Missed Opportunities That Could Have Altered NFL History

[Sonny9]

If Paul Brown doesn't screw up and sign Cookie Gilchrest when he was a junior which nullified the deal, in Cookies own words, "No one would have heard about Jim Brown".

He has to be the only person who talked smack about the great Jim Brown and could get away with it.

[7DnBrnc53]

If Paul Brown doesn't screw up and sign Cookie Gilchrest when he was a junior which nullified the deal, in Cookies own words, "No one would have heard about Jim Brown".

He has to be the only person who talked smack about the great Jim Brown and could get away with it.

Also, I think that someone recommended Johnny Unitas to Brown after he was cut by the Steelers, but he wasn't interested.

[Brian wolf]

Though I have mentioned it before, I still believe history would be different had Noll drafted Marino for the Steelers in 1983. He would have been the first coach to five SB rings.

[Brian wolf]

The Vikings squandered two huge chances to go to the SB.
In the closing minutes of the 1987/88 NC Championship, a dropped TD pass by Darrin Nelson enables the Redskins to win 17-10 in the grand ole' RFK Stadium. In the 1998/99 NFC Championship game, RB Robert Smith for the Vikes ran well on a possibly game sealing drive but ran out of bounds on at least three runs that could have ate over a minute of possession time against Atlanta. Instead, Gary Anderson misses his only FG attempt of the season and rather than having only 50-60 seconds left in the game to tie the Vikings, QB Chris Chandler marches the Dirty Birds right down the field with plenty of clock left to tie the game, where a shell-shocked Vikings team cant score again and loses in overtime ...

[7DnBrnc53]

Though I have mentioned it before, I still believe history would be different had Noll drafted Marino for the Steelers in 1983. He would have been the first coach to five SB rings.

Definitely. The drug rumors really hurt him, though. I was talking with someone else on another forum. Not many people were interested in the first round except Ernie Accorsi, Bills GM Norm Pollom, and Shula.

The Steelers aren't the only team that passed on him, though. What if the Jets took him? Or the Raiders?

[vikingsfan1963]

This thread is an example of why I enjoy this message board so much. Lots of information and best of all: No name calling or belittling of posters!

[7DnBrnc53]

There are times that teams actually lose when they win.

In 1988, the Chiefs and Jets played twice because they finished last in the AFC West and East the year before. In both games, the Chiefs came back from double-digit fourth quarter deficits (in one game, they tied, and they won the other one). That left them with a 4-11-1 record.

If they don't come back in those games, and finish 3-13, they could have been in line for Troy Aikman. A franchise that would go on to play musical QB's (for the most part) until 2017 would have found their franchise QB much sooner, and they would have had a better chance of making a SB in the 90's.

Fast forward to 2007. The Jets beat the Chiefs in OT in Week 17, and that dropped them down to the sixth pick. If they would have tied or lost that game, they would have had the third pick, and a shot at Matt Ryan.

[Brian wolf]

A team that should probably never draft QBs early in the first round are the Titans. Since drafting Vince Young 3rd overall in the 2006 draft, the Titans have also drafted Jake Locker, 8th overall in 2011 and Marcus Mariota, 2nd overall in 2015.
Whether due to bad coaching, QB development, a running team first mentality or just poorly evaluated scouting decisions, the Titans just never got mileage out of these highly touted but underachieving, or underdeveloped QBs.

Young and Mariota had great mobility and running talent, while Locker could throw better than those two but strangely, despite having a 31-19 winning record as a starting QB, Young had accuracy, and maturity problems that hindered his development. He could be a force on the playing field with his talent but never threw more than 12 TDs in a season. His injury in 2008, set him back in his development but he was being criticized for not being dedicated enough in film study. Locker was beset with injury problems and retired after only four seasons, while Mariota, despite running and passing ability, has problems with pocket awareness and getting the ball out quicker. Wasted chances with a team that had a 2000 yard runner in Chris Johnson, though in fairness to these QBs, the receivers have never helped them out much as needed ...

[Gary Najman]

The first play that came to my mind was Kim Bokamper near interception of Joe Theismann in Super Bowl XVII (although you have to credit Theismann for getting his arm into Bokamper's hands). Another one in the Duel on Dixie when on a third down and the Falcons leading 27-24 over the Cowboys, Ed ¨Too Tall¨Jones incredible tip-toes prevented the Falcons to gain the first down that would have sealed the game.

Also, what if Vince Ferragamo had hit a wide open Billy Waddy instead of throwing to the middle where Jack Lambert intercepted that pass? An Nolan Cromwell dropping a interception that could have gone for a TD in Super Bowl XIV?

[Brian wolf]

Its interesting looking at the KC Chiefs from 1993-1997. Lots of chances but couldnt get over thump to reach a SB for Schottenheimer ...

Despite having Montana in 93 and 94, they lose CB Albert Lewis to free agency in 1994, which affects their pass defense as the Chiefs lose a shootout to Miami and Marino in the playoffs. Montana retires but the team defense gets better but squanders home-field advantage in 1995 and 1997 with Steve Bono and Elvis Grbac at QB. Meanwhile, Rich Gannon, who looks good in the games he plays, remains on the bench while DE Neil Smith jumps ship and wins with archrival Denver in 97-98. Crazy times for Chiefs fans ...