THE GAME BEFORE THE MONEY

An Oral History of Pro and College Football

The Game Before the Money preserves the life and career stories of former pro and college football players, in their own words.

Humanities Texas grant award recipient for HBCU podcast series, Their Game, Their Times, currently in development.

NFL & AFL Player Interviews

NFL & AFL History Articles

NFL & AFL Oral History Book

The Game Before the Money Nonprofit Oral History Foundation

Oral History of Pro and College Football Players

Interviews with NFL & AFL Legends

Austin “Goose” Gonsoulin Obituary

Stories from Austin “Goose” Gonsoulin

September 11, 2014

Eddie Meador — Rams Legend Shares NFL Stories

May 25, 2020

The Amazing Story of Night Train Lane

August 21, 2020

Pete Brewster played for the 1950s Cleveland Browns

Pete Brewster — 1950s NFL Legend Interview

September 17, 2020

The Drought That Changed Bob Lilly’s Life

January 7, 2021

Drew Pearson describes the Hail Mary catch he made for the Dallas Cowboys.

Drew Pearson Hail Mary Catch

July 22, 2021

Texas A&M quarterback, Johnny Manziel, tells the story of winning the game against Alabama Crimson Tide in 2012.

Johnny Manziel Remembers Texas A&M vs. Alabama Football 2012

October 21, 2021

Terry Baker tells the story of being presented the 1962 Heisman Trophy by Bobby Kennedy.

Bobby Kennedy Presents Terry Baker with the 1962 Heisman Trophy

December 9, 2021

Bill McColl tells the story of becoming a doctor while playing for the Chicago Bears.

Chicago Bears Bill McColl Studied Medicine During NFL Career

December 20, 2021

What was Jim Brown's role in the 1964 NFL Championship Game?

Jim Brown Did More Than Run for the Cleveland Browns

January 11, 2022

John Wooten of the Cleveland Browns tells stories from the 1964 NFL Championship Game.

Stories from the 1964 NFL Championship Game

January 26, 2022

Dave Wilcox, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, shares stories from his college and NFL career.

Dave Wilcox – 49ers Linebacker

February 25, 2022

Oral History of Pro and College Football Coaches

Legendary Pro and College Coaches

Tom Landry coached the Dallas Cowboys

Tom Landry – Legendary Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys

October 6, 2014

Bills head coach, Marv Levy, shares the story of drafting future Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas in the 1988 NFL draft.

Thurman Thomas NFL Draft

April 7, 2022

Karl Mecklenburg shares about the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Collier’s leadership.

Karl Mecklenburg Explains Joe Collier’s Defensive Schemes

May 7, 2022

Dick Vermeil was the NFL's first-ever special teams coach.

How Dick Vermeil Became the NFL’s First-Ever Special Teams Coach

September 8, 2021

NFL head football coach Dick Vermeil tells the story of why he started his coaching career.

What Inspired Dick Vermeil to Coach Football

September 16, 2021

The 1999 St. Louis Rams were the Greatest Show on Turf and won the Super Bowl. Dick Vermeil was the head coach. Hall of Famer Orlando Pace was a star lineman.

Orlando Pace and Dick Vermeil Remember The Greatest Show on Turf

February 8, 2022

Marv Levy shares the story of how Bob Devaney helped him get the head coaching job at the University of California.

Bob Devaney Got Marv Levy Hired

June 15, 2022

Story of Dick Vermeil becoming head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Dick Vermeil Coach of Eagles

August 5, 2022

NFL & AFL Team Histories

Red White and Columbia Blue Chasing the Dream with the 1979 Houston Oilers

Do You Remember Luv Ya Blue?

September 23, 2021

The Minnesota Vikings first-ever game in franchise history was against the Chicago Bears. It was a breakout game for a future Hall of Famer, Fran Tarkenton.

First Minnesota Vikings Game

August 5, 2022

A graphic celebrating the history of the Baltimore Colts professional football team.

Baltimore Colts History

February 1, 2025

“We Were the Oilers: The Luv Ya Blue Era!” — Celebrates 1978-79 Houston Oilers

October 22, 2016

Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers Playoff History

Cowboys 49ers Playoff History

January 21, 2023

The most consecutive road wins by an NFL team was 18 wins by the San Francisco 49ers between the 1988 and 1990 seasons.

Most NFL Wins on the Road

December 5, 2022

Junction Boy, Gene Stallings shares stories of being coached by Bear Bryant at Texas A&M.

The Texas A&M Junction Boys

February 10, 2022

Steelers-Oilers-Rivalry-1970s

A Brief History of The 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers vs Houston Oilers Rivalry

February 23, 2023

Classic Football Games

Red, White, and Columbia Blue: Chasing the Dream with the 1979 Houston Oilers

Houston Oilers History: Audiobook revisits Mike Renfro Play

January 6, 2020

The Kansas City Chiefs played at the Buffalo Bills for the 1966 AFL Championship.

BILLS VS CHIEFS AFL Championship and AFC Championship History

January 18, 2021

Drew Pearson describes the Hail Mary catch he made for the Dallas Cowboys.

Drew Pearson Hail Mary Catch

July 22, 2021

Texas A&M quarterback, Johnny Manziel, tells the story of winning the game against Alabama Crimson Tide in 2012.

Johnny Manziel Remembers Texas A&M vs. Alabama Football 2012

October 21, 2021

More Pro and College Football History

What are the best plays in Super Bowl history?

Best I Remember — Super Bowl Plays

January 31, 2015

History of Goal Posts

A Brief History of Goal Posts

September 28, 2015

A Tribute to Don Shula — Podcast Notes

May 26, 2020

How Hash Marks and Field Conditions affect NFL stats

Do Field Conditions and Hash Marks Affect NFL Stats?

June 16, 2020

Football Oral History Books, DVDs, and Podcasts

The Game Before the Money Book

Houston Oilers DVD

The Game Before the Money Podcast

Red, White, and Columbia Blue: Chasing the Dream with the 1979 Houston Oilers