National Football League

On This Day: Moon Makes HOF History

Updated Aug. 5, 2020 2:17 p.m. ET

On this day 14 years ago, Warren Moon finally got the only recognition fitting of his legendary football career.

Moon played his college football at the University of Washington before going undrafted in the 1978 NFL Draft. However, he quickly turned his status as a fledgling professional into a North American football icon.

That same year, Moon joined the Canadian Football League – better known as the CFL. As the quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimoes, Moon helped lead the Eskimoes to five consecutive Grey Cup wins from 1978 to 1982.

The Grey Cup is the CFL equivalent of the Super Bowl in the NFL.

He was named Grey Cup MVP in both 1980 and 1982, and after spending one final season with the Eskimoes in 1983 – a season in which he was named CFL Most Outstanding Player – Moon took his talents to the NFL, signing with the Houston Oilers.

Moon's initial years in Houston were rocky. Over his first three NFL seasons, he threw more interceptions than touchdowns in each, recording 40 TDs to 59 INTs from 1984-1986.

However, he turned it around in 1987, leading the Oilers to the playoffs for the first time since his arrival in Houston.

And from that point forward, Moon's NFL career took flight.

Moon made the Pro Bowl every year from 1988 to 1995, and then once more in 1997. He was named First Team All-Pro and NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1990, after leading the league in both passing yards (4,689) and passing TDs (33).

Moon played 17 seasons in the NFL – 10 with the Oilers, three with Minnesota, two with Seattle and two with Kansas City – and made seven playoff appearances.

He is 11th all-time in passing yards (49,325), 11th in pass completions (3,988), 10th in pass attempts (6,823), and 14th in passing touchdowns (291).

Moon was so impactful as a player – and as a black quarterback – that Michael Vick ranked him 6th among his Top 7 quarterbacks of all-time.

Due to his success in both the CFL and NFL, Moon is the only professional football player in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Watch Moon speak about his legendary career below: