Monday Night Football, due to being shown in prime time, has long been considered the biggest regular season stage on which a football player or team can play. During his thirty-six-year stint on ABC, Monday Night Football became the second-longest-running primetime show in history, behind only 60 Minutes. Throughout its run, Monday Night Football has hosted some of the best and most competitive NFL games of all time. Here’s a look at some of the most memorable games played, as well as moments relived, on Monday Night Football.
The first Monday Night Football game was played on September 21, 1970, and pitted the Cleveland Browns against the New York Jets in Cleveland. The Browns won 31-21 over New York and the rest was history.
During an October 29, 1973 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, MNF announcer “Dandy” Don Meredith had been drinking and uttered the infamous line “We’re in the Mile High City, and I sure am.” .
On November 27, 1978, the San Francisco 49ers hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers; That same day, the mayor of San Francisco, George Moscone, and the city’s superintendent, Harvey Milk, had been assassinated.
During a Miami Dolphins vs. At the New England Patriots game on December 8, 1980, broadcaster Howard Cosell broke the news to the nation that former Beatle John Lennon had been murdered outside his New York City apartment.
Midway through the December 5, 1983 game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys, Howard Cosell referred to Redskins wide receiver Alvin Garrett (who is African American) as a “little monkey”. The commotion surrounding this event led Cosell to leave Monday Night Football after the 1983 season.
On October 17, 1983, the Packers and Redskins played the highest scoring game in Monday Night Football history and the Packers won 48-47.
One week later, on October 24, 1983, the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals played the first and only tied game in Monday Night Football history with a score of 20-20 after overtime.
The famous 1985 Redskins-Giants game, in which Lawrence Taylor sacked Joe Theismann, broke his leg and ended his career, was shown on Monday Night Football.
Later in 1985, Monday Night Football would be the scene where the undefeated 1985 Chicago Bears, on their way to the Super Bowl Championship, would suffer their only loss of the season to the Miami Dolphins.
The Dolphins would make Monday Night Football history again the following year, when they were part of the biggest blowout ever seen on Monday Night Football. The Dolphins played the New York Jets 10-1 but defeated them by a score of 45-3.
On October 17, 1994, Monday Night Football organized a duel for history. Joe Montana brought his Kansas City Chiefs to a game against the Denver Broncos coached by John Elway. The Broncos trailed 24-21 with 1:29 left when Elway ran the ball into the end zone from four yards out, giving his team a 28-24 lead. Joe Montana then led his team on a 75-yard touchdown drive with 8 seconds left in the game, giving the Chiefs a 31-28 victory.
On October 23, 2000, the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets would again participate in a memorable battle. In the 4th quarter the score was 30-7 in favor of the Miami Dolphins. Vinny Testaverde went on to lead the Jets in scoring 23 straight points in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Jets kicker John Hall then kicked a field goal in overtime for the win, making it not only the longest fourth-quarter comeback in Monday Night Football history, but also the longest. second longest in NFL history.
In an October 6, 2003 game between the Buccaneers and Colts, the Colts overcame a 35–14 deficit with 3:43 remaining to tie the game and then win it in overtime.
On December 22, 2003, the Packers’ Brett Favre dismantled the Oakland Raiders by throwing for four first-half touchdowns and 399 yards in the game, resulting in a 41–7 victory. This game came a day after Favre’s father passed away.
On December 5, 2005, the Seahawks’ shutout of the Eagles by a score of 42-0, tied the mark at the time for the largest margin of victory in a Monday Night Football game. The game featured the Seahawks scoring three defensive touchdowns.
Monday Night Football has played host to some of the best games and most memorable moments in NFL history. Although ESPN is now bringing us the game, soccer fans everywhere are hoping the tradition remains the same.
