I heard on a few occassions had the Super Bowl trophy not been named after Vince Lombardi it would have been named after Tom Landry. Uhhhhhh… no. Not when George Halas won 7 NFL Championships and then there was this man…. Weeb Ewbank. If you asked who is he don’t ever try to talk football history with authority again.
Weeb won the NFL’s two biggest landmark games in league history. The 1958 NFL Championship 23-17 win when his Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants in the 1st overtime championship game. Then returned a decade later to defeat the 13-1 Baltimore Colts 16-7 with the New York Jets in Super Bowl III.
Weeb was fired in Baltimore and replaced by Don Shula as Head Coach. Then he was able to get revenge on his former assistant in the biggest game and upset that solidified the AFL/NFL merger.
Keep in mind his Colts went back to back winning in 58 and 59 when the media scoffed his Colts were ruining the league passing the way they did. Johnny Unitas in 59 threw for a league record 32TDs in a season then another becoming the 1st 3,000 yard passer in 1960. Joe Namath became the first to go over 4,000 yards in 1967 with his Jets. Are you getting the point??These firsts and 3 NFL championships including a back to back set of titles…
In the annals of Pro Football very few figures held the importance Weeb Ewbank had and very few can top his impact. So the next time someone wants to talk greatest ever coaches, don’t forget the short pudgy guy with the funny hat on the sideline.
The league never would have been where it was without these two significant games. He doesn’t get his due….
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The Americas Game episode of the 68 Jets was a funny one. Don Maynard cracked on Weeb nearly each time they spoke with him on camera. He obviously was a great coach though
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Loved that episode.He and Gerry Philbin had me cracking up.
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