[@markgardner9460]

You'd be replaced mid-game and if your replacement wasn't performing well, the Head Coach would sometimes go back to the starting QB......or the 3rd stringer in much rarer occasions.

[@MichaelPiz]

What a crime that Ken Anderson isn't in Canton. Also, it's a little weird that none of these passing leaders won a Super Bowl (or even appeared in one) in their leading year. In fact, the only one of them _ever_ to win one at all was Joe Namath but that, of course, was before the 70s.

[@markgardner9460]

I agree. It's like the only stat that HOF voters look at is career passing yards. He is incredibly deserving.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

I'm going to say it again! And I do every time it's brought up! Why isn't Ken Anderson in the HOF it's a total sham!!!!

[@emptyhand777]

Ken Anderson was a great QB. One of my childhood buddies was a Bengals fan so I hated Anderson out of jealousy. Same issue with another buddy and Dan Fouts.

[@EdsterIII]

I was born in 1967 so I grew up during the 70's. I remember watching some of the best players in both Football and Baseball. Going to Milwaukee County Stadium to see the Milwaukee Brewers and occasionally the Green Bay Packers. I remember going to County Stadium with my Dad and my Grandpa to see the Packers play the Detroit Lions. We lost, if I remember correctly the score was 33-16. Everything about Football was better back then, including the Television Broadcasts. Monday Night Football was easily a far superior Broadcast compared to nowadays MNF. The Pre-Game and Post-Game shows were also much better than nowadays. The NFL Today was again a much better option than anything you'll find nowadays. Lastly the teams. The uniforms and helmets looked better than nowadays. Plus the players were really tough. The defense wasn't afraid to hit, anyone....lol. I remember guys like Ted Hendricks, Conrad Dobler, and a few other ferocious players. The 70's was a great time to be a kid and a fan of Professional Sports!

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you for sharing your memories and comments. I'm with you on all accounts!

[@denisceballos9745]

Awesome video! Ken Anderson (14) definitely benefitted from having Bill Walsh as the Bengals’ QB Coach. Guy was an amazing motivator and teacher. I’m more impressed with Coach Walsh with each passing year. What he did in SF with that sorry late 70’s 49ers team was extraordinary. Love the NFL from that era and consider myself lucky to have seen these guys play back in the day.

[@markgardner9460]

I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. Walsh's '79 Offensive Line Coach was Mike White, who would go on to become the Head Coach of the Raiders in the mid-'90's and of course Special Teams Coach Dennis Green would become the Vikings Head Coach and Quarterbacks Coach Sam Wyche would become the Bengals and Bucs Head Coach. Nice coaching tree.

[@denisceballos9745]

@@markgardner9460 👍🏼 The best era of pro football 🏈.

[@tadroid3858]

Ken Anderson to Isaac Curtis was magic.

[@dberdes]

It’s criminal that Kenny Anderson is not in the Hall of Fame.

[@markgardner9460]

It's befuddling to me. I don't know what they're holding against him. There are other QB's in the HOF who never won a Super Bowl.

[@jaycepero8069]

Roger Staubach was probably the best QB of that era from a personal performance and efficiency perspective.

[@barbaracaroll]

Nice video hun thanks for recognizing Gabriel who is underrated to say the least!

[@markgardner9460]

I hope to produce a video that's solely dedicated to Gabe's career. He's on my list.

[@acornsucks2111]

Quarterbacks were roughed up, late hit and disrespected. The receivers were almost tackled running down the field, especially tight ends.

[@markgardner9460]

That's right - all reasons as to why the passing yardage numbers were as low as they were.

[@RIbigDave]

Yes and I think that there are a lot of young people today who think that the reason that the passing statistics are so much better it's because the players are so much better. My God they actually had bump and run coverage until the ball was in the air! And wide receivers going over the middle where taking their life into their hands and many were reluctant to do it

[@emmanuelwilliams6004]

Born in the 60s grew up in this / this is my era Bert Jones my favorite thanks for giving him his due respect Baltimore Colts is still my team

[@markgardner9460]

It's my era, too, and I loved watching Bert air it out back in the day!

[@Tony-r7v]

Love the Harold Carmichael early career highlights. Mark, keep the great videos coming!

[@markgardner9460]

Thanks, will do!

