2010
For the first time, the Pro Bowl was played in the Super Bowl city the week before the Super Bowl, as the AFC All-Stars beat the NFC All-Stars 41-34 in the 2010 Pro Bowl at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida. The game drew 70,697 fans – the highest attendance for a Pro Bowl since 1959 on January 31.
The New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl title, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida on February 7.
Dr. Hunt Batjer of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Dr. Richard G. Ellenbogen of the University of Washington School of Medicine were named the new co-chairs of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Medical Committee on March 16.
NFL owners voted to amend postseason overtime rules to a modified sudden death format, guaranteeing at least one possession for each club if the receiving team fails to score a touchdown on its first over-time possession on March 23.
The NFL and NFL Alumni Association announced a new neurological care program for retired players, one of a series of NFL initiatives addressing the quality of life of retired players on March 24.
NFL rules changes emphasized additional player safety on March 24. Protection for defenseless players was standardized and expanded, protecting a player who has just completed a catch from blows to the head or neck by an opponent who launches. Additional protection was also given to long snappers. Play will now stop if a ball carrier’s helmet is removed.
The NFL Draft debuted a new three-day format, with the first two days broadcast in primetime. A record combined total of 45.4 million viewers tuned in to watch the 75th NFL Draft on NFL Network, ESPN and ESPN2.
New Meadowlands Stadium opened in East Rutherford, New Jersey as the New York Giants defeat the New York Jets by a score of 31-16 in a preseason game on August 16.
Stan Kroenke purchased an additional 60 percent of the St. Louis Rams from the Rosenbloom family and became the team’s sole owner and chairman on August 25.
A renovated Arrowhead Stadium opened in Kansas City, Missouri as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-17 in a preseason game on August 27.
A poster created by the NFL and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help educate young athleteson concussions was released to the public on October 11. The poster, similar to one on display in NFL locker rooms, stresses the importance of recognizing a concussion, taking time to recover, and not returning to play too soon.
The NFL, NFL Alumni and Gay Culverhouse Players’ Outreach Program announced a partnership to expand services for retired NFL players on October 12. The outreach program identifies retired players in need, ensuring they receive comprehensive medical evaluations and assistance in applying for the expanded benefits and services created in recent years by the NFL.
Commissioner Roger Goodell notified NFL teams that more significant discipline, including suspensions, would be imposed on players that strike an opponent in the head or neck area in violation of the rules on October 20.
The NFL and Westwood One Radio announced the renewal of a multi-year agreement for Westwood One to continue as the exclusive network radio home of the NFL on December 22.
Chronology of Football (2000-2019)
2000
Johnson & Johnson heir Robert Wood Johnson IV was approved by NFL clubs as the new owner of the New York Jets at a league meeting on January 18.
The St. Louis Rams won their first Super Bowl by defeating the AFC champion Tennessee Titans 23-16 in Super Bowl XXXIV at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on January 30. The game was viewed by 130.7 million viewers, the fifth most-watched program in U.S. television history.
For the first time in league history, paid attendance topped 16 million for the regular season and more than 65,000 per game, an increase of 1,300 per game over 1998. Paid attendance for all NFL games increased in 1999 for the third year in a row and was the highest ever in the 80-year history of the league. It marked the first time in league history that the 20-million paid attendance mark was reached for all games in a season.
The Rhein Fire won their second World Bowl in three years, defeating the Scottish Claymores 13-10 to win World Bowl 2000 in front of 35,680 at Frankfurt's Waldstadion on June 25.
More than 100 of the 136 living members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame gathered to celebrate Pro Football's Greatest Reunion in Canton, Ohio.
Paul Brown Stadium opened in Cincinnati, Ohio with a crowd of 56,180 as the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Chicago Bears 24-20 in a preseason game on August 19.
Cincinnati's Corey Dillon set a single-game rushing record with 278 yards (22 carries) against Denver on October 22, breaking the previous record of 275 yards by Chicago's Walter Payton in 1977.
Minnesota's Gary Anderson converted a 21-yard field goal against Buffalo to pass George Blanda as the NFL's all-time scoring leader with 2,004 points on October 22.
On November 1, at a league meeting in Atlanta, NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XXXVIII to Houston, Super Bowl XXXIX to Jacksonville and Super Bowl XL to Detroit.
