Now, through YouTube streaming, and any and all social media, it is easy to find highlights of your favorite NFL team.
Even growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, taping the games (Think VCR days) was the way to go. But if you go back before that, the best option was to hear your team’s highlights in the form of vinyl records.
Throughout the 60s, 70s, and early part of the 80s, teams from the NFL were creating highlight records for their seasons.
Teams who typically won the Super Bowl championship or their Conference championship would create their own highlight record. These records would feature commentary by the local radio announcers throughout the season as well as highlights during the regular season and playoffs.
These are rare finds for both vinyl record collectors and diehard fans for teams.
According to Discogs.com, these records do sell well. For example, the Oakland Raiders 1976-77 Super Bowl Record, had a median sell of $14.00, the highest sale being $35.00. The Pittsburgh Steelers 1978-79 Super Bowl record has a median sell of $9.99, the highest sale being $15.00.
These type of records can be found on Ebay, Etsy or Discogs. Example of sales, is an Etsy business called, “Brooklyn’s Grooves”. The Raiders record sold for $19.00 and the Steelers Record sold for $15.99. In addition to these team records, NFL highlight records can be found as well. One record is “the History of the Super Bowl”. It is narrated by former NFL announcer Trey Gowdy and features the story of highlights of the first 14 Super Bowls.
Below is a list of Highlight Vinyl Records made by NFL teams:
Cincinnati Bengals: A Taste of Success, 1981-82 AFC Champions
Dallas Cowboys: Dallas Cowboys Superstars, 1971-72 Super Bowl Champions; Dallas Cowboys: Back in the Saddle Again, 1977-78 Super Bowl Champions
Denver Broncos: 1977 Year of the Broncos, 1977-78 AFC Champions
Green Bay Packers: Green bay Packers Glory Years, 1966-68, NFL and Super Bowl Champions 3 straight
Indianapolis Colts (formerly Baltimore): Colts Stampede, 1968-69 NFL Champions; Colts Crusade, 1970-71 Super Bowl Champions
Kansas City Chiefs: Hail to Chiefs, 1969-70 Super Bowl Champions; the Day the Chiefs Became the Super Chiefs, 1970 Super Bowl.
Las Vegas Raiders (formerly Oakland): A Crowning Glory, 1976-77 Super Bowl Champions.
Miami Dolphins: Dynamic Young Dolphins, 1971-72 AFC Champions.
New York Giants: Baltimore Colts vs New York Giants, 1958 NFL Champions.
New York Jets: Super Jets, 1968-69 Super Bowl Champions.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Whatever it Takes, 1974-75 Super Bowl Champions; Super Steelers, 75-76 Super Bowl Champions; Pittsburgh Steelers Super Team, 78-79 Super Bowl Champions.
San Francisco 49ers: Gold Rush XVI; 1981-82 Super Bowl Champions.
Washington Commanders (formerly Redskins): the Redskins Play by Play Highlights, 1972-73 NFC Champions; 82-83 World Champion Washington Redskins, 82-83 Super Bowl Champions.
Vinyl records have made a considerable comeback in recent years. It would be curious to see if the NFL returns to the trend. Many fans of this year’s upcoming Super Bowl Champion would probably purchase this type of memorabilia.
