1973 Week 1 - N.Y. Jets at Green Bay

[@calvinbealer7264]

Dandy Don Meredith with the Cool 70s Bow tie. These Guys are Well Missed RIP.

[@wilbertrobles1123]

An entire game without a roughing the passer call. Yes !

[@cedericocosantorini8013]

One roughing the kicker call, though ;)

[@harvey20c]

we get that penalty all the time now because these guys sued the league over concussions though

[@markhodge5006]

I was only 12, but these were great times.

[@iamironkanute8750]

i was at this game, my first NFL game.

[@dogcowrph]

… Back when the preseason was six games and the season fourteen games. I’m not really a fan of either team but just like most people who tuned in during 1973 it’s entertainment. Thanks for posting. I was thirteen at the time.

[@robertsprouse9282]

Seven games for the teams that played in the HALL OF FAME GAME. Its also back when the vets played a lot more than they do now. And, there was no week off after the final preseason game..

[@bobthebuilder9553]

I remember Joe Namath as a kid. He was on every comic book, it would seem, advertising this or that. I saw him play during this season, 1973. I saw him in 1972, as well. I was 11 years old at the time, but still remember Broadway Joe!

[@sidDkid87]

*_gotta love the mic passing during the pre-game intros and John Righin's Travis Bickle haircut!!_*

[@lisahardy9707]

Apparently ABC had only 1 hand held microphone in 1973

[@colorman4490]

They had 2 in 1972 but Howard broke the other one.

[@DavidDillon101]

Alas, those were lean times for ABC. However, one could only wish Mr. Costello had more than one hairpiece.

[@ronflatter1235]

That was largely because they did not want to run three times as much cable for two extra mics that would be used for only a couple minutes.

[@ronflatter1235]

1:41:41 A comprehensive graphic outlining the no-shows after the NFL TV blackout was blocked in court.

[@ronflatter1235]

They also appeared to have gone cheap in this game on cameras. The 20-50-20-yard-line cameras that ABC MNF pioneered were not employed here but, rather, the old CBS style wide and tight 50s.

[@bewareofzealots]

Can you believe that a lot of these guys (the ones we're fortunate enough to still have with us) are pushing 80?? Doesn't seem possible.

[@bronzevillecomics2581]

Nothing beats Don Meredith’s mustache and bow tie.

[@mattbirmingham2321]

Was at this game at County Stadium. Frank, Don and Howard arrived in a limo and were greeted like rockstars. Namath had little mobility due to the knee injuries.

[@Johnkostercreative]

So was I, I remember watching Broadway Joe slinging warm up passes about 60 yards effortlessly. And Riggins with his mohawk!

[@tonireynosojr621]

Why did County Stadium have to have both football teams on the same side lines I lived in Milwaukee in the 90's as a kid. I went to Packers games in and thought that was weird I never found out why. Second was it worth going to Milwaukee for half the year for the Milwaukee fans.

[@oldtimer794]

I thought games there were great!@@tonireynosojr621

[@mikemoore5263]

Awe, thanks for this gem.. adding to my collection!

[@fredpitre2199]

Fall of Sr year in high school. SL '74. Great times!!!! Thank you for putting it on here.

[@jchapman8248]

That was my Freshman year in H.S. ('78) I agree. Great times!

[@michaelleroy9281]

Lucky me I graduated in the summer of 1973 didn't have to go to high school that fall

[@mikef4776]

Turn out the lights, the party's over!! Loved it when dandy don would sing that when a game was out of reach. I remember this game, I was playing junior high football, was exhausted from practice and school work but had to watch " Monday night football".

[@f1nut873]

Howard's toupee looking flawless as always, lol

[@Slimjim260]

Namath throwing darts ,,,how great!

[@SingleTax]

Even by today's standards Namath had an outstanding throwing arm. But he lacked mobility (to put it mildly) because of his bad knees. I've often wondered how different his NFL career would have been if he had had the same knees he did when he was a junior in college.

