A Jets Related Tribute to Steve Sabol

Feb 5, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; Steve Sabol at the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame announcement show at the Super Bowl XLV media center at the International Conference and Exposition Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The NFL lost a great man yesterday with the passing of Steve Sabol. He lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 69.

He and his father Ed Sabol brought the NFL to life with their company, which became known as NFL films. It all started back in 1962, when then commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted a film documenting the 1962 NFL Championship game. The commissioner got together with the Sabols, and they were brought on to work with the league, and their company eventually became known as NFL films. The rest, as they say, is history.

All football fans, young or old, have been affected by Steve Sabol and his groundbreaking work, whether we know it or not. Whether you are an older fan that can remember the weekly highlight shows that NFL Films put out, you are in my generation that learned of NFL Films through Follies videos, Super Bowl Highlight shows, …etc., you are familiar with their work. If you are a younger football fan, that has watched programs such as “America’s Game” or the “NFL Network Game of the Week”, you too know about NFL Films.

NFL Films was the first to mic players, as well as coaches. All of the behind the scenes looks we get at football, as well as other sports, can be traced back to NFL Films. We have all heard the wonderfully booming voice of John Facenda accompanying highlights that made football come to life like a dramatic play.

We all owe a great deal to Steve Sabol, his Dad, and their groundbreaking work.

As this is a Jets website after all, here are a couple of clips of Steve Sabol’s work involving the Jets. First, we have a clip of the Super Bowl III highlight video:

Here’s a clip from a highlight package involving the Jets and Browns from week 1 of the 1976 season:

To raise the spirits a little, here is a longer clip, from the NFL Films production of the “Sunday Night Miracle”

From the top 100 players series, here is NFL Films profile of Joe Namath:

And finally, as NFL Films is the driving force behind “Hard Knocks”, here is our favorite speech from coach Ryan. I don’t often post content with foul language, so when I do, I warn you. Remember the language in this speech, so if you are sensitive, or don’t want your children to hear it, be forewarned:

We will miss Steve Sabol. We will never watch a highlight, a mic’d up segment, or any football production, without thinking of him. Condolences to the Sabol family, and our deepest gratitude for the contributions to the game we love.