History Sandbox / BeerBaron

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Just for Fun - Imagining ''[[Franchise/TheElderScrolls Elder Scrolls]]'' based ''Franchise/MagicTheGathering'' blocks.

Reminder: This is a JustForFun page. This exercise is highly subjective and not everyone will agree. Feel free to add alternative cards for characters which merit them.

When adding cards, please follow these templates:

[[folder:Templates]]
Creature:
[=** '''Name''' (Mana Cost) =] \\
[=***=] Legendary Creature - Type \\
[=***=] Power/Toughness \\
[=***=] Rarity \\
[=***=] Rules Line 1 \\
[=***=] Rules Line 2 (if applicable) \\
[=***=] Rules Line 3 (if applicable) \\
[=***=] [=''"Flavor Text"''=]

Instant/Enchantment/Spell/Artifact/Other:
[=** '''Name''' (Mana Cost) =] \\
[=***=] Type
[=***=] Rarity \\
[=***=] Rules Line 1 \\
[=***=] Rules Line 2 (if applicable) \\
[=***=] Rules Line 3 (if applicable) \\
[=***=] ''"Flavor Text"''

Planeswalkers:
[=** '''Name''' (Mana Cost) =] \\
[=***=] Planeswalker - Name \\
[=***=] Starting Loyalty\\
[=***=] Loyalty Ability 1 \\
[=***=] Loyalty Ability 2 \\
[=***=] Loyalty Ability 3 \\

[[/folder]]

!''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' Block

!!New Keywords, Creature Types, and Mechanics
* Keyword - '''Blighted''': Creature loses all other Keywords or Abilities, and its type becomes bk. Whenever a Blighted creature blocks or is blocked by a non-artifact creature, flip a coin. If heads, that creature becomes Blighted and gains +1/+1.
* Keyword - '''Blightproof''': Creature cannot be Blighted.
* Creature Type - Corprus: Beings inflicted with Dagoth Ur's Corprus Disease who are typically Blighted.

[[foldercontrol]]

!!Gods and Other Deities

[[folder: Gods]]
** '''Vivec, Guardian God-King''' (2{w}{bk})
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — Tribunal God
*** 5/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible, Blightproof
*** As long as your devotion to white and black is less than five, Vivec isn't a creature. (Each w/bk in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to white/black.)
*** 1(w) Target creature gains Haste and Hexproof until the end of your turn. If target creature is Blighted, it is no longer Blighted.
*** (bk) Sacrifice target creature. Tap up to two other creatures.
*** ''"For I have crushed a world with my left hand, but in my right hand is how it could have won against me. Love is under my will only."''

** '''Almalexia, Face-Snaked God-Queen''' (2{r}{w})
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — Tribunal God
*** 5/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible, Blightproof
*** As long as your devotion to red and white is less than five, Almalexia isn't a creature. (Each r/w in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to red/white.)
*** 1(r) Deal 3 damage to any target. Almalexia gets +1/+1 until the end of your turn.
*** 1(w) Destroy target enchantment, artifact, or creature. Almalexia gets +1/+1 until the end of your turn.
*** ''" She believes her tales implicitly, as does everyone else. Her capacity for deception appears limitless. She sows lies in the way a master gardener sows seeds." - Sotha Sil''

** '''Sotha Sil, Wizard-Mystic God''' (2{w}{bl})
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — Tribunal God
*** 5/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible, Blightproof
*** As long as your devotion to white and blue is less than five, Sotha Sil isn't a creature. (Each w/bl in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to white/blue.)
*** 1(w) Target creature becomes an Artifact Creature and gains Hexproof.
*** *(bl) Tap any number of Artifact Creatures on the battlefield. Mana cost is equal to the number of creatures tapped. For each one tapped, draw a card.
*** ''"I watch. I wonder. I build. I tear down."''

** '''Dagoth Ur, Blighted God''' (3{bk})
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
*** 5/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible
*** As long as your devotion to black is less than five, Dagoth Ur isn't a creature. (Each bk in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to black.)
*** (bk) Target creature becomes Blighted.
*** 3(bk) Take control of all Blighted creatures on the battlefield.
*** ''"What a fool you are. I'm a god, how can you kill a god? What a grand and intoxicating innocence."''

** '''Azura, Lady of Prophecy''' (3{w})
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
*** 5/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible, Blightproof
*** As long as your devotion to white is less than five, Azura isn't a creature. (Each w in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to white.)
*** {w} Target creature you control gains Vigilance until your next upkeep step.
*** 1{w}(Tap) All non-Blighted creatures under your control cannot be Blighted until the end of your opponent's next turn.
*** If Azura is removed from the battlefield for any reason, immediately return her to your hand.
*** ''"Azura always gets what she desires in the end, and how titanic events always follow her interventions, can be portrayed as disturbing."''

** '''Boethiah, Prince of Plots''' (2{r}{bk}
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
*** 5/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible, Blightproof
*** As long as your devotion to red and black is less than five, Boethiah isn't a creature. (Each r/bk in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to red/black.)
*** {r} Deal 2 damage to any target. If a creature is destroyed this way, its controller draws one card, then discards one card.
*** {bk} Target creature gains +2/-1.
*** If Boethiah is removed from the battlefield for any reason, immediately return him to your hand.
*** ''"Know that battle is a blessing. Know that death is an eventuality. Know that you are dust in the eyes of Boethiah."''

** '''Mephala, the Webspinner''' (2{bl}{bk}
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
*** 5/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible, Blightproof
*** As long as your devotion to blue and black is less than five, Mephala isn't a creature. (Each bl/bk in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to blue/black.)
*** 1{bl} Discard a non-land card from your hand. Search your library for a card with the same converted mana cost as that card, reveal it, put it into your hand, and then shuffle your library.
*** 2{bk} Sacrifice target creature. Deal damage equal to that creature's Power or Toughness to any other target.
*** If Mephala is removed from the battlefield for any reason, immediately return her to your hand.
*** ''"The Webspinner in day parlance; otherwise it gets hazy. Ties to the Morag Tong, ties to sordid other cults in the provinces, running gamut from drugs to dibbledark to, hell, fashion trends even."''

** '''Heart of Lorkhan''' (5)
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature - God
*** 0/10
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible, Blightproof
*** 1(Tap) Target creature type God gains +5/+5 and Protection from everything.
*** 1(Tap) Target creature gains +2/+2, becomes Indestructible and Blightproof, creature type becomes God.
*** Heart of Lorkhan does not untap during its controller's next untap step. Untap Heart of Lorkhan if its target creature is removed from the battlefield. If Heart of Lorkhan is removed from the battlefield, its target creature is also removed in the same fashion. (Ex. Exile, if exiled.)
*** ''"This Heart is the heart of the world, for one was made to satisfy the other."''
[[/folder]]

!!Individual Characters

[[folder:White]]
** '''Archcanon Tholer Saryoni''' ({w}{w})
*** Creature - Human Cleric
*** 1/2
*** Rare
*** (Tap) Target creature becomes Blightproof until the end of your opponent's next turn.
*** (Tap){w} Target Blighted creatures is no longer Blighted.
*** ''"Thank you for your humility, Lord Vivec. I shall neither strut nor preen in vanity, but shall know and give thanks for my place in the greater world."''

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Blue]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Black]]
** '''Dagoth Gares''' (2{bk}{bk})
*** Creature - Corprus
*** 2/2
*** Rare
*** Blighted
*** {1}(Tap) Target creature becomes Blighted.
*** When Dagoth Gares is sent to the graveyard, flip a coin for each non-Blighted creature under your opponent's control. If heads, that creature becomes Blighted.
*** ''"With his dying breath, Dagoth Gares smiles and curses. 'Even as my Master wills, you shall come to him, in his flesh, and of his flesh.'"''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Red]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Green]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Artifact]]
** '''Akulakhan, Brass God''' (8)
*** Artifact Creature - Golem
*** 8/8
*** Mythic Rare
*** If Heart of Lorkhan is on the battlefield under your control, Akulakhan may be played for (4) instead of its normal casting cost.
*** 1(Tap) Search your deck for Heart of Lorkhan and add it to your hand. Shuffle your deck after.
*** ''"Akulakhan will be the champion of my armies, serve as a sower of the divine substance of the Heart, and serve as the prominent banner and symbol of our cause." - Dagoth Ur''

[[/folder]]

!!Generic Creatures
[[folder:White]]
** '''Ordinator''' (1{w})
*** Creature - Human Warrior
*** 2/2
*** Uncommon
*** For each black mana creature under your opponent's control, Ordinator gains +1/0.
*** ''"We're watching you, scum..."''

** '''Buoyant Armiger''' (2{w})
*** Creature - Human Warrior
*** 3/2
*** Uncommon
*** When attacking a Blighted creature, Buoyant Armiger gains +1/0.
*** ''"Vivec's finest: fleet and fit, Besting heretic by sword, And Ordinator by wit."''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Blue]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Black]]
** '''Heart Wight'''[[note]]A more lore-accurate term for Ash Vampires[[/note]] (2{bk}{bk})
*** Creature - Corprus
*** 4/4
*** Rare
*** Blighted
*** Whenever a Blighted creature enters your graveyard, you may return Heart Wight from your graveyard to your hand.
*** ''"Bound to Dagoth Ur through the power of the Heart. It's risky to kill them, and hard to keep them dead."''

** '''Ascended Sleeper''' (2{bk}{bk})
*** Creature - Corprus
*** 3/3
*** Uncommon
*** Blighted
*** (1)(Tap) Deal 2 damage to any target. If target is not destroyed, it becomes Blighted.
*** ''"It is just dream and waking over and over, one appearance after another, nothing real."''

** '''Ash Ghoul''' (2{bk})
*** Creature - Corprus
*** 2/2
*** Uncommon
*** Blighted
*** {bk} Target creature and flip a coin. If heads, creature becomes Blighted and gains +1/+1.
*** ''"You refused the sweetness of Lord Dagoth's friendship. Now know the bitterness of his fury."''

** '''Ash Slave''' (1{bk})
*** Creature - Corprus
*** 2/2
*** Common
*** Blighted
*** ''"A deranged humanoid twisted by the magic of Dagoth Ur. Approach with caution."''

** '''Corprus Stalker''' (1{bk})
*** Creature - Corprus
*** 1/2
*** Common
*** Blighted
*** When Corprus Stalker enters the battlefield, place two time counters on it. At the start of your upkeep step, remove one counter. When both counters are removed, Corprus Stalker gains +2/+1.
*** ''"Deranged and deformed victims of the dreaded Corprus Disease, which has no known cure."''

** '''Sleeper Agent''' (1{bk})
*** Creature - Human
*** 1/1
*** Common
*** If Dagoth Ur is on the battlefield under your control, Sleeper Agent becomes Blighted and gains +1/+1.
*** A deck can have double the normal limit of cards named Sleeper Agents.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Red]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Green]]
** '''Cliff Racer''' (1{g})
*** Creature - Flying Reptile
*** 1/1
*** Common
*** Flying
*** {g} Search your deck for another creature named Cliff Racer and add it to the battlefield tapped.
*** A deck can have any number of cards named Cliff Racer.
*** ''"A pestilence creeping across the ashlands, a menace with an insatiable hunger that plagues innocent travelers simply trying to get home..."''

** '''Grizzled Guar''' (1{g})
*** Creature - Reptile
*** 2/2
*** Common
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Ashlander Hunter''' {g}
*** Creature - Elf Archer
*** 1/1
*** Common
*** Reach
*** When blocking or when blocked by a creature with Flying, Ashlander Hunter gets 0/+1.
*** ''"If you have to interact with them, be respectful, have your weapons packed away, and keep your mouth shut as much as possible."''

** '''Ashlander Gulakhan''' (2{g})
*** Creature - Elf Warrior
*** 2/2
*** Common
*** {g} Ashlander Gulakhan gains +1/+1 until the end of your turn.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Ashlander Wise Woman''' (3{g})
*** Creature - Elf Cleric Druid
*** 2/2
*** Uncommon
*** {g} Target Blighted creature is no longer Blighted.
*** 2{g}(Tap) Untap target artifact, creature, or land.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

'' '''Ashlander Ashkhan''' (2{g}{g})
*** Creature - Elf Warrior
*** 2/4
*** Rare
*** At the beginning of your upkeep, place a +1/+1 counter on a creature you control.
*** {g}(Tap) All green creatures under your control gain Blightproof until the end of your opponent's next turn.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Artifact]]
[[/folder]]


!! Other (Artifacts, Sorceries, Enchantments, Lands, etc.)

[[folder:Other]]
** '''Vivec's Cunning''' {w}{bk}
*** Instant
*** Uncommon
*** Destroy one target artifact or enchantment. Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.)
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Almalexia's Grace''' {r}{w}
*** Instant
*** Uncommon
*** Opponent must sacrifice a creature or deal 3 damage directly to your opponent's life. If opponent sacrifices a creature, target creature under your control gains +1/0 until the end of your turn.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Sotha Sil's Wisdom''' {w}{bl}
*** Instant
*** Uncommon
*** Counter target spell unless its controller pays (2). If they pay it, draw two cards, then discard one.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Potion of Cure Blight''' (1)
*** Artifact
*** Common
*** (Tap) Target Blighted creature is no longer Blighted and gains Blightproof until the end of your opponent's next turn.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Blight Vaccine''' (1)
*** Artifact - Equipment
*** Common
*** Equipped creature gains Blightproof.
*** Equip: 0
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Boots of the Apostle''' (2)
*** Artifact - Equipment
*** Uncommon
*** Target creature gains 0/+2 and Flying.
*** Equip: 1
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Black Hands Dagger''' (3)
*** Artifact - Equipment
*** Rare
*** Target creature gains +2/0 and Deathtouch.
*** Equip: 1
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Ashlander Gift of Courtesy''' (2{g}{g})
*** Sorcery
*** Uncommon
*** Draw three cards.
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

** '''Writ of Assassination''' (3)
*** Sorcery
*** Uncommon
*** Place two time counters on a target creature. At the start of that creature's controller's turn, remove one counter. When both counters are gone, destroy the creature.

** '''Bow of Shadows''' (3)
*** Artifact - Equipment
*** Rare
*** Equipped creature gains +2/0, Reach, and cannot be blocked except by Walls.
*** Equip: 1
*** ''"Flavor Text"''

[[/folder]]


! ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' Block

[[folder:The Divines]]
** '''Talos, Hero-God of Mankind''' (3{r}{w})
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
*** 7/7
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible
*** As long as your devotion to red and white is less than five, Talos isn't a creature. (Each r/w in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to red/white.)
*** (1r) All human creatures on the battlefield get +1/+1 and Protection from black/blue.
*** (1w) Talos gains Defender, +5/+5, and all human creatures on the battlefield gain Protection from black/blue.
*** ''"Let me show you the power of Talos Stormcrown, born of the North, where my breath is long winter...I do this for you, Red Legions, for I love you."''
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Other Deities]]
** '''Mannimarco, God of Worms''' (2{bl}{bk})
*** Legendary Enchantment Creature — God
*** 6/5
*** Mythic Rare
*** Indestructible
*** As long as your devotion to blue and black is less than five, Mannimarco isn't a creature. (Each bl/bk in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to blue/black.)
*** 1(bl) Gain control of a target creature your opponent controls until the end of your turn. Place a -1/-1 counter on that creature.
*** 1(bk) Sacrifice target creature. Add two 1/1 Zombie tokens to the battlefield under your control.
*** ''"His soul in bones and worms, the way of the necromance. Entrapping and enslaving souls, he cast a wicked spell."''
[[/folder]]

* FlawlessVictory: To date, the '72 Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to complete a perfect regular and postseason. The '48 Browns had a perfect 15-0 season in the AAFC that's rarely mentioned outside of Cleveland.[[note]]Unlike those from the AFL, the NFL does not formally recognize numbers and accomplishments from AAFC, though the Pro Football Hall of Fame does and the league doesn't make too big a deal out of its two surviving teams using those stats if they so choose.[[/note]] The Bears had a couple of pre-merger perfect regular seasons but lost in the championship game each time. The '07 Patriots completed the only 16-0 regular season but likewise lost in the Super Bowl that year.

* FlawlessVictory: To date, the '72 Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to complete a perfect regular and postseason. The Bears had a couple of pre-merger perfect regular seasons but lost in the championship game each time. The '07 Patriots completed the only 16-0 regular season but likewise lost in the Super Bowl that year.

* BaldOfAwesome: There have been countless NFL greats who have gone bald or voluntarily shave their heads. Two of the most prominent are former Steelers QB Terry Bradshaw, who won four Super Bowls in the '70s, and former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher whose baldness added to his intimidation factor - both Hall of Famers.
* BarbarianLonghair: Countless great players have sported long hair which flows out the bottoms of their helmets. Bonus points when one of these players is a more "barbaric" position like a linebacker or pass rusher, such as Hall of Famer Kevin Greene who sported long blonde hair in this fashion.

** Any players who commit especially violent or graphic crimes can expect this treatment. Despite their accomplishments, you'll never see, for example, Creator/OJSimpson or Ray Rice mentioned in a positive context in NFL Media.
** Michael Vick managed to ultimately subvert the trope. Being built up as an exciting young "face of the league", his career came to a screeching halt when his [[BeastlyBloodsports dogfighting]] arrest came out. He received this treatment through his prison sentence, but managed a productive return when he signed with the Eagles. He spent a few more seasons as a backup and, though his conviction is still the most notable thing about him in the popular consciousness, he managed to ''just'' salvage his NFL legacy enough to be involved with NFL Network and league charitable efforts.
** Once popular players whose playstyle has been CondemnedByHistory can suffer this treatment. Despite being multi-time Pro Bowlers, you'll almost never see hard-hitting safeties Jack Tatum and Roy Williams in highlight reels anymore.

** Washington under Hall of Famers GM Bobby Beathard and head coach Joe Gibbs put together some very "ragtag" yet successful teams. Beathard in particular is famous for assembling winning teams out of players "other teams didn't want" including CB Darrell Green (who he selected in the first round despite being undersized and playing at a D-II college), DE Dexter Manley (who was functionally illiterate), and QB Doug Williams (a black QB few other teams were willing to sign after his stint in the USFL). Gibbs became the only head coach ever to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks. Perhaps the purest example of this trope is the 1987 team of replacement players they put together a players strike that went 3-0, including a ''Monday Night Football'' win over hated rival Dallas who had the majority of their regular players back. (This team was [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory the basis]] for the ''Film/TheReplacements''.)

** Earl Morrall is known as the "patron saint of backup quarterbacks" for a reason. He bounced around six teams over the course of his [[LongRunner 21 seasons]] in the league, backing up legends including Hall of Famers Johnny Unitas and Bob Griese.

** Washington QB Joe Theismann suffered a gruesome lower leg injury during a 1985 ''Monday Night Football'' game when he was sacked by Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. While this incident helped cement Taylor's fearsome reputation, Taylor himself was clearly horrified and immediately leaped up and called for medical assistance for Theismann as soon as the play ended. Sadly, some fans mistook his frantic motions for help as Taylor celebrating the crippling hit and thought him a dirty player for a while.
** 33 years to the date after Theismann's injury, Washington QB Alex Smith suffered a very similar injury. After multiple surgeries and nearly losing both the leg and his life to infection, Smith subverted the trope by returning for one final season two years later.

* TheQuarterback: Naturally. It is the most important, most popular, and highest paid position on the field. Because of this status, they have a number of special protections in the rules no other position enjoys.

** The Raiders of the '70s and early '80s. Many of their players were castoffs from other NFL teams who were considered washed up, as well as colorful personalities with chips on their shoulders. These Raiders were a bunch of misfits who became the "bad guys" of the NFL because of their highly aggressive play (especially players like George Atkinson and Jack Tatum). They were also a ''successful'' bunch of misfits, winning Super Bowls XI, XV, and XVIII.
** Washington under Hall of Famers GM Bobby Beathard and head coach Joe Gibbs put together some very "ragtag" yet successful teams. Beathard in particular is famous for assembling winning teams out of players "other teams didn't want" including CB Darrell Green (who he selected in the first round despite being undersized and playing at a D-II college), DE Dexter Manley (who was functionally illiterate), and QB Doug Williams (a black QB few other teams were willing to sign after his stint in the USFL). Gibbs became the only head coach in league history to win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks. Perhaps the purest example is the 1987 team of replacement players they put together a players strike. This team went 3-0, including a ''Monday Night Football'' win over hated rival Dallas who had the majority of their regular players back. (This team was [[VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory the basis]] for the ''Film/TheReplacements''.)
* RealMenHateAffection: Averted. Despite being stereotyped as the ultimate sport for "macho meatheads", football players constantly show physical affection on the field after big plays or wins. Hugs, special handshakes and high fives, chest bumps, butt slaps, and even carrying coaches off the field after big games. Following serious injuries or major losses, players also often press their helmets or foreheads together. Further, it has become a tradition that prospects who attend the draft hug the commissioner upon being selected and announced on stage.

** Teams will sometimes intentionally take a safety. Typically, this is done while holding a lead of 3+ points (so that the two points from the safety don't matter) while backed up to their own goal line late in the game, though there have been instances of teams doing it when tied or behind to let the defense give them better field position. This gives the team to surrender the safety a free kick and prevents the other team from forcing a turnover or scoring a touchdown on something like a blocked punt/punt return touchdown to take the lead.

** Many teams, especially older ones, feature classic and instantly recognizable logos. Included are the Bears stylized "C", the Packers green-and-white "G", and the Colts' horseshoe.

** In 1946, two black players signed with the L.A. Rams: RB Kenny Washington and WR Creator/WillieStrode, who were teammates with Robinson at UCLA signed with the Rams, who had just moved to L.A. from Cleveland. The terms of their lease agreement in L.A.'s Memorial Coliseum (which was co-owned by the state, county, and local government) demanded that the team integrate: however, neither player saw substantial playing time.

** The overall shape of the playoffs has changed dramatically, too. For decades, due to the league's much smaller size, the Championship was the only postseason game, with only the division (and, later, conference) winners getting a chance at the league title with a few scattered tiebreaker games thrown in. In the '60s, the league experiment with a "Playoff Bowl" exhibition match for charity, though this typically is not counted as an actual playoff game since the teams were only competing for a "third place" trophy (Vince Lombardi famously called it "a shit bowl, a loser's bowl for losers"). For that reason, many older teams have decades-long playoff droughts on their record books even if they managed several good seasons in that span. The first Super Bowl was only the second postseason game for the 1966 season; the NFL added one additional round the following year, then added a "wild card" after the 1970 merger greatly expanded the total number of teams, giving the postseason its current tournament format (though rules regarding seeding and the number of wild cards haved been continually tinkered with).

** The overall shape of the playoffs has changed dramatically, too. For decades, due to the league's much smaller size, the Championship was the only postseason game, with only the division (and, later, conference) winners getting a chance at the league title with a few scattered tiebreaker games thrown in. In the '60s, the league experiment with a "Playoff Bowl" exhibition match for charity, though this typically is not counted as an actual playoff game since the teams were only competing for a "third place" trophy (Vince Lombardi famously called it "a shit bowl, a loser's bowl for losers"). For that reason, many older teams have decades-long playoff droughts on their record books even if they managed several good seasons in that span. The first Super Bowl was only the second postseason game for the 1966 season; the NFL added one additional round the following year.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:

** For the first 15 years of the NFL, there was no set schedule. Teams were free to schedule as many (or as few) games as they wished. Scheduling was usually done on the fly, which occasionally resulted in some late-season scheduling skullduggery. The league championship was decided solely on winning percentage, which did not factor in ties (which were also far more common then they are today). Many teams also came and went from the league in that time; it was only in the mid-1930s when the NFL began stabilizing its membership, and only two of the original 14 teams (the Cardinals and Bears) survived into the modern era. In 1935, the league implemented its first fixed schedule, intending to ensure that each team played the same number of regular season games[[note]]though heavy snow cancelled one game in late 1935 that was not made up; 1936 was the first season where all NFL teams played the same number of games[[/note]].

** From the 1970-71 through 1974-75 playoffs, the home team designation rotated between the division winners, with the wildcard team always being a visiting team. However, this sometimes brought inequities, most notably in the 1972-73 playoffs, when the 14-0 Miami Dolphins were a visiting team against the 11-3 Pittsburgh Steelers. At the same time, there was a restriction prohibiting teams from the same division playing each other in the playoffs. Starting in the 1975-76 playoffs, the division winners were seeded 1st through 3rd based on win-loss-tie records during the regular season, with the wildcard seeded 4th, thus the wildcard would be the visiting team playing against the #1 seed. However, the divisional restriction remained, so sometimes, there would be #4 seed vs. #2 seed and #3 seed vs. #1 seed matchups. Starting in the 1978-79 playoffs, the same season the NFL switched to a 16 game schedule, the playoffs added a second wildcard team, becoming the #5 seed, who would play against the #4 seed in Wildcard Weekend, with the winner advancing to face the #1 seed in the Divisional Playoffs (assuming the #1 seed wasn't from the same division as them, in which they'd face the #2 seed). This was amended again in the 1990-91 playoffs, when they added a third wildcard, becoming the #6 seed. The #3 seeded division winner was "demoted" to playing the #6 seed in Wildcard Weekend while the #1 and #2 seeds were given a bye into the divisional playoff, but it ensured that the #3 seed would host at least one game in the playoffs, and the divisional restriction got removed, so the lowest surviving seed (#4, #5, or #6) would face the #1 seed, and the highest surviving seed (#3, #4, or #5) faced the #2 seed. The playoffs were amended to their current format in the 2002-03 playoffs, with the league realigning to 4 divisions per conference (East, North, West, and South) each having 4 teams. Thus, the #1 through #4 seeds were awarded to the divisional winners, and the #5 and #6 seeds were awarded as wildcards to the top two non-division winning teams in their conference.

* CrutchCharacter: There are typically veteran free agents available in-season that teams will sign when they suffer a major injury at that position. Often, these players are older and in physical decline, which is why they didn't sign during the offseason. However, their experience allows them to step right into prominent, sometimes starting roles when called upon. Some veteran players will even refuse offseason offers in order to sign with a team in this fashion where they'll be more likely to contribute. While there are examples every year, the Panthers signing 43 year-old QB Vinnie Testaverde in 2007 after losing their starting QB in week three is an especially notable one. He was immediately installed as starter and played six games that year, becoming the oldest QB to start and win a game after turning 44.

* SaveOurTeam: Happens whenever there are rumors of team relocating. Some, like the Saints following Hurricane Katrina and the Bills amid rumors of moving to Toronto, have stayed put in part due to massive outpourings of fan support. Others, like the Rams and Chargers moving to L.A. from St. Louis and San Diego respectively, have not. Some have even taken drastic measures to get around this trope, like the Colts leaving Baltimore on a bunch of moving vans in the middle of the night to avoid being seized by imminent domain.

* SeriousBusiness: Fantasy football. It has reached a point where players who, for example, slide down short of the goal line to seal a victory[[note]]Scoring gives the ball back to the opponent, where they will have a ''slim'' chance of winning. Stopping short and then taking a knee ends the game.[[/note]] have received ''death threats'' from irate fantasy football players. In some extreme cases, fantasy players have lost out on six-figure grand prizes because a player has chosen not to score in this fashion.

* UnderratedAndOverleveled: There are countless examples of players who, at the college level, never displayed significant pro potential yet, upon reaching the NFL, break out and wildly exceed expectations. Often drafted very low or not at all, these players seem like the come out of nowhere to casual fans. Perhaps the greatest example of all time is a [[Creator/TomBrady certain Michigan QB]] who struggled to hang on to the starting job in college, put up middling statistics when he did start, and was ultimately drafted in the 6th round. That guy now has more Super Bowl titles than ''any single NFL franchise''.
* UnskilledButStrong: Combine "workout warriors" are this. Often, they are very raw in terms of football experience and skills, but are extremely athletic and put on a show at the Combine, raising their draft stock. They are also seen as significant risks of busting, but NFL scouts and coaches still push for these players hoping to develop their raw athletic talent. In the later years of his life, Raiders owner Al Davis became rather infamous for consistently selecting these types of players.

* WeakButSkilled: There have been countless examples of players who aren't the biggest, aren't the fastest, but find NFL success thanks to possessing strong mental skills and "football IQ". Some prominent historical examples:

** Drew Brees was undersized for a pro QB, listed at 6'0" 210 lbs, and didn't possess notable athleticism. Nonetheless, he was most of the most dominant passers of his era, winning a Super Bowl and becoming the only QB in league history to pass for 5000+ more than once (ultimately doing so ''five times'') thanks to his incredible accuracy and ability to read defenses.

** Steve Largent was an undersized receiver who lacked elite speed, but had sure hands, was an incredible precise route runner, and could read pass defenses like a book to find soft spots in coverage. He retired as the league's all-time leader in most receiving statistics.

* ResetButton: Teams which enter what is typically referred to as a "rebuilding" phase are essentially hitting this button. This usually involves firing the previous administration (front office and coaching staff both), hiring brand new, and then often trading veteran players (who are more expensive and often will be past their primes by the time the team is ready to compete at a high level once again) for draft picks to help with the rebuilding efforts.

* RocketTagGameplay: Games between teams with powerful offenses but weak defenses can easily turn into this. Big plays and long gains happen seemingly every other play as the teams trade scores. A 2018 ''Monday Night Football'' game between the Chiefs and the Rams is a prime example that featured six lead changes, including four in the fourth quarter. The Rams pulled out a 54-51 victory in the third highest scoring game of all time, the first where both teams scored more than 50 points. It is also the only game in the top three to be a one-score contest.

* RuleZero: The referee, the head official on the field, ultimately has the authority to rule a play according to his interpretation of the rules. While it has never been invoked at the NFL level, this includes the "Palpably Unfair Act" rule in which he can award a touchdown to the opposing team for a grievous enough offense. The closest it has come to being called was a Thanksgiving Day game in 2013 between the Ravens and Steelers. Ravens return man Jacoby Jones broke away along the Steelers sideline during a kickoff return, but Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was standing on the field, forcing Jones to cut back inside where he was tackled from behind. The Ravens (coached by John Harbaugh who is a member of the league's competition committee) argued that they should be awarded with a touchdown, but only a 15-yard Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty was imposed. (The Ravens would go on to win anyway while Tomlin was fined $100,000, the second highest fine ever levied against an NFL head coach.)

* MentorArchetype: Most teams with young, hopeful franchise quarterbacks will sign a veteran backup in this vein, often outright calling him a "mentor". The veteran will share his knowledge and experience with the youngster, be it in the film room, on the practice field, or even on the sidelines during games, essentially acting as a coach that takes a roster spot. Josh [=McCown=] and Chase Daniel are prominent recent examples, spending the bulk of their lengthy careers as backups. This can be subverted when the "mentor" quarterback is established as a starter and the younger QB is his expected replacement. Brett Favre, Joe Flacco, and Aaron Rodgers are somewhat infamous examples when their teams drafted [[HistoryRepeats Aaron Rodgers]], Lamar Jackson, and Jordan Love (respectively) as replacements.

** Maurice Jones-Drew was a running back most famous for his time with the Jaguars in the late '00s through the early '10s. Listed at 5'7" (and that being rather generous), he fell to the 2nd round of the 2006 despite a highly productive college career and exceptional Combine performance. Despite his size, he proved to be a fierce power runner, with the Jaguars even taking their other running back, 6'1 225 pound Fred Taylor, off the field for "MJD" in short-yardage and goal line situations. MJD led the league in rushing in 2011, made three Pro Bowls, and retired having generated over 10,000 yards of total offensive in his career.

** Teams frequently celebrate milestone anniversaries since their founding, often wearing uniform patches, helment stickers, and/or throwback uniforms during that season. Being older than the NFL itself, the Cardinals, Bears, and Packers all celebrated centennial anniversaries before the league did.

* MentorArchetype: Most teams with young, hopeful franchise quarterbacks will sign a veteran backup in this vein, often outright calling him a "mentor". The veteran will share his knowledge and experience with the youngster, be it in the film room, on the practice field, or even on the sidelines during games. Josh McCown and Chase Daniel are prominent recent examples, spending the bulk of their lengthy careers as backups. Often subverted when the "mentor" quarterback is more established and the younger quarterback is his expected replacement. Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers are somewhat infamous examples when their teams (the Ravens and Packers) drafted Lamar Jackson and Jordan Love (respectively) as replacements.

* MirrorMatch: When two teams using the same system/scheme face off, often because one of their coaches previously worked under the other. Bill Walsh facing off against one of his former assistants could almost count on seeing a variation of his West Coast Offense. This continued through Mike Holmgren (an assistant of Walsh's) and Andy Reid (an assistant of Holmgren's) who have large coaching trees of their own. In the 2020 season, nearly 1/3 of the league had offenses where the playcaller worked under Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay at some point (the duo working together in Washington from 2010-2013) leading some familiar looking offensive schemes.