Pennsylvania Football History
Pennsylvania has a long and storied history when it comes to football, with three of the most successful college programs in the history of the NCAA. Pennsylvania also is the home of two National Football League franchises and, for a time, an Arena Football League team.
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University of Pennsylvania
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The first football game played by the University of Pennsylvania was against the Princeton Tigers on Nov. 11, 1876. In the early days of University of Pennsylvania football, the school became famous for introducing the "quarterback kick," which was the precursor to the modern day forward pass. One player of note from the University of Pennsylvania is Chuck Bednarik, a three-time All-Americanlinebacker who played for the school in the late 1940s. Bednarik, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1949-62, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967. The NCAA gives out the Bednarik Award to the best collegiate defensive player in the country.
Pittsburgh Panthers
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The Pittsburgh Panthers began playing college football in the 1890s. Beginning in 1915, the University of Pittsburgh won three national championships in four years under head coach Glenn Warner. By the early 1980s, the team fell on hard times, going from 1-1 in 1981 to 3-9 in 1984. In the late 1990s, the school adopted the nickname of "Wide Receiver U" after several highly touted wide receivers were drafted. Under coach Dave Wannstedt, the team returned to prominence with a 10-3 season in 2009.
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Penn State Nittany Lions
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The inaugural season for the Penn State Nittany Lions was 1887, when they went 2-0 by defeating Bucknell twice. This was the only team in Penn State history that went undefeated and unscored upon. In contrast, the only team in school history to go winless was in 1888, with a record of 0-2-1. In 1966, Joe Paterno became the head coach and has remained in that position for 44 years, as of the 2010 season.
Frankford Yellow Jackets
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The first American professional football team in Pennsylvania, the Frankford Yellow Jackets, was based in Frankford, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. Before joining the NFL in 1924, the Yellow Jackets were members of the Frankford Athletic Association. While in the NFL, the Yellow Jackets were league champions in 1926. But because of bad financial management, the Yellow Jackets folded in 1931. What assets were left went toward the formation of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles
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Formed in 1933, the Philadelphia Eagles were mediocre until after World War II. Unable to fill their roster because of the military draft during World War II, the Eagles merged for the 1943 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers to form the "Steagles," before reverting to their Eagles nickname in 1944. The Eagles' last NFL Championship was in 1960. They are one of only a handful of pre-Super Bowl era NFL teams to never win a Super Bowl.
Pittsburgh Steelers
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One of the oldest franchises in the NFL, the Steelers were founded in 1933. Originally known as the Pittsburgh Pirates, they shared the name with the baseball organization in the same city. Once the franchise changed its name to the Steelers in 1940, it suffered years of mediocrity before the "Steel Curtain" defensive dynasty, with players such as "Mean" Joe Greene and Ernie Holmes, was established under coach Chuck Noll. Quarterback Terry Bradshaw and receiver Lynn Swann also starred as the team won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. The Steelers won their sixth Super Bowl championship on Feb. 1, 2009.
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