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Speaking of Carmichael,the 1973 Eagles really had excellent receivers with Carmichael 67-1116-9 TD TE Young 55-854-6 TD and 1 TD rushing and both were difficult to tackle! Young was a load, very physical! And Gabriel's TD pass to Don Zimmerman as time expired to beat St.Louis was stunning! Great individual effort by Zimmerman to break a tackle spin around and fight his way to paydirt!

[@williamweiss6128]

My era. Love it!

[@DT-dz1jc]

Wow thanks for the GREAT video. I almost forgot what REAL football looked like. I was a Staubach guy but man Jones with Roger Carr & Anderson with Isaac Curtis & Reggie Rucker really brings back memories. 70s were SO GREAT & you didn't even show Staubach Bradshaw Sipe Fouts Stabler or any of my other heroes...so great..

[@markgardner9460]

Glad you enjoyed it - thank you! You brought up Reggie Rucker - he had a fine career and is underrated in my mind. He makes for an interesting video topic down the road for me.

[@bravobravoh1344]

Those passes up the middle in the 70s were brutal.

[@RIbigDave]

That's one of the reasons that the passing yardage has skyrocketed I mean back then it took a very brave wide receiver to go over the middle and they would often lose concentration on the ball because they heard footsteps

[@AFLOVEable]

And just to think, these 3000 yard-passers in the 70's could still lay claim to an league-MVP title in the 2020's - WOW!

[@mhlaw229]

Much respect for the QBs who played in this era. Bert Jones was terrific but he really exposed himself to extra punishment from defenses with his running. Great video!

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you! Yes, Bert was a total gamer who did whatever it took. Today, coaches instruct their QB's to play it safe. Throw an interception? Make sure to run out of bounds quickly so you don't get hurt!

[@mhlaw229]

@@markgardner9460 Yes, he never took a slide or ran out of bounds. Great competitor but not a wise career decision to take all the additional hits

[@mhlaw229]

That 78 MNF game vs the Redskins was one of the most gutsy performances I've ever seen. I think you've featured that game before on here. His 2 seasons lost to the shoulder injury finished his career and the Colts for that matter

[@markgardner9460]

I think most of the QB's from that era played all out like Jones....but there was a high percentage of them that would have ran out of bounds in order to avoid unnecessary contact - unlike him.

[@edpinkerton7947]

Bradshaw & Jones were very similar. Big Arms throwing deep & paying the price for it.

[@RoyPage1970]

Back when the game of football was actually real !!!!!

[@markgardner9460]

You're exactly right!

[@hammer44head]

These guys today are freakin beasts, they train year round since they were in high school, even wiwth the new rules every time they hit a receiver the dude is layed out and how many times you see a rb just run out of bounds now when back in these times his teammates would have beat the hell out of him for not going for an extra yard or two. I miss the old style too but man they would kill each other today with their power, speed and athleticism.

[@sammyvh11]

Refs still sucked

[@atg1338]

Blah blah blah

[@robertb1610]

Sure… Now the game is fake.

[@Fell214]

Been watching for 60 years, didn’t remember that Gabriel or Ferguson led the league. Figured Tark might have at least one of the years.

[@markgardner9460]

He ended up leading in '78 which was the first year of the 16 game schedule, so he wasn't featured.

[@RIbigDave]

Yeah nobody talks about Tarkington anymore and when he retired he held like every passing record worth mentioning. When you're comparing quarterbacks from different gyros the only fair standard is how did they do against the competition they played against at the time.

[@Fell214]

@ Agreed. Most great players would be great in any era. Tarkington wasn’t all that different from Mahomes.

[@josephnicolino8529]

The Spirit of 76 was great, especially July 5th, my birthday 🎂🎉

[@NewFrontier4.0]

Great video Mark 👏👏 and love the music. Kenny Anderson was a very underrated qb.

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you very much! Yes, Anderson was terrific. Hopefully he gets inducted onto the Hall of Fame soon; he's way overdue!

[@carlonayres8419]

Thanks for allowing me to enjoy my Baltimore Colts and the great Bert Jones!❤❤❤

[@markgardner9460]

My pleasure! I'm glad that you enjoyed it.

[@kennethcollins6494]

Look forward to this

[@edpinkerton7947]

Same 👍

[@markgardner9460]

Great to hear from you again, Ed - long-time viewer!

[@edpinkerton7947]

We are from the same era. Never miss a video just don’t always reply

[@markgardner9460]

That's OK.

