tamu33 wrote:Still no answer for the first year the penalty flag was used in the NFL?
Sonny, Lax Ref ... I was thinking one of you two might know this right off the bat.
1948 is the correct answer even though no one guessed.
Here is some other famous firsts from the NFL.
First NFL Night Game - November 6, 1929
The Chicago Cardinals defeated the Providence Steam Roller, 16-0.
First NFL Rules - February 25, 1933
In 1933, NFL officials adopted rules specifically for the NFL and discontinued the use of collegiate rules.
First NFL Championship Game - December 17, 1933
The Chicago Bears defeated the New York Giants, 23-21.
First NFL Draft Pick - February 8, 1936
A halfback by the name of Jay Berwanger holds the distinction of being the very first NFL draft pick and the first Heismann Trophy winner.
First Pro Bowl - January 15, 1939
The New York Giants defeated the Pro All-Stars, 13-10.
First NFL Divisional Playoff Game - December 14, 1941
The Chicago Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers, 33-14, in an NFL Western Division playoff game.
First African-American NFL Player - March 21, 1946
The Los Angeles Rams signed halfback Kenny Washington to an NFL contract.
First African-American NFL Player From an All-Black College - 1947
Paul "Tank" Younger also signed with the L.A. Rams a year after Washington.
First Use of a Penalty Flag in the NFL - September 17, 1948
The penalty flag was first used in the NFL in a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Boston Yanks.
First Overtime NFL Game - August 28, 1955
The Los Angeles Rams defeated the New York Giants, 23-17, three minutes into overtime of a preseason contest.
First Overtime NFL Championship Game - December 28, 1958
The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants, 23-17.
First Super Bowl - January 15, 1967
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10.
First African-American Head Coach of the Modern NFL Era - 1989
Art Shell was hired as head coach of the Oakland Raiders after serving as a player and assisstant coach for the Raiders for 20 years.
First NFL Playoff Game Featuring Two Black Head Coaches - January 4, 2003
Herman Edwards' New York Jets defeated Tony Dungy's Indianapolis Colts 41-0 in the wild-card round.
Pretty sad it was 2003 before this happened considering how many minorites are in the NFL