Football’s best gifts to fans, from intercepting Joe Montana to the Immaculate Reception – The Athletic
Earlier this week, I asked you to share the greatest gift football’s given you. A few people poured out their hearts with touching, emotional answers of the words “Tom Brady.”
Merry Christmas Eve! This will be my last newsletter of the week, so I hope you enjoy the holidays as much as billionaires enjoy mostly publicly-funded stadiums, like we’re seeing in Kansas.
Inside: The greatest gifts football’s given fans, what’s at stake in Week 17, and Mike Sando on what Philip Rivers’ return signals about QB development. Here are the Pro Bowl rosters, if you missed them — as did Panthers DT Derrick Brown, one of the biggest snubs.
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Your greatest football gifts
Many of your fellow football fans shared the greatest gifts this sport has given them. These are their stories.
“I was able to do something the Bengals couldn’t in Super Bowl 23. Wait for it … I intercepted Joe Montana (in a high school game in Southwestern Pennsylvania)!” — Rich
“The Minneapolis Miracle” — Daniel
“In 1997, when the Packers were going to the Super Bowl, the TV station I worked at gave away tickets on air. On the Monday before the game, my boss called me in to talk. He said, ‘You wore green and gold every Friday. Would you want to go to the game?’ Of course! I was able to buy two tickets for face value $249 each! It was the most memorable weekend EVER!” — Nancy
“The 1968 NY Jets, and a 100 percent winning percentage in Super Bowls!” — Jonathan
“My 84-year-old wife, a lifelong fan, died last 12/23/24 after the Bears and White Sox disastrous seasons. I believe she is pulling strings this year!” — Brad
“The Immaculate Reception.” — Rick F.
Speaking of that one: “I was at (that) game in Pittsburgh, the day before Christmas Eve, when I was nine years old. To go from the despair when the Raiders went ahead with 1:17 left to the jubilation when Franco Harris scored. … You never forget the joy of being part of that crowd pouring out of the stadium.” — Frank
“I was given the gift of The Immaculate Reception on the radio as a 13-year old Steeler fan. NFL rules dictated that the home team’s market was blacked out from airing the game on TV, so I listened to Steeler legendary radio voices Myron Cope and Jack Fleming. It was the best Christmas ever. My joy was replaced with the pain of a loss to the undefeated and eventual Super Bowl champion Dolphins the next week and shock and sorrow on New Year’s Eve when the great Pirate Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico. A lot of different emotions over a one-week period in the life of a 13-year old Pittsburgh sports fan.” — Rick
“Football gave me my husband, who used football for his pickup line (asking if I was a fan of the team that had just beaten his) that led to a first date and eventually 30-plus years of marriage.” — Sandy
“At an OSU/MSU game, I asked my girlfriend’s dad if he thought it would be OK if I married his daughter.” — Chris (who left us hanging on the answer)
“When the Saints came back to New Orleans for their first game in the Superdome after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. A stunning victory against the rival Falcons provided a much-needed shot of hope for the city.” — Chuck
“My late brother and I agreed on nothing but our shared love for the Packers. When we couldn’t relate to one another, we could always fall back on discussing the games or what Ted Thompson was messing up that season. It’s been 16 years since his death, and I still occasionally want to email him after a game to express my excitement or frustration or both.” — Anne
“My Jets winter hat. It’s tight on my ears, which showcases the Jets’ commitment to choking both on and off the field.” — Eric
“An epic tailgate themed Bat Mitzvah where I wore an Alshon Jeffery jersey instead of a dress.” — Hannah
“Watching Jim Brown play. My dad liked the Steelers, who sucked in the 1960s, but Cleveland had Brown. And I’m still (sigh) a Browns fan.” — Grif
“The OG Hail Mary: Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson in Minnesota.” — Randy
“Watching my son refine his leadership skills as quarterback of his high school team.” — Christopher
“The Bears beating the Packers in overtime, the night after I proposed to my girlfriend. Top notch. She said yes, my Bears are headed to the playoffs and I had the best weekend of my life.” — Nathan (congrats!)
“I’ll be trading my Dolphins fandom in honor of my late father, a big-time Cowboys fan. From Miami’s teal and orange to Dallas’ navy and silver, the Cowboys will help me forever remain close with my dad. That’s the best gift at any time of the year.” — Andrew
“I was sitting in the bleachers at the old Yankee Stadium for a snow game between the Browns and the Giants. Got in for 50 cents and my high school ID. These were great seats in those days, on the 40-yard line. No offense, no touchdowns. The score was six to six as the Giants rookie kicker waited for the ground crew to shovel the snow away so the holder could place the ball on grass. He split the uprights for the win.” — Al
“That would be 1/25/1998. My husband’s father had died in New Jersey four days earlier, and my father died eight days later in Florida. I was able to watch the Denver Broncos win their first Super Bowl, and that carried me through the darkness.” — Leslie
“Over ten years ago, the principal at the high school where I teach called me on Christmas morning. At first I thought something was wrong, but he told me to pick up a USA Today. Back then you could find those on the street. When I got my hands on one, I saw that a college football player of the year had given my name in an interview when the writer asked who his favorite teacher was. The athlete credited me for helping him develop a love of reading. That was a great gift. I still follow this athlete and I hope he still enjoys reading books.” — Guy
“Long-suffering Giants fan (since a little kid in 1960s) finally getting vindication for 20-plus years of loyalty with a victory in Super Bowl 21. And I was there. I flew from New York City without a ticket, scalped my way into the Rose Bowl and witnessed the apotheosis of a lifetime in person with my best friend/fellow die-hard Giants fan.” — Frank
“In 1973, the Falcons played the Vikings in Atlanta on Monday Night Football. Our High School marching band played the National Anthem, so we got to go to the game for free. Monday Night Football was still pretty new and was a big deal. The Vikings were 9-0 coming in, and were considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Falcons QB (General) Bob Lee and Lee’s Legion, as they were known locally at the time, upset the mighty Vikings. Atlanta-Fulton County stadium was electric that night. Runner-up gifts were the first 3 quarters of Super Bowl LI, and playing Fantasy Football in a league whose members include my grandson.” — Rick
“Resilience. I lived outside Cleveland as a kid and have been a Browns fan my whole life. I currently live in a Philly suburb and, when I went back to school to earn a doctoral degree in 2012, my parents gifted me with tickets to a Browns game as a graduation gift. They were 0-5 when we went to the game against the Bengals. Someone in the stands had a sign that said 11-5 starts today. They won that game. Though they ended the season 5-11, I wake up every day thinking that 11-5 starts today!” – Shelly
“My 65-year relationship with my father, Dan Endy, who founded NFL Films with Ed Sabol in the early 1960s. Dad passed away last year but football has been a dominant fixture for all of my 65 years.” — Dan
“A connection to my dad and family. My dad is originally from the Bay Area and is a die-hard Niner fan. He left California long before I was born and because he was in the Army, I rarely got a chance to connect with my extended family. Every time we watched football together, I felt a connection to both him, our family, and the city that raised him. When he finally settled us in Texas, his support for the 49ers and our disdain for the Cowboys kept us connected as I grew up and moved away.” — Dawn
Again, a Merry Christmas Eve. Try not to accidentally like any social media posts tonight, John Lynch, and stay away from James Harrison. As for what to watch for later this week …
Week 17: Plenty to play for?
Sorry to fans in Baltimore, Indianapolis and Detroit, but your teams are missing the postseason, barring a miracle.
Thirteen of the 14 playoff slots are mostly set, with the NFC South’s Carolina (8-7) and Tampa Bay (7-8) the only exceptions — and even if the Panthers lose this weekend, they’ll make it with a Week 18 win at the Bucs.
Still, there’s plenty to play for this weekend. John Harbaugh might be coaching for his job, for example, and Pro Bowler Sam Darnold has a $2 million bonus on the line. He’s 297 passing yards and four passing touchdowns shy of incentive targets (4,000 and 28), along with needing to raise his completion percentage above 67.5 (he’s at 67.2) with a passer rating above 100 (100.6).
He could use a win too, as Seattle maintains the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a victory at Carolina. There’s also:
The Chargers and Texans battle for AFC positions. The top of the AFC shouldn’t change this weekend, with the top-ranked Broncos 13-point BetMGM favorites over the depleted Kansas City and the second-ranked Patriots favored by 13.5 against the Jets.
But the Bolts (11-4) host Houston (10-5) on Saturday, and the result could change the wild-card picture. Heck, even the No. 1 seed is still in play for the Chargers, since they face Denver in Week 18. Here’s how the first-round matchups would look right now, pending Week 17’s results:
The Steelers will get to rest in Week 18 if they win at Cleveland this Sunday, since Pittsburgh (9-6) is one win (or a Ravens loss) away from clinching the AFC North. Baltimore (7-8) is itself eliminated with a loss at Green Bay, which might be missing Jordan Love. Latest from Green Bay here.
The No. 1 pick might be on the line. The 2-13 Giants visit the 2-13 Raiders in the Tanker Bowl, with the loser becoming the only two-win team and the favorite to draft first. The Raiders are favored by a point, but Brock Bowers just went on injured reserve. Vegas needs a quarterback, making Indiana’s Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza, the likeliest top pick there.
But what if the Giants win the pick (by losing on Sunday)? A few weeks ago, 91 percent of Giants fans believed in Jaxson Dart, but he just finished with 33 passing yards against the Vikings, and takes hits a quarterback can only endure for so long. That’s a tough one. My colleague Dan Duggan explored what’s ailing Dart.
We’ve got every playoff scenario for you here. It’s not the strongest weekend slate, making this week a convenient time to listen to what the family’s been up to since September.
Outside of Bills-Eagles, Texans-Chargers and Bears-49ers, your fantasy football championships might be the weekend’s most entertaining matchups.
- For those, Jake Ciely’s Week 17 rankings are handy, although he’s wrong about those Christmas song rankings (sorry Jake, but Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” should be No. 1 on any list).
Over to Mike Sando.
Sando’s Pick: Rivers’ pre-snap magic
Philip Rivers’ shockingly impressive play Monday night triggered nostalgia for the days when QBs possessed the wherewithal to undress defenses before the snap, then beat them after the play has started.
A long list of NFL figures, from Jon Gruden to Luke McCown to Shaun King, marveled over Rivers’ ability to pass for 277 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers in prime time, despite his obviously degraded arm strength and foot quickness.
What does it say about quarterback development and offensive football when Rivers outperforms half the league’s starters as a 44-year-old retiree with almost no practice?
Former NFL scout Bucky Brooks was among those asking variations of that question.
Rivers is Exhibit A for Kurt Warner, Tom Brady and others who have lamented what they see as a dumbing down of offensive football, beginning at the college level and continuing into the NFL.
“How many QBs in the league can or are doing what Philip is at the LOS,” McCown posted. “Total control. He’s 90 percent sure of where he’s going with the ball before it’s ever in his hand.”
There’s merit to these old-school criticisms, which are part of a broader discussion we led before the season.
But some of this is cyclical. From 2016-20, quarterbacks 35 and older accounted for about 18 percent of starts. That has dropped below 12 percent from 2021-25.
This season, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers are the only full-season starters in that 35-plus bucket. There were six in 2020: Rivers, Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees.
What will the picture look like in five years? Similar to today, most likely. Of the QBs currently in the 30-34 age bracket, only four are full-time starters: Dak Prescott (32), Jared Goff (31), Baker Mayfield (30) and Patrick Mahomes (30).
Back to you, Jacob.
Extra Points
⭐ Wow. That’s all I could think while reading Alec Lewis’ story on the NFL’s most improbable All-Pro, Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola.
☀️ Future in Cincy? Paul Dehner Jr. explains how the Bengals’ 2023 draft class has emerged as a foundation for 2026.
📈 Game-changer. Bills safety Cole Bishop changed the math on Buffalo’s playoff hopes, as Joe Buscaglia details.
🔬 Pocket Health is Amazon Prime Vision’s new tool to teach us about quarterbacks and offensive lines. Ted Nguyen explains how it works.
▶️ Yesterday’s most-clicked: Giants star edge Brian Burns explains the toll of losing.
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