1975 NFL season

1975 National Football League season

Regular season
Duration	September 21 – December 21, 1975
Playoffs
Start date	December 27, 1975
AFC Champions	Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC Champions	Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl X
Date	January 18, 1976
Site	Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
Champions	Pittsburgh Steelers
Pro Bowl
Date	January 26, 1976
Site	Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans
← 1974 NFL seasons 1976 →

Colts

Patriots

Bills

Dolphins

Jets

Bengals

Browns

Oilers

Steelers

Broncos

Chiefs

Raiders

Chargers

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AFC teams: West, Central, East

Cowboys

Giants

Eagles

Cardinals

Redskins

Bears

Lions

Packers

Vikings

Falcons

Rams

Saints

49ers

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NFC teams: West, Central, East

The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League.

Instead of a traditional Thanksgiving Day game hosted by the Dallas Cowboys, the league scheduled a Buffalo Bills at St. Louis Cardinals contest. This was the first season since 1966 that the Cowboys did not play on that holiday.

The playoff format was changed so that the division champions with the best regular season records were made the home teams for the divisional round, with the division champion advancing to the conference championship game with the best record hosting the title game. Previously, game sites rotated by division. The caveat stipulating that a wild card team could not face its own division champion in the divisional round was kept in force.

The season ended with Super Bowl X when the Pittsburgh Steelers repeated as champions by defeating the Dallas Cowboys 21–17 at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

Draft

The 1975 NFL Draft was held from January 28 to 29, 1975 at New York City's Hilton at Rockefeller Center. With the first pick, the Atlanta Falcons selected quarterback Steve Bartkowski from the University of California.

New officials

Jerry Seeman, who would go on to serve as referee for Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XXV before a 10-year tenure as the NFL's Director of Officiating from 1991–2001, was hired as a line judge. Fred Swearingen, the referee in the 1972 Raiders-Steelers playoff game which produced the Immaculate Reception, was demoted to his former position, field judge. Gene Barth, the line judge on Jim Tunney's crew the previous four seasons, was promoted.

Major rule changes

• After a fourth down incomplete pass goes in or through the end zone, the other team will take possession at the previous line of scrimmage. Previously, it resulted in a touchback.
• The penalty for pass interference on the offensive team is reduced from 15 yards to 10.
• If there are fouls by both teams on the same play but one results in a player ejection, the penalties will offset but the player will still be ejected.
• Referees were equipped with wireless microphones to announce penalties and clarify complex or unusual rulings to both fans and the media. The NFL thus became the first professional league in North America to adopt this technology.

Division races

Starting in 1970, through 2001, there were three divisions (Eastern, Central and Western) in each conference. The winners of each division, and a fourth “wild card” team based on the best non-division winner, qualified for the playoffs. The tiebreaker rules were changed to start with head-to-head competition, followed by division records, records against common records, and records in conference play.

National Football Conference

Week	Eastern		Central		Western		Wild Card
1	4 teams	1–0–0	Detroit, Minnesota	1–0–0	4 teams	0–1–0	4 teams	1–0–0
2	Dallas, Washington	2–0–0	Detroit, Minnesota	2–0–0	Los Angeles	1–1–0	2 teams	2–0–0
3	Dallas	3–0–0	Minnesota	3–0–0	Los Angeles	2–1–0	3 teams	2–1–0
4	Dallas	4–0–0	Minnesota	4–0–0	Los Angeles	3–1–0	Washington, Detroit	2–1–0
5	Dallas	4–1–0	Minnesota	5–0–0	Los Angeles	4–1–0	St. Louis, Detroit	2–1–0
6	Dallas	5–1–0	Minnesota	6–0–0	Los Angeles	5–1–0	Washington*	4–2–0
7	Dallas*	5–2–0	Minnesota	7–0–0	Los Angeles	6–1–0	Washington*	5–2–0
8	Washington*	6–2–0	Minnesota	8–0–0	Los Angeles	6–2–0	St. Louis	6–2–0
9	St. Louis	7–2–0	Minnesota	9–0–0	Los Angeles	7–2–0	Dallas, Detroit, Washington	6–3–0
10	St. Louis	8–2–0	Minnesota	10–0–0	Los Angeles	8–2–0	Dallas	7–3–0
11	Dallas*	8–3–0	Minnesota	10–1–0	Los Angeles	9–2–0	St. Louis	8–3–0
12	St. Louis	9–3–0	Minnesota	11–1–0	Los Angeles	10–2–0	Dallas	8–4–0
13	St. Louis	10–3–0	Minnesota	11–2–0	Los Angeles	11–2–0	Dallas	9–4–0
14	St. Louis	11–3–0	Minnesota	12–2–0	Los Angeles	12–2–0	Dallas	10–4–0

American Football Conference

Week	Eastern		Central		Western		Wild Card
1	Baltimore, Buffalo	1–0–0	3 teams	1–0–0	Denver, Oakland	1–0–0	4 teams	1–0–0
2	Buffalo	2–0–0	Cincinnati, Houston	2–0–0	Denver, Oakland	2–0–0	2 teams	2–0–0
3	Buffalo	3–0–0	Cincinnati	3–0–0	Oakland	3–0–0	5 teams	2–1–0
4	Buffalo	4–0–0	Cincinnati	4–0–0	Oakland	3–1–0	Pittsburgh*	3–1–0
5	Buffalo*	4–1–0	Cincinnati	5–0–0	Denver*	3–2–0	Pittsburgh*	4–1–0
6	Miami	5–1–0	Cincinnati	6–0–0	Oakland	4–2–0	Houston	5–1–0
7	Miami	6–1–0	Pittsburgh*	6–1–0	Oakland	5–2–0	Cincinnati*	6–1–0
8	Miami	7–1–0	Pittsburgh*	7–1–0	Oakland	5–2–0	Cincinnati*	7–1–0
9	Miami	7–2–0	Pittsburgh*	8–1–0	Oakland	7–2–0	Cincinnati*	8–1–0
10	Miami	7–3–0	Pittsburgh	9–1–0	Oakland	8–2–0	Cincinnati	8–2–0
11	Miami	8–3–0	Pittsburgh	10–1–0	Oakland	9–2–0	Cincinnati	9–2–0
12	Miami	9–3–0	Pittsburgh	11–1–0	Oakland	10–2–0	Cincinnati	10–2–0
13	Baltimore*	9–4–0	Pittsburgh	12–1–0	Oakland	10–3–0	Cincinnati	10–3–0
14	Baltimore	10–4–0	Pittsburgh	12–2–0	Oakland	11–3–0	Cincinnati	11–3–0

Final standings

AFC East view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Baltimore Colts (3) 10 4 0 .714 6–2 8–3 395 269 W9 Miami Dolphins 10 4 0 .714 6–2 7–4 357 222 W1 Buffalo Bills 8 6 0 .571 5–3 7–4 420 355 L1 New York Jets 3 11 0 .214 2–6 3–8 258 433 L2 New England Patriots 3 11 0 .214 1–7 2–9 258 358 L6 AFC Central view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Pittsburgh Steelers (1) 12 2 0 .857 6–0 10–1 373 162 L1 Cincinnati Bengals (4) 11 3 0 .786 3–3 8–3 340 246 W1 Houston Oilers 10 4 0 .714 2–4 7–4 293 226 W3 Cleveland Browns 3 11 0 .214 1–5 2–8 218 372 L1 AFC West view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Oakland Raiders (2) 11 3 0 .786 5–1 8–3 375 255 W1 Denver Broncos 6 8 0 .429 3–3 4–7 254 307 L1 Kansas City Chiefs 5 9 0 .357 3–3 3–8 282 341 L4 San Diego Chargers 2 12 0 .143 1–5 2–9 189 345 L1

NFC East view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK St. Louis Cardinals (3) 11 3 0 .786 6–2 9–2 356 276 W3 Dallas Cowboys (4) 10 4 0 .714 6–2 8–3 350 268 W2 Washington Redskins 8 6 0 .571 4–4 7–4 325 276 L2 New York Giants 5 9 0 .357 1–7 3–8 216 306 W2 Philadelphia Eagles 4 10 0 .286 3–5 4–7 225 302 W1 NFC Central view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Minnesota Vikings (1) 12 2 0 .857 5–1 8–2 377 180 W1 Detroit Lions 7 7 0 .500 4–2 6–5 245 262 L1 Chicago Bears 4 10 0 .286 2–4 4–7 191 379 W1 Green Bay Packers 4 10 0 .286 1–5 4–7 226 285 W1 NFC West view talk edit W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK Los Angeles Rams (2) 12 2 0 .857 5–1 9–2 312 135 W6 San Francisco 49ers 5 9 0 .357 3–3 4–7 255 286 L4 Atlanta Falcons 4 10 0 .286 3–3 3–8 240 289 L1 New Orleans Saints 2 12 0 .143 1–5 2–9 165 360 L7

Tiebreakers

• Baltimore finished ahead of Miami in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
• N.Y. Jets finished ahead of New England in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
• Minnesota was the top NFC playoff seed based on point rating system (Vikings were 1st in NFC in points scored and 2nd in NFC in points allowed for a combined rating of 3 while Rams were 5th in NFC in points scored and 1st in NFC in points allowed for a combined rating of 6).
• Chicago finished ahead of Green Bay in the NFC Central based on better division record (2–4 to Packers’ 1–5).

Playoffs

Main article: 1975–76 NFL playoffs

	Dec 28 – Metropolitan Stadium
	4	Dallas	17
						Jan 4 – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
	1	Minnesota	14
	NFC
						4	Dallas	37
	Dec 27 – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
						2	Los Angeles	7
						NFC Championship
	3	St. Louis	23
											Jan 18 – Miami Orange Bowl
	2	Los Angeles	35
	Divisional playoffs
											N4	Dallas	17
	Dec 27 – Oakland Coliseum
											A1	Pittsburgh	21
											Super Bowl X
	4	Cincinnati	28
						Jan 4 – Three Rivers Stadium
	2*	Oakland	31
	AFC
						2	Oakland	10
	Dec 28 – Three Rivers Stadium
						1	Pittsburgh	16
						AFC Championship
	3	Baltimore	10
	1*	Pittsburgh	28

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Awards

Most Valuable Player	Fran Tarkenton, quarterback, Minnesota Vikings
Coach of the Year	Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore Colts
Offensive Player of the Year	Fran Tarkenton, quarterback, Minnesota Vikings
Defensive Player of the Year	Mel Blount, cornerback, Pittsburgh Steelers
Offensive Rookie of the Year	Mike Thomas, running back, Washington Redskins
Defensive Rookie of the Year	Robert Brazile, linebacker, Houston Oilers
Man of the Year	Ken Anderson, quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
Comeback Player of the Year	Dave Hampton, running back, Atlanta Falcons
Super Bowl Most Valuable Player	Lynn Swann, wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers

Coaching changes

Offseason

• Atlanta Falcons: Marion Campbell began his first full season as head coach. He replaced Norm Van Brocklin, who was fired after starting the 1974 season at 2–6.
• Baltimore Colts: Ted Marchibroda joined the Colts as head coach. Howard Schnellenberger was fired after three games into the 1974 season, and General Manager Joe Thomas then served for the remainder of the season.
• Chicago Bears: Abe Gibron was fired and replaced by Jack Pardee.
• Cleveland Browns: Forrest Gregg replaced the fired Nick Skorich.
• Green Bay Packers: Dan Devine left to join the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Former Packers quarterback Bart Starr was named to replace Devine.
• Houston Oilers: Bum Phillips replaced Sid Gillman.
• Kansas City Chiefs: Hank Stram, the team's only head coach in franchise history, was relieved of his duties. Paul Wiggin was named as the team's new head coach.

In-season

• New Orleans Saints: John North was fired after a 1–5 start to the season. Ernie Hefferle then served as interim.
• New York Jets: Charley Winner was fired nine games into the season after only posting two wins. Offensive coordinator Ken Shipp served as interim for the last five games.

Stadium changes

• The home of the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Stadium, was renamed Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, reflecting Fulton County as a co-owner of the stadium
• The Detroit Lions moved from Tiger Stadium to the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan
• The New Orleans Saints moved from Tulane Stadium to the Louisiana Superdome
• While Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, remained under construction, the New York Giants move from the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, to Shea Stadium, temporarily sharing it with the Jets

Uniform changes

• The Houston Oilers switched from blue to white helmets.
• The New Orleans Saints switched from gold to white pants.
• The New York Giants introduced new uniforms that featured blue jerseys, red trim, and white pants; and white jerseys, red trim, and blue pants. This new design emphasized a widen striping pattern with the accent color white. The lowercase "ny" helmet logo was replaced by a striped uppercase "NY", while the face masks were changed from gray to white.
• The Cleveland Browns switched from white to orange pants (stripe to match helmet). The face masks were changed from gray to white.

Television

This was the second year under the league's four-year broadcast contracts with ABC, CBS, and NBC to televise Monday Night Football , the NFC package, and the AFC package, respectively. CBS restored The NFL Today title for its pregame show. Brent Musburger was named as its new host, former player Irv Cross as an analyst, and former Miss America Phyllis George as one of its reporters.

NBC's pregame show GrandStand made its debut, hosted by Jack Buck (who had left CBS after the previous season) and Bryant Gumbel. ^[1]

References

1. Brulia, Tim. "A CHRONOLOGY OF PRO FOOTBALL ON TELEVISION: Part 2" (PDF). Pro Football Researchers.

• NFL Record and Fact Book ( ISBN   1-932994-36-X)
• NFL History 1971–1980 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
• Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League ( ISBN   0-06-270174-6)