This Week in NFL History: February 26-March 4

Relive and recapture iconic moments. Discover that you or a loved one share a birthday with a football legend. Recall an anniversary of an event that forever changed the landscape of the NFL and had a profound impact on your life. It’s all here in This Week in NFL History.

This Week in NFL History is a weekly article that will look back at some of the most memorable events that have occurred during this week historically in professional football. Each nugget is a tidbit of information that is connected to the NFL through history.

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This Week in NFL History

February 26

1926: Halfback Ken Carpenter (Browns, CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, Broncos: 1950-60) is born in Seaside, Oregon (d. 2011)
1949: Linebacker Phil Villapiano (Raiders, Bills: 1971-83) is born in Long Branch, New Jersey
1966: Tight end Wesley Walls (49ers, Saints, Panthers, Packers: 1989-2003) is born in Batesville, Mississippi
1971: Defensive lineman Rick Lyle (Browns, Ravens, Jets, Patriots: 1994-2003) is born in Monroe, Louisiana
1973: Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk (Colts, Rams: 1994-2005) is born in New Orleans, Louisiana
1983: Running back Jerome Harrison (Browns, Eagles, Lions: 2006-12) is born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
1987-Wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (Raiders, Colts, Steelers: 2009-present) born in Silver Spring, Maryland
1989: Dallas Cowboys fire head coach Tom Landry after 29 seasons with record of 270-178-6, two Super Bowl victories (VI, XII), five NFC Championships, and 13 division championships
2001: Tight end Dee Mackey (49ers, Colts, Jets: 1960-65) died at age 66 in Grandwater, Texas (b. 1934)
2012: Defensive end Don Joyce (Cardinals, Colts, Vikings, Broncos: 1951-62) died at age 87 in Mahtomedi, Minnesota (b. 1929)

February 27

1933: Hall of Fame split end and head coach Raymond Berry (Colts: 1955-67; HC: Patriots: 1984-89) is born in Corpus Christi, Texas
1974: Offensive guard Chris Dishman (Cardinals, Rams: 1997-2004) is born in Cozad, Nebraska
1975: Wide receiver Marcus Robinson (Bears, Ravens, Vikings, Lions: 1997-2007) is born in Fort Valley, Georgia
1975: Running back Duce Staley (Eagles, Steelers: 1997-2006) is born in Tampa, Florida
1976: Tight end Tony Gonzalez (Chiefs, Falcons: 1997-2013) is born in Torrance, California
1985: Offensive tackle Jake Long (Dolphins, Rams, Falcons, Vikings: 2008-present) is born in Lapeer, Michigan
1990: Defensive end Chandler Jones (Patriots, Cardinals: 2012-present) is born in Rochester, New York
2005: Cornerback Carl Taseff (Browns, Colts, Eagles, Bills: 1951-62) dies at age 76 in Parma, Ohio (b. 1928)
2008: Broadcaster Myron Cope, best known as the Voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers and creator of the Terrible Towel, dies at age 79 in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania (b. 1929)

February 28

1945: Defensive end Charles “Bubba” Smith (Colts, Raiders, Oilers: 1967-76) is born in Orange, Texas (d. 2011)
1954: Head coach and offensive coordinator Brian Billick (HC: Ravens: 1999-2007; OC: Vikings: 1994-98) is born in Fairborn, Ohio
1959: Chicago Cardinals trade Hall of Fame halfback Ollie Matson to Los Angeles Rams for nine players
1962: Head coach and offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt (HC: Cardinals: 2007-12, Titans: 2014-15; OC: Steelers: 2004-06, Chargers, 2013, Rams: 2016-present) is born in Augusta, Georgia
1966: Running back Elbert “Ickey” Woods (Bengals: 1988-91) is born in Fresno, California
1972: Offensive tackle Scott Gragg (Giants, 49ers, Jets: 1995-2005) is born in Silverton, Oregon
1989: Defensive end Carlos Dunlap (Bengals: 2010-present) is born in North Charleston, South Carolina
1992: Running back Orleans Darkwa (Dolphins, Giants: 2014-present) is born in Nashville, Tennessee
1992: Long snapper Tyler Ott (Patriots, Rams, Giants, Bengals, Seahawks: 2014-present) born in Tulsa, Oklahoma