[@jammininthepast]

Great list. I never saw Brodie, Hadl or Gabriel live, I enjoyed their games though. Who do you think had the strongest arm? Namath, who prodigiously scored off the field as well as on it. Anderson, no, he was a pinpoint guy....Gabriel, maybe, definitely not Brodie....Hadl, nah he had some great receivers trapping some of his ducks. Ferguson, c'mon man. I saw Bert Jones in warm ups huck it 60 plus yards like a rope. Beer Belly Jergenson could huck that pig too. I saw Sonny whip one behind his back 25 yards. Answer: Burt Jones. I enjoyed seeing #87 Tombstone Jackson pushing through his usual triple team. Jackson - HOF! Thanks brother, you're appreciated.

[@markgardner9460]

Ir's between Namath and Jones for the strongest arm. Anderson's throws remind me of Jurgensen's tosses - frozen ropes, except on the long ones that were mostly perfectly arched.

[@GeorgeFreda]

It ceases to amaze me how Kenny Anderson is not in the hall of fame. He held records like completion pct. And had one of the most precise timing passes especially to Curtis and trumpy that were unimaginable.

[@markgardner9460]

It's a travesty. Hopefully he makes it in this year.

[@michaelhemphill8575]

"Great"round-up"..."classic film"....'soundtrack" in sync"...."Very Good"Mark"!!💯💯

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you - I really appreciate that!

[@KaisasDad]

Loved seeing the amazing Isaac Curtis & the 70 Denver road uniforms again.

[@markgardner9460]

Their uniforms were sharp!!

[@markregan5882]

Boy... Charle Young & Harold Charmichael for the Eagles, Isaac Curtis for the Bengals, and Roger Carr for the Colts were lighting it up here!

[@markgardner9460]

"Go deep!" I love it. Watching a game full of passes that travel less than 5 yards is as boring as it gets for me.

[@markregan5882]

@@markgardner9460 100% !! I say this a lot, although I usually say "7-yard passes." But you might be right, they might more typically be FIVE...🤨

[@drobson8004]

Isaac Curtis. Great hands, world class speed. Drastically underrated.

[@markgardner9460]

Couldn't agree more!

[@kingofallmediums2123]

I’m sure that one bar helmet ⛑️ kept Gabriel safe! 😂😂😂😂😂

[@markgardner9460]

He went from the big double-bar with the Rams in '72 to the single bar in '73. Who does that?

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

What was Charlie Young thinking 7:56 ? He got hit hard vs the Niners but I don't think it was a cheap shot? And Gabriel's 1973 season was definitely a bolt of lightning! Amazing;

[@markgardner9460]

Perhaps #32 Mel Phillips was talking trash all game and Young evened the score.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@markgardner9460 You might be right....I was just trying to figure it out! Was Phillips a trash talker?

[@markgardner9460]

I'm not sure of that, but he was playing with a broken arm.

[@denisceballos9745]

Charle Young (86) was a terrific TE, very underrated - he ended up playing and starting for the 49ers in their ‘81 Championship year. Another great pick up by Coach Walsh.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

San Diego was one of the few teams from this era to wear white jerseys at home!

[@1234herbie]

St.Louis, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, New Orleans, Cleveland, wore white jerseys at home as well.

[@evanmeier3570]

Over 9K in subs. Congrats!

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you, Evan! Mid-December will be my 2 year anniversary of my first video.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

​@@markgardner9460It's been 2 years? Congratulations Mark!

[@markgardner9460]

Thanks, Steven. There's been a few bumps in the road and a LOT of learning about editing, oratory, etcetera, but it's been a blast!

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@markgardner9460 It's obvious that it's a labor of love;

[@daviddenny9590]

I had forgotten how good Ken Anderson was. I considered him a 1970s version of Bart Starr.

[@markgardner9460]

Both passers were incredibly proficient and consistent. Starr rarely ran the ball, whereas Anderson was a gifted runner, which is a major difference in an otherwise very similar comparison.

[@NewFrontier4.0]

Wow the way Buck Buchanan slammed George Blanda. Today they would have escorted him off the field in handcuffs.

[@markgardner9460]

Yes and the media would be calling for a long suspension and heavy fine

[@wyliesmith4244]

@@markgardner9460 And old age discrimination as Blanda was about 45 that year. Kicking was a safer play for Blanda by that time.

