1991 NFL season

1991 NFL season
Year	1991
Regular season	September 1 – December 23, 1991
Playoffs start	December 28, 1991
Afc champion	Kansas City Chiefs
Nfc champion	Washington Redskins
Sb name	Super Bowl XXVI
Sb date	January 26, 1992
Sb site	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sb champion	Washington Redskins
Pb date	February 2, 1992

1991 NFL season

The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd season of the National Football League regular season, concluding with Super Bowl XXVI at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome where the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills. The year featured playoff berths for the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants, and showcased standout performances by players such as Mark Rypien, Brett Favre, Barry Sanders, and Thurman Thomas. The season intersected with broader sports narratives involving franchises like the Dallas Cowboys and figures including Joe Gibbs, Bill Parcells, and Don Shula.

Season overview

The season opened with marquee matchups involving the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and concluded with divisional races featuring the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Seattle Seahawks. The regular season produced notable coaching duels among Joe Gibbs, Chuck Knox, Marty Schottenheimer, Bill Belichick, and Tom Landry protégés, while franchises such as the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Oilers navigated stadium and ownership pressures involving the St. Louis Cardinals legacy and the Cleveland Browns organizational reshuffles. Television contracts with Fox Broadcasting Company, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, and ESPN influenced scheduling, and the league's labor relations traces through the post-1987 NFL strike environment and collective bargaining dynamics with the NFL Players Association.

Rule changes and officiating

The National Football League Competition Committee implemented or reviewed changes affecting the enforcement of pass interference, holding, and illegal contact, impacting games officiated by crews led by veterans like Jerry Markbreit and Dick Hantak. Replay discussions and officiating standards referenced precedents from playoff contests involving the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins, while equipment rules considered developments from manufacturers such as Riddell and Wilson (company). Penalty enforcement adjustments echoed directives from commissioner Paul Tagliabue and the league office, intersecting with previous rule evolution exemplified by changes after the 1978 NFL season and the 1984 NFL season.

Team performances and standings

The Washington Redskins dominated the NFC with an offense orchestrated by head coach Joe Gibbs and quarterback Mark Rypien, while the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC under coach Marty Schottenheimer and quarterback Steve DeBerg/Elvis Grbac rotations early in the year. The Buffalo Bills continued the ascendancy of coach Marv Levy and the Thurman Thomas-anchored offense, and the Detroit Lions produced franchise-best results with breakout seasons from Barry Sanders and quarterback Erik Kramer under coach Wayne Fontes. The Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos competed in the AFC playoff chase under coaches Bill Belichick and Dan Reeves respectively, while the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants remained competitive in the NFC with personnel linked to Bill Walsh coaching trees and the legacy of Bill Parcells. Divisional standings reflected rivalries such as Packers–Vikings rivalry and Cowboys–Eagles rivalry, and special teams play involved returners like Desmond Howard.

Playoffs and Super Bowl XXVI

The postseason bracket featured wildcard matchups with teams including the Houston Oilers, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, and San Diego Chargers, leading to conference championship games: the AFC Championship Game (1991 season) contested by the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs and the NFC Championship Game (1991 season) between the Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions. Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome saw the Washington Redskins defeat the Buffalo Bills with MVP honors awarded to Mark Rypien, and the game involved key performances from players named to the Pro Bowl such as Darrell Green, Andre Reed, John Randle, and Bobby Humphrey. Coaching strategies by Joe Gibbs and Marv Levy highlighted offensive schemes influenced by innovators like Sid Gillman and philosophies tracing to Don Coryell.

Statistical leaders and awards

Statistical leaders included rushing standout Barry Sanders and passers like Aikman, Troy-era references though the actual passing leaders featured quarterbacks such as Brett Favre in early-career breakthroughs, while receivers like Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice compiled significant yardage reflecting training approaches promoted by organizations like USFL alumni coaching staffs. Award winners that season included Mark Rypien as Super Bowl MVP and selections to annual honors such as the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award, NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award with finalists drawing from players like Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Junior Seau, and Rod Woodson. Pro Bowl rosters featured talents connected to college programs including Florida State University, University of Miami, Penn State University, and Ohio State University.

Notable events and controversies

The season encompassed controversies over officiating calls in divisional games involving the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, contract disputes referencing the NFL Players Association and high-profile negotiations for stars like Jerry Rice and Warren Moon, and stadium issues affecting franchises such as the Los Angeles Rams relocation discussions and the Arizona Cardinals market debates. Off-field incidents involved legal matters tied to players associated with institutions like University of Notre Dame and University of Florida, while media coverage from outlets including Sports Illustrated, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post scrutinized competitive balance, salary structures, and the league's business direction under commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

Category:National Football League seasons