Before they got so fancy. Many teams played in baseball parks, when it rained the infield was mud, and so were the players.

The angle strips in the end zone, ah, simpler times.

It’s called money IMO. Lots of money, and the desire for it, drives change. Some for the better, other times not.

Yes sadly that ' old school ' has burnt down.

Sure, it's gone, just fun thinking back.

It used to be a "mans" game.

Nah, more like this...

Didnt the Niners used to play on a baseball field?

Was it Candlestick?

Those guys were tough, lots of them had brain damage from all of the hard hits.

To paraphrase Chuck Norris---Dick Butkus didn't get brain damage; he GAVE it!

Len Dawson, halftime of Super Bowl I.

That was back when the NFL actually engaged in a good sport. Long before it became NFL drama theater. a masterful Hollywood entertainment venue that is a fusion of reality shows, soap operas, drama, suspense, and left wing political activism. AKA Circus Maximus. Gotta admit that it's a tremendous money maker and hard to argue with that sort of wealth generation. I just got sick of it, as the whole thing has become so glorified by the MSM and modern "culture" that it just completely rubs me the wrong way. The old NFL was pretty decent and I miss it.

F u c k yeah

John Unitas in the high top shoes. The single bar face mask.

Lyle was a hemROID to people.

Rip zado

Great picture!

Jim Brown, Chuck Bednarik, John Unitas, Mike Ditka, Bart Starr, Ray Nitscke, and so many more REAL ones - and on and on. A great era gone and replaced by whatever.

Earl Campbell, poetry in motion.

Drop a Bradshaw pass, and he had something to say about it.
Might involve a stool and a locker.

Seems they cared more about their results than their bank accounts back then.

My BIL played a little football back in the day.

https://nflpastplayers.com/del-shofner/

John Riggins used to tell a story about why he never spiked the ball or did a dance when he scored a touchdown. When he was a rookie his coach was Weeb Ewbank of the Jets. He scored a touchdown and spiked the ball. When he got over to the sideline, Weeb grabbed him by the facemask and said "son, next time you get in the end zone,act like you've been there before."

Bo hunts to.

Big time bowhunter. I remember one pregame against the Chiefs, he had balls sitting on top of the pylons (sp?) and was shooting them from long range with his bow.

Wholeheartedly agree.

ps - Ray Nitschke....played for the Packers....mean sob

Yes Jim, it was Candelstick Park. The Niners shared it with the Giants. Cold, windy, foggy place. It's gone now. The Niners play 45 miles south in Santa Clara now

F u cking cool.....

Gotta love that.

My first game was at the stick. Giants vs cardinals. 1986
I saw Ozzie Smith play.

My first 49er game was at Kezar Stadium. Before they moved to Candlestick. John Brodie was the quarterback back in that golden era of football.

Lots of great names and memories shared so far. In many cases can be accused of a bunch of old pharts remembering things as being better than they really were, but dammit, in this case we are absolutely right! I remember an AFL game where one goal line was under a few inches of water; you could not see any of the linemen's feet. At one point, someone dislodged a shoe from the mire and threw it to the sideline. No one bothered to replace it.

Richard - another thing to add to your list was the goal posts being on the goal line, where God intended them to be. Also, along with high tops and the beautiful single-bar face mask, there were shoulder pads and the iconic, brown, Schutt cow-catcher face mask.

I walked by and looked down at the field in the mid 80’s.
Cool place. I never watched a game there.

In those days, I liked the Middle linebackers. Jack Lambert, Ray Nitzchke and Dick Butkus. Tough players.

Back when some of the players played both ways. Kickers were the regular players.

You left out Leroy Jordan. Henry Jordan over at the Packers was very good too.

Most under appreciated player of all time, Earl Morrall.

IMO.

Candlestick was a fun place. Loved it.

Funny thing is I’m a Oakland A’s and Raider fan! 😂

Chuck Bednarik at center and linebacker. George Blanda, Lou Michaels, Lou Groza, Gino Cappalletti, Paul Hornung, Jerry Kramer kicking and playing.

Not NFL, but from my alma mater,

Davy O'Brian, All American: Starting quarterback. Later to become Philly Eagles starting quarterback. Only 5'7" tall.

He had only four interceptions in 194 attempts, and his NCAA record for most rushing and passing plays in a single season still stands today.

Yes - quite common until the "new" NFL began to emerge. Watched it happen and I'm almost positive that Chuck Bednarik (Concrete Charlie) of the Eagles was the last one to do so regularly - linebacker and offensive center.

Wonder if they could hang today?

I wonder...

Those old timers would laugh at these current diva, man-children in the NFL. They'd probably kick them in the ass if they started to disrespect our flag.

Raiders still do...until next year.

That means something different these days.

The old timers would barf to death if they saw what professional football has become.

At least he's drinking a Fresca !

Shoot..... I doubt that today’s players could hang with the old school dudes.
The old timers would bi tch slap them and drink, snort and smoke them under the table with ease.

I wonder.

Really?

I don’t think today’s players could hang partying with the old school dudes, then show up and play.

Are today’s players more fit? Sure.

I would guess yes and no. Lineman have gotten so much bigger and more athletic. I used to be a giant Redskins fan when they had "the Hogs" their offensive line named that because they were all huge for the day.....averaging out at about 275lbs each with Joe Jacoby weighing an astonishing 300. Nowdays, FCS college teams have bigger lines. So lineman maybe not so much. The steel curtain and the purple gang might get overwhelmed by today's size, strength and athleticism.

I think the great skill players of yesteryear would be equally great. Rules changes favoring the passing game would help great qb's of the past be even greater......assuming they were tall enough to see over the lines! Coaches don't run the ball like they used to then but the great runners of the past could certainly "hang"......they just may not be featured as much and may not be quite as big of a star as they were.

Drinking and domestic violence....then play?



Maybe not, although I would not assign the label of "tea totaler" to the current crop.

Thats true. I remember the big names you knew of were the the running back and the quarterback. Built the teams around the running back.


A running game seems almost quaint now a days. That is an opinion made from watching the Super Bowl every year..........

Used to watch a lot of football when I lived at home.

in the old days i had a few drinks with Viking football players all good guys and ya i raised hell with them .

Don't forget "The Fearsome Foursome" of the old L.A. Rams.

Nor the Packers" "Golden Boy," Paul Hornung."



Many years ago I saw a sports writers awards show where they were honoring Gene "Big Daddy' Lipscomb. After he accepted the award, he said to the audience, "Well, you say I am the greatest lineman who ever lived. I don't know about that ... but on my good days, I don't know anyone any better."

Unfortunately, Big Daddy had a tragic end and there were those who speculated he was murdered.

L.W.