OPPONENT FUMBLE RECOVERIES 1970-2024: "If You Are Not Taking the Ball Away"

By TJ Troup 

The research project is complete! Took about 6 months to research and list every opponent fumble recovery for all 26 teams that were playing in 1970. No doubt all of you know that the total number is 18,027 times a team has lost the ball to their opponent by fumble. 

One of the challenges of this project were the errors made by Elias, The Sporting News, and the league itself, thus the many of the box scores at Pro Football Reference are not accurate. That is why film study and Game books tied together tell the tale of accuracy. When you check teams' media guides, most teams do not even list who holds the team record for recoveries in a season, and career, or have it dead plumb wrong! Shame on them! 

Had earlier researched as many opponent fumble recoveries as possible for 1945 through 1969 with the goal being who achieved the double take-away of an interception and a fumble recovery in the same game. 

The first player that really stood out to me was Baltimore Colt Bert Rechichar, who intercepted 3 Chicago Bear passes, and recovered a fumble in the opening day victory in 1953. Oh yeah, he also managed to kick a field goal in the game. Let's return, though to the era that was just completed. The hours of poring over gamebooks and watching film was a joy simply because of the education I received on players that knew more by name than by performance. Far too many to list; and even more so, the men who were back-ups on either offense or defense but were key members of special teams. Again, too many to name, yet one player really stood out was Preston Riley of the 49ers.

 How many men recovered an opponent's fumble on special teams five times over the course of 21 games? Taking the ball away was important for the 1950 New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, and taking the ball away for the 2000 Baltimore Ravens was significant. 

Oh, you are going to ask why these teams are significant? Well, grab a cup of coffee or a Dr. Pepper and will regale you with the story. Seventeen teams have recovered at least 20 opponent fumbles in a victory during a season. The list is eye-popping because so many of these teams were either champions or went to the playoffs. 

When the Browns met the Giants in the famous frozen field play-off game in 1950 it is the only time historically that two teams that recovered at least 20 opponent fumbles in victory squared off in a play-off game! Although we could spend hours on all seventeen teams, the fateful question remains: who was the last team to do this? 

The Baltimore Ravens of 2000 rank amongst the best/greatest defenses of all-time, and they recovered 23 of 26 in victory. The list of men who achieved the double take-away is a who's who of defenders historically, yet there is also another category that is sure fun to research. What is that you ask? Who recorded a sack and an opponent fumble recovery in the same game? 

Jason Taylor

While anyone can chart this from 1982 to the present, the man who no doubt stands out is going to be Jason Taylor. Finally, there is the "hat trick" achievement of an interception, fumble recovery, and sack in the same game. 

When you read the play-by-play for the closing game in '61 between the Cardinals and Steelers, a young wiry safety for St. Louis achieved the "hat trick". 

The title of this narrative comes from coach Shula of the Rams, and he ends his statement with "you are not a great defense". Believe there was another Shula would understood defense?