[@johntabler349]

My sister was in love with Joe Namath kept a bulletin board with newspaper clippings about him in her kitchen until she passed later she filled the other half with clippings of Riggo as a Redskin

[@stevereber]

Totally awesome Howie !! Joe Namath, John Riggins

[@MrBAMAFANATIC]

With a Mohawk too

[@stevereber]

@@MrBAMAFANATIC right 😂

[@davidcobb2693]

@@MrBAMAFANATIC The Mohawk didn't help him on the field, he averaged over 4 yards per carry in his first 2 seasons in the league but his average dipped to a career low 3.6 yards per rushing attempt in '73, he'd break through the 1000 yard barrier in '75 (1005 yards) but '75 would be his last year with Gang Green then it was off to Washington where an O-line of Hogs opened up his path to Canton.

[@invictus3598]

A great classic. It's always terrific to see Namath with his amazing passing skills and those awesome half-time highlights. Of course, I will always miss the broadcasting trio - Howard, Frank, and "dandy" Don. Thank you for providing a full game!

[@comfortat]

Amazing passing skills? He sucked. His stats were terrible, his teams didn't win anything except that ONE SB, and that was because of Matt Snell and their great defense. Namath threw a pretty pass, but he threw way more INTs than TDs. He's that generation's Jeff George. Peace

[@clmt_1904.]

"Dandy" Don Meredith. You show a lack of respect when you use 3rd grade grammar.

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

​@@clmt_1904.Trash just like Joe Namath was

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

​@@comfortatJeff George could actually throw the football better

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

​@@comfortatsuper bowl 3 was rigged

[@joshowenby6408]

Memo to Jets: Return to these unis ASAP!!!

[@jamesfarrington9030]

Lot of great backfield duos back then: Csonka/Morris; Brockington/Lane; Dave Hamton/Art Malone; Snell/Boozer; Marv Hubbard/ Banazak/Van Eegan. And the list goes on.

[@sandyboggs8099]

larry brown charley haraway

[@kimblandino]

Harris and Bleier

[@debbiehenson1096]

Dave Hampton and Art Malone!? I was better than them! Lol 😃

[@kidmack3556]

#35 Larry Schreiber & #22 Vic Washington

[@jchapman8248]

Household names back then!

[@humanbeing2420]

1:06 Very subtle dig at Don Meredith from Howard Cosell....

[@kylehehl808]

That was amazing!

[@williamboylejr.9098]

Four things that I miss in the NFL today: 1. The Packers no longer play football games in Milwaukee, the last one being a 1994 game against the Atlanta Falcons. 2, 3, and 4: The ABC Monday night football crew of Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and yes, Howard Cosell.

[@pronkb000]

To me, Cosell and Curt Gowdy are premiere examples of how things weren't always necessarily better in the "good ol' days." Cosell was a blowhard who knew marginally more about football than he did about boxing or baseball (which was nothing), and Gowdy was like listening to paint dry. Joe Buck at his dullest monotone was more excitable by an order of magnitude.

[@patzimmer1052]

That last game in Milwaukee, Favre dove into the end zone for a touchdown at the of the game to put them in the playoffs. Classic

[@JohnRupa]

​@@pronkb000lol

[@robertsprouse9282]

​​@@pronkb000, Gowdy said almost the same thing about all people using PRONKB as a posting name..right on his death bed he said..I swear he said.. PRONKB bleccccch, then choked and died. You'll always be remembered, PRONKB.. When we use our garbage disposals and hear that sound, too.

[@eddiesimms9301]

ANYTIME I can watch vintage highlights of Joe Namath in action doing what he does BEST, besides entertaining the LADIES, that's throwing the football down field to one of his favorite receivers etc.... And NOBODY could say his name like Howard Cosell....."Joe Willie Namath"....... I miss you Howard...RIP

[@hardcorehouse]

Watching this, youre reminded that Namath wasn’t that good

[@kidmack3556]

Namath was one of the best of the era, good guy too. Bad knees kept him from being one of the greats.

[@franzschubertv2874]

Namath was Brett Favre but with only average arm strength. That means a lot of picks.

[@kidmack3556]

@franzschubertv2874 They both are on the list of league interception leaders... I just looked. So are a lot of my favorites... Blanda, Hadl, Unitas, Stabler, Brodie, Moon etc. I see Marino and even Brady. Fact is, only the greats seem to make the list. I don't care what you say homeboy, Jets don't win the Superbowl every season, they only got one, and they don't even have that one without "Broadway"

[@edwindundas863]

@@franzschubertv2874Namath had a great arm.

[@randyoleman424]

The night before school,made you feel great and less than a fool! Lol

[@ReverendBrown.]

Riggo was awesome. When he returned to the Skins after he sat out a season, he simply said “I’m bored, I’m broke, I’m back.” And of course can’t forget his advice to Supreme Court Justice O’Connor, “loosen up, Sandy baby.” The Diesel is a DC football legend.

[@Jay-yf8sy]

Riggo sure wasn’t awesome in this game. He sat out in contract dispute & shouldn’t have even played. He was completely good for 💩.

[@kidmack3556]

Still one of my favorite characters.

[@jamesfarrington9030]

Brockington/Lane. Great backfield tandem - if only for a few years. Didnt know Jim Nance was signed by the Jets. He was a beast. Similar to Csonka - big and fast.

[@RodericSpode]

I didn't know Nance played with the Jets either. Must have been at the tail end of a great career.

[@comfortat]

For those few years, I thought Brockington and Lane were the best tandem in the history of the NFL. The only others I can think of is Csonka/Morris with Miami, and Tyler/Craig with SF. Duane Thomas and Walt Garrison had two great years together, too. Hunter was just a horrible QB,

[@hardcorehouse]

Chuck Muncie, tony galbraith

[@comfortat]

@@hardcorehouse Ya... I forget about them because the Saints were so terrible.

[@comfortat]

@@hardcorehouse Galbreath never played for SD, and his best years were with N.O.

[@drewhunkins7192]

The game was actually held at Milwaukee County Stadium (the old home of the Brewers). The Packers used to play four games per season at Milwaukee Co Stadium. That all stopped in the mid 1990s.

[@marshallarnold-ep7nn]

THEY SAID THAT 3 TIMES IN THE OPENING. YOU ARE THE DUMBEST PERSON IN THE ROOM, WHO THINKS HE IS THE SMARTEST, TRYING TO EXPLAIN THINGS TO THE REST OF US.

[@craigstjohn4470]

last game in Milwaukee,was around...." Feb / 1995!!/

[@patzimmer1052]

Nice first series Pack! 3 runs and a punt. It's like 1991 or something. Also, Milwaukee County Stadium!

[@mrtnt3462]

I Bought a white and green sports shirt from Yellow Front because it looked similar to these NY JETS jersey I, wore that shirt to death I'm not a Jets fan but I realized how much I missed their home/road combination after they changed to those green helmets in 1978 which I initially loved they just didn't possess the same ambiance. The rebranding in 1997 by Bill Parcells didn't have it either maybe cause the helmet logo was different although a football with NY JETS inscribed along with another small football does seem kind of silly if you really think about it. But not as silly as a Dolphin [mammal] wearing a little football helmet on a helmet!

[@spwb2k]

My late great Dad was a MNF fanatic never missed a game it was a cherished TV Dinner ritual in our house. Sept 73 can almost guarantee I watched it at home as a 3rd grade yoot.

[@MIKIEEYEZ1975]

Ugh.. what’s a Yoot? 😂😂😂😎

[@clarkvaughan]

Can't believe I just saw Namath and Riggo play. Wow.

[@michaelgibsontv]

These games seem so much more REAL than the games today. Everything now is just too corporate.

[@yeildo1492]

When I played JC ball I had the same facemask as Riggins. And that is where the similarities between me and John ended.... (I never had the guts to go with the Mohawk either) The closed captioning calls Paul Hornung Paul Horny..... hmmm..... pretty accurate, now that I think about it...

[@contrarian23]

Game was played at Milwaukee County Stadium, not Lambeau. Packers used to occasionally play home games in Milwaukee

[@paulsonj72]

Lambaeau Field didn’t have lights capable of hosting a Monday Night Football game until 1979.

[@curthennig9448]

@@paulsonj72 Plenty of corn stalks though.

[@bumpercoach]

WOW... even a notice about Bobby Riggs vs Billie Jean King ... one of the earliest sports "events" I remember watching altho surely there were others

[@craigbogart8424]

I was 5-6 yrs. old 1973 ...by the time I was 7 I was a Packers fan ever since.

