Welcome to This Week in NFL History! Every week, the NFL Research team will spotlight the anniversaries of notable events and birthdays.
July 22
Notable Birthday: Hall of Famer Tim Brown (54)
July 23
In 1976, the Steelers defeated the College All-Stars in a storm-shortened Chicago Charities College All-Star Game, the last of the series.
- According to ProFootballTalk, the game was played from 1934 until 1976, with the exception of 1974, when it was canceled by an NFL players' strike.
July 25
The Cowboys announced that their stadium name would change from Cowboys Stadium to AT&T Stadium in 2013.
- The $1.2 billion stadium was built in 2009; the details of the deal are still unknown.
Happy birthday to late Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton
- Nine-time Pro Bowl selection, 5-time first-team All-Pro
- 1977 NFL MVP (rushed for league-leading 1,852 yards & 16 total TD)
- Super Bowl XX champion
- 1977 Walter Payton Man of the Year (award was renamed in honor of Payton in 1999)
- 1985 Bert Bell Award winner
- Second-most career rush yards in NFL history (16,726)
- Played for the Bears (1975-1987)
Notable Birthday: Doug Marrone (56)
July 26
In 2012, the league announced NFL Total Wellness, a comprehensive health program that provides current and former players with physical and mental health resources.
- The mission of NFL Total Wellness is to enhance the overall well-being of the NFL community in the areas of physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and financial health.
Notable Birthday: HOF Bob Lilly (81)
