The CRAZIEST Game of Bill Nelsen's CAREER | Bengals @ Browns (1970)

After suffering his 5th knee injury in five years, Cleveland Browns quarterback Bill Nelsen was advised by his entire family to retire from the NFL. Not only did he not listen, but somehow, he came back two weeks after the injury and, in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, put on one of the best performances of his entire career. This is the story behind that incredible and remarkable game for the 1970 Browns
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#nfl #browns #nflthrowback
Members of the 1970 Browns:
Don Gault
Don Cockroft
Mike Phipps
Bill Nelsen
Freddie Summers
Ricky Stevenson
Ernie Kellermann
Reece Morrison
Randy Minniear
Ben Davis
Walt Sumner
Ken Brown
Tom Schoen
Mike Howell
Bo Scott
Steve Engel
Erich Barnes
Dave Jones
Fair Hooker
Leroy Kelly
John Garlington
Dale Lindsey
Billy Andrews
Tom Beutler
Fred Hoaglin
Chuck Reynolds
Bob Matheson
Rudy Kuechenberg
Al Jenkins
Joe Taffoni
Jim Copeland
John Demarie
Gene Hickerson
Joe Righetti
Walter Johnson
Jerry Sherk
William Yanchar
Dick Schafrath
Bob McKay
Joe Jones
Jack Gregory
Jim Houston
Chip Glass
Homer Jones
Gary Collins
Ron Snidow
Milt Morin

[@chadwickwhite6107]

These videos are WAY BETTER than SPIKING the BALL into the ground on EVERY OFFENSIVE PLAY!!!!!

[@richardadams4928]

Nice to see this, I've always considered Nelsen a 'forgotten hero' of the NFL. Did a nice job filling the QB position after Frank Ryan (who's kind of a forgotten hero himself).

[@rjsweda]

i agree

[@richardadams4928]

@Mark Snyder 😁

[@richardadams4928]

@@rjsweda 😁

[@frankmacy1879]

Gator, thanks for this vid. Bill Nelsen was my #1 sports idol in my youth. I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall. I admired him for his gutsiness & courage. He was limited physically, but like Joe Kapp, was an outstanding leader. You can see the fire in his gut in the sideline shot of the Bengal game. I never knew about his wife's retirement admonishment, it didn't make any national news. Bill's finest hour came in a '69 playoff thrashing of the heavily favored Cowboys at the Cotton Bowl. He, along with the rest of the Browns were magnificent in a 38-14 win. It would be the last road playoff win for the Browns for the next 51 years. RIP Bill !!

[@randyhartley865]

Yup, one of my all time favorites.

[@frederickrapp5396]

I remember watching this game as a teenager. I was very confident that after this 38-14 thrashing of Dallas, Browns would march up to Minnesota and kick some butt the following week. Boy, was I wrong! In my opinion, the most disappointing loss in Browns history, 27-7. Browns looked lost and totally afraid of Kapp and his Vikings. They were totally outplayed in every phase of the game. What a HUGE disappointment! After the way Browns humbled Cowboys, I thought they were ready for the Super Bowl. Wow! Was I wrong.

[@frankmacy1879]

@@frederickrapp5396 Not only a loss, but an embarrassing loss. Jim Houston getting knocked out cold while making an open field tackle of Kapp. But the worst was the busted play TD run by Kapp. From about the nine yard line, Kapp attempted to hand off to Bill Brown. But due to a miscommunication, they bumped into each other. In embarrassing fashion, Kapp then proceeded to run up the middle through half of the Browns defense for a TD ! UNREAL !!

[@frederickrapp5396]

@@frankmacy1879 When Kapp collided with Bill Brown and still scored on the Vikings 1st drive, Browns really lost the game right there. I also remember Jim Houston getting knocked out cold, and Erich Barnes constantly falling down as he tried to cover Gene Washington 1 on 1. The whole game was a mess and an embarrassment. Vikings offensive and defensive lines just totally dominated. They could have won 50-0 if they wanted to. After the way Browns beat Cowboys, I expected a much better effort against Vikings. Game was all but over before first quarter ended.

[@marktalbott3835]

Jelly Knees Nelson. I once had the autograph of Fair Hooker. My parents met the browns at an airport somewhere as they were headed for a game

[@johndavies2285]

Every time I watch one of this guy's videos, I am both excited and sad. I am excited by the quality of his work, and saddened by the fact his channel is not more popular (yet). For everyone who complains about how great the NFL was "in the glory days"---and how corporate and greedy the League and its players have become, these videos celebrate precisely WHY the NFL became so popular. The NFL transformed into America's pastime because of the teams/players of the 60's, 70's, and 80's. The channel celebrates what made the NFL what it is, and is a reminder of the grandeur of the sport before it became all about ego and money. These guys played for their team, their teammates and the love of the game. Support this channel!

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

Yeah, I laugh at those people. Those people forget about in the 1970s there was an "in the grasp" rule for quarterbacks. Once the quarterback was in the grasp of a defensive player he was considered down and the play was over. Many times he would almost immediately break away and complete a pass, but it was nullified. Jack Lambert said that quarterbacks should be wearing dresses. Today's quarterbacks, and players in general, are just as tough today as then.

[@johndavies2285]

@@dallasbrubaker6054 You may have misunderstood what I was trying to say. I am *not* saying present-era NFL aren't tough---not at all. In terms of strength/conditioning/athleticism, there is absolutely no comparison between modern players and those of yore... If the Tampa Bay Bucs SB-winning team played the Packers of SB 1, I have no doubt the Bucs would crush them completely. But that is not my really my point. Mine is more r/t the mentality and ambition of the players from the golden era... Until, the 70's, most NFL players had summer jobs to supplement their incomes. The 'glory' and appeal of playing was less centered around material wealth and personal branding; it was much more about being part of a group that accomplished a difficult task together, and (in my opinion) one of the big reasons for the growth in popularity of the NFL was that the public came to appreciate and admire the passion of players as being part of team. BTW the 'in-the-grasp' rule was introduced in 1983.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

@@johndavies2285 Oh I know you weren't saying that. There are people who do think that way, you just aren't one of them. Recently there was a Steelers player who retired after 4 NFL seasons due to concussions (I don't recall his name). He mostly rode the bench and people were calling him a faker and a wimp because he used concussions as a reason. They figured how many concussions could he get while riding the bench. I pointed out that he had probably been playing football since pee-wee league. After that junior high, high school, college, and then pros. That doesn't include the practices, So it was more than just the 4 years in the NFL. .

[@Rockhound6165]

Jack Youngblood played the NFC title game and the Super Bowl on a broken leg. Donavan McNabb played an entire game on a broken ankle. T.O. played the Super Bowl on a fractured tibia. In the NHL, Bruce Gamble, then the goalie with the Flyers(he was actually traded for Bernie Parent), had a heart attack and finished the game.

[@82dorrin]

You need to make a top 10 video. Top 10 QBs who would have been better off spiking the ball into the ground on every play. Rusty Lisch, I'm looking in your direction.

[@jdsoultrn]

There are a bunch….Jamarcus Russell, Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Heath Shuler, David Klingler just to name a few.

[@mrmonty86]

We can all agree that knee surgeries in the 1960s were arcadic compared to today, where knee surgeries can extend a career for many years.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

You beat me to that comment. I used to tell my patients that there was no such thing as one knee surgery. I used to treat patients with 4, 5, 7...once someone with 9 surgeries. There was a Swiss skier, Vreni Schneider that won a World Cup. But I wouldn't want to be her knees.

[@nasetvideos]

As always, another great story. Terrific human interest story. Nelsen was a solid quarterback but injuries stopped him from ever being a superstar for any long period of time

[@denisceballos9745]

I believe Nelsen (16) became a QB coach after he retired from playing - several years with Tampa under HC John McKay, who was his coach at USC. He worked with Doug Williams (12) in his early years and TB went to a championship game in ‘79.

[@levikatriel]

I think that Official Jaguar Gator 9 should make a playlist of times where a player played through an injury or disability. Some of my favorite of those videos include: the time the falcons played with an injured quarterback because he was the less injured of their two qbs and made an improbable comeback, the time a blind quarterback won a game, and the time a kicker made the game winning field goal despite not feeling his legs. Not a video made by Official Jaguar Gator 9, but in 1978 against the colts, the pats kicker injured his kicking leg, so when his team needed an onside kick, he used his other leg. It worked, and the patriots scored a game tying touchdown on the drive. However, with about 30 seconds left, the patriots’ punter’s squib kick was returned for a touchdown and the patriots lost.

[@Rockhound6165]

For someone who trashed this guy's videos you seem to watch every single one.

[@levikatriel]

I don’t dislike his vids

[@CTubeMan]

@@Rockhound6165 You asked me something similar. I don’t see where you’re getting the impression that we dislike JG9. I call myself the unofficial Official Jaguar Gator 9 historian since I like his videos. I’ve welcomed Levi to the JG9 faculty lounge since I see how much he likes JG9 as well (we may be gaining another member to the lounge). So, NJ, whether you’re being sincere or sarcastic, it’s ill-placed and annoying.

