As the old saying claims, everyone loves an underdog. While true most of the time, this statement is also compelling¾especially in the world of sports where entire franchises, fan ships, and personal pride can be at stake when a team is not performing well.
An underdog team can inspire the next generation of fans when they achieve greatness. We are going to discuss three of these underdog stories. If you want to find more ‘zero to hero’ NFL stories, check out Canadian Sports Betting! It is a wonderful resource for true sport fans – where you will be able to take advantage of their betting guides, glossary, tips and sport reviews. They service all the biggest leagues from the NFL to the UFC. You can learn more on Canadian-sports-betting.com!
Giants vs. Patriots
In 1972, the Miami Dolphins completed a perfect season¾a feat that would not be achieved by any other team until 2007, by the New England Patriots, who had seen a perfect regular season. The Patriots had won three Super Bowls in the past five years and were a solid 12-point favorite when they walked onto the field for their final game against the New York Giants, who had had a lackluster performance that season, and were the undisputed underdogs.
For the entire game, the Patriots had dominated, and it looked like they would be the “next Dolphins” by the end of the game. However, with only two minutes left in the fourth quarter, Quarterback Eli Manning stormed the 83 yards between him and the touchdown line, breaking the winning streak of the Patriots and securing a 17-14 result for the Giants. This game is the perfect case study for why it isn’t very smart to discount an underdog.
J.J. Taylor
Taylor demonstrates how foolish it is to judge a book by its cover. Standing at just under five and a half feet, many would not assume he is a football player in the NFL¾where traits such as stride length and height are traditionally desired qualities.
However, since his high school days¾when he was nicknamed “Mr. Football”¾his speed has left all his naysayers in the rearview mirror. As a New England Patriot, he uses his talents as their running back and punt returner¾showing that height is but a number.
Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner is a perfect example of someone who just needed a chance to prove himself. After failing to be drafted in the 1994 NFL Draft, he joined and played for the AFL (Arena Football League) for most of the late 1990s. Finally, he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, but his joy was short-lived because he was shipped off to play in Europe the following year.
It would not be until 1999 that he would be given the chance to prove himself, and prove himself he did¾scoring over 40 touchdowns and throwing 4,353 yards. The St. Louis Rams would go to the Super Bowl that season and win, solidifying the legacy of Warner.
He would go on to play another five seasons with the rams, be released in 2004, be picked up by the New York Giants, and later, be picked up by the Arizona Cardinals. He would lead the Cardinals to the playoffs in 2008 and 2009, demonstrating that with a strong spirit, anything is possible.
Hopefully these stories have inspired you to keep updated on the 2023 season¾as the above stories have demonstrated, greatness is available to all those who work hard and believe.