It’s hard to overstate the effect Monday Night Football had on the formation and popularization of the NFL. Bringing high-profile games into the living rooms of the nation’s sports fans during prime time made MNF a tradition. ABC’s MNF marketing made it a must-see event. Here’s part two of our Monday Night Football trivia compilation:

• Through the end of the 2007 season, two matchups have been televised more often than any other. Oakland vs. Denver and Dallas vs. Washington has been televised 14 times on Monday Night Football
• The first MNF announcer not to last a full season was Fred Williamson, who only broadcast during the preseason before being replaced by former Detroit Lions player Alex Karras.
• On December 8, 1980, during a game between the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots, broadcaster Howard Cosell broke the news to the nation that former Beatle John Lennon had been murdered.
• In 1985, the would-be Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears would lose their only MNF game of the season to the Miami Dolphins.
• Joe Namath and OJ Simpson were announcers for Monday Night Football in 1985; after the season, they were replaced by Al Michaels, and for the first time, MNF used a two-person booth. Later in the season, when Michaels was busy with the Major League Baseball playoffs, former Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann would step in to broadcast with Frank Gifford.
• The on-screen graphic showing the clock and score throughout the game was first used by Monday Night Football in 1997.
• Lesley Visser became the first female broadcaster to be part of the MNF team when in 1998 she joined as a sideline reporter.
• In a 2003 game against the Raiders, Brett Favre threw for four first-half touchdowns and 399 total yards as the Packers won 41-7 the day after Favre’s father passed away.
• The first sponsor of Monday Night Football was Marlboro Cigarettes (this was before the FCC rules regarding tobacco advertising changed).
• John Madden, the longtime head coach of the Oakland Raiders, has the best career winning percentage in MNF of any coach at .740.
• The final game of Monday Night Football on ABC had the New York Jets hosting the Patriots in a 31-21 loss. This meant that both the first and last MNF games on ABC shared the same score, 31-21.
• Vinny Testaverde has the distinction of throwing the last touchdown pass of ABC’s Monday Night Football era; the pass was caught by wide receiver Laveranues Coles. The last play on ABC’s MNF was a knee on Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie.

Monday Night Football remains the highlight of the week during the NFL regular season each fall. Usually having the best game and then airing it during prime time when most sports fans can see it has proven to be a successful formula. Monday Night Football continues to air, now on ESPN, and will continue to be one of the focal points of each NFL season.