2000s
On September 8, Aaron Rodgers debuted as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers in their victory over the Minnesota Vikings. It was the first game since September 20, 1992 in which Brett Favre was not the team's starter.
The September 15 game was the highest combined score in the 98 meetings between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys, and the second-highest score in the first half of any MNF game. The game drew 18.6 million viewers, the most-watched MNF game on ESPN and the most-watched cable television broadcast in history. The game was also the last MNF game for Texas Stadium as the Cowboys would move into Cowboys Stadium the next season.
The September 29 game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, marked Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco's Monday Night Football debut.
The December 1 game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans was the Texans' first MNF game in franchise history and the first MNF game in Houston since 1994.
The temperature at kickoff for the December 22 game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears was 2 degrees, making it the coldest game in the history of Monday Night Football and the coldest NFL game ever played in Chicago. [37] Before 2000, Monday night games in December or January were played in the South, the West Coast, or domed stadiums to avoid extreme cold.
2010s
Late in the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins season opener, Ron Jaworski inadvertently uttered a profanity, for which he apologized later in the broadcast; whether or not it was related, it would eventually be Jaworski's final season in the Monday Night Football booth.
The September 26 game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys was the final appearance (until 2017) of Hank Williams, Jr.'s intro song "All My Rowdy Friends are Back for Monday Night (Are You Ready For Some Football)", as he would get fired from ESPN during Week 4 for comments about Adolf Hitler.
The October 10 game between the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions was the first Monday Night Football game at Ford Field and the first Monday Night Football game in Detroit since 2001.
The December 19 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers was delayed twice due to power outages, one taking place before the kickoff and another during the 2nd quarter; during which the 49ers led, 6–0.
The NFL locked out its officials in June. As a result, the first three weeks of the season were played with replacement officials. The lack of regular officials came to a head in the Week 3 Monday night game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks. The game was a defensive affair as the Packers led 12–7 in the closing moments of the game. On the final play, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw a Hail Mary pass toward the end zone. Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate and Packers defender M. D. Jennings each grabbed hold of the ball. In the process, one official signaled touchdown while another signaled touchback. Simultaneous possession was the final ruling which gave Seattle the touchdown and the win. However, the nearby officials missed Tate pushing Packers cornerback Sam Shields with both hands and causing a pass interference penalty in the process. The game's aftermath included major discussion and focus on the play forcing the NFL to settle with the regular officials. The loss also hurt the Packers in the playoff race as the team finished 11–5 behind the 11–4–1 San Francisco 49ers. The loss mattered as Green Bay had to travel to San Francisco in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. A win would have assured a first-round bye for Green Bay. The game was called the Fail Mary, also this game marked Russell Wilson's Monday Night Football debut.
Controversy also hit MNF later in the season as the San Diego Chargers were accused of using a banned substance during their October 15 game with the Denver Broncos. It was later revealed to be Gorilla Glue, a legal substance later banned by the NFL.
The November 26 game between the Carolina Panthers and the Philadelphia Eagles, marked Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's Monday Night Football debut.
The October 14 game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers, marked Colts quarterback Andrew Luck's Monday Night Football debut.
The October 21 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants was notable because it featured quarterback Josh Freeman scoring a 40.6 passer rating in the game. He was 20 for 53 passing with 190 yards and the only Vikings score came on a 1st quarter punt return touchdown. In contrast, Eli Manning had a good day for the Giants with a touchdown pass to cap a long 2nd quarter drive.
The December 2 game between the New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle was much-hyped because of the high-powered Saints offense led by quarterback Drew Brees was taking the ferocious defense of the Seahawks with the Legion of Boom. The game, however, was a blowout, with the Seahawks winning 34–7.
ESPN employee and former Chicago Bears tight end and head coach Mike Ditka had his number retired at halftime of the December 9 game versus the Dallas Cowboys. Though the game was a blowout in favor of Chicago 45–28, it is more notable for its temperature which was 8 °F and featured a −12 degree wind chill.
The December 23 game between the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers was the last game ever at Candlestick Park.
In addition to the Wild Card playoff game, the 2018 Pro Bowl was also simulcast on ABC as well. This was the first time since 2014 that the Pro Bowl was aired on broadcast television in any form. [202]
Starting in 2018, the NFL moved the start time of Monday Night Football back, from 8:30 p.m. ET to 8:15 p.m. ET. For the second time in three seasons, Monday Night Football was supposed to make a trip to Mexico City, for the Kansas City Chiefs-Los Angeles Rams contest, as part of the NFL International Series, but the NFL deemed field conditions to be poor and moved the game to Los Angeles. [221] This was the first Monday Night Football game in Los Angeles since 1991, as well as the highest scoring game in MNF history. The Wild Card game and the Pro Bowl were again simulcast on ABC.
This season marked the 50th season of Monday Night Football. There was a rematch of the first MNF game, during Week 2, as the new-look Cleveland Browns faced Le'Veon Bell and the New York Jets on September 16. In addition, MNF returned to Mexico City for the first time since 2016, with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers renewing a classic AFC West rivalry. Also, the Wild Card Playoff, and the Pro Bowl, both shown on ESPN, were again simulcast on ABC.
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