Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

The inspiration of this thread was watching a 1981 clip of Jeff Nixon running down Kellen Winslow despite Winslow having a 20-yard head start. Alas, Winslow fell into the endzone for a TD, but here are some other memorable trackdowns that I can remember...feel free to add your own.

5) Don Beebe - Leon Lett: possibly the most famous (infamous?), but Lett slowed down at the end so Beebe could catch him.

4) Joel Williams - Preston Pearson: big play in a losing playoff effort, Williams was behind QB Danny White after a completed screen pass to Preston Pearson, and ran down Pearson 45 yards upfield to cause a fumble which Atlanta recovered. The slo mo replay makes it look as if Williams is still in regular speed while everyone else around him is not.

3) Randy White - Scott Fitzkee: in a regular season game to decide the division, Fitzkee caught a slant, broke a tackle, and appeared to be on his way to a long TD...but White chased down Fitzkee from his DT position, jumping on Fitzkee's back short of the goal line. In one NFL segment, Facenda mentions that Fitzkee was a former Pennsylvania schoolboy sprint champion (whatever that means).

2) Darrell Green - Dorsett/Dickerson: Green had two of these, one against Dorsett in 1983 (IIRC) and another against Dickerson in the 1986 postseason.

1) Bob St. Clair - Em Tunnell: in an exhibition, Tunnell makes an endzone interception and appears headed for a coast-to-coast TD return...but out of nowhere Bob St. Clair enters the picture and tackles Tunnell before he can score. Tunnell is reputed as the fastest player in the NFL, while St. Clair is an OT.

Booker Edgerson of the Bills running down Lance Alworth on Thanksgiving Day, 1965. Prevented a touchdown and forced Bambi to fumble into the endzone. Fumble recoved by Buffalo. Preserved a tie final score.

https://www.facebook.com/24980941171900 ... 840894838/

Of course the great Larry Allen play as a rookie in 1994, as he goes from a standstill position to chasing down LB Darion Conner of the Saints nearly sixty plus yards downfield.

Ben Watson for NE chasing down Champ Bailey nearly coast-to-coast after an interception.

Detroit Lion LB Wayne Walker chased down Cardinals WR John Gilliam from far behind in a 1970 game. The Lions won 16-3.

I remember seeing Elvin Bethea chase down a running back about 20-30 yards from the LOS on a MNF game.

Willie Brown with Oakland chased down a Houston Oiler player from scoring I think in 1971. The Oilers ended up fumbling the ball away on offense but Coach Madden thought the Brown play epitomized his greatness ...

1996 Packers at Vikings. Robert Brooks lets a Favre pass bounce off his hands into the hands of Robert Griffith, who takes off for the end zone. Brooks hustled and redeemed himself by punching the ball out from behind at the 10 yard line. The ball went through the end zone for a touchback.

It wasnt a trackdown or major rundown but also a play against the Oilers that Joe Namath made in 1967. After the Jets score and Joe throws the two-point conversion to tie the game at 28-28, The Jets get the ball back in the final seconds but rather than running and preserving the tie, Namath tries to throw the ball away which is intercepted by WK Hicks who races toward the endzone. Namath fights off two blocks to tackle Larry Carwell with the ball inside the five yard line to keep the Oilers from winning ...

I once saw my Uncle Rudy chase down a pizza delivery guy who short-changed him on an order. Dude was halfway down the block, rolling in his Pinto, when Rudy caught up to him. Awesome.

DK Metcalf vs Budda Baker in 2020