[@ARIZJOE]

Not giving Riggo the ball in future years was the biggest mistake in the history of the Jets. Namath was operating on one leg. They should have convinced Joe that it was Riggins' team, and his running would set up the pass, and make things easier and better. John Riggins was absolutely one of the most unique players in the history of the NFL.

[@giovannygallardo692]

Very true

[@pgroove163]

Namath was overrated

[@mr.majestic3851]

@@pgroove163 He was good , his teams were bad .

[@kylehehl808]

To win a Super Bowl and get MVP 9 seasons later is insane

[@MrBAMAFANATIC]

Ty for putting on REAL FOOTBALL, my only request is that you leave the commercials in, they are so funny

[@nala3038]

My nostalgia meter just blew up

[@chrisorr4902]

The first battle of the green teams Monday Night Football

[@bstnd3]

I think this was the last year the goalposts were on the goal line.

[@humanbeing2420]

Correct.

[@bstnd3]

Thank you for confirmation

[@pgroove163]

Riggins was such a great football player

[@bumpercoach]

50 yrs later BURGESS OWENS has been a congressman... the decades would bring many other interesting things for Kareem... OJ... Cosell... Riggins...

[@carljacobs1260]

This history in this game. John Riggins' first game. Kareem Abdul Jabbar still with the Bucs. ABC advertising Bobby Riggs vs Billie Jean King. Interview with OJ Simpson after he set the single game rushing record. Howard getting verbally slapped by Don Meredith. All this and the Golden Age of football.

[@joeyoliver579]

When football was football

[@MegaSmarterthanyou]

Agreed , i have know idea what football is now , maybe like watching a hollywood marvel movie

[@jackjohn8710]

Cool night for late September

[@jorgezarco9269]

The Green Bay Packers WON THE SUPERBOWL!

[@wetones]

56:00 Cosell spitting truth.

[@Dytopjewa7631]

Looks like any other recent game, until you see the backup vintage ambulance in the corner..

[@muffs55mercury61]

With John Brockington and the late great MacArthur Lane in the backfield. I thought the 70s might have been glory years for Green Bay but it was disappointing.

[@brians7181]

The 1973 draft, packers picked Barry Smith (WR) in the first round when Ron Jaworski and Dan Fouts were still on the board. The rest is history (and a John Hadl trade a few years later that stocked up the Rams for the rest of the decade.)

[@BrianVanBuren-tu2ef]

lane. so cool

[@whatduhhey]

btw - this game was played in Milwaukee, WI , not in Green Bay.

[@BrianVanBuren-tu2ef]

RIP john

[@John-op5vi]

Right...preseason ..no interleague regular season gamrs then. Oh .Milwaukee was there.

[@tommanfrede2883]

Most of these guys had a second job..They played for the love of the game!

[@julesandjim3075]

How do you know they didn't play football for money and hold a second job for the love of it?

[@nairb302000]

My dad played in this game actually, was a special teamer and made good enough dough to not need a side job. However to your point it was low compared to even a practice squad player today.

[@robertsprouse9282]

​@@julesandjim3075, money in pro football in the 1970's..where outside of a handful of players? Where? The NFL had smaller average salaries than baseball. In 1976, TV GUIDE said the average MLB'er was making 55k a season. Money.. in sports in the '70's? Not, if you weren't PETE MARAVICH in the NBA..

[@calvinbealer7264]

50 Years Ago.

[@willmarkley4237]

I never understood why the Packers played a few games a year in Milwaukee when they had Lambeau.

[@davidlucasmachado2831]

I asked the same question

[@overcomersmedia465]

They had to play in Milwaukee in order to survive. By the mid-90s, they no longer needed my hometown.

[@keithlambert2251]

@@overcomersmedia465 In 1994 the Miami Dolphins played Green Bay @ Green Bay (in Milwaukee). 1994 is the mid-90's. But I do think that may have been the last time.

[@brando7266]

To expand their base,

[@howardcosell2022]

NFL teams clamored about playing in a bigger stadium in a bigger city which was the catalyst in building Lambeau. Lombardi insisted on playing in Milwaukee to prevent the AFL from establishing a franchise at County Stadium

[@____2080_____]

This is something that I never realized during this time in the NFL. We have interesting narratives in 1973 where you have the New York Jets still seen in a positive light from their 1968 Super Bowl III victory. You also have the Green Bay Packers still looked at favorably from there winning Super Bowls I and II. You also have a player in John Riggins early in his career before he became the amazing running back for the Washington Redskins Super Bowl runs.