[@markgardner9460]

I remember Madden telling a story about how Blanda was a big example as to how to be productive at an advancing age. He said that housewives were telling their husbands, "Look at old man Blanda play. Now why can't you go out and mow the lawn?"

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

​@@markgardner9460I remember that!

[@danthefan5378]

Go George BLANDA! A Threat Always! A The DUDE! dtf

[@DennisHurst-f2q]

Hey bro can’t thank you enough for these ! Just superb you make it about players and not you , you know your stuff , just so enjoyable ❤😎 plus you have good voice so just great experience

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you very much for your kind words! I appreciate it.

[@surfshack2]

John Brodie had a good throwing style. Accurate, nice spiral , velocity and touch. The way he moves in the backfield he looks a little bit like Rodger the Dodger too.

[@markgardner9460]

Brodie had very good ballfake ability, in my opinion. I think that his throwing style was somewhat similar to Slingin' Sammy Baugh's - one that did not cause undue stress upon the arm.

[@surfshack2]

@@markgardner9460Yes , he made it last 17 years.

[@wyliesmith4244]

@@markgardner9460 Getting in my wayback machine, I seem to remember that the 49ers ran the shotgun offense ('62?) - before anyone else I believe. They started Billy Kilmer, #17, at halfback (!), which may be one reason that they ran it. And if memory serves, Brodie and Kilmer had the best yards per attempt. But the 49ers tanked in '63 with Kilmer out all year and Brodie out injured. Lmar McHan?

[@markgardner9460]

You are correct. Head Coach Red Hickey introduced it.

[@wyliesmith4244]

@@markgardner9460 Brodie looked like a natural athlete when i first saw him in '61 or so.Passing, running just seemed effortless when done by brodie. I loved seeing highlights of RC 'Alley Oop' Owens, and as a young teen, names like Leo Nomellini and Lou Cordileoene made me think of gangster shows, while I knew of Bob St. Clair as one of hte all-stars.

[@docnoc66]

Hi Mark - wearing my Ken Anderson # 14 Bengals for this one

[@markgardner9460]

Nice! I gotta get me one. Either that or #66 Bill Bergey

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Lydell Mitchell was the AFC version of Chuck Foreman (almost!)

[@markgardner9460]

They were terrific. I hope to put out a Mitchell video in the not too distant future.

[@davidmitchell6873]

Broadway Joe was the coolest guy on the planet from the late 60s through the mid 70s.

[@markgardner9460]

I'm in agreement. He had the "it" factor.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@markgardner9460 Based on his stats ( except for the 4000 yards passing in 67) as far as completion percentage TD to interception ratio Joe doesn't sniff the HOF but his guarantees of a Jets victory in SB 1V and his persona and presence on all off the field and helping to promote the league before the NFL AFL merger got Joe elected

[@thomaslord7995]

Bert Jones is easily my favorite QB from that era. If I were assembling a dream team from the 70s, he'd by my starter with Jim Plunkett as back-up.

[@markgardner9460]

They were rugged QB's, who weren't afraid to lay a shoulder into a defender on a scramble.

[@douggauzy6258]

Love these old highlights . The players when I first started watching NFL. Those old stadiums . How old I wonder was Billy Kilmer when he last played quarterback ?

[@markgardner9460]

Battlin' Billy was 39 years old in 1978 which was his last year in the NFL

[@topJimmyP1984]

Do one on NFL highest rated passers, I want to see one with Staubach in it 4 times!

[@markgardner9460]

I am planning on doing a related video soon!

[@topJimmyP1984]

@@markgardner9460 awesome!!

[@hammer44head]

49ers had a great running game in 71 that they didnt have in 1970 with the addition of Vic Washington and powerhouse Willard. Brodie didnt have to pass as much as he did the year before. Ah, could have had Joe Willie with Ann Margaret, CCRIder too for us old coots!!! :)

[@markgardner9460]

Dang, I forgot about Ann. Vic Washington was a good shifty RB, no doubt.

[@hammer44head]

@@markgardner9460 - hahaha i loved that movie i think ann just changed outfits the whole movie. Heck she look great in a potato sack.

[@markgardner9460]

That aint no lie, brother.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Ann Margaret was indeed beautiful!

[@JohnLancaster-fh3oc]

That hit on Maynard at the beginning was brutal!

[@jstube36]

I always thought Fran Tarkenton was the passing leader in 1975. As he did win the MVP that year. Maybe he didn't have the yards because much of the passes went to Chuck Foreman and Ed Marinaro. But Fran did complete 273 passes on 425 attempts. with 25 TD's.

