Welcome to This Week in NFL History! Every week, the Research team will spotlight the anniversaries of notable events and birthdays.
April 12
-- The Buccaneers acquired WR Keyshawn Johnson from the Jets for 2 first round picks in 2000
- Buccaneers also re-signed Johnson to an 8-year, $56M contract
- 3-time Pro Bowl selection (2002 Pro Bowl selection with Buccaneers, had career-high 1,266 rec yards in 2001 season) & won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Buccaneers to conclude 2002 season
- The Jets used the picks to draft DE John Abraham (3 Pro Bowl selections and 2001 All-Pro with NYJ) & TE Anthony Becht with picks acquired from trade
-- Notable Birthdays: WR Ted Ginn Jr. (36) & NYG T Nate Solder (33)
April 13
-- NFL owners approved the Rams' move from Los Angeles to St. Louis in 1995
- 142-193-1 W-L in 21 seasons in St. Louis from 1995-2015
- 5 playoff appearances, 2 Super Bowl appearances & Super Bowl XXXIV Championship (Only SB win in franchise history)
-- The Cowboys released WR Dez Bryant in 2018
- Selected 24th overall pick in 2010 & played 8 seasons from 2010-2017
- Led all WRs in the NFL in rec TD (73) during that span & became Cowboys all-time leader in rec TD
- Played 1st football games in 2020 w/ Ravens after 1,043 day gap between last game w/ Cowboys (Week 17, 2017) & 1st game w/ Ravens (Week 9, 2020) after tearing Achilles in 2018
-- The Dolphins signed QB Bernie Kosar in 1994
- Played final 3 seasons (1994-1996) of 12-season career (1985-1996) & started 2 games in place of HOF Dan Marino
-- Notable Birthdays: DET HC Dan Campbell (45), WR Josh Gordon (30) & DEN RB Melvin Gordon (28)
April 14
-- DE Jared Allen signed a 1-day contract with the Vikings & retired from football in 2016
- The 5-time Pro Bowl selection (4 with MIN) & 4-time First Team All-Pro (3 with MIN) played 6 (2008-2013) of his 12 (2004-2015) NFL seasons with the Vikings
- 1 of 7 players to lead the NFL in sacks in multiple seasons (all 7 did so twice)
- 4 career safeties (T-most in NFL history)
- 136.0 career sacks are 12th-most in NFL history
- Notable Birthdays: BUF OC Brian Daboll (46), PIT CB Joe Haden (32), CLE QB Baker Mayfield (26), CAR WR D.J. Moore (24) & WAS DE Chase Young (22)
April 15
-- HOF Weeb Ewbank became the New York Titans new HC & the team's name was changed to the Jets in 1963
- Ewbank: Won back-to-back NFL titles with the Colts in 1958 & 1959 & guided the Jets to their only Super Bowl win in franchise history to conclude the 1968 season
- Only coach to win championships in both NFL and AFL
-- Notable Birthday: CB Antonio Cromartie (37)
April 16
-- The Patriots selected Tom Brady 199th overall in the 6th Round of the NFL Draft in 2000
- 6-time Super Bowl Champion with Patriots (Most Super Bowl wins by any players)
- During his time with the Patriots, Brady was a 3-time AP NFL MVP, 3-time 1st-Team All-Pro & 14-time Pro Bowl selection (T-most in NFL history)
-- Notable Birthdays: HOF Dick "Night Train" Lane, NE HC Bill Belichick (69), LB Jonathan Vilma (39) & MIA WR Will Fuller (27)
April 17
-- The Colts selected HOF RB Edgerrin James 4th overall in the NFL Draft in 1999
- Colts all-time leader in rush yards (9,226) & rush TD (64)
- 4-time Pro Bowl selection, 1999 First Team All-Pro, HOF All-2000s Team Member & 1999 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (Led NFL with 1,553 rush yards)
- 1 of 3 players since 1970 to lead the NFL in rush yards in each of his first 2 seasons (HOF Earl Campbell & HOF Eric Dickerson)
- 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee
-- Notable Birthdays: QB Boomer Esiason (60)& T Tony Boselli (49)
April 18
-- HOF Jerry Jones purchased a majority interest in the Cowboys from H.R. "Bum" Bright in 1989
- Cowboys in 32 seasons under Jones since 1989: 276-236 W-L (11th-best win pct in NFL) & 3 Super Bowl titles
- Cowboys in 29 seasons under Landry from 1960-1988: 250-162-6 W-L (2nd-most wins in that span behind only the Raiders) & 2 Super Bowl titles
-- The Colts selected HOF QB Peyton Manning 1st overall in the NFL Draft in 1998
- 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee (1st Ballot)
- 14-time Pro Bowler (T-most in NFL history) & 5-time NFL MVP (Most in NFL history)
- 2-time Super Bowl champion (XLI (only SB since Colts moved to IND) & 50 with DEN)
Set single-season pass yards (5,477) & pass TD (55) with Broncos in 2013 - Member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team
-- The Raiders selected HOF DB Charles Woodson 4th overall in the NFL Draft in 1998
- 13 defensive TD (T-most in NFL history)
- 65 career interceptions (T-5th in NFL history)
- 2009 AP Defensive Player of the Year (Co-led the NFL with 9 INT & 3 INT TD return)
- 9-time Pro Bowl selection & 3-time first team All-Pro
- Super Bowl XLV champion with Packers
-- The Vikings selected HOF WR Randy Moss 21st overall in the NFL Draft in 1998
- Holds single season receiving TD record with 23 in 2007 with NE
- Led NFL in receiving TD in 5 seasons (3 with MIN) (1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009)
- 156 career rec TD ranks 2nd all-time
- 6-time Pro Bowl selection & 4-time AP 1st-team All-Pro
- 1998 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (Led NFL with 17 rec TD)
- Member of the NFL 100 All-Time Team
-- Notable Birthdays: HOF Willie Roaf (51), HOF Derrick Brooks (48), & NYJ T Mekhi Becton (22)
