“The outcome of me becoming a Christian was the climax of my whole career, that I was saved in April of 1971,” Andrews said.
He said he attended a conference of a new organization called Pro Athletes Outreach in April of 1971, attended by Roger Staubach, among others, and “was saved.” While Andrews achieved on the football field, he learned there was a greater calling to his life. After that, he was named a defensive captain. The next year he was named Browns defensive player of the year by the Cleveland Touchdown Club. He started 10 games the rest of the season. I had pursued this and there was nowhere else for me to go, and I turned to Christ to find satisfaction in life.”Īndrews’ career took off after the interception. “Not that it wasn’t inviting, not that it didn’t fulfill my dream.
But what I realized was it was not what it was cracked up to be. When that game happened, it was like all of my dreams, all of my ambitions, and everything, was fulfilled because I became a starter and had recognition. “All the way through from Pee Wee, high school, college, I was considered too small, too slow, too everything, and at each level I was told you’re not going to be good enough.
“My whole life basically had been set towards trying to play in the NFL,” Andrews explained. The interception of Namath, Andrews said, “was huge to my career and life, it was a life-changing event for me.” He came in at outside linebacker after an injury to starter Dale Lindsey. Had they won those games, the Browns – not the Colts – would have faced Namath’s Jets in Super Bowl III, and the Browns – not the Vikings – would have faced Len Dawson’s Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV.Īndrews did not even start in the first Monday Night Football game, which was the opening game of the 1970 season. He started a few games on great Browns teams in 19 that lost in the NFL Championship Game. But not in the way you might think.įinding meaning: Andrews was a 13th-round draft choice of the Browns in 1967 out of Southeastern Louisiana. His game-clinching interception was the first in his eight-year career and his only touchdown. On Monday, the Browns and Jets renew the inaugural meeting that changed the way the NFL was televised and consumed.Īndrews was the football hero on that night. They had a ball encased and my son was just overcome with it. They had all the Monday Night people back up there from the first game and other years. “The first time he realized what had happened was in 1990. “My son wasn’t born till seven years later,” Andrews said. It’s not even written on,” Andrews, 74, said in a telephone conversation from his home on his 800-acre dairy ranch in Clinton, LA. It has no inscription signifying its history. The ball, which had special white stripes on each end to improve visibility in night games, was awarded to Andrews in the locker room by coach Blanton Collier.
The largest crowd in the history of Cleveland professional fooball – 85,703, which will never be exceeded – roared as the Browns repelled Namath, the most famous football player of his time, and the New York Jets, 31-21, winning arguably one of the five most famous games in NFL history. It was a touchdown spike before it became the most common form of touchdown celebration. He stiff-armed a Jets offensive player, rumbled over the baseball dirt infield of Cleveland Municipal Stadium, made a little jump over the goal line, and before he ran out of the end zone, Andrews threw the ball into the ground. The Browns linebacker dived to make the catch, picked himself up, turned toward the Jets’ end zone and ran. It’s the football thrown by Joe Namath in the first Monday Night Football game 50 years ago.Īndrews intercepted the pass for running back Emerson Boozer at the Jets’ 25 with about 40 seconds to go in the game. The football is still in Billy Andrews’ house. Pro football was changed by the first Monday Night Football game, and so was the life of the Browns' hero that nightĮditor's note: Tony Grossi covers the Cleveland Browns for 850 ESPN Cleveland.
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