[@markgardner9460]

Fran finished in 2nd place with 175 fewer yards than Anderson. Fran was still "The Man" though.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@markgardner9460 As much as I tout Anderson,I think Fran Tarkenton was a little bit better! (But of course I'm biased!)

[@skee19]

Ken Anderson & Roman Gabriel should be in HOF by veterans committee. Bert Jones could have been the greatest QB of all time. He was that good . He just started getting injured by the end of the decade. Great stuff !

[@markgardner9460]

I'm in agreement on all counts! Today, they'd sit Jones when he would be too injured to play thereby extending his career markedly.

[@KevinWBrown-cm6fr]

Joe Willie Namath with that quick trigger release

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Another great production Mark! I never tire of seeing these!

[@markgardner9460]

Glad you like them! I enjoy researching and putting them together.

[@kitten643]

Sammy Baugh was really something else as an athlete, could do it all !

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Curtis Brown with the fortunate TD grab on the tipped pass against Colts!

[@markgardner9460]

The Bills needed all the breaks they could muster in '77!

[@Donathon-f6f]

Surprised... no mention of the ' elite ' QB s of the 70's Staubach, Tarkenton,. Bradshaw or Hart... kinda surprised since this is the era I grew up with..

[@markgardner9460]

Staubach finished in 3rd place twice between '70 &'77, Tarkenton finished in 2nd place 3X and Bradshaw's best was 5th place in '77.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

​@@markgardner9460Obviously some of that was having a good team with a well-balanced offense!

[@darrinlygrisse5287]

If he went by passer rating I’m pretty sure Staubach would have won a couple of years.

[@Donathon-f6f]

@@markgardner9460 surprised by Bradshaw..4 Super Bowl win but he had a fantastic running game and two of the best receivers from the era... thanks

[@trevorlee7945]

and Stabler

[@itsureishotout-itshotterin3985]

Nice concept to focus on the yards leader for each year.

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you! It was challenging to throw back in the day.

[@kitten643]

Roman Gabriel was one of my hero's !

[@markgardner9460]

When I was a kid, I loved collecting his football cards - great name, too!

[@surfshack2]

Isaac Curtis must’ve had some great receiving seasons with Ken Anderson throwing to him. Also , Roman Gabriel brought that lowly Eagles team out of a losing mentality to a winning attitude.

[@Classicrocker6119]

Those fields where NFL and MLB teams shared that had natural surfaces sucked! I wonder how many injuries over the years occurred in these stadiums were responsible for causing injuries compared to those with artificial surfaces? Maybe Mark could do a future segment on that?😀 Great footage again I wonder if 1977 was the beginning of the end for OJ?

[@markgardner9460]

In '77 he had a knee injury that ended his season early. After that his football play was nothing special.

[@SKULL-DUGGERY-2]

Tom Brady would not have lasted 2 yrs in the 70s. In the 80s maybe 5.

[@markgardner9460]

I'm with ya on that!

[@jammininthepast]

I dunno about that. I don't like him but he could play. He was tough too.

[@surfshack2]

They would’ve busted him up.

[@jammininthepast]

@@surfshack2 yeah pretty boy Brady would have gotten those perfect teeth rearranged. I hate to say it ( Broncos fan) but he could play.

[@emptyhand777]

I've never been a Brady fan, but I think he has the mental toughness that would allow him to adapt to the old game. Aaron Rodgers on the other hand, would have scurried off with a jockstrap soaked with his own piss.

[@kennethcollins6494]

How cool was it to have 2 Gene Washington? Frisco-Minnesota, similar players as well

[@markgardner9460]

Both speed burners who got behind even deep double coverage.

[@stevejanowiak1982]

Bert Jones to Roger Carr!!! Good times as a kid from Bmore in the 70’s!

[@markgardner9460]

Football AND baseball-wise

[@argelbargel7680]

My dad was a Packers fan and hated the Hadl trade. He couldn't get through a game without a dozen profane comments about Hadl and "that damn idiot" Dan Devine.

[@markgardner9460]

Devine was best suited for the college game - no doubt

[@danthefan5378]

GREAT CHANNEL! Go PACK! A Chicago 🧀 Head! dtf HOZAC Punk.

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you, DTF!

[@michaelleroy9281]

1970 , last year for the 49 ers at Kezar Stadium

[@mhlaw229]

The stadium was featured in Dirty Harry for when he first shot the killer

[@markgardner9460]

I really enjoyed Kezar Stadium, but the shadows made for some tricky viewing - same thing with Texas Stadium.

[@mhlaw229]

@@markgardner9460 Yes, Texas Stadium was strange with the opening in the roof, but how else could God watch His team play?!! Ha, that should get some guys on here started!

[@markgardner9460]

It was goofy when it rained - only the middke portion of the field got wet. It didn't happen too often though - at least from what I can remember.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

I think the gap in the roof at Texas Stadium was a bit odd! it's like they couldn't make up their minds if it was indoors or outdoors!?

[@brianholthouse1426]

The 70s was the best era in football, it's unwatchable to me today.

[@markgardner9460]

I agree - on both counts

[@kennethcollins6494]

Love those Eagles 🦅 uniforms- simple but love them

[@markgardner9460]

I'm with ya. I really like 'em...crisp 'n clean!

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

$2:20 is that the longest TD of John Isenbarger's career?Yes the 61 yard pass reception against Denver was easily his longest reception at one of only 2 career TDs ! Incidentally Floyd Little had a 80 yard TD run in the same game! That's rare footage Mark!

[@Paul11B2P]

👍👍👍🎃

[@markwinfrey4503]

I think Bert Jones belongs to be mentioned with some of the best ever. It's a shame he never got to the super bowl.

[@markgardner9460]

Unfortunately, his teams ran against the powerhouse Steelers teams.

[@HaroldMccoy-vv4lt]

And raiders ​@@markgardner9460

[@NewFrontier4.0]

Bert had a gun.

[@wyliesmith4244]

@@markgardner9460 I saw Bert Jones live in Pittsburgh in '75. Bert scared me, but the Steelers shut him down 28 - 10. (And as I looked it up, I see that John Brodie was one of the announcers.)

[@markgardner9460]

I loved Brodie as an announcer. He didn't pull any punches.

[@6400az]

John Charles , 1970 with Vikings, ....( Kapp compensation ) with the attempted clothesline 6:52

[@markgardner9460]

Then MN traded him to Denver for WR Al Denson and an undisclosed 1971 draft choice. Denver turned around and traded him to Houston for CB Leroy Mitchell. Denson caught a grand total of 10 passes and no touchdowns for the Vikings in his only season in MN.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

How did this get in here? ( Namath?) I don't have a clue! Too funny!

[@markgardner9460]

How did he get any sleep back then?

[@wglide444]

Nice 70s video but how do you not show 78 & 79?

[@markgardner9460]

Because those are 16 game seasons as opposed to 14 game seasons. I wanted to be able to compare statistics fairly from year to year.

[@wglide444]

@@markgardner9460 Makes sense. Thanks - keep up the good work.

[@RIbigDave]

He may have chosen that as the cut off because everything changed in the late seventies with the Mell Blount rule yard totals became kind of apples and oranges for before and after the rule change

[@frankburklin1116]

Don't watch too much any more ,but i miss the mud and grass on the players in games.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Just leaving work! This should be good!

[@markgardner9460]

I do believe that you will enjoy it, Steven.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@markgardner9460 I'm sure of it!

[@thomaslord7995]

John Brodie threw off his back foot a lot. It's something I noticed when NFL films did an episode highlighting him.

[@markgardner9460]

Tarkenton did, too

[@davidbordonaro1631]

1st QB to pass for 3000 yards in season was Johnny Unitas - ,1st to 4000 Joe Namath - 1st to 5000 Dan Marino . ALL from western Pennsylvania .

[@markgardner9460]

Thank you for your comments, David. Actually, the Broncos Frank Tripucka was the first professional QB to throw for over 3,000 yards. Both he and Unitas did it in 1960, but Tripucka did it first because he went over the 3,000 yard mark on December 17th while Unitas did it the following day. They must have been feeding those QB's well in western PA!

[@RIbigDave]

I remember when Dan Marino went over 5,000 yards which was unheard of of the time and wouldn't be done again for another like 20-25 years despite all the rule changes that made it far easier to accomplish

[@TheViking1980]

Kenny Anderson and Bert Jones should be in the H of F

[@kenmericle409]

DAMN IT MAN..... NOTHING BETTER THAN SEEING JOE WILLY NAMETH. BROADWAY JOE

[@markgardner9460]

There will never be another one - on or off the field.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Jeff Queen pleading his case for a TD 5:00!

