December 28
December 28, 1958: The NFL Championship Game That Helped Transform Pro Football
Summary
The Baltimore Colts and New York Giants met for the NFL championship at Yankee Stadium before a national television audience. Baltimore quarterback Johnny Unitas led a late drive that set up Steve Myhra's tying field goal with seven seconds left in regulation. In the first sudden-death overtime in an NFL championship game, the Colts drove 80 yards before Alan Ameche scored from one yard out. Baltimore won 23-17 in a contest later celebrated as the 'Greatest Game Ever Played.'
Why It Matters
The game's suspense, star players, overtime finish, and national broadcast gave professional football a showcase suited to television. It did not single-handedly create the modern NFL, but it captured a large national audience and became an important symbol of the league's accelerating popularity. The contest helped move pro football toward the center of American sports culture in the television era.
Related Portfolio Site
OpenPlay Football: The 1958 championship connects football strategy and overtime to television's role in the growth of the modern NFL.
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Sources
- Greatest game ever played, Pro Football Hall of Fame. Accessed 2026-08-09.
- NFL's first experiment with OT, Pro Football Hall of Fame. Accessed 2026-08-09.