NFL DYNASTIES PART I & II

Talk shows, message boards and much of the media have discussed often, the subject of NFL dynasties during the past few weeks. More specifically, the discussions have centered upon the New England Patriots and whether or not they are worthy of such an elite designation.

Are they a dynasty? That would be a tall order in this the era of the salary cap. Teams do not stay together long enough to create dynasties in the traditional sense. Or do they?

What does it take to be dynasty? Well to start, you need to win championships, win consistently and dominate the competition. One NFL dynasty lasted 17 seasons, while another lasted only three seasons. All the teams that have been extended the distinguished label of “dynasty” have had one thing in common — they left their mark on professional football. In this edition of Top Guns, we have identified 14 such teams since the league began in 1920. Today In Part II, we will start with number 7 and eventually work our way up to number 1.  Below number 1, you can still find our choices for dynasties 8-14.  Our criteria for ranking the teams is based upon: 1) length of dominance; 2) championships won and; 3) winning percentage.

7. Dallas Cowboys, 1966 to 1982, regular season record 177-62-1 .741 winning percentage, 16 seasons in the postseason, postseason record 20-14, two championships, Head Coach Tom Landry 1966-1982

This dynasty lasted 17 seasons, and during that time the Cowboys missed the playoffs only once in 1974. It started in 1960 when Dallas was awarded an expansion team. They hired Los Angeles Rams executive Tex Schramm to run the front office who in turn hired New York Giant defensive coordinator Tom Landry as head coach. The Cowboys went 0-11-1 their first season. Then in the early sixties, the team hired Gil Brandt and put him in charge of scouting. Together the three men forged a relationship that would blossom into the best player personnel department in the history of professional football and it helped them to remain a contender for 17 seasons.

The Cowboys’ first playoff appearance was in the 1966 NFL Championship game, losing to Vince Lombardi’s Packers 34-27. Their dynasty ended in the 1982 NFC Championship game as they lost to the Redskins 31-17.

The Cowboys always put organizational goals ahead of individual accomplishments. They carefully replenished their roster as veterans approached the twilight of their respective careers. When all pro safeties from the sixties Mel Renfro and Cornell Green had passed their prime, Charlie Waters and Cliff Harris stepped in; when Bob Hayes was no longer the world’s fastest human at wide receiver, Drew Pearson and Golden Richards emerged; when Bob Lilly’s blossom faded, Randy White picked up the slack. And then of course there was always the string of first round QB’s that lead the way: Meredith, Morton, Staubach & Danny White. The list goes on.

During the span of their dynasty, Landry was the consummate technician and strategist, always staying a step ahead of the other teams. He developed the flex defense, which allowed his fast defensive line to read and react and he brought in the shotgun offense, which allowed his intricate offense to operate from a wider variety of formations. The Cowboy dynasty came to an end when the talent pool that was once abundant, dried up after the retirements of Schramm and Brandt.

6. Chicago Bears, 1932-1943, regular season record 105-24-12, .813 winning percentage, 8 seasons in the post season, post season record 6-3, five championships, Head Coach George Halas 1932-1942, Luke Johnsos 1943

The Bears replaced the Packers in 1932 as the NFL’s dominate team. For twelve seasons they were the team to beat. They featured 11 Hall of Fame players and one Hall of Fame coach George Halas, who is considered the founding father of the NFL. Their dynasty began in 1932 when they finished 7-1-6 and defeated the Portsmouth Spartans, who later became the Detroit Lions 9-0 in the playoff game. They won five championships, the most notable being a 73-0 destruction of Sammy Baugh and the Washington Redskins in the1940 championship game. They played in the NFL championship game eight times, and finished the 1934 and 1942 regular season undefeated. In both of their undefeated seasons they lost in the championship game.

Besides having the best players, Halas was also an innovator. He invented the T formation and his offense was the first to put a man in motion. The Second World War ended their dynasty as Halas and half of his team enlisted in the armed forces. Halas returned to the Bears to coach after the war but his players were past their prime. This team earned the nickname Monsters of the Midway. To this day, NFL historians consider them one of the best to ever play. Players included Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, Sid Luckman, and Bulldog Turner.

