Behind Tha Mike Podcast

There are paths that are chosen for us, and there are those who choose their own. Burt Bell‘s choice was a life of football, one that would lead him to Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the New York Giants celebrate 100 years this season, we take a look back at the origins of this proud franchise that began with a poor kid from the Lower East side of Manhattan that knew nothing about football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Pete Rozelle became commissioner of the NFL in 1960, he would take the league to a level it had never seen before. Thing is, he wasn’t even a candidate! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Facenda is one of the main reasons I love the history of pro football. But, I wanted to know more about his background, including the details on his famous meeting between he and Ed Sabol that would lead to him becoming “the voice” of NFL films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There once was a man who had an eye and mind for entertainment that would help the NFL innovate and grow through ideas that are still used to this day. Too bad his mindset and behavior got his name erased from the very existence of the team he founded. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Kansas City Chiefs are kicking off the 2024 NFL season going for a 3 Peat. Who wouldn’t? Many have tried, all have failed in the Super Bowl era, but, two franchises actually pulled it off pre-Super Bowl…kinda. Take a walk through NFL history with me to see what happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NFL preseason began with the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio which was the home of the first back to back champions in NFL history, the Canton Bulldogs. How does a team loaded with Hall of Famers go from champions to non-existence in 3 years? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Denver Broncos’ 5 division titles in 7 years + 3 Super Bowl appearances = 0 titles. John Elway's squad learned how to do math in the 1990s which culminated in a storybook ending for the Hall of Fame quarterback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NFL MVP award is the most biased award in all of sports. Only three times in its official history has a player outside of a quarterback or running back ever won it, and one winner is still unbelievable! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two brothers born and raised in Chicago. Each worked for rival NFL teams. One would hoist the Lombardi trophy while the other was responsible for the man whom the trophy is named for. Jack & Jerry Vainisi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nobody’s perfect, and that goes for some of the greatest coaches of all time. They all believe they know best, especially the ones that want complete control of their franchise. It doesn’t always end well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drafting is an inexact science, and nothing is guaranteed. Caleb Williams could change the Chicago Bears’ failures at the quarterback position, but when you look at their franchise history? It will take more than that.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was a time when champions won with multiple HBCU players on their roster, and no one had more than the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We run down a Super Bowl that was won on a play named after cartoon legends, and we reminisce about some of the greatest stories in Super Bowl history! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the history of the Super Bowl, quarterbacks that have reached the big game, win or lose, you have no idea what their careers were going to be. Sometimes we ought to just enjoy the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a long time since the Detroit Lions played in the NFC Championship Game…and even longer since they’ve won a championship. Today is a reminder of just how good they were in their early history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two of footballs greatest coaches of all time, Nick Saban retires, Bill Belichick and the Patriots part ways. Both gone within days of each other. We take a quick look back at their careers and their time together with the Cleveland Browns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Wildcard weekend is now over, and we must remember teams with a bye & home-field advantage don’t always win it all. A team from the first weekend has a chance at the trophy too… Just ask the 1980 Oakland Raiders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is nothing new under the sun! Like that team that wins so much, but always comes up short in the playoffs? Sometimes they finally break through! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before there was Brady, Manning, Montana, Unitas, or Graham, there was Samuel Adrian Baugh, a quarterback that did more than just throw a football.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2023 Cleveland Browns have won 6 of 8 games decided by four points or fewer! This has conjured up old memories of the Kardiac Kids, the 1980 Cleveland Browns, who had a similar season… And maybe, just maybe should’ve kicked the ball in the playoffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us know the Pittsburgh Steelers' history by two things. One, the dynasty of the 70s, and two the 40 years of losing. The question I wanted answered, was “What happened? Why were they so bad?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some teams move into existing venues, max them out, and then they may get something new. For some cities, whether they want an NFL team or not, building a franchise a new stadium doesn’t guarantee they will stay… But if they don’t, they will go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One minute you’re sharing a stadium with major & minor league baseball, dressing in a high school locker room. The next? You finally get a home of your own. This is part II of our discussion of historic stadiums of the NFL! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Think about your favorite team and where they play…or played. The stadium. How historic or iconic is or was it? Welcome to the first of a three part series exploring the most historic stadiums in NFL history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices