Preseason games are responsible for 3 of the 5 biggest crowds in NFL history.
The largest number of fans to ever attend an NFL game was during a preseason game featuring the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys.
In Mexico City on August 15th, 1994 in Mexico City, Mexico at Azteca Stadium 112,376 fans watched as the Oilers beat the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys, 6-0.
Al Del Greco converted a pair of field goals to provide all of the offense for the Houston Oilers. Del Greco kicked field goals of 38 and 26 yards in the first half.
Notably absent was Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith. Smith, the reigning Most Valuable Player, was expected to play for the first time in the pre-season. But Smith sat out because of muddy conditions.
You can watch the game on YouTube here.
It was the first NFL game ever played in Mexico as part of the former American Bowl series of preseason games in other countries.
The soccer field was converted to American football for one night of fan celebration with an NFL-record crowd.
Heavy rain before the game made it a slop-fest. The soggy field bogged down both offenses. Take a look at the field:
The cities of Houston and Dallas, both located in the state of Texas, used to have an annual clash referred to as The Governor’s Cup.
When the Oilers moved to Tennessee, the Governor’s Cup was put on hold until 2022 when the Houston Texans were born.
In fact, the second-most fans to watch an NFL game was also a preseason game.
Four years later on August, 17th of 1998 the American Bowl continued.
The Dallas Cowboys played the New England Patriots in front of 106,424 fans also in Mexico City at Azteca Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Cowboys 21-3.
Interestingly there is almost no information or preseason stats available about this game.
Incredibly, the fourth most-attended NFL game was also a preseason game. It occurred the prior year.
On August 7th, 1997, the Denver Broncos played against the Miami Dolphins. 104,629 fans packed the stadium and watched the game.
Can you guess where this game was played? Yep, you’re right – it was also played in Mexico City at Azteca Stadium. The Dolphins defeated the Broncos, 38-19.
Again, the game was marred by wet and unseasonably cold weather.
This game is actually more renown as the game where John Elway tore his biceps muscle – in his throwing arm! He played the entire season with it torn.
Dolphins HOF middle linebacker Zach Thomas was also suffered a serious injury. Thomas broke his left fibula on a kickoff return in the first quarter.
Perhaps this was the moment, the singular moment, where NFL owners decided to reel in their starters and not play them much in the preseason moving forward.
Because in the ensuing years, the complaints about the preseason games being useless began to ramp up. Until now, there are less preseason games than ever.
And sure, the preseason may be useless to some people. But in terms of attendance, three of the five biggest crowds to witness an NFL game in history took place in the preseason.
Hardly a useless experience for fans, and the globalization of the NFL.
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