1962

JON ARNETT

"The Story of a Football Pro"

Another rare broadcast treasure has been released from our vault of vintage NFL film not seen in over 50 years by the general public! A fascinating TV special featuring one of the most explosive NFL runners of his time is the story of Jon Arnett. This is a behind-the-scenes look NFL football more than half a century ago thru the eyes of the Los Angeles Rams' brightest offensive star.

Narrated by John Willis, the film begins showing Arnett during the off-season, working for a Los Angeles brokerage film which speculates in investments such as stocks and bonds. Scenes show Jon at the Pacific Stock Exchange, learning the trade from other experts. At the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Jon joins a friend in handball and Arnett explains the importance of keeping himself in top shape, even during the off-season. At home with his wife Yvonne and young son, Jon is shown relaxing in the back yard on his last free weekend of the summer.

Along with 58 other players Jon, now a 27-year-old five-year veteran, reports to Rams training camp with starting quarterback Zeke Bratkowski. The film takes you right into the action with the Rams for workouts, hazing of the rookies in the dining hall, head coach Bob Waterfield's blackboard instruction, scrimmages, the taking of the annual team picture and finally preparations for the first pre-season game vs the defending Eastern Champion New York Giants only two weeks away! Arnett gives insight throughout as to how it feels to play football in the NFL.

On Saturday night August 25th, the Rams are ready to welcome the Giants to the Memorial Coliseum to start the NFL pre-season. New York players are shown getting off the team bus and heading to their locker room. Inside the Rams dressing room, you'll see the Rams pre-game preparations for a typical NFL game, as players are taped and fans begin pouring into the Coliseum. Shown is the pre-game prayer before team captain Les Richter gives the first pre-game "speech" of the season. The spotlight is on Jon Arnett throughout most of the game, however with Sam Huff, Andy Robustelli and huge Roosevelt Grier, the Giants are known as the top defensive team in football. Even though Arnett shows flashes of his brilliance, he is pretty much kept in check during the game as the Giants give him rough treatment. The Rams have a slim 17-14 lead as they head for the locker room for halftime. Here, players are shown briefly relaxing during the 15-minute break, drinking Cokes and listening to coach Waterfield. In the second half, the game is tied 24-24 and the Giants are keying more and more on Arnett. Frustrated, he tells what it's like to fumble the ball away in an NFL game. With less than 2 minutes left in the game, the Giants drive down the field and score the go-ahead touchdown, while Arnett and the offense sit helplessly on the bench. After the teams leave the field, Rams players are shown unwinding in the locker room after the 31-24 loss. Some are shown having their tape cut off, and Arnett is talking to the media. He says, "Once you win a game you tend to forget about it, but it's the losses that bother you the most. There are games I'd give up my paycheck if only we could have won."

To get your own DVD of this rare NFL TV broadcast footage, send $29.95 (Illinois residents must add $2.25 state sales tax) plus $4.00 for shipping and handling to: