When it comes to the game of Football, one record stands above all the others; the longest pass in NFL history. Even among the most die-hard fans it can be hard to say who holds that title, so let me break it down for you.
It was back in the year 1963 when Los Angeles Rams quarterback Frank Ryan threw a 99 yard pass to receiver Willie Ellison. It was during a regular season game against the Minnesota Vikings in the Metropolitan Stadium. It was Ryan’s 11th pass of the day and he got more than just the longest pass in NFL history out of it – the Rams won the game 28-20.
This record has held up for more than 50 years and is a remarkable feat, especially considering today’s NFL landscape. With more talented athletes, faster defenders, and complex strategies, it’s even more unlikely any quarterback will be able to beat Ryan’s record.
A few others have come close, however. Warren Moon, for example, threw a 91 yard pass to Kenny Burrough in 1984 while playing for the Houston Oilers against the San Diego Chargers. And Boomer Esiason, of the Cincinnati Bengals, sent a 92-yard pass to Cris Collinsworth in 1988 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those were good throws with good results, but still not quite good enough to break Ryan’s record.
But I’ve got to hand it to Joe Montana too. During the ’88 season, Joe threw a spectacular pass from his own end zone to Mark Ingram of the New Orleans Saints for a 93 yard gain. It was pure brilliance; the kind of play that only a Quarterback like Joe Montana could make.
In the modern NFL, a few more quarterbacks have come close to breaking Ryan’s record, such as MVP candidate Russell Wilson when he threw a 78 yard pass to a streaking D.K. Metcalf in 2019. But even so, if someone does break the record, they have a long way to go before they catch up with Frank Ryan’s 99-yard bomb.
As for the man himself, Ryan was a 6-time Pro Bowler who retired from the NFL after his 1972 season with the Cleveland Browns. He has has had quite the career, and his record of the longest pass in NFL history is as impressive today as it was 50 years ago.
It’s clear that Ryan’s feat of throwing the longest pass in NFL history will always remain one of the all-time great accomplishments at the quarterback position. We can only wonder who will be the next person to even come close to beating this impressive record.