Unbreakable NFL Records

Top Ten NFL records that won’t be broken, ranked by the NFL Network:

Honorable mention: Lynn Dickey’s 7 fumbles in one game.

Fred Dwyer’s 2 safeties in one game.

Norm Van Brocklin passed for 554 yards in one game, a record that’s stood for 64 years. In the pass happy age you’d think this record would be in danger every week. The Dutchman’s mark has been passed many times in college football.

10. Derrick Thomas had 7 sacks in one game.

9. Otto Graham quarterbacked Cleveland to 10 championships.

8. Miami Dolphins’ perfect 17-0 season in 1972. Even in the 16 game season with expanded playoffs several teams have some close.

7. Tom Landry’s 29 years as head coach of the Cowboys. Shula coached the Dolphins for 26 years.

6. The 49ers won 18 straight road games.

5. Don Hutson led the NFL in touchdowns 8 straight seasons.

4. Tampa Bay lost 26 straight games.

3. Brett Farve’s streak of 297 consecutive starts stretched over 19 seasons. Some say his streak is greater than Cal Ripken’s consecutive games streak, which only stretched over 17 seasons. While Farve played a more demanding sport, Ripken played ten times as many games every year. And it only ranks third on the list? Theory: Farve ranks third because the NFL likes Shula and Brees better.

2. Drew Brees’ streak of 54 straight games with a touchdown pass was broken up by the Falcons. Brees threw three interceptions in the game. Johnny Unitas’ record of 47 straight games stood for 52 years. Many say Unitas’ feat was more remarkable, setting the record outdoors on grass back when passing wasn’t as big a factor in games. Brees averaged 37 pass attempts per game to only 25 attempts by Unitas. Both streaks lasted 3.4 seasons long, since Unitas played 14 game seasons and Brees plays in the era of 16 game seasons.

1. Don Shula’s 347 wins as a head coach. Dolphins fans could have been like Braves fans, who repeatedly called for the firing of Bobby Cox despite him being one of the best managers in baseball. Shula’s postseason record was only 19-17. Fans forget that unless you win the Super Bowl your playoff winning percentage will always be close to 50%. Sometimes the best a great coach can do is to get his average team into the playoffs. In Miami Shula made the playoffs 16 times in 26 years, going 2-5 in the Super Bowl. In the 1970’s the Dolphins went to three straight Super Bowls (and won two straight). Only the Buffalo Bills went to as many, losing four straight in the early 90’s.