Kansas City’s Ed Podolak is tackled by a pair of Miami Dophins players on this 1972 Topps card.
Merry Christmas.
At least that may have been what the National Football League brass might have been hoping for on Christmas Day in 1971 as there would be games played on the holiday for the first time.
There are multiple stories discussing the complaints from fans ranging from playing on a holiday to messing up Christmas dinners. It created such an issue, the NFL wouldn’t have another contest on Christmas until a Monday night game in 1989 when the Minnesota Vikings beat the Cincinnati Bengals 29-21.
But in 1971, it would be a historic day as the Dallas Cowboys beat the Vikings 20-12 in the opening round of the playoffs in the first game of the day.
However, it was the second contest that made history as the Miami Dolphins beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in what is still the longest game in NFL history.
Miami’s Garo Yepremian ended the game with 7:40 remaining in the second overtime as he booted a 37-yard field goal.
The Chiefs led 10-0 early in the contest before the Dolphins tied the game by halftime. Both teams added touchdowns in the third and fourth periods as the regulation time ended in a 24-24 tie.
Miami quarterback Bob Griese hit Marv Fleming with a 5-yard touchdown pass to tie the game with 1:25 remaining in the fourth period. Kansas City kicker Jan Stenerud missed a field goal after that, which insured the extra sessions.
Stenerud had a kick blocked in the first overtime, while Yepremian missed am attempt as well before he hit the game-winner.
The Dolphins would eventually fall 24-3 to the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.
The Pass?
Even though Yepremian won the longest game with a field goal, he’s best known for a failure during the next season.
During Super Bowl VII in 1973, the Dolphins led 14-0 over the Washington Redskins when Yepremian attempted to throw a pass after he had a field goal attempt blocked in the final moments of the contest.
Yepremian never actually passed the ball and it was snatched up by Washington’s Mike Bass. Bass returned the fumble 49 yards for Washington’s only score in the 14-7 loss.
Yepremian played 14 seasons in the NFL from 1966 to 1981 for the Detroit Lions, Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played in two Pro Bowls and was the game’s Most Valuable Player in 1973. He was also a member of the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team.
More History
Kansas City’s Ed Podolak also made history in the game for all-purpose yardage gaining 350.
The versatile running back had 85 yards rushing on 17 carries for a touchdown, while catching eight passes for 110 yards and another score.
On special teams, he added 154 yards on three kickoff returns with the longest being 78 yards. The last yard is from a pair of punt returns.
Podolak played for the Chiefs from 1969 to 1977. He was a member of the Super Bowl IV champions and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1989.
Christmas Games
There have been a total of 17 games on Christmas since it began with the first two post-season contests. With the length of the regular season expanding the other 15 contests have before the playoffs started.
Dallas has been in five games, which is the most by any team. The last game on Christmas was in 2011 when the Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears 35-21 in Lambeau Field.