5. Baltimore Colts 1958 to 1971, regular season record 131-54-5 .708 winning percentage, 7 seasons in the post season, post season record 8-4, three championships, Head coaches, Weeb Ewbank 1958-1962, Don Shula 1963-1969, Don McCafferty 1970, 1971

When general manager Don Kellett hired Cleveland Brown offensive line coach Weeb Ewbank in 1954, the NFL’s worst team was already building towards a dynasty. In place were veteran defensive linemen Art Donovan and Gino Marchetti. In 1955 the Colts drafted wide receiver Raymond Berry; in 1956 they drafted Lenny Moore and they signed free agent quarterback John Unitas who was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers the year before. In 1957 the final piece was in place as they drafted tackle Jim Parker. That season, the Colts finished in second place and Unitas had won the first of his three Most Valuable Player awards.

No one was laughing anymore. The table was set for a championship the next year. The Colts beat the New York Giants in overtime in the 1958 championship game and again 31-16 in the 1959 championship game.

The Colts missed the playoffs from 1960 to 1963, finishing second in their division. Had there been a wildcard playoff spot , the Colts would have been in the playoffs every year during that span. In 1963, Ewbank was replaced by Don Shula as coach and in 1964, with a record of 12-2, the Colts behind Unitas’ second MVP award played for the championship — a game they lost to the touchdown underdog Cleveland Browns 27-0.

In 1965 both Unitas and his backup Gary Cuozzo were injured late in the season. The Colts finished the year tied with the Green Bay Packers for West Division title with a record of 10-3-1. They had to play the Packers in Green Bay in a playoff with halfback Tom Matte at quarterback. Matte played the game with the plays taped to his wrist. The Colts lost in overtime 13-10, as one of the Packers field goals was clearly wide as shown by instant replay. In 1966 with a healthy Unitas, the Colts finished again one game back of the champion Packers. The Colts and Packers played in a late December game that had the Packers leading 14-10 late in the game, with the Colts driving inside the Packer 20. Unitas fumbled and the Packers were once again West division champions.

1967 had to be the most frustrating season a football team has ever had. Unitas won his third MVP award and the Colts finished the season 11-1-2 and tied for the division lead with the Los Angeles Rams. But with NFL tie breaker rule that year, the Rams were awarded the division title and went on to lose to the 9-4-1 Packers in playoffs. The 1967 Colts are the only team in NFL history to lose just one game in a season and not make the playoffs. In1968, Unitas was again injured but veteran Earl Morrall filled in for Unitas and took the Colts to a 13-1 record and the NFL title with a 34-0 victory over the Browns in Cleveland in the championship game, getting revenge for the 1964 game. This of course led the Colts to their incredible loss to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III.

In 1970 new coach Don McCafferty led the Colts back to the world championship this time as the AFC representative. They finished the season 11-2-1, and defeated the Oakland Raiders 27-17 in the AFC championship game and the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 in Super Bowl V for their third championship. In 1971 Unitas was again injured, but returned to share the quarterbacking with Earl Morrall. They led the Colts to the AFC championship game where they lost to the Miami Dolphins. Age and Chicago businessman Robert Irsay ended the Colt dynasty. In 1972, Irsay bought the Los Angeles Rams and traded them for the Colts with Baltimore owner Carroll Rosenbloom. From that point the Colt fortunes spiraled downward.

4. San Francisco 49ers 1981 to 1994, regular season record 159-58-1, .732 winning percentage, twelve seasons in the post season, 19-7 post season record, five championships, Head Coaches Bill Walsh 1981-1988, George Seifert 1989 to 1994

San Francisco hired Stanford head coach Bill Walsh to take over the 49ers in 1979. He went 2-14 his first season, yet he was determined to realize his vision. He took what he had learned about the pro passing game from his mentor Hall of Fame Coach Sid Gilman and tweaked it to effectively engage the new passing rules set in 1978. Prior to 1978 a defensive player could hit the receiver anytime before the ball was thrown. With the 1978 rule change, a defender could only touch the receiver within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

Walsh used his third round draft pick in 1979 to draft Notre Dame quarterback Joe Montana. Montana did not have a strong arm but Walsh felt his accuracy was perfect for his short passing offense, which was later named the West Coast offense. This became the hallmark of the 49ers’ dynasty.

