A History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Games

Mark L. Ford

doi:10.5771/9781442238930

Summary

For fans of professional football who thought they had read everything about the history of the game, Mark L. Ford breaks new ground with this account of the NFL preseason. Described as “test labs” by Ford, preseason games are a time for trying out new strategies, considering future rule changes, and implementing television coverage innovations. For thousands of players who vie for a spot in the league every summer, the preseason is also the defining moment where careers can be made or broken.

A History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Games: 1986 to 2013 is one of two books by Ford on professional football’s preseason. Along with its companion volume—which covers 1960 to 1985—these resources provide information on every NFL and AFL preseason game played since the AFL was launched in 1960. All the interesting events and people that were part of these summer battles are detailed, as well as the first outings for new teams, new rules, and new stars. Ford also includes amusing anecdotes and mishaps, such as a last-minute defeat in 2000 when a player tackled his own teammate.

Along the way, Ford recounts key off-season developments that would transform professional football from a modest enterprise into a global monopoly with annual revenues and assets worth billions. A History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Games is a unique and important reference for pro football fans and cultural historians alike.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2014
ISBN-Print: 978-1-4422-3892-3
ISBN-Online: 978-1-4422-3893-0
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 328
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Acknowledgments No access
3. Introduction No access
Chapter 1. 1986: Live from London, the American Bowl No access Pages 1 - 10
Chapter 2. 1987: Auditioning the Replacements No access Pages 11 - 20
Chapter 3. 1988: Back to Barnstorming No access Pages 21 - 28
Chapter 4. 1989: Everyone Wants an NFL Team No access Pages 29 - 40
Chapter 5. 1990: Beat the Clock No access Pages 41 - 50
Chapter 6. 1991: Meaningless Game, Meaningful Competition No access Pages 51 - 60
Chapter 7. 1992: The Amazing Minnesota Vikings No access Pages 61 - 70
Chapter 8. 1993: Salary Cap On, Intentional Grounding Off No access Pages 71 - 82
Chapter 9. 1994: Going for Two, Going to Fox No access Pages 83 - 94
Chapter 10. 1995: Arizona, Carolina, Jacksonville, Oakland, and St. Louis No access Pages 95 - 106
Chapter 11. 1996: Cleveland’s Loss, Baltimore’s Gain No access Pages 107 - 118
Chapter 12. 1997: The NFL’s Memphis Blues No access Pages 119 - 128
Chapter 13. 1998: Good-bye NBC, Welcome Back CBS No access Pages 129 - 140
Chapter 14. 1999: Return of the Browns, Debut of the Titans No access Pages 141 - 152
Chapter 15. 2000: Y2K + NFL No access Pages 153 - 164
Chapter 16. 2001: Men in Stripes, Men on Strike No access Pages 165 - 174
Chapter 17. 2002: And Houston Makes Thirty-Two No access Pages 175 - 184
Chapter 18. 2003: Preseason Champs, NFL Champs No access Pages 185 - 194
Chapter 19. 2004: Preseason’s Worst, NFL’s Best No access Pages 195 - 204
Chapter 20. 2005: A Summer of Farewells No access Pages 205 - 214
Chapter 21. 2006: NBC Returns, ABC Leaves No access Pages 215 - 224
Chapter 22. 2007: The “Goodell Era” Begins No access Pages 225 - 236
Chapter 23. 2008: Toward a Shorter Preseason No access Pages 237 - 246
Chapter 24. 2009: Bigger, Better, and More Expensive No access Pages 247 - 256
Chapter 25. 2010: Goodell Offers Two in Exchange for Eighteen No access Pages 257 - 266
Chapter 26. 2011: Averting a Players’ Strike No access Pages 267 - 278
Chapter 27. 2012: The Summer of Replacement Officials No access Pages 279 - 288
Chapter 28. 2013: Many Happy Returns No access Pages 289 - 300
Epilogue. 2014 No access Pages 301 - 304
Bibliography No access Pages 305 - 314
Index No access Pages 315 - 326
About the Author No access Pages 327 - 328