Few in soccer respect soccer historical past as a lot as Invoice Belichick. The top coach turned analyst for the season is sharing that love on The CW’s Contained in the NFL, sharing his weekly insights on the league all through the season. Earlier than looking forward to 2024, Belichick selected to look again at certainly one of soccer’s legends, RB Walter Payton.
As shared by the NFL Movies Twitter account, Belichick and former Steelers security Ryan Clark (now the present’s host) watched highlights of Payton enjoying the Pittsburgh Steelers within the 1975 Faculty All-Star Sport. For context, as is defined within the video, there was once a sport between the very best school gamers and the defending Tremendous Bowl champions. On this case, the Steelers have been coming off their first of 4 titles throughout the 70s, that means Jack Lambert, Terry Bradshaw, and firm performed towards the highest school picks.
Belichick breaks down Payton, dazzling as even Lambert had bother bringing him down.
Superior and uncommon footage of Payton, a legend, earlier than he formally turned one. Earlier than he dominated the NFL, Payton did the identical at Jackson State. There, he turned a two-time All-American with over 3,500 profession dashing yards and a blistering 6.1 yards per carry. He left because the NCAA’s all-time scoring chief with 464 factors. The Chicago Bears made him the fourth total collection of the 1975 NFL Draft, the place he’d go on to have a Corridor of Fame profession.
The sport between the All-Stars and Steelers occurred on Aug. 1, 1975. Earlier iterations have been blowouts within the skilled’s favor, however with a stacked ’75 class that included three Corridor of Famers within the high six picks (Randy White, Robert Brazile, and Payton), Pittsburgh narrowly gained, 21-14. Over 54,000 followers attended to observe the Steelers placed on a fourth quarter comeback, Bradshaw benched for Joe Gilliam who threw landing passes to FB Rocky Bleier and WR Frank Lewis to place Pittsburgh on high.
It will be one of many closing All-Star video games ever to be performed. As famous in a Pittsburgh Publish-Gazette article recapping the ’75 version, house owners have been already making an attempt to cancel the occasion. Partially on account of accidents in what was a meaningless contest. On this sport, Bengals’ fifth-round decide P/WR Pat McInally (sure, he performed each) broke his leg and missed his whole rookie yr, although he’d return in 1976 to have a profitable profession. The 1976 model can be the ultimate sport, with a monsoon canceling the sport late within the third quarter, with Pittsburgh forward 24-0.
It’s an occasion that may solely dwell in reminiscences and photographs that Belichick talked by means of throughout the present. It’s an superior view of soccer’s greatest operating again of the period versus its greatest protection. If you wish to see extra highlights, you possibly can test them out right here.
