How Many 80s Football Legends Can You Name?

By: Rebecca Curran
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American football has quickly become the passion of this country. The NFL has become the dominant sports league with the most fans, the most revenue, and the biggest personalities. Of course, the NFL wasn’t always as popular as it is today and many of the stars of the 1980s helped drive the future of the league, helping the NFL own an entire day of the week that used to be dominated by the church! It is the stars of the 1980s who made the NFL what it is today. Football in the 1980s was more physical than it is today, with some of the bravest, strongest, and most talented athletes in the world fighting it out on the gridiron.

Of course, football in the 1980s couldn’t get any better than the 1985 Bears. Known for the Superbowl Shuffle, this is one of the greatest football teams to ever grace the field. Led by names such as Mike Ditka (head coach) and Ron Rivera (LB), who has become one of the top coaches in the NFL today, the Bears dominated football in the 1985 season, going 15-1 during the regular season and capping it off with a Super Bowl win in Super Bowl XX.

Of course, any discussion of the Chicago Bears has to include the Green Bay Packers as well. They had an amazing run during the 1980s as well, largely led by Reggie White. One of the greatest defensive ends to ever play the game, he had an amazing tally of 81 sacks in a five-year span. He had some sweet swim and club moves that could simply drive offensive tackles directly into the lap of the QB. A one-man wrecking crew, he was one of the most well-respected players during the 1980s.

Of course, one of the best football teams in the 1980s has to be the San Francisco 49ers. They had a winning percentage of .701, the past in the decade. Tallying 104 wins against 47 losses, the San Francisco 49ers were led by Joe Montana, who is still seen at one of the greatest QBs of all time. He led the 49ers to four separate Super Bowl titles before he finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. He would eventually go on to pass the torch to Steve Young, who had an outstanding career in his own right. In the eyes of most, the 49ers were the best NFL team of the 1980s.

These are just a few of the biggest names and events that took place in the NFL during the 1980s. So, how many of these stars can you name? Why don’t you put your football memory to the test with our quiz!