In 1980, Walsh drafted wide receiver Dwight Clark and made key free agent pick ups in veteran wide receiver Freddie Solomon and TE Charlie Young. In 1981 the 49ers advanced to the NFC title game and upset the Cowboys on a last minute touchdown pass from Montana to Clark. They went on to win Super Bowl XVI 26-21 over the Bengals. In 1984 the 49ers were 15-1, and had developed a running game with the versatile Roger Craig. They easily defeated the Miami Dolphins 38-16 in Super Bowl XIX. In 1985 Walsh used his first draft pick that year to select wide receiver Jerry Rice who helped the Niners win their third Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXIII over the Bengals again, in coach Walsh’s last game.

In 1989 George Seifert took over as coach and the 49ers repeated as champions beating the Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV. In the 1990 NFC championship game Montana was injured and the 49ers lost to the Giants. In 1991 Steve Young took over at quarterback for Montana and led the 49’ers to the conference championship game in 1992 and 1993, losing both times to the Cowboys. In 1994, Young got the 49ers back over the hump as they won their fifth Super Bowl 49-26 over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX — a game in which Young threw six touchdown passes.

From 1981 to 1994 the 49ers made it to playoffs twelve times, playing in nine conference championship games and winning five Super Bowls.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers 1972 to 1979, regular season record 88-26, .771 winning percentage, 8 seasons in the post season, 14-4 post season record, four championships, Head coach Chuck Noll

The Pittsburgh Steelers hired Baltimore Colt secondary coach Chuck Noll in 1969 to take over the worst, team in NFL history. They began play in 1933 and they had never played in a championship game. In fact up to this point, they had the lowest winning percentage of any team in NFL history.

There were 16 coaches before Noll and after a 1-13 season in 1969 it looked like Noll to, was on his way out. But Noll took over all player personnel moves and took what he learned from the Colts organization and began not only to have productive drafts but also sign key veteran free agents. He drafted Joe Greene, Jon Kolb, and LC Greenwood in 1969. His 1970 draft included Terry Bradshaw and Mel Blount. Jack Ham and Dwight White came in the 1971 draft, and Franco Harris in the 1972 draft. He picked up Rocky Bleier as a free agent in 1970. He gave veterans like Ray Mansfield and Andy Russell who had never been on a winning team a reason not to demand a trade.

By 1972 the Steelers were in the playoffs and won their first playoff game in team history on Franco Harris’ last second touchdown. They lost 21-17 to the undefeated Dolphins in the AFC championship game that year but they were on their way towards building a dynasty. The 1974 draft produced Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, Mike Webster and John Stallworth. Noll had assembled the most talented team in the NFL. The Steelers won Super Bowl IX over the Vikings 16-6. They repeated in 1975, beating the Cowboys 21-17 in Super Bowl X. In 1976, with injuries to Bradshaw, Harris and Bleier the Steelers made the playoffs on the shoulders of their defense which only allowed 138 points and recorded five shutouts. They returned to the Super Bowl following the1978 and 1979 seasons winning both games to become the first team to win four Super Bowls. Many NFL historians will argue the 1978 Steelers team is the best that ever played. They made the playoffs eight straight seasons from 1972 to 1979, appeared in six conference championship games and won four Super Bowls.

2. Green Bay Packers 1960 to 1967, regular season record 84-24-2, .778 winning percentage, six seasons in the post season, 9-1 post season record, five championships, Head coach Vince Lombardi 1960 -1967

When you think of NFL dynasties, you think of Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers. When the Packers hired Lombardi in 1959, he was the New York Giants offensive coordinator. The Packers were 1-10-1 in 1958 and without peer, they were the worst team in the NFL. They did have an abundance of talent that Lombardi’s predecessor failed to develop. On the offensive side of the ball was quarterback Bart Starr a sixteenth round draft pick; Heisman trophy winner Paul Hornung who was listed as a quarterback at the time; little known fullback Jim Taylor who was buried on the depth chart and offensive lineman Forrest Gregg who only played on special teams. It took Lombardi only a few weeks to make Starr his quarterback, Hornung the starting halfback, Taylor the fullback and Gregg his offensive captain. He drafted sure handed Boyd Dowler in his first draft and claimed defensive end Willie Davis off waivers from the Browns.

The Packers improved to 7-5 in 1959. The team believed in Lombardi’s disciplined ways and were ready for the next step in 1960. In 1960 they edged the Colts by a game for the division title and met the veteran Philadelphia Eagles for the championship. In the only playoff game Lombardi and his Packers would ever lose the Eagles won the championship 17-13 behind veteran Norm Van Brocklin. After adding future Hall of Famers Willie Wood and Herb Adderly in the secondary they went 11-3 in 1961 and beat the Giants 37-0 for Lombardi’s first championship. In 1962 the Packers went 13-1, probably their best team and beat the Giants again in Yankee Stadium 16-7 for their second championship. They finished a game behind the Bears in 1963 and a game behind the Colts in 1964 for the division title. After that they won the next three NFL Championships, fending off the Colts to win the division in 1965 and then beating the Cleveland Browns 23-12 in the 1965 championship game. In 1966 the Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL championship on their way to winning Super Bowl I over the Chiefs 35-10.

In 1967 gone were many of the main players from Lombardi’s first four championship teams. Taylor and Hornung were no longer Packers and the defense led by Ray Nitschke was getting old. They posted just a 9-4-1 record and had to play the 11-1-2 Rams in the playoffs. The Rams had beaten them just two weeks earlier, but the old Packers trampled the young Rams 28-7. The following week they had to withstand the coldest day in NFL history and a hungry Dallas Cowboy team looking for their first championship. The Packers trailed late but Starr took Green Bay down the field and scored the winning touchdown on a one yard run with sixteen seconds left in the game to win 21-17. The game which became known as the Ice bowl is one of the most famous in NFL history.

The final game in the Packer dynasty was Super Bowl II. The Packers easily defeated the Oakland Raiders 33-14, Lombardi stepped down as coach the next week thus ending their eight year run which saw them win five championships.

Hall of Famer Deacon Jones who played against the sixties Packers said it best, “The Packers do not have great players, but they are the greatest team”. Hall of Fame members from this dynasty include: Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, Forrest Gregg, Willie Davis, Henry Jordan, Ray Nitschke, Willie Wood, Herb Adderly and Emlen Tunnell.

1. Cleveland Browns 1946-1955, regular season record 105-17-4, .860 winning percentage, 10 seasons in the post season, 9-3 post season record, 7 championships, Head Coach Paul Brown

Yes, this a controversial choice but I will start off with this fact. The Cleveland Browns played in the league championship game ten consecutive years, winning seven and having a regular season winning percentage of .860. That is dominance. No team in NFL history dominated opponents and the league more than the Browns from 1946-1955. The 1958 Colts, the 1962 Packers, the 1984 49ers, the 1972 Dolphins and the 1978 Steelers might all argue that they were the best for one season. But as far dynasties go, the Browns have it.

The Browns were members of a new league the All America Football Conference, a rival league to the NFL. The league operated 1946 to 1949. After the 1949 season the league folded and the Browns, Baltimore Colts, and San Francisco 49ers were accepted into the NFL beginning in 1950. The Browns won the championship all four years in the AAFC. They went 14-0 in 1948 and only lost a total of four games during those four years.

Head coach Paul Brown had been the football coach at the Great Lakes Naval Station during World War II and was hired to start the Browns. He built his team around former Northwestern quarterback Otto Graham, fullback Marion Motley, and a receiving corps which featured Dante Lavelli, Mac Speedie, and Dub Jones, father of Baltimore Colt Bert Jones. His offensive line had Frank Gatski, Mike McCormack, Bill Willis, Lou Groza who also placekicked, and John Sandusky, father of WBAL sports anchor Gerry Sandusky. The Browns also fielded the best pass rusher in football Len Ford.

