Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

In reading newspaper stories about the games of the 1961 season, it seems a number of teams were running the Shotgun to some extent. I know Baltimore was, and I was just watching a Cards-Lions game film where St. Louis was down and running it on almost every play, and of course San Francisco. But by the end of the season, nobody was running it anymore, and it would be 14 years before anybody gave it a second thought again. And if you think about it, the formation makes perfect sense in obvious pass situations (2nd or 3rd and long) as it gives the QB extra time to avoid the rush and find a receiver. I'm curious how many teams were using it in 1961, how often they were using it, and why they stopped?

Just a footnote in the history of the game, I suppose, but the Buffalo Bills used it on a limited basis in 1968 when Ed Rutkowski was filling in as their emergency QB. I would guess that the formation was used mainly to give him more time as the Bills O-line at that time was awful, but it was also employed as a sort-of Wilcat formation that would give the Bills the opportunity to take advantage of Rutkowski's running skills.

JeffreyMiller wrote: I would guess that the formation was used mainly to give him more time as the Bills O-line at that time was awful,

Supposedly, Landry instituted the shotgun because he wanted to give Staubach a few more seconds before he started running--thereby heightening his injury risk.

One would think that the pass-happy AFL would have taken the Shotgun and ran with it, as it gave the QB additional time to find a receiver. Also, you would think a running QB who didn't have a cannon arm like Fran Tarkenton (who was a rookie in 1961) would have benefitted from such a formation the most, along with the older QB's because it helped them avoid the sack.

Rupert Patrick wrote:One would think that the pass-happy AFL would have taken the Shotgun and ran with it, as it gave the QB additional time to find a receiver. Also, you would think a running QB who didn't have a cannon arm like Fran Tarkenton (who was a rookie in 1961) would have benefitted from such a formation the most, along with the older QB's because it helped them avoid the sack.

Might have been because of the shotgun usually working best with more mobile QB's, and guys like Blanda and Tripucka don't exactly fit that mold.

BD Sullivan wrote:

Rupert Patrick wrote:One would think that the pass-happy AFL would have taken the Shotgun and ran with it, as it gave the QB additional time to find a receiver. Also, you would think a running QB who didn't have a cannon arm like Fran Tarkenton (who was a rookie in 1961) would have benefitted from such a formation the most, along with the older QB's because it helped them avoid the sack.

Might have been because of the shotgun usually working best with more mobile QB's, and guys like Blanda and Tripucka don't exactly fit that mold.

Yeah, it seemed like the Shotgun's incarnation/reincarnation by Red Hickey ended up enhancing the Niners' running game more than their passing game.

I've seen teams use it in NFL Films Episodes and Highlights in 1964 and 1965 so it was still in use several years after 1961.

I remember reading in the old Neft-Cohen Encyclopedia that George Halas developed a defense for the shotgun by lining up a lineman over center. The Niners scrapped the shotgun after being ripped 31-0.

Hickey did originally design the shotgun as a running formation to take advantage of quarterback Billy Kilmer's running ability.

Todd Pence wrote:I remember reading in the old Neft-Cohen Encyclopedia that George Halas developed a defense for the shotgun by lining up a lineman over center. The Niners scrapped the shotgun after being ripped 31-0.

Hickey did originally design the shotgun as a running formation to take advantage of quarterback Billy Kilmer's running ability.

I recall when the 49ers lost to the Bears 31-0 reading in the sports pages that the shotgun had been solved by the defense.

Todd Pence wrote:I remember reading in the old Neft-Cohen Encyclopedia that George Halas developed a defense for the shotgun by lining up a lineman over center. The Niners scrapped the shotgun after being ripped 31-0.

Hickey did originally design the shotgun as a running formation to take advantage of quarterback Billy Kilmer's running ability.

There was a formation like the Shotgun back in the 40's, they just didn't have a name for it. If you watch film of the 1945 NFL Championship Game, Baugh was working out of a deep (5-7 yards) snap formation when he threw the pass from his end zone that hit the goal post. The Lions were also using a similar formation in 1945, at least against the Rams in the 11/22 game. Philadelphia was also using the deep snap against the Cards in the 1947 NFL Title Game.