THE COFFIN CORNER - VOLUME 47 - 2025
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These issues are only available in the Members Only section.
Number 1:
PFRA-ternizing Three more speakers are added to the list of those already announced for the 2025 PFRA Convention: Authors Rick Bowman and Joe Ziemba, as well as Chris Willis of NFL Films. Two new episodes of The Official PFRA Podcast are available: Interviews with former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Joe Righetti, and former New York Giants and New Orleans Saints wide receiver Don Herrmann.
Pro Football’s Last Frontier: Alaskans in the NFL by Ben Carpenter. The 49th state has a unique football history shaped by its rugged environment and isolation. A short history of high school, college and military teams from the Land of the Midnight Sun is explored, as are the 21 Alaskans who have reached the pinnacle of pro football.
How Washington Great Theismann Nearly Swam With the Dolphins by Mike Richman. Joe Theismann set multiple franchise records in D.C. and led his team to two Super Bowl appearances, winning one. Selected by Miami in the 1971 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, he opted to play in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts after contract disputes. He excelled there, then joined the Redskins in 1974 and rose to elite status, culminating in a Super Bowl XVII victory against the very-same Dolphins that once drafted him.
High Times in the Big Apple: A Double Dose of the Playoffs for New York City by Jimmy Grant. The 1981 NFL season marked a turning point for both struggling teams in New York when, after years of mediocrity, the Giants and Jets made dramatic playoff pushes. The Giants, fueled by a core of promising young players, needed a thrilling overtime victory against Dallas and a Jets win over Green Bay to secure a wildcard berth. Meanwhile, the Jets, rode the dominance of their "Sack Exchange" defense and clinched their first playoff appearance since 1969.
Ten Things You Probably Don’t Know About the Rams by Lee Elder. The Rams are a historically unique NFL franchise, achieving numerous milestones. They are the only team to win championships in three cities (Cleveland, Los Angeles, and St. Louis) and were pioneers in integration by signing Kenny Washington and Woody Strode in 1946. Known for their Hollywood connections, Rams players frequently appeared in films and TV shows. Legendary moments on the field include Norm Van Brocklin's still-unbroken single-game passing record of 554 yards in 1951.
Number 2:
PFRA-ternizing Executive Director Lee Elder presents his annual “State of the PFRA” report to members and discusses the continued growth of the organization along with the many accomplishments from the previous year, including an update on the membership drive, the continued activity of the regional chapters, a progress report on the next two books in the Great Teams series, the completion of 18 episodes of the official podcast, the new staffing at the Coffin Corner, and an amazing 662 pro football bios published by the Biography Committee.
2024 PFRA Awards. The official announcement of the Ralph Hay Award for lifetime achievement in pro football research and historiography, the Nelson Ross Award for recent achievement in pro football history, the Bob Carroll Memorial Writing Award for the best Coffin Corner article, and the Jack Clary Award for service to the organization.
The Hall of Very Good Class of 2024 by Matt Keddie, Andy Piascik, Jay Thomas, and John Turney. Career highlights of last year's class are listed for Henry Ellard, Jim Lachey, Albert Lewis, Jerry Mays, Lydell Mitchell, Marvin Powell, and Pat Swilling. Vote totals for all 2024 candidates are also included.
By the Writer’s Timepiece by Robert Sproule. An account of an 1891 Canadian Rugby Football Union (CRFU) game between the Hamilton Tigers and the Toronto Foot-Ball Club from a Toronto Mail reporter, who used a pocket watch to record the exact time of each score, providing a rare insight into the pace and play-by-play action of the match. This timekeeping method did not reappear in newspapers until the 1930s, making this a unique historical record of early football in Canada.
Ten Things You Probably Don’t Know About the Montreal Alouettes by Sheldon Mulman. The top ten list travels north of the border for the first time and answers such questions as where the Alouettes nickname came from, who the first African American in the CFL was, and how many Heisman Trophy winners have played for the team. Familiar NFL names pop up such as Marv Levy, Mike Sherman, Bill Polian and Alex Webster. There's even a bonus round of five tidbits of trivia at the end of the article to reward the faithful reader!
Number 3:
PFRA-ternizing An announcement of two additional speakers for the PFRA convention in St. Paul and a Sunday add-on tour of U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings.
A Short History of Fourth Down Decision-Making by Ben Carpenter. Coaches used to trust their gut. Is now the time to trust the data? This account traces the evolution from always punting on fourth down to using advanced mathematics in guiding play calling today. From early film study in the 1920s to the Bellman Equation and the rise of analytics departments in the NFL, the numbers can say “go for it” now—but not every coach listens.
The CFL’s Philadelphia Experiment by Kenn Tomasch. The story of the first Canadian pro football regular season matchup in America that took place in 1958, featuring the Ottawa Rough Riders against the defending Grey Cup champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a charity event in the City of Brotherly Love. Another CFL regular season game would not take place in the United States until 1993.
Pro Football Three-peats: More Common Than You Might Think by Lee Elder. While the Kansas City Chiefs came up short in their drive for three straight Super Bowl wins this year, the “three-peat feat” has occurred six times in pro football history. This piece lists them all and includes the clubs that just missed the championship trifecta.
Ten Things You Probably Don’t Know About the Green Bay Packers by Cliff Christl. The official historian of the Packers pens this information-packed installment of the “Ten Things” series. Their beginning as a team of high school alum all-stars is covered, as well as the subtle changes to the iconic ‘G’ logo (with an image of the original artist sketch). Did you know that before the famous Ice Bowl, the team only had six December home games in Green Bay, and three of those were in the playoffs? Frozen tundra—who needs it?!
Number 4:
PFRA-ternizing A report on the ninth annual conference of the PFRA’s Western New York Chapter listing various speakers as well as news of a donation accepted by Buffalo Bills Alumni President Jeff Nixon made towards their foundation. An announcement of two additional speakers to the PFRA national convention in Minnesota this July is also posted.
The Real Hall of Fame Game: Which NFL Game Featured the Most Hall of Famers? by Kenn Tomasch. An exploration of the question: which game featured the most future Hall of Famers on the football field? The detailed research involves roster examination, participation records and inductee data, and also recounts notable games featuring 16 to 20(!) future enshrinees, and how these matchups often involved pro football dynasties such as the 1960s Packers, and the 1970s Steelers and Raiders.
2025 Hall of Very Good Finalists by Matthew Keddie and Jay Thomas. From Jim Bakken to Mike Stratton, all 20 candidates for the 2025 Hall of Very Good class are listed alphabetically along with a mini biography for each.
Official 2025 Hall of Very Good Ballot. NOTE: The deadline for voting is November 30, 2025.
Ten Things You Probably Don’t Know About the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by Greg D. Tranter. Think you know your Ti-Cats trivia? Do you know the first African American to win a Grey Cup? Or the first starting Black quarterback in Canadian pro football history? Or the future CFL Hall of Famer who became a villainous pro wrestler after he retired from football? No? Read up then—it even goes to overtime with a bonus round at the end!