The NFL Officiating Department named Mike Pereira as Director of Officiating and Larry Upson as Director of Officiating Operations to replace retiring Senior Director of Officiating Jerry Seeman on December 1.
San Francisco's Terrell Owens set a single-game receiving record with 20 receptions (283 yards) against Chicago (December 17), surpassing the previous mark of 18 by Tom Fears of the Los Angeles Rams in 1950.
2001
NFL clubs approved additional league-wide revenue sharing at a special league meeting in Dallas on January 17. The teams agreed to pool the visiting team share of gate receipts for all preseason and regular-season games and divide the pool equally starting in 2002.
The Baltimore Ravens won their first Super Bowl by defeating the NFC champion New York Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on January 28. The game was witnessed by 131.2 million viewers, the fifth most-watched program in U.S. television history.
The Sports Business Daily named NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue the 2000 Sports Industrialist of the Year on February 28.
The NFL set an all-time paid attendance record in 2000 for the third consecutive year, reaching the 20-million paid attendance mark for only the second time in league history. Regular-season paid attendance of 16,387,289 for an average of 66,078 per game also was an all-time record for the third consecutive season. The Washington Redskins set an all-time NFL regular-season home paid attendance record with a total of 656,599 for eight games, breaking the record of 634,204 held by the 1980 Detroit Lions.
NFL owners unanimously approved a realignment plan for the league starting in 2002. With the addition of the Houston Texans, the league's 32 teams will be divided into eight four-team divisions. Seven clubs change divisions, and the Seattle Seahawks change conferences, moving from the AFC to the NFC. A new scheduling format ensures that every team meets every other team in the league at least once every four years.
2002
The Berlin Thunder became the first team to win consecutive World Bowls, defeating the Rhein Fire 26-20 to win World Bowl X in front of 53,109 fans at Rheinstadion on June 22.
Seahawks Stadium opened in Seattle, Washington with an attendance of 52,902 fans as the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-10 in a preseason game on August 10.
Gillette Stadium opened in Foxboro, Massachusetts with a crowd of 68,436 fans as the New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 16-15 in a preseason game on August 17.
Reliant Stadium opened in Houston, Texas with 69,432 fans in attendance, the largest non-Super Bowl crowd to ever watch an NFL game in Houston as the Miami Dolphins defeated the Houston Texans 24-3 in a preseason game on August 24.
For the first time, the NFL season kicked off on a Thursday night in prime-time as the San Francisco 49ers defeated the New York Giants 16-13 at Giants Stadium on September 5. The game was preceded by “NFL Kickoff Live From Times Square,” presented by New York City and the NFL, a football and music festival honoring the resilient spirit of New York and America.
Week one of the 2002 season produced the highest-scoring and most competitive Kickoff Weekend in NFL history. The 16 games averaged 49.3 points per game. A total of 788 points and 89 touchdowns were scored, the most in league history for an opening weekend. Eleven of the 16 games were decided by one score (eight points or less), a Kickoff Weekend record.
Johnny Unitas, the legendary quarterback for the Baltimore Colts and a Pro Football Hall of Famer, died of a heart attack at the age of 69 on September 11.
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Jerry Rice became the all-time leader in yards from scrimmage, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (21,281 yards) on September 29.
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Chris McAllister set an NFL record for the longest scoring play with a 107-yard touchdown return of an errant 57-yard field goal attempt by Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam on September 30.
Cleveland Browns owner Al Lerner, the NFL Finance Committee Chairman and Chairman and CEO of MBNA Corp., died at the age of 69 on October 23.
Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith became the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton (16,726 yards) on October 27.
The NFL and NFLPA announced the creation of USA Football, the first national advocacy organization representing all levels of amateur football on December 5.
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison set the NFL single-season record for pass receptions with 143, surpassing Herman Moore (123) on December 29.
The 2002 season concluded with 25 overtime games, the most in NFL history.
2003
The NFL announced the appointment of Steve Bornstein as executive vice president-media and president and chief executive officer of the NFL Network, to be launched in 2003 on January 16. The NFL Network will be the first television programming service fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their first Super Bowl by defeating the AFC champion Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on January 26. The game was witnessed by 138.9 viewers, making Super Bowl XXXVII the most-watched program in U.S. television history.
Chicago Bears Chairman Emeritus Edward W. McCaskey died at the age of 83 on April 8.
The Frankfurt Galaxy became the first team to win three World Bowls, defeating the Rhein Fire 35-16 to win World Bowl XI in front of 28,138 fans at Hampden Park, June 14.
Tex Schramm, the legendary team president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died at the age of 83 on July 15.
Lincoln Financial Field opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with an attendance of 66,279 fans as the New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-12 in a preseason game on August 22.
A renovated Lambeau Field opened in Green Bay, Wisconsin with a crowd of 69,831 fans as the Carolina Panthers defeated the Green Bay Packers 20-7 in a preseason game on August 23.
NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XLI, to be played on February 4, 2007 to Miami on September 17.
A renovated Soldier Field opened in Chicago, Illinois with an attendance of 61,500 fans as the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears 38-23 in a regular season game on ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football on September 29.
NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XLII, to be played on February 3, 2008 to Glendale, Arizona on October 30.
NFL Network, the first 24- hour, year-round television channel dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football, launched on DirecTV on November 4.
Otto Graham, the legendary quarterback of the Cleveland Browns and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died at the age of 82 on December 17.
NFL paid attendance totaled 1,106,818 for 16 games in Week 17, the highest weekend total in league history.
2004
The New England Patriots won their second Super Bowl in three years by defeating the NFC champion Carolina Panthers 32-29 in Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston on February 1. The game was witnessed by 144.4 million viewers, making Super Bowl XXXVIII the most-watched program in U.S. television history.
The NFL set an all-time paid attendance record in 2003 for the second consecutive year with a mark of 21,639,040.
Regular-season paid attendance of 16,913,584 for an average of 66,328 per game were both all-time records on March 29.
By a vote of 29-3, NFL owners extended the instant replay system for another five seasons through 2008 on March 30.
Steve Bisciotti took over as the controlling owner of the Baltimore Ravens, succeeding Art Modell, who operated the franchise for 43 years on April 8.
Former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman was killed in a firefight while on combat patrol with the U.S. Army Rangers in Afghanistan on April 22.
A federal appeals court formally ruled in favor of the NFL’s draft eligibility rule in Maurice Clarett’s lawsuit, citing federal labor policy in permitting the NFL and the Players Association to set rules for when players can enter the league on May 24.
The Berlin Thunder defeated the Frankfurt Galaxy 30-24 to win World Bowl XII in front of 35,413 fans at Arena Auf- Schalke on June 12.
The New England Patriots defeated the New York Jets 13-7 for their NFL-record 18th consecutive regular-season victory on October 24.
The NFL reached an agreement on six-year contract extensions with two of its network television partners — CBS and FOX — to run through the 2011 season on November 8.
The NFL and DirecTV announced a five-year extension on the NFL Sunday Ticket subscription television package to run through the 2010 season on November 8.
NFL Europe named the Hamburg Sea Devils as the league’s newest team on November 24.
2005
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning set the NFL single-season record with 49 touchdown passes.
The New England Patriots became the second team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four seasons by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville on February 6. The game was witnessed by 133.7 million viewers, making Super Bowl XXXIX the fifth-most watched program in U.S. television history.
The NFL set an all-time paid attendance record in 2004 for the third consecutive year with a mark of 21,708,624. Regular- season paid attendance increased to 17,000,811, the first time the NFL reached the 17-million mark. Average paid attendance of 66,409 was also an all-time high.
The Pat Tillman USO Center opened in Afghanistan. The NFL donated $250,000 to the USO to honor the memory of the former Arizona Cardinals player who died in Afghanistan while serving in the U.S. Army on April 3.
The NFL reached long-term agreements for its Sunday and Monday primetime TV packages on April 18. NBC returned to the NFL by acquiring the Sunday night package for six years (2006-2011). ESPN agreed on an eight-year deal to televise Monday Night Football from 2006-2013.
The NFL strengthened its steroids program by adopting the Olympic testosterone testing standard, tripling the number of times a player can be randomly tested during the offseason from two to six, adding substances to the list of banned substances, and putting new language in the policy to allow for testing of designer drugs and other substances that may have evaded detection on April 27.
