This Day in Football History
2002 - Emmitt Smith sets NFL record for rushing yards
Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith surpasses Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher in a 17-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Smith, who entered the game 93 yards shy of Payton's 16,726 career yards, breaks the record on an 11-yard run with less than 10 minutes remaining.
"I was totally aware of how much I needed," Smith recalls. "When I saw I was 13 yards away, I knew this was the drive that I was going to do it. I was sure. There was no doubt. With the crowd going crazy as it was, I said, 'This is the time.' I had to do it for them, for everyone."
1996 - Irving Fryar catches 600th career pass
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Irving Fryar becomes the 15th player in NFL history to catch 600 career passes in a 20-9 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Fryar finishes the 1996 season with a career-high 88 receptions for 1,195 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Birthdays
1927 - Kyle Rote
1929 - Bill George
1941 - Dave Costa
1941 - Len St. Jean
1956 - Matt Cavanaugh
1958 - Donnell Thompson
1969 - John Kasay
1976 - Peerless Price
1982 - Jim Leonhard
1984 - Brady Quinn
1988 - Bilal Powell