March 1

1926: Commissioner Alvin “Pete” Rozelle (1960-89) is born in South Gate, California (d. 1996)
1941: Former Notre Dame football head coach Elmer Layden appointed first NFL commissioner
1946: Hall of Fame defensive end Elvin Bethea (Oilers: 1968-83) is born in Trenton, New Jersey
1950: Tight end Riley Odoms (Broncos: 1972-83) is born in Luling, Texas
1955: Linebacker Jeff Barnes (Raiders: 1977-87) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1961: Running back Mike Rozier (USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers and Jacksonville Bulls, Oilers, Falcons: 1984-91) is born in Camden, New Jersey
1965: Defensive end Les Miller (Chargers, Saints, Chargers, Panthers: 1987-98) is born in Arkansas City, Kansas
1974: Running back Stephen Davis (Redskins, Panthers, Rams: 1996-2006) is born in Spartansburg, South Carolina
1989: Linebacker Mason Foster (Buccaneers, Bears, Redskins: 2011-present) is born in Seaside, California
1994: Wide receiver/return specialist Tyreek Hill (Chiefs: 2016-present) is born in Lauderhill, Florida
2007: Defensive end Lloyd Voss (Packers, Steelers, Broncos: 1964-72) dies at age 65 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (b. 1942)
2009: Linebacker Marquis Cooper (Buccaneers, Vikings, Steelers, Seahawks, Steelers, Jaguars, Steelers, Raiders: 2004-08) presumed dead at age 26 in boating accident near Clearwater, Florida

March 2

1934: Halfback/split end Howard “Hopalong” Cassady (Lions, Browns, Eagles, Lions: 1956-63) is born in Columbus, Ohio
1962: Kicker Al Del Greco (Packers, Cardinals, Oilers/Titans: 1984-2000) is born in Providence, Rhode Island
1978: Kicker Sebastian Janikowski (Raiders: 2000-present) is born in Walbrzych, Poland
1982: Kicker Mike Nugent (Jets, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Bengals: 2006-present) is born in Centerville, Ohio
1982: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers: 2004-present) is born in Lima, Ohio
1982: Cornerback Corey Webster (Giants: 2005-14) is born in Vacherie, Louisiana
1985: Offensive tackle Will Beatty (Giants: 2009-present) is born in York, Pennsylvania
1985: Running back Reggie Bush (Saints, Dolphins, Lions, 49ers, Bills: 2006-present) is born in Spring Valley, California
1989: Running back Shane Vereen (Patriots, Giants: 2011-present) is born in Valencia, California
1990: Cornerback Malcolm Butler (Patriots: 2014-present) is born in Vicksburg, Mississippi

March 3

1950: After three months as National-American Football League, league reclaims National Football League name
1951: Cornerback Benny Barnes (Cowboys, USFL’s Oakland Invaders: 1972-82, 1984) is born in Lufkin, Texas
1962: Running back Herschel Walker (USFL’s New Jersey Generals, Cowboys, Vikings, Eagles, Giants, Cowboys: 1983-97) is born in Wrightsville, Georgia
1973: Offensive lineman Cory Raymer (Redskins, Chargers, Redskins: 1995-2005) is born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
1977: Running back Trung Canidate (Rams, Redskins: 2000-03) is born in Phoenix, Arizona
1978: Safety Yeremiah Bell (Dolphins, Jets, Cardinals: 2003-13) is born in Winchester, Kentucky
1984: Wide receiver Santonio Holmes (Steelers, Jets, Bears: 2006-14) is born in Belle Glade, Florida
1993: Wide receiver Michael Thomas (Saints: 2016-present) is born in Los Angeles, California
2012: Halfback/fullback Alex Webster and head coach (CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, Giants 1953-1964; HC Giants: 1969-74) dies at age 80 in Port St. Lucie, Florida (b. 1931)

March 4

1938: Fullback Don Perkins (Cowboys: 1961-68) is born in Waterloo, Iowa
1960: Offensive lineman Reggie McElroy (Jets, Raiders, Chiefs, Vikings, Broncos: 1982-96) is born in Beaumont, Texas
1962: Defensive lineman Greg Kragen (Broncos, Chiefs, Panthers: 1985-97) is born in Chicago, Illinois
1974: Tight end O.J. Santiago (Falcons, Cowboys, Browns, Vikings, Raiders, Broncos, Raiders, Patriots, CFL’s Montreal Alouettes: 1997-2007, 2010) is born in Whitby, Ontario, Canada
1977: Fullback Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala (Steelers, Jaguars: 1998-2007) is born in Honolulu, Hawaii
1986: Offensive lineman Ryan Wendell (Patriots, Panthers: 2008-present) is born in Diamond Bar, California
1989: Defensive end Michael Shelby (Dolphins, Falcons: 2012-present) is born in Houston, Texas
2009: Hall of Fame halfback George McAfee (Bears: 1940-41, 1945-50) dies at age 90 in Durham, North Carolina (b. 1918)
2009: Defensive end Dave Pureifory (Packers, Bengals, Lions, USFL’s Michigan Panthers and Birmingham Stallions: 1972-82, 1984-85) dies at age 59 in Ann Arbor, Michigan

– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for cover32 and covers the NFL and New York Giants, like and follow on Facebook and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @TheArmchrAnlyst.

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