[@Rockhound6165]

@@CTubeMan because all you do is rip the guy's videos.

[@orbyfan]

Bill Nelsen didn't have a lot of help on the '65 Steelers. Buddy Parker quit as coach during the pre-season, saying "I can't win with this bunch of stiffs."

[@ge_mail]

Good research .. well presented .. real honor to Mr. Nelsen. Nice vid.

[@jdsoultrn]

I really enjoy these stories! Please keep them coming.

[@joekoz3815]

I caddied for Bill Nelson in the early 70's. He kept his cigarettes in my tee shirt pocket. Bill was a good guy and a good golfer.

[@karlcooper8460]

He probably was like a big kid he was probably just that passionate about the game everybody is wired differently.

[@danecranberry6025]

I dare not imagine the physical agony that he endured.

[@karlcooper8460]

@@danecranberry6025 I thought Joe Namath had worse knees bill could move around better.

[@cheezenub]

The 1960s was the decade of Beast-mode quarterbacks.

[@tedkijeski339]

Have you ever noticed how much Bill Nelsen and Roman Gabriel resemble each other? Maybe you could do a video about that!

[@67marlins81]

Bum Phillips once said Dan Pastorini was the toughest player he ever coached. It takes a lot of resolve to play with broken ribs, even though he was wearing a flack jacket.

[@diaz5292]

That was a TD pass that one time in the playoffs in the back of the endzone against the Steelers.

[@lonnietoth5765]

The poor Browns were Oakland raiders of the NFL. They won the championship in 64 , but lost in 65 , 68 ,69 . Raiders won in 67 , then lost 68 , 69 , 70 , . Bill Nelson was great. A friend of mine Mike Wing , played with Gary Collins at Maryland . Collins was tall. They had Jim Brown then Leroy Kelly and Paul Warfield until he went to the Dolphins. Loved watching them beat Dallas in 68 & 69 !

[@gswdeclan]

How does someone find over 10 minutes of Bill Nelsen highlights? Unrelated, but those goalposts at the front of the end zone always trip me out, seems insanely dangerous.

[@akimhamlet5092]

Right? And those "pylons" could have probably taken an eye out

[@tomb4575]

Nelson was one of those 60's early 70's QB's who plyed their trades under the shadow of Unites, Starr and Merideth. Greg Landry, Bill Munson, Milt Plumb, Jack Concannon and a bunch of guys named Johnson.

[@yusefinc1096]

Just when I have thought I watched all of JG9 videos I find a few more 😊

[@jonathanrighetti5897]

Nice to see the older guys being recognized as they paved the way for the guys today. Thank you and on behalf of my father who played on this team, thank you.

[@markbrian7179]

Five weeks later The Bengals came back to beat the Browns 14-10 and eventually win the Central Division.

[@frankmacy1879]

Nelsen didn't play in the rematch game with the Bengals. Rookie Mike Phipps made his first career start. He led the Browns to a TD on their first possession, but was ineffective after that. That rematch was sweet revenge for Bengals coach Paul Brown who after building a dynasty in Cleveland, was unceremoniously fired by new owner Art Modell. Brown sprinted off the field following the win, not shaking hands with his successor in Cleveland, Blanton Collier (who was Paul Brown's longtime assistant with the Browns). Bengal TE Bob Trumpy said it was the only time he ever saw Paul Brown cry, following that win.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

Yeah, the Bengals, in their 3rd year of existence, were 1-6 and won the last 7 games to finish 8-6 and won the division.

[@jdsoultrn]

By the way, many of Bill Nielsen’s passes in this clip were to one of the great names in sports history…#43 Fair Hooker

[@frankmacy1879]

In reality, Nelsen's best years were when he had Paul Warfield as a target. Ironically, Nelsen's bad knees were the primary reason Warfield was foolishly traded to the Dolphins, in order to move up in the draft to obtain Mike Phipps as Nelsen's eventual replacement. It would go down as one of the worst trades in pro sports history. Following the trade, the Browns (at the time, the most winning franchise in NFL history) would cease to be an NFL power, while the Dolphins would go on to play in 3 Super Bowls in the next 4 years.

[@OfficialJaguarGator9]

Oddly enough, I have a highlight video on the channel of every touchdown Fair Hooker ever scored: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oICkhpyCnayfgJY

[@LardGreystoke]

I don't know that it was a terrible trade. Phipps was a good quarterback. What made it seem worse was that to replace Warfield the Browns traded Ron Johnson, a 1,000 yard rusher, to the New York Giants for receiver Homer Jones, who faded from the scene. It was typical of the meddlesome Art Modell that all of his moves seemed like this one, a step forward along with two backward. The trade for Nelsen himself was actually one of their better ones.

