On this day in Professional Football History

1963 New York Jets - Finished in 4th place in the 1963 AFL Eastern Division with a record of 5-8-1

1998-8-29 TV Guide - Miami Dolphins Quarterback Dan Marino

1988-8-29 Sports Illustrated - Cleveland Browns Quarterback Bernie Kosar

Born on this Day (8/29) in 1962: Carl Banks

Selected in the 1st round of the 1984 NFL Draft by the New York Giants

Played Professionally for the following teams:
(1984-1992) New York Giants
(1993) Washington Redskins
(1994-1995) Cleveland Browns

1983-8-29 Sports Illustrated - Dallas Cowboys Running Back Tony Dorsett

11 days before the start of the 2026 NFL season

#11 Danny White - White played colligately at Arizona State University. Midway through the 1971 season, White took over as the starter and never looked back.

During his Sophomore year, White threw for 1,393 yards, 15 touchdowns & 9 interceptions. The 15 passing touchdowns led the Western Athletic Conference. The Sun Devils were matched up against Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl which ASU won 45-38.

During his Junior season in 1972, White led ASU to a 10-2 record. He led the WAC in passing yards (1,930) and passing touchdowns (21). ASU would return to the Fiesta Bowl this time facing the Missouri Tigers. White would lead the Sun Devils to a 49-35 victory.

White’s Senior season was his best collegiate season. He led the nation in passing touchdowns (23) & in passing efficiency (157.4) and led the WAC in passing yards (2,609) as he led the Sun Devils to a 11-1 record. For the 3rd season in a row, ASU headed back to the Fiesta Bowl. Their opponent would be the Pittsburgh Panthers. They defeated the Panthers 28-7.

White was named 1st-team All-American and the WAC Offensive Player of the year. He was invited to three different all-star games, the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl and the Senior Bowl.

The Dallas Cowboys selected White in the 3rd round of the 1974 NFL Draft. The Chicago Fire picked White in the 2nd round of the 1974 WFL Draft. White did not want to go to Dallas because Roger Staubach was starting and the Cowboys had selected Clint Longley in the 1st Round of the NFL Supplement Draft.

John Bassett, owner of the WFL’s Toronto Northmen wanted White to play quarterback for his team unlike Cowboys head coach Tom Landry who wanted him just as a punter. The Northmen would acquire White from the Fire in exchange for future considerations.

White spoke with Bassett and then he would consider the offers from the teams. He called Bassett and said, “Mr. Bassett, if you’ll pay me this, I will sign with the World Football League, and he said ‘You got it. Get on a plane, we’re going to have a press conference tomorrow and announce it.”

Not wanting to go through a prolonged fight with the Canadian Parliament, Bassett reluctantly moved the Toronto franchise to Memphis, Tennessee and rebranded them the Memphis Southmen. Despite being the back-up quarterback behind John Huarte, White saw quality playing time as he finished the 1974 WFL season passing for 1,190 yards and 12 touchdowns for the 17-3 Southmen.

White saw more playing time during the 1975 WFL season. He passed for 1,445 yards and 10 touchdowns for the 7-4 Southmen. He also was leading the league in punting.

But then the WFL folded. However, White was not unemployed for long. The Cowboys reached out to White shortly after the WFL folded. “The Cowboys immediately called after the league folded and basically doubled their offer,” White said. “I had the experience, and Craig Morton had just been traded, so everything just kind of fit. It was almost like it was kind of meant to be.”

From 1976-1979, White would be the backup to Roger Staubach and punted for the Cowboys. He played in two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XII over the Denver Broncos, 27-10 then falling to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-31 in Super Bowl XIII.

After the 1979 NFL season, Staubach retired. Now, White was finally a starting quarterback in the NFL. He would lead the Cowboys to a 12-4 record during the 1980 NFL season, finishing 2nd in the NFC East.

The Cowboys defeated the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card game, 37-13. Then followed that up by beating the Atlanta Falcons, 30-27 in a wild NFC Divisional Playoff game. But they fell short of the Super Bowl, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-7 in the NFC Championship Game.

White and the Cowboys were dominant again in 1981. He passed for over 3,000 yards for the 2nd consecutive season while leading the Cowboys to another 12-4 season, winning the NFC East title.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers would get crushed by the Cowboys, 38-0 in the NFC Divisional playoffs. Then the Cowboys travelled to San Francisco to face the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. But heartbreak was in store for White and the Cowboys as they lost the game 28-27.

White would lead the Cowboys to a 6-3 record during the NFL strike shortened season of 1982. He would pass for over 2,000 yards while earning his only pro bowl appearance and was named second-team all-pro.

The Cowboys met the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round and like last season, the Cowboys won, 30-17. The Green Bay Packers would be the next challenger in the Divisional round with the Cowboys winning again, 37-26.

For the third season in a row, White had a chance to go back to the Super Bowl. The Washington Redskins would be the obstacle. The Cowboys fell short again 31-17.

White had his best season passing during the 1983 NFL season. He threw for 3,980 yards and 29 touchdowns. During the 1st game of the season, the Cowboys faced the Redskins on Monday Night Football and fell behind 23-3 at halftime. White would lead an incredible 2nd half comeback, defeating the Redskins 31-30.

The Cowboys would finish the season with a 12-4 mark, good for 2nd place in the NFC East. They would face the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card Game. White would throw for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns but he was picked off 3 times and sacked 3 times as the Rams defeated the Cowboys 24-17.

In 1984, Coach Landry decided that he was going to start Gary Hogeboom over White. But despite a 4-2 start, Hogeboom was mostly ineffective and White was again the starter. Dallas would finish with a 9-7 record and miss the playoffs for the first time since 1974.

White remained the starting quarterback during the 1985 NFL season and led the Cowboys to a 10-6 record and winning the three-way tiebreaker to win the NFC East. In their NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Rams, White was sacked 5 times, threw 3 interceptions and lost a fumble as the Rams blanked the Cowboys 20-0.

The Cowboys offense started off red-hot in 1986 as they got off to a 6-2 start. White was the top rated in the NFC and the Cowboys had the top-rated offense in the NFL. But in week nine against the New York Giants, White was injured by a blind-side sack from linebacker Carl Banks. White suffered torn ligaments and a broken right wrist which ended his season.

White would return for the 1987 NFL season but he would get replaced by Steve Pelluer. He would only see action in two games during the 1988 NFL season. White would announce his retirement on July 12th, 1989.

Career Accomplishments:
WAC Offensive Player of the Year: 1973
1st team All-American: 1973
Super Bowl Championship: XII
2nd team All-Pro: 1982
NFL Pro Bowl: 1982
All-WFL
WFL All-time team
ASU Sports Hall of Fame: 1975
Arizona Sports Hall of Fame: 1990
College Football Hall of Fame: 1997
Arena Football League Hall of Fame: 2002
Davey O’Brien Legends Award: 2024

1963 New York Giants - Finished in 1st place in the 1963 NFL Eastern Conference with a record of 11-3. Lost to the Chicago Bears in the 1963 NFL Championship, 14-10