[@____2080_____]

It’s also interesting during this time, you never had any of the types of narratives you see in sports today team doesn’t win the Super Bowl in the first two years, they’re looking to fire the coach, they’re looking to blame the coaching, they’re looking to get a quarterback. And the way they call the games from the announcer standpoint kept you in the seat, and the defense wasn’t handicap to the point where you couldn’t watch it.

[@____2080_____]

11:35 this is especially important, because the way you have commentators today saying that Joe Namath wasn’t a good quarterback.

[@____2080_____]

Who would’ve known in 73 that neither the Jets or the Packers with the success for 20 to 30 even 40 years until Mike Holmgren and Brett Favre

[@____2080_____]

Namath or Richard Todd or whoever else or the Jets QB… The glory days started and ended in the 60s. Even Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau of the 70s couldn’t take that sack exchange for any relative success.

[@RICHBLACKCOCK]

@___2080___Pre free agency. Not uh lot of high corporate INTERVENTION! either.

[@eugeneenegue3648]

This season the Jets first 6 games were all on the road because the Mets had a long playoff run. They only had 6 home games that season and 8 road games.

[@puckpaul810]

We’ll get some insight later… nobody lost more critical games to the Packers than anyone in history of football..Don Meredith…lol!

[@johnphelan4215]

That seemed like a really low blow to spring on live TV. Based on what I have read, Meredith retired when he was still able to play physically, but he was tired of the mental strain of constantly being blamed for the Cowboys falling short in the playoffs. Cosell did a great job, but he could really be a jackass at times.

[@Tecumseh4-k2z]

@puckpaul810: C'mon, whether you like him or not, Dandy Don was one cool hombre. Nobody like him since.

[@humanbeing2420]

Cosell hated the fact that retired players got commentating jobs over experienced career broadcasters. He was basically a huge dick.

[@bklyntonw3187]

@@johnphelan4215 I watched an interview with Bob Lilly on a Meredith NFL films documentary and he said that after Cowboys lost the playoffs in 68 to the Browns, the local press crucified Meredith and justifiably, he felt so humiliated that he called it quits.

[@donaldduprey4770]

These two teams won the first three superbowls

[@elprez1]

2:28:15 The extra-point kick was from 10 yards? I knew the goal posts were at the goal line. I didn't know they spotted the ball at the 10-yard line.

[@markdeviney7307]

great post, the quality is not bad either . 480 p is good quality for these older games 360 is blurry. do you have more 70s games with the original commercials not edited out

[@Penfold497]

Hard to believe this was just 15 years ago

[@marcvslicinivscrassvs7536]

I know that is an ambulance in the background, but it looks like a hearse lol

[@steelersfan1903]

Thanks for the upload Sports ! Do you happen to have 1985 Week 9 Redskins @ Falcons, 1975 Week 2 Steelers @ Browns, and 2004 Week 3 Bears @ Vikings?

[@MIKIEEYEZ1975]

I have them ALL!! Make me an offer!!

[@johnliberty3647]

Rich Caster the most dangerous receiver in football back in 1973? He was on that Super Bowl team with Riggins in 1982.. but he was so far down the depth chart that guys like Virgil Seay and Alvin Garrett saw the field before he did. I had no idea he was considered a dangerous receiver at one time

[@williamdunphy352]

Commentators: Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford & Don Meredith.

[@curthennig9448]

Alot of beer in the booth too!

[@rickpeuser233]

Go Pack go!!!!!

[@johnellis5865]

I never knew John Riggens was on the NY Jets

[@goblinzl1]

packers looked below average jets looked worse. still fun to watch.

[@michaelleroy9281]

1973, The Packers were overhyped from the year before, that's why they got the first Monday Night Football 🏈 game of the year, they would go 5-7-2 the Pack went Back

[@TheRedDevil_NC]

Any truth to the rumor that Bobby Howfield is having a watch party at his house for every Jets game for 2023 where they watch a 50 year old game from the 73 season and then the 2023 game ?

[@lsmftymf]

Who scheduled this Monday Night Football season debut matchup? The TV dinners industry?

[@paulsonj72]

Packers were the defending NFC CEntral Champions in 1973 and the Jets were the Jets with Joe Namath.

[@JohnRupa]

Nobody lost more critical game to the green bay packers in the history of the NFL I give you dandy don merideth lol

[@stevetrevino5346]

MNF was in its infancy.

[@Mr1965impala]

Remember when the defense used to huddle?

[@jackjohn8710]

Good older game

[@brians7181]

After going 10-4 and making the playoffs in 1972, the Pack had their feeble passing game exposed in the playoff game vs Washington. Had they taken Ron Jaworski or Dan Fouts in the 1973 draft the 70's might not have been a decade of misery for them.

[@pronkb000]

Instead they got desperate and traded a kings' ransom for a washed-up John Hadl, a trade that set the frnachise back 10 years.

[@NeoNitty]

Side note: I don’t think I ever asked my pops , or might’ve but forgot…but… why did the jets trade Riggs?

[@scottl.1568]

RIGGO!!

[@ZZSmithReal]

The Jets were 4-2 in the pre-season. LOL Now you wouldn't dare put your best players in any pre-season game.

[@robertsprouse9282]

Yet, pros were much sharper for the first month of the season back then, and that also went for the defense, too. It takes NFL players now until midseason to look sharp. Yet, folks are paying for NFL FOOTBALL from game one onward= consumer fraud. And, many of the injuries have largely occurred because much of the hitting in training camp toughening up players' bodies has been shut down by the players association.. Early in the regular season when they take their first solid gametime hits, they get injured and miss the rest of the season...bleccch..

[@crgray1979]

John rigging as a jet

[@rodneycody8746]

With a mohawk

[@craigstjohn4470]

plus....a over size. station wagon, for a ambulance 🚑! 🤗😁🙏💒😲🙏

[@crgray1979]

This game was in Milwaukee not green bay

[@DIMP11]

@Angelo F Well no, but Green Bay is considered the home team you mean.

[@MrBAMAFANATIC]

They used to play about 4 games a year and I believe they stopped playing there after the 80’s ended. Not sure if Brett Favre ever played a game there

[@RGZ112]

@@MrBAMAFANATIC yes he did. The last game in Milwaukee at the old County Stadium was in 1994

[@curthennig9448]

@@RGZ112 Against Atlanta?

[@chrisrhoads8256]

Monday nite needs go back to these days 🏈/ 🤔 about ESPN or ABC TV 📺

[@barbaracaroll]

The networks were waiting for the Jets to be good again but it never happened

[@MIKIEEYEZ1975]

YOU’RS A DOUCHE BAG!! The Jets were VERY GOOD UNDER JOE WALTON.. & THEY WERE VERY GOID UNDER REX RYAN!!

[@richardblayneamerican8149]

Monday Night Football. So popular for decades. Seven years after the premiere, Howard would be telling us about the murder of John Lennon.

[@agmapleleaf93]

What VCR video format was used here to make this available --?

[@NeoNitty]

Did you have this on VHS?

[@Fireyninjadog]

At green bay. Its in Milwaukee

[@danielpollak6075]

Thanks for sharing. 2023 jets will win a ton of games this year. With that said, they were morons to get rid of Riggins, who lived in the west village downtown manhattan & was about to become a cool new york icon.

[@Brand33777]

wtg oj

[@BrianVanBuren-tu2ef]

the old band

[@jameswalsh3976]

Yeah we actually thought that we could win a few more championships back then?

[@BrianVanBuren-tu2ef]

they started the season so late

[@paulsonj72]

With a 14 game schedule and only four teams in the playoffs they could start later

[@malcolmmarshall5946]

When Watergate was eating up Richard Nixon's administration

[@jacksmith5692]

Congressman Burgess Owens.

[@MrBAMAFANATIC]

And a future Raider too

[@jacksmith5692]

@@MrBAMAFANATIC SB winner!

[@brando7266]

Uncle burgess ,

[@jacksmith5692]

@@brando7266 What a disgusting bigot!

[@brando7266]

@@jacksmith5692 I know ,he hates his own race,thats despicable,

[@debbiehenson1096]

Not a good game for the Jets. Broadway Joe was physically done by this point and Riggins was out of shape.