This unit dominated the opposition and they made an easy transition into the NFL in 1950. They defeated defending NFL champion Philadelphia 35-10 in their first game on their way to the 1950 NFL championship game — a close game in which they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 30-28.

They lost in the championship game the next three years, in 1951 to the Rams and in 1952 and 1953 to the Lions. In 1954 they beat the Lions 56-10 in the championship game and had won their sixth championship in nine championship games.

Many of the players were World War II veterans and started their careers in their mid to late twenties. By 1955 the Browns were an old team. Graham had announced at the beginning of 1955 that this was his last season. Ten other key players announced that they would follow Graham into retirement. In their final season together, the Browns did the only thing they knew how to do — win the division and play in the championship game. In their final game together they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 38-14 in the championship game. They had appeared in ten straight championship games winning seven, thus making them the greatest dynasty in NFL history.

Part I

 14. Detroit Lions, 1952 to 1957, regular season record 48-23-1 .676 winning percentage, 4 seasons in the postseason, postseason record 4-1, three championships, Head coaches Buddy Parker 1952-1956, George Wilson 1957

With hard drinking Hall of Fame quarterback Bobby Layne and fellow future Hall of Famer, the versatile running back/kicker Doak Walker leading the way, the Lions appeared in the NFL championship game four times in six years, winning three. They beat fellow dynasty member the Cleveland Browns for their titles in 1952 and 1953, and lost to them in the 1954 game. Before the 1957 season, Coach Buddy Parker left the team saying they could not win anymore. Assistant George Wilson took over the team and even with Layne missing most of the year with a broken leg, they won their third championship beating the Browns 59-14. Their dynasty ended in 1958 when the young Colts in Baltimore began to mature, eventually replacing them as the best team in football.

Former San Diego Chargers assistant Joe Gibbs built his teams around his offensive line, nicknamed the Hogs anchored by Joe Jacoby and Russ Grimm. The other pieces of the puzzle fell into place when he named on again and off again starter Joe Theismann as his quarterback and talked running back John Riggins out of retirement. 1980 first round draft pick, wide receiver Art Monk became one of the best at his position. They won a Super Bowl following the strike shortened 1982 season and set a then NFL record by scoring 541 points in 1983. When Theismann had to retire due to injury in 1985, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Doug Williams took them to a Super Bowl title following 1987 and Gibbs won his third Super Bowl in 1991 with a third starting quarterback Mark Rypien. The Redskins won over 70 % of their games while battling another dynasty, the San Francisco 49ers and the always tough New York Giants during their run.

Bill Belichick took over the Patriots in 2000. With the blessings of owner Robert Kraft and working with Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli, he began to assemble a team of selfless players who believed in his team first concept.

Arguably the most significant moment in this dynasty, occurred when former first round draft pick quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured early in 2001.  He was replaced by 6th round draft pick Tom Brady. In Brady’s first start the Patriots were a touchdown underdog at home to Peyton Manning and the Colts. The Patriots stunned the odds makers and won that day 44-13. They did not lose again that year, upsetting both the Raiders and Steelers in the playoffs on their way to defeating the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, 20-17.

The Patriots missed the playoffs in 2002, but after an early season loss to the Redskins, the team went undefeated the rest of the way to win their second championship in 2003, beating the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXIII. They broke the Chicago Bears record of seventeen consecutive wins in 2004 and won their third championship in four years by beating Philadelphia 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIV. The most amazing aspect of this dynasty is that the Patriots have been able to win these championships and compile long winning streaks during a time in the NFL when parity and not dynasties are the norm. The ability of the front office and coach Belichick to produce at a higher level than the rest of the league for four seasons and operate within the league’s salary cap, is a testimony to the entire organization’s commitment to winning and placing organizational goals ahead of individual goals. Players such as Tom Brady, linebackers Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Willie McGinest, wide receiver Deion Branch, and defensive lineman Richard Seymour all could obtain higher salaries in the free agent market but instead, they chose to rework their contracts to remain Patriots. Even running back Corey Dillon, who has never been accused of being a team player, took a salary reduction to become a member of the Patriots. As the NFL moves forward, the components that go into making a dynasty have changed, and the New England Patriots are the standard by which all others will be compared in the modern era.

When Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys in 1989, he fired legendary coach Tom Landry and hired his college friend Jimmy Johnson. Jones and Johnson proceeded to go 1-15 in their first season.

After executing some of the best drafts in NFL history, the Cowboys won the Super Bowl after the 1992 and 1993 seasons, easily beating the Buffalo Bills in both contests. They were led on offense by quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith who seemed to find the end zone every game, and the biggest and best offensive line in football. Their defense did not have many big name players but they finished first or second in fewest yards allowed each year of their dynasty.

In 1994 Johnson left the team and was replaced by Barry Switzer. The Cowboys lost in the conference championship that year to the 49ers but returned to and won the Super Bowl again following season in 1995. Age began to catch up with the team in 1996 although they made the playoffs that year and in 1998. They were beaten in the first round both times. But between 1992 and 1995 the Cowboys were easily the best team in football while having to battle the likes of Steve Young and the 49ers and a young Brett Favre and the Packers to stay on top.

While this dynasty only lasted three years, the Packers were light years better than any other team in the league. In 1922 player coach Curly Lambeau sold his car for $50.00 to help buy the team from the league. They only lost 5 games between 1929 and 1931 and won the championship in all three seasons. In 1929 they were 12-0-1 and only allowed thirteen points the entire season. Lambeau coached and played quarterback but shared the position with future Hall of Famer, Arnie Herber. Herber was the first pure pocket passer and first to change plays at the line. Fellow Hall of Famers Cal Hubbard, Mike Michalske and halfback Johnny Blood all played both offense and defense on the first dominate team in NFL history.

When Al Davis bought the Oakland Raiders in 1966 they along with the Denver Broncos were the two worst teams in the American Football League. After trading quarterback Tom Flores to Buffalo for their backup quarterback, Daryl Lamonica, the fortunes of the Oakland Raiders changed forever. Lamonica and offensive minded coach John Rauch formed the most feared downfield passing game in the league. Rauch retired and was replaced by his offensive line coach John Madden in 1969. Lamonica was replaced by Ken Stabler at quarterback in 1973 but throughout the changes the Raiders won over 80 percent of their games from 1967 to 1977, missed the playoffs only once, won Super Bowl XI and reached the conference championship an amazing nine times during their eleven year run. Their slogan, “commitment to excellence”, was embraced by players like Art Shell, Fred Biletnikoff, George Blanda, Gene Upshaw, and Willie Brown — all of which are in the Hall of Fame. The Raiders during this period were the most feared and one the most respected teams in NFL history all accomplished while battling fellow dynasties, the Dolphins of the early seventies and the Steelers who won four Super Bowls.

8. Miami Dolphins 1970 to 1974, regular season record 57-12-1, .826 winning percentage, 5 seasons in the post season, 8-3 post season record, two championships, Head Coach Don Shula

When Don Shula left the Baltimore Colts to take over the Dolphins in 1970, he took over a team loaded with young talent looking for a leader. Shula would provide that leadership. He molded the Dolphins into a dominating team that just did not make mistakes. In only their fifth year of existence they made the playoffs in 1970 as a wildcard. In 1971 they beat the Colts 21-0 to win the AFC championship game only to lose to the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.

In 1972 they had what many football historians considered the greatest team of all time. They finished the regular season 14-0, and beat the Redskins in Super Bowl VII, despite playing most of the season without injured starting quarterback Bob Griese. The Dolphins repeated in 1973, with a team many felt was better than the undefeated team. They went on to beat the Vikings 24-7 in Super VIII, a game in which the Dolphins controlled so clearly dominated, that Griese only had to attempt seven passes. They were 11-3 in 1974 but were upset in the playoffs on a last second touchdown pass by the Raiders’ Ken Stabler. The next season, Griese was injured again and future Hall of Fame running back Larry Csonka and future Hall of Fame wide receiver Paul Warfield left in a contract dispute to sign with the World Football League. This ended the Dolphins dominance.