1981 NFL season

Last updated

1981 National Football League season
Regular season
DurationSeptember 6 – December 21, 1981
Playoffs
Start dateDecember 27, 1981
AFC Champions Cincinnati Bengals
NFC Champions San Francisco 49ers
Super Bowl XVI
DateJanuary 24, 1982
Site Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
Champions San Francisco 49ers
Pro Bowl
DateJanuary 31, 1982
Site Aloha Stadium
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Colts
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Patriots
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Bills
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Dolphins
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Jets
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Bengals
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Browns
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Oilers
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Steelers
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Broncos
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Chiefs
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Raiders
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Chargers
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Seahawks
AFC teams: Yellow ffff00 pog.svg West, DeepPink pog.svg Central, Green pog.svg East
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Cowboys
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Giants
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Eagles
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Cardinals
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Redskins
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Bears
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Lions
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Packers
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Vikings
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Buccaneers
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Falcons
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Rams
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Saints
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49ers
NFC teams: Yellow ffff00 pog.svg West, DeepPink pog.svg Central, Green pog.svg East
The 49ers playing against the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI. 1986 Jeno's Pizza - 27 - Dan Bunz (cropped).jpg
The 49ers playing against the Bengals in Super Bowl XVI.

The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 26–21 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan.

Contents

Draft

The 1981 NFL Draft was held from April 28 to 29, 1981 at New York City’s Sheraton Hotel. With the first pick, the New Orleans Saints selected running back George Rogers from the University of South Carolina.

New referee

Cal Lepore, the line judge for Super Bowl III and referee for the Miracle at the Meadowlands, retired prior to the 1980 season. He would later become supervisor of officials in the United States Football League. Tom Dooley, who was assigned Super Bowl XV as line judge at the end of the 1981 season, was promoted to referee to replace Lepore.

Major rule changes

Deaths

Regular season

Scheduling formula

    Inter-conference
AFC East vs NFC East
AFC Central vs NFC West
AFC West vs NFC Central

Final standings

Tiebreakers

Playoffs

Jan 2 – Texas Stadium
3 Tampa Bay 0
Dec 27 – Veterans Stadium Jan 10 – Candlestick Park
2 Dallas 38
NFC
5 NY Giants 272Dallas27
Jan 3 – Candlestick Park
4 Philadelphia 211San Francisco28
NFC Championship
5NY Giants24
Jan 24 – Pontiac Silverdome
1 San Francisco 38
Divisional playoffs
Wild Card playoffsN1San Francisco26
Jan 2 – Miami Orange Bowl
A1Cincinnati21
Super Bowl XVI
3 San Diego 41*
Dec 27 – Shea Stadium Jan 10 – Riverfront Stadium
2 Miami 38
AFC
5 Buffalo 313San Diego7
Jan 3 – Riverfront Stadium
4 NY Jets 271Cincinnati27
AFC Championship
5Buffalo21
1 Cincinnati 28


* Indicates overtime victory

Records, milestones, and notable statistics

Records Set

Minnesota Vikings
Chicago Bears
Los Angeles Rams (219) vs Atlanta Falcons (63), Oct 11, 1981

Records Tied

San Diego Chargers (vs Oakland Raiders) Nov 22, 1981
Los Angeles Rams (vs Atlanta Falcons) Oct 11, 1981

Baltimore Colts Defense

The 1981 Baltimore Colts were one of the worst defenses in NFL history; they set five dubious defensive records:

Statistical leaders

Team

Points scoredSan Diego Chargers (478)
Total yards gainedSan Diego Chargers (6,744)
Yards rushingDetroit Lions (2,795)
Yards passingSan Diego Chargers (4,739)
Fewest points allowedPhiladelphia Eagles (221)
Fewest total yards allowedPhiladelphia Eagles (4,447)
Fewest rushing yards allowedDetroit Lions (1,623)
Fewest passing yards allowedPhiladelphia Eagles (2,696)

Awards

Most Valuable Player Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati
Coach of the Year Bill Walsh, San Francisco
Offensive Player of the Year Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati
Defensive Player of the Year Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker, NY Giants
Offensive Rookie of the Year George Rogers, Running back, New Orleans
Defensive Rookie of the Year Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker, NY Giants
Man of the Year Lynn Swann, Wide Receiver, Pittsburgh
Comeback Player of the Year Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati
Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Joe Montana, Quarterback, San Francisco

Coaching changes

Stadium changes

The home of the San Diego Chargers, San Diego Stadium, was renamed Jack Murphy Stadium in memory of local sportswriter Jack Murphy

Uniform changes

Regular season game not broadcast by Network TV

DateTimeTeamsLocal TVAnnouncers
September 5, 19818:00 PM EDT Minnesota @ Tampa Bay KSTP-TV (Minnesota)
WTOG-TV (Tampa Bay)

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References

  1. 100 Things Dolphins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Armando Salguero, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2020, ISBN 978-1-62937-722-3, p.185