A Chiefs Game Changer and
the Evolution of Pro Football
Phillip Maxwell | February 16, 2019
Throughout history — NFL history — there’ve been players who have came along and changed the game, “literally” changed the game!
Have you ever heard of the “Stroud Rule” named after the late Morris Stroud? Some of the old timers will, he was a TE for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1969 to 1974. Morris Stroud was a behemoth of a man, standing 6’10”, don’t quote me on this, but I believe he is the tallest man to ever play in the NFL to date, and get this, he would stand at the base of the goal post during FGs and try to block them… yeah. Anyway, the NFL put a stop to that with a rule change.
Deacon Jones: even the younger whipper snappers recognize that name. If you look in the dictionary under “Dominance,” I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a picture of Deacon Jones. He is widely recognized as one of the all time great pass rushers in the game and quite frankly, he was dang near unstoppable. He had what they called the Head Slap move and its where he took his massive hand, and at the snap would hit the offensive lineman in the side of the helmet in an attempt to disorient him… and it worked. In 1977, the NFL put a stop to that.
You’re probably scratching your head about now, wondering where I’m going with this. It’ll make sense soon your Honor so, please, keep reading.
Tom Dempsey, the first kicker to ever kick a 63-yard FG, shattering the previous record held by Bert Rechichar (no relation to our Bert, “I think”). Dempsey’s record lasted until 1998 when then Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam tied it, and then was broken by Matt Prater in 2013 when he kicked a 64 yard FD. The hoopla over Dempsey holding the record was, he had a bum foot requiring a specially designed shoe that many felt gave him an unfair advantage of sorts, Thus, a rule change in 1977 requiring all shoes on a kicker’s foot must comply with NFL standards.
Richard (Dick) “Night Train” Lane… you might recognize that name as his 81 INT’s still stands as the most by any NFL player. However, like the players above, the NFL saw something they didn’t like in Dick’s style of play. You see, Dick loved to use receiver’s facemasks as handles. To get a visual, imagine the Olympic Hammer throw! So, once again the NFL sought to change that and make the game fair for both teams by implementing the facemask rule.
There is more, Mel Blount, Carson Palmer, Emmitt Smith, Phil Dawson, Keyshawn Johnson, Peyton Manning… I could go on, but these guys all have one thing in common, they all played a part in the NFL recognizing an unfair advantage by one team over another and most importantly, the NFL owners changed the rules accordingly.
To my point, yeah-yeah, I know, I can almost here the collective sighs…
On January 20th 2019, the Chiefs engaged in a battle for the ages. It paired the ageless one Tom Brady, against the best thing since sliced bread: Mr. MVP himself, Patrick Mahomes. I know what you’re thinking: it’s water under the bridge, just let it go Phil. Well, my argument to that is, what if the NFL didn’t consider the above examples of an unfair playing field? What if they just… “let it go” in those situations?
In a game that found Kansas City down by 14 at one point and a very impressive 24-point 4th quarter comeback led by Patrick Mahomes that pushed the game into overtime, the solution to determine the winner of such a colossal battle by the NFL was the flip of a coin? A COIN TOSS! Really?
In the NBA, when two teams pour their heart and souls out on the court for 48 minutes, exhausted, bleeding and desperately wanting to advance as the victor, they do not decide the game by a Free Throw by one team with a “make it and you win” contest. No, they add another 5 minutes to the clock, give the players a pat on the butt, and send them back out on the court until, the true winner is determined.
Same with Major League Baseball. In extra innings, BOTH TEAMS GET A CHANCE. Teams receive 3 outs and equal opportunity to determine who wants the game the most, and who will be the winner.
In Futbol — Major League and World Cup Soccer — both teams are given 5 goal kicks but, only after playing an extra period.
Arguments have been made both ways in regards to the Patriots/Chiefs game. Naturally the Patriots won the game fair and square according to the existing rules, so some have argued the “rules are the rules” — and they would be correct — while others would argue when one teams best attributes go head to head with the other teams worst attributes, not allowing both teams to showcase their best stuff, the outcome was far from fair? In a game that requires scoring to advance, wouldn’t both teams being allowed to possess the ball be a reasonable thing to ask?
In football and it’s developmental counterpart, NCAA Men’s College Football, each teams gets an equal chance to posses the ball. Only in NFL football are the results of games based on a whimsical mathematical odds.
If the shoe was on the other foot and it was Tom Brady who didn’t get a chance to touch the football in the overtime of the Super Bowl this year, we’d be having a national conversation right now. The NFL overtime rule is broken and no AFC Championship game, or any NFL game of magnitude for that matter, should ever be determined by pulling the handle of a slot machine… or a coin toss. Same difference. The irony is that the Chiefs won like eleven coin tosses in a row at the beginning of a game in 2018. However, the final outcome of NFL games should not be left to chance and quite frankly, the way it stands right now is just beyond ridiculous.
Phillip Maxwell — ArrowheadOne
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