[@dallasbrubaker6054]

I remember on a Monday Night Game, it may have been the first one, when Don Meredith said Fair Hooker's name and he said, "They don't exist" or something like that.

[@frankmacy1879]

@@LardGreystoke I didn't say Phipps was lousy. At Purdue, he was pretty damn good. I think he might've been the Heisman runnerup. But for the Browns, he was a disappointment. I think 99% of Browns fans would agree. Warfield was the Jerry Rice of his day. In Warfield's 6 years with the team, the Browns played in the Championship Game 4 times. After he was traded, it would be 17 seasons before they would play in another one. The Dolphins, who had never previously made the playoffs, after acquiring Warfield, would play in 3 of the next 4 Super Bowls, winning 2.

[@MilsurpMikeChannel]

His wife's statement was probably what motivated him out of spite... also a 68.9 passer rating. He couldn't come up with another 0.1 so one can say "Nice"?

[@WolfDB]

The fact that Bill toughed through all the injuries he had, was basically part cyborg when it came to his knees, and was still such an good Quarterback either shows how tough he was or how stubborn he was.

[@EricandDish]

All I can say is 'Wow'🤗. Jaguar Gator is making NFL stories 🏈 that I didn't know about. I saw that video he did about the 1973 New York Giants, and how pathetic they had to move out of Yankee Stadium-instead of finishing the season there (just because George Steinbrenner took over as new Yankees owner).

[@redmustangredmustang]

Bill Nelson sadly died in 2019.

[@frederickrapp5396]

What happened? Can you provide any details?

[@frederickrapp5396]

What happened? Can you provide any details?

[@christopherengel7436]

Love the old clips of the 60's NFL

[@timothytimothyarts395]

Love the Steelers Batman uniforms ….. need to bring them back for a retro game.

[@karlcooper8460]

He moved around better than Namath all things being equal.

[@Scrapmanluke1]

My great-uncle played against Gary Collins in high school. Collins went to Williamstown HS (which is now Williams Valley after a merger in 1964) and my uncle played for Newport. Both schools were in the Tri-Valley Conference at the time.

[@SteelerFanInRI]

Dang, Vikings; what did you have against Bill Nelsen in 1969?!

[@paulcarterdesign]

Joe Kapp and his wounded duck passing. That and a great defense.

[@DarynKirscht]

@@paulcarterdesign And Kapp still somehow threw 7 TDs that year against the former NFL representative in the SB, Baltimore Colts. I still love seeing Kapp bulldoze through the Browns in the ‘69 playoffs. He literally rendered Browns pro bowl linebacker, Jim Houston, unconscious. But yes, you never knew what was going to happen when he went back to pass. They were a run-oriented team that rode an awesome defense to the SB.

[@paulcarterdesign]

@@DarynKirscht I never said he wasn't effective or tough. Every time I look at Kapp footage from that year I smile and shake my head because while all you said is true, there's a reason why we won't ever see him in training videos. lol

[@DarynKirscht]

@@paulcarterdesign Lol I also found his fight with the other CFL player like 10 years ago and response after the fact to be hysterical.

[@frederickrapp5396]

Vikings out scored Bill Nelsen’s Browns 78-10 in the 2 games they played each other in 1969.

[@scottconner7930]

51 Years Ago

[@karlcooper8460]

I would kill to have a wife like his that gave a damn like that any man would.

[@BrendonChase2012]

Oh, you tease! @7:49

[@beefoneeto]

Warfield caught a bunch of those TDs.

[@rjsweda]

nice

[@vince065us.2]

He was a tough player.

[@orbyfan]

Bill Nelsen bore a strong facial resemblance to actor Barry Nelson.

[@ESL-O.G.]

Get your audio professional ok?? Nice content. Good story telling

[@ThursdayisGood]

I'm glad the Bengals switched to those ugly helmets. To me it just looks like the browns playing the browns 😂

[@Phateagle262]

Yeah, that was what Paul Brown was going for, oddly enough. For the Bengals to look as similar to the Browns as he could get away with.

[@dysonburt3309]

@@Phateagle262 I mean to be fair brown is in his name

[@karlcooper8460]

He looks like Roman Gabriel without the tanned complection.

[@marktalbott3835]

I lived in Ohio in the early seventies and remember him being referred to as "jelly knees" Nelson

[@rj1982ii]

Apparently happy wife happy life wasn't around back then.

[@keithmotsinger918]

Always liked Bill Nelson ,even back then you heard his knees was worser than Joe Willie . Sell your junk to some other suckers .

[@karlcooper8460]

She cared about her oopsie woopsie hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.