Pigskin Dispatch

The football helmet symbolizes resilience and power and has radically transformed throughout history. Initially conceived as a rudimentary leather cap, it has become sophisticated protective equipmen…

Only one athlete has played on a team that won the World Series and the NFL championship. The legendary Hinkey Haines is a talented athlete who contributed significantly to both pro sports titles.

Joi…

Our latest installment of the ongoing Football History Rewind season-by-season segments. This edition discusses the pro football season of 1941, which will be remembered as a marker of the game's sig…

Are today's offenses more productive than those of forty years ago? Is this the past? The study examines the evolution of NFL offenses by comparing the 1983 season to the 2023 season. It focuses on o…

Former NFL Lineman Steve Wright's memoir, Aggressively Human: Discovering Humanity In The NFL, Reality Television, And Life, delves into his journey navigating the often contradictory worlds of profe…

Timothy Brown of Football Archaeology.com joins us to explain the history and scoring of the ROuge and the two-point conversions of North American football. This discussion is based on Tim's post fro…

For decades, player numbers on football helmets were as iconic as the sport itself. However, their use has steadily declined in recent years. Let's delve into the history of this practice and the few…

In a dramatic March makeover, the Pittsburgh Steelers revamped their quarterback situation. They dealt away their 2022 first-round pick, Kenny Pickett, to the Philadelphia Eagles, signaling a change …

The 1941 college football season unfolded under a dark cloud. While teams across the nation battled for gridiron glory, the world was on the precipice of war. This essay delves into a season marked b…

Benny Friedman, born March 18, 1905, wasn't your typical football player. In an era dominated by ground-and-pound offenses, Friedman emerged as a passing prodigy, forever changing the game's landscap…

Let's face it: we, as football fans, were subjected to a lot of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce during the 2023 FOotball season and postseason. This is not a new thing though as celebrity treatment inu…

Jack McBride's football career, which spanned the late 1920s and early 1930s, embodied the versatility that defined the early years of the NFL. He excelled at multiple positions, showcasing his athle…

Patrick John "Kangaroo Kicker" O'Dea was a unique figure in the early days of American football. The Aussie's football career defies easy categorization. It's a story that transcends statistics and t…

Our guest in this episode is longtime historian John Maxymuk. John is the author of over a dozen books and over thirty articles in publications such as the PFRA's Coffin Corner on football history. M…

I have heard of many strange situations during football games throughout the ages. Ill weather, lost balls, and even nonplayers and vehicles out on the field of play. However, when I read the Footbal…

Despite the lack of undisputed champions, the 1939 season was pivotal for college football. It showcased the sport's increasing depth and competitiveness, with multiple teams vying for national relev…

Imagine getting all of your equipment at the beginning of the long football season. Shoulder pads, pants and pads, and of course a helmet. You look and the head piece looks a bit funny... it has no …

Nick Webster, John Turney, and others over at the Pro Football Journal have painstakingly helped us know how players prior to the NFL officially adopting some statistics fared in comparison to today'…

John Heisman is one of the more famous early football coaches, especially since he has the college game's most prestigious end-of-the-year award in his honor. Heisman is known for many events and inn…

The tipped pass is an exciting play that we see often in the pass-happy offenses of modern times and the athletes on both sides of the ball downfield. The rules we know today concerning the play were…