[@markgardner9460]

I think he scored legitmately!

[@tomayres4237]

What about Roger Staubach and Terry Bradshaw??? They Both were big in the 1970s.

[@markgardner9460]

Staubach's best years from '70-'77 was 1975 & 1977 when he finished with the 3rd highest passing total each year while B radshaw's best year from '70-'77 was 1977 when he finished with the 5th highest passing yardage total.

[@TheViking1980]

Gene Washington was a great wide receiver

[@markgardner9460]

Yes he was! He made the Pro Bowl team each of his first 4 years in the NFL and twice made 1st Team All-Pro in those years.

[@dewood9463]

Why isn't Ken Anderson in the HOF?

[@markgardner9460]

Great question. Most viewers who have commented about him in that regard have been supportive to his admission. Perhaps he makes it this year!

[@edpinkerton7947]

Namath had a couple of studs in Rich Castor & Jerome Barkum big strong fast 2000 era receivers. How bout them Oilers drafting Pastorini & Dickey in 71

[@markgardner9460]

I never understood why the Oikers also drafted Dickey because they had other needs all over the field.

[@gearhead-442]

Fran Tarkenton

[@Donathon-f6f]

These stats today would get you a one way ticket to the UFL., Lord, this game has changed... just saying

[@markgardner9460]

They can't hardly make it much easier to rack up stats in today's game. Plus they play 3 more games now, but I definitely hear ya.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Yes but as stated 3 more games and so much more physical in the 70s !

[@Donathon-f6f]

@@stevenzimmerman4057 I know it's way different... so much I don't consider certain records broken or that there's only one GOAT....too many different eras of the game...and if nothing else I think it starts with the West Coast offense more passes with different rules for the defense....I was making both a point and a joke.... Peace

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

@@Donathon-f6f oh I know! Different eras different styles you make a excellent point! I don't know if any one player can truly be considered the GOAT!

[@Donathon-f6f]

@@stevenzimmerman4057 No the league is what 100 years old...can anyone compare Tom Brady to Johnny Unitus or heck Bart Starr...what...6 straight NFL Titles.... have a great evening Steven

[@geraldrustick7966]

Ya back when it wasn’t two hand touch

[@czrad8125]

Brodie was my man

[@scottfoster3548]

The better and more telling stat is HOW many smoked cigarettes on the sideline during the game (for goodness sake). Modern footy-ball and all sports really are over. Gladiator games ended eventually to in Rome, to, you know. Though the Chariot races held on longer. Gambling and betting well that will always be around.

[@markgardner9460]

No doubt! Norm Van Brocklin used to fire 'em up on a regular basis and Tommy Prothro was a smokestack.

[@scottfoster3548]

@@markgardner9460 10-4 one of my favorite moto-crosser's Joel Roberts used to smoke a cigarette on the starting line and flick it on fellow competitors before the race. AND he was World Champ. Gosh NOW I am going to start crying thinking about the old days. SORRY, forgive me the old days are gone for good.

[@NewFrontier4.0]

​@@markgardner9460 I'm pretty sure I saw a photo of John Madden lightning one up on the sidelines as well.

[@markgardner9460]

Yes! I've seen footage of him firing up a heater.

[@TheViking1980]

Burt Jones should be in the H of F

[@TheViking1980]

Brodie should be in the H of F

[@markgardner9460]

I'm with ya!

[@geraldrustick7966]

Pretty soon they’ll get a penalty and fine the ref will go penalty on defense he dam neer brushed up against the quarterback

[@williamseric740]

Why Anderson isn't in the HoF is a joke.

[@spikeman68]

PLEASE ADD STEVE GROGAN

[@markgardner9460]

The best Grogan finished in passing yards with 9th in 1977

[@spikeman68]

@@markgardner9460 thinking with my patriot heart!!!!! lol loved grogy

[@markgardner9460]

That's fine - he played 16 years for the Patriots!

[@spikeman68]

@@markgardner9460 he was as tuff as they come,and he had a gun of a arm,could scramble well for a bigger qb

[@markgardner9460]

His 12 rushing td's in '76 was a then NFL record.

[@billmundell3242]

Thats when players play the game for fun and less money. And the fan meant something to the players. Today players are rich narcissists.