Welcome to This Week in NFL History! Every week, the Research team will spotlight the anniversaries of notable events and birthdays.
July 12
-- The Saints signed QB Drew Brees to a 5-year, $100M contract to avoid Brees playing on the franchise tag in 2012
- Led the NFL in comp pct (71.2), pass yards (5,476, then-NFL record) & pass TD (46) in 2011
- Led the NFL in pass yards in 4 of 5 seasons of the extension (every season except 2013) & earned a Pro Bowl selection in every season of extension except for 2015
-- The Browns selected WR Josh Gordon 1st overall in the 2012 NFL Supplemental Draft
- Led the NFL in receiving yards (1,646) despite playing 14 games in 2013 (2nd career season); earned a Pro Bowl & 1st-Team All-Pro selection
- Played 41 games across 5 seasons played with the Browns (2012-2014 & 2017-2018)
- Reportedly applied for reinstatement this offseason
-- Notable Birthdays: FA RB LeSean McCoy (33), DAL OC Kellen Moore (32), ARI C Rodney Hudson (32) & SEA G Gabe Jackson (30)
July 13
-- Robert Irsay purchased the Los Angeles Rams & transferred ownership of the club to Carroll Rosenbloom in exchange for the Baltimore Colts in 1972
- The team remained in Baltimore for 12 more seasons (1972-1983, 3 playoff appearances) before Irsay moved the team to Indianapolis in 1984
- Jim Irsay (Robert's son) became owner & CEO upon Robert's death in 1997
-- Notable Birthday: JAX DE Josh Allen (24)
July 14
-- The Packers re-signed QB Brett Favre to a 5-year, $19M contract in 1994
- Led the Packers to 2 Super Bowl appearances (1996-1997), won Super Bowl XXXI to conclude 1996 season
- Became the only player in NFL history to win 3 straight MVPs (1995-1997, led NFL in pass TD each season) over the course of the contract
- -- The Chiefs re-signed DT Chris Jones to a 4-year, $80M contract in 2020
- Jones' 40.5 sacks since entering the NFL in 2016 are the 2nd-most among DTs behind only Aaron Donald's 65.5
- Jones' 28 QB hits in 2020 were T-4th most in the NFL (earned Pro Bowl selection)
-- Notable Birthday: CB Darrelle Revis (36)
July 15
-- The Broncos re-signed LB Von Miller to a 6-year, $114.5M contract in 2016
- Super Bowl 50 MVP & 2015 1st-Team All-Pro in 2015
- 2016 1st-Team All-Pro & 4 Pro Bowl selections in first 4 seasons of deal
- Missed entire 2020 season with an ankle injury & is entering final season of contract in 2021
-- The Titans re-signed RB Derrick Henry to a 4-year, $50M contract extension in 2020
- Has led NFL in rush att, rush yards & rush TD (co-led in rush TD in 2019) in each of the last 2 seasons
- Henry's 2,027 rush yards in 2020 (1st year of deal) were the 5th-most in a single-season & the 8th occurrence of 2,000+ rush yards in a single-season in NFL history
-- Notable Birthdays: HOF Alex Karras, HOF John Stallworth (69) & DB Carnell Lake (54)
July 16
-- Notable Birthdays: HOF Jimmy Johnson (78), HOF Ron Yary (75), HOF Barry Sanders (53) & DET DC Aaron Glenn (49)
July 17
-- HOF Art Monk retired after playing 16 NFL seasons in 1997
- 3-time Super Bowl Champion (with WAS), 3-time Pro Bowl selection, 1984 1st-Team All-Pro (led NFL with 106 receptions) & member of 1980's All-Decade Team
- Most receptions (888) & receiving yards (12,026) in Washington Football Team history (Monk's 65 receiving TD with WAS are 2nd-most behind Charley Taylor)
July 18
-- HOF Tim Brown retired after playing 17 NFL seasons in 2005
- 9-time Pro Bowl selection & member of 1990's All-Decade Team
- Most receptions (1,070), receiving yards (14,734) & receiving TD (99) in Raiders history
- 1,094 career receptions (7th-most in NFL history), 14,934 career receiving yards (7th-most in NFL history) & 100 career receiving TD (T-9th-most in NFL history)
-- Notable Birthdays: WR Deion Branch (42) & PIT LB Devin Bush (23)