NFL owners voted unanimously to approve the purchase of the Minnesota Vikings to real-estate developer Zygmunt Wilf on May 25.
NFL owners awarded Super Bowl XLIII, to be played on February 1, 2009 to Tampa on May 25.
The Amsterdam Admirals defeated the Berlin Thunder 27-21 to win World Bowl XIII in front of 35,134 at LTU Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany on June 11.
The NFL designated September 18-19 as "Hurricane Relief Weekend," which concluded with a telethon in conjunction with a Monday Night Football doubleheader on ABC and ESPN. The New York Giants-New Orleans Saints game, originally scheduled for the Louisiana Superdome, was moved to Giants Stadium following Hurricane Katrina. In total, the NFL, its owners, teams, players, and fans contributed $21 million to aid the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort.
An NFL record 103,467 fans attended the Arizona Cardinals' 31-14 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, the first-ever regular-season NFL game played outside the United States on October 2.
NFL owners, by a vote of 31-1, approved the business plan of the NFL Europe League through its 2010 season on October 6.
Wellington Mara, the New York Giants' president and co-chief executive officer died at the age of 89 on October 25.
Chicago Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher set an NFL record for the longest scoring play with a 108-yard touchdown return of an errant field goal by San Francisco kicker Joe Nedney in Chicago on November 13.
Preston Robert Tisch, the Giants' chairman and co-chief executive officer, died at the age of 79 on November 15.
Sports Illustrated named New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady the 2005 Sportsman of the Year on December 5.
2006
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander set the NFL single-season record for touchdowns with 28.
The NFL announced that NFL Network would begin airing a "Road To The Playoffs" package of eight primetime regular season NFL games starting in 2006 on January 28.
The Pittsburgh Steelers won their fifth Super Bowl, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan on February 3. The game was witnessed by 141.1 million viewers, making it the second-most watched program in U.S. television history.
The NFL clubs approved an extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement through 2012 on March 8. Owners also agreed on an expanded revenue sharing program that will redistribute $850 to $900 million over the course of the deal.
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced his decision to retire by the end of July on March 20. The NFL enjoyed an era of unrivaled prosperity in the Tagliabue Era, including labor peace throughout his 17-year tenure.
The NFL set an all-time paid attendance record in 2005 for the fourth consecutive season. Attendance for all 2005 games was 21,792,096, an increase of nearly 84,000 over the previous record of 21,708,624 in 2004.
NFL clubs unanimously decided to return the name of the official game ball to "The Duke" in honor of the late New York Giants owner Wellington Mara, on March 27.
2007
The Indianapolis Colts won their second Super Bowl, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida on February 4. Both teams were coached by African-Americans: Tony Dungy of the Colts and Lovie Smith of the Bears.
NFL clubs approved additional league-wide revenue sharing at a league meeting in Phoenix, Arizona on March 26. The teams agreed to redistribute up to $430 million over a four-year span, retroactive to 2006.
The NFL announced changes to its long-standing personal conduct policy and programs for players, coaches and other team and league employees. The modifications focus on expanded educational and support programs in addition to increased levels of discipline for violations of the policy on April 10.
The NFL, NFL Players Association, NFL Retired Players Association, NFL Alumni Association, NFL Charities and Pro Football Hall of Fame formed the first-ever Alliance to coordinate medical support services for former players on May 22.
The Hamburg Sea Devils defeated the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 to win World Bowl XV in front of 48,125 fans at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Germany on June 23.
The NFL announced it will focus its international business strategy on reaching the widest possible global audience, including the staging of international regular-season games, and discontinued NFL Europa after 15 seasons of operation on June 29.
NFL owners unanimously approved $10 million in additional Alliance funding for retired players to help pay for joint replacement surgeries and other medical assistance, supplementing the initial $7 million committed in July by Alliance members on October 24.
The New York Giants defeated the Miami Dolphins 13-10 at London’s in front of 81,176 fans at Wembley Stadium in the first regular-season game played outside of North America on October 28.
On the field in the 2007 season, many significant records and milestones were achieved: Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino in both passing categories—touchdowns and yards—to become the NFL’s all-time career leader. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady set the single-season record with 50 touchdown passes, including 23 to wide receiver Randy Moss—also a record. New England, which became the first team ever to finish 16-0 in the regular season, scored a record 589 points.
2008
The NFL, United States Olympic Committee, United States Anti-Doping Agency and MLB announced a partnership to form a clean competition anti-doping research collaborative on January 10.
Georgia Frontiere, majority owner of the St. Louis Rams, died at the age of 80 on January 18.
The NFL announced it will stage a regular-season game in the United Kingdom during each of the next three seasons, beginning with the New Orleans Saints hosting the San Diego Chargers on October 26, 2008 at London’s Wembley Stadium on February 1.
The New York Giants scored with 35 seconds remaining to win their third Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on February 3.
The NFL set an all-time paid attendance record in 2007 for the sixth consecutive season. Attendance for all 2007 games was 22,256,502, an increase of 56,790 over the previous mark. The Washington Redskins set an all-time NFL regular-season home paid attendance record of 711,471 for eight games, breaking their own record of 708,852 in 2006.
NFL clubs voted unanimously to exercise their option to shorten by two years the current Collective Bargaining Agreement on May 20, which now will run through the 2010 season and 2011 NFL Draft.
Lucas Oil Stadium opened in Indianapolis, Indiana with a crowd of 65,333 as the Buffalo Bills defeated the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 20-7 in a preseason game, August 24.
The NFL established a new fan code of conduct to help support a positive fan environment at all NFL stadiums on August 5.
NFLPA Executive Director and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw died at the age of 63 on August 20.
For the first time, an NFL game was broadcast on NBC and also streamed live in its entirety to fans on the Internet via NFL.com and NBCSports.com as the Giants beat the Redskins16-7 in the 2009 NFL Kickoff game on September 4.
Owners approved a restructured ownership plan for the Pittsburgh Steelers that will keep the team under the control of chairman Dan Rooney and team president Art Rooney II on December 17.
The NFL announced that the 2010 Pro Bowl will be played a week prior to Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, January 31, 2010. Both games will be played in South Florida.
In the 256 regular-season games of 2008, 44.1 points per game were scored—the highest average since 1970.
2009
Stephen M. Ross purchased an additional 45 percent of the Miami Dolphins from Wayne Huizenga and became the team’s managing partner on January 20. Coupled with his April 1, 2008 purchase of 50 percent of the franchise, the stadium and the excess developable land, Ross now owns 95 percent of the Dolphins and the stadium while Huizenga retains a five percent share of both and remains a 50 percent partner in that land.
The NFL re-named its minority coaching internship program the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship, honoring the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach who conceived of the program on January 29.
The Pittsburgh Steelers scored a touchdown with 42 seconds remaining to claim their NFL-record sixth Super Bowl title, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay on February 1.
The NFL and Westwood One announced a new two-year agreement for Westwood One to continue as the exclusive network radio partner of the NFL on March 12.
The NFLPA selected Washington-based attorney DeMaurice Smith as its new executive director on March 16.
The NFL and DIRECTV announced an agreement to extend DIRECTV’s rights to carry NFL Sunday Ticket through the 2014 season on March 23.
The NFL reached an agreement on two-year contract extensions with two of its network television partners – CBS and FOX – to run through the 2013 season on May 19.
The NFL extended by two years its broadcast partnership with NBC to televise the Sunday night package through the 2013 season on August 19.
Cowboys Stadium opened in Arlington, Texas with a crowd of 75,720 as the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Tennessee Titans by a score of 30-10 in a preseason game on August 21.
The NFL announced games that were blacked out in home team markets during the 2009 season would be shown on NFL.com in their entirety on a delayed basis on September 10. The NFL launched a new “Red Zone Channel,” offering fans crucial live action cut-ins of all Sunday afternoon games on September 13.
Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach and broadcaster John Madden was appointed special advisor to Commissioner Roger Goodell on September 10.
The NFL appointed former head coach Tony Dungy to lead a new NFL Player Advisory Forum and serve as a special advisor to Commissioner Goodell on November 19.
Commissioner Goodell notified NFL teams of new and expanded guidelines on return-to-play for any player who sustains a concussion on December 2.
2010
For the first time, the Pro Bowl was played in the Super Bowl city the week before the Super Bowl, as the AFC All-Stars beat the NFC All-Stars 41-34 in the 2010 Pro Bowl at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida. The game drew 70,697 fans – the highest attendance for a Pro Bowl since 1959 on January 31.
The New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl title, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida on February 7.
Dr. Hunt Batjer of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Dr. Richard G. Ellenbogen of the University of Washington School of Medicine were named the new co-chairs of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Medical Committee on March 16.
NFL owners voted to amend postseason overtime rules to a modified sudden death format, guaranteeing at least one possession for each club if the receiving team fails to score a touchdown on its first over-time possession on March 23.
The NFL and NFL Alumni Association announced a new neurological care program for retired players, one of a series of NFL initiatives addressing the quality of life of retired players on March 24.
NFL rules changes emphasized additional player safety on March 24. Protection for defenseless players was standardized and expanded, protecting a player who has just completed a catch from blows to the head or neck by an opponent who launches. Additional protection was also given to long snappers. Play will now stop if a ball carrier’s helmet is removed.
The NFL Draft debuted a new three-day format, with the first two days broadcast in primetime. A record combined total of 45.4 million viewers tuned in to watch the 75th NFL Draft on NFL Network, ESPN and ESPN2.
New Meadowlands Stadium opened in East Rutherford, New Jersey as the New York Giants defeat the New York Jets by a score of 31-16 in a preseason game on August 16.
Stan Kroenke purchased an additional 60 percent of the St. Louis Rams from the Rosenbloom family and became the team’s sole owner and chairman on August 25.
A renovated Arrowhead Stadium opened in Kansas City, Missouri as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-17 in a preseason game on August 27.
A poster created by the NFL and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help educate young athleteson concussions was released to the public on October 11. The poster, similar to one on display in NFL locker rooms, stresses the importance of recognizing a concussion, taking time to recover, and not returning to play too soon.
The NFL, NFL Alumni and Gay Culverhouse Players’ Outreach Program announced a partnership to expand services for retired NFL players on October 12. The outreach program identifies retired players in need, ensuring they receive comprehensive medical evaluations and assistance in applying for the expanded benefits and services created in recent years by the NFL.
Commissioner Roger Goodell notified NFL teams that more significant discipline, including suspensions, would be imposed on players that strike an opponent in the head or neck area in violation of the rules on October 20.
The NFL and Westwood One Radio announced the renewal of a multi-year agreement for Westwood One to continue as the exclusive network radio home of the NFL on December 22.
2011
The NFL appointed Pro Football Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott and John Madden as co-chairs of a new Player Safety Advisory Panel on January 4. The panel provides recommendations on a variety of safety-related football matters, while taking a long-term view towards making the game safer at every level of the sport.
The Green Bay Packers won their fourth Super Bowl title, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in North Texas on February 6. The game was viewed by 162.9 million people, making it the most-watched program in U.S. television history.
The NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee announced a new standardized sideline concussion assessment protocol for team medical personnel on February 25. The new protocol includes a symptom checklist, limited neurologic examination and balance assessment.
On the steps of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, Commissioner Goodell & NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith formally announced a comprehensive settlement of litigation and signed a new 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement on August 4. The agreement included additional funding for player alumni of $1 billion, including a $620 million “Legacy Fund” to increase benefits for pre-1993 retirees.
A record 107.4 million fans tuned into Kickoff Weekend games on CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC.
The NFL announced an eight-year extension of its contract with ESPN for the broadcast rights to Monday Night Football through the 2021 season on September 8.
NFL teams, players and fans remembered the courage and resilience that followed the events of September 11, 2001 with special tributes in each stadium and on television during all games on Sunday, September 11.
Al Davis, the Oakland Raiders’ owner and Pro Football Hall of Famer, died at the age of 82 on October 8.
NFL owners approved a resolution to continue playing regular-season games in the United Kingdom through the 2016 season on October 11.
The NFL reached an agreement on nine-year contract extensions of its Sunday broadcast television packages with CBS, FOX and NBC to run through the 2022 season on December 14. The agreements also enabled the NFL to expand its Thursday night package of games on NFL Network, which increased from eight to 13 games for the 2012 season.
NFL clubs unanimously approved the majority ownership transfer of the Jacksonville Jaguars from Wayne Weaver to businessman Shahid Khan at a meeting in Dallas on December 14.
On the field, many all-time records were set: 11,356 points were scored, the most of any season in NFL history; New Orleans’ Drew Brees passed for 5,476 yards; and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers led the league with a 122.5 passer rating.
2012
NFL clubs extend Commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract through March 31, 2019 on January 25.
The New York Giants won their fourth Super Bowl title, defeating the New England Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on February 5.
The NFL announced a new comprehensive health program, NFL Total Wellness, for former and current players to provide additional resources for physical and mental health issues on July 26.
Art Modell, former owner of the Cleveland Browns-Baltimore Ravens franchise and longtime chairman of the NFL’s Broadcast Committee, died at the age of 87 on September 6.
NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football schedule was expanded from eight to 13 regular-season games, debuting with the Green Bay Packers’ 23-10 victory against the Chicago Bears on September 13.
The NFL announced an extension of its exclusive radio broadcast agreement with Dial Global through the 2017 season on September 20.
NFL Films President Steve Sabol died at the age of 69 on September 18.
The NFL and its game officials agreed to a new eight-year Collective Bargaining Agreement, ending a four- month dispute on September 27. The union officials returned to work for Week 4.
NFL clubs unanimously approved the majority ownership transfer of the Cleveland Browns from Randy Lerner to Jimmy Haslam at a meeting in Chicago on October 16.
The NFL announced the formation of the National Football League Foundation to focus on youth football, health and safety and community on December 12. The newly created Foundation resulted from the restructuring of the NFL’s previous charitable arms – NFL Charities and the NFL Youth Football Fund.
2013
The Baltimore Ravens won their second Super Bowl, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on February 3.
GE and the NFL announced the Head Health Initiative, a four-year, $60 million collaboration to advance diagnostic tools for treating concussions and the development of new materials for head protection on March 11.
Tennessee Titans owner K.S. “Bud” Adams, Jr. a founding member of the AFL, died at the age of 90 on October 21.
On the field, many all-time records were set: 11,985 points were scored, the most of any season in NFL history; games averaged an all-time high 697.0 total net yards per game; and Denver's Peyton Manning passed for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns.
2014
The 2014 Pro Bowl introduced a new format for the NFL’s All-Star Game, including a draft to determine rosters and major playing rules adjustments on January 26. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders served as team captains. Team Rice defeated Team Sanders 22-21 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The Seattle Seahawks won their first Super Bowl, defeating the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in the first New York-New Jersey Super Bowl on February 2.
Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson, Jr., a founding member of the AFL, died at the age of 95 on March 25.
In addition to its Sunday afternoon package, CBS acquired the rights to broadcast early-season primetime Thursday Night Football games, simulcast by NFL Network, for the 2014 season on February 5. NFL Network retained exclusive rights to late-season TNF games.
Malcolm Glazer, the owner and president of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, died at the age of 85 on May 28.
Prior to the official kickoff of the 2014 regular season, the NFL launched its next generation video service, NFL Now, providing fans personalized access to the largest digital library of NFL video anywhere, accessible through apps and browsers across an array of Internet-connected devices on September 4.
NFL personnel began using Microsoft Surface tablets on sidelines during games to enhance on-field communications, photo viewing and play calling, giving coaches, players and other personnel the technology they need to improve decision-making and on-field performance on September 5.
The NFL and DIRECTV announced a new multi-year agreement to extend and expand DIRECTV's exclusive rights to carry NFL SUNDAY TICKET and its package of every Sunday afternoon out-of-market games.
NFL teams unanimously endorsed a revised and strengthened Personal Conduct Policy for all NFL employees on December 10. The policy was developed after discussions with experts inside and outside of the NFL, including current and former players, the NFL Players Association, domestic violence/sexual assault experts and advocates, law enforcement officials, academic experts and business leaders. The new policy lays out a clear series of steps to be taken when there is an incident that requires review.
Commissioner Goodell appointed a new league Conduct Committee comprised of representatives of NFL owner- ship that will review the Personal Conduct Policy annually and recommend appropriate changes.
2015
The NFL and CBS agreed to continue a partnership to produce and televise Thursday Night Football for the 2015 season on January 18. CBS broadcasted the first eight TNF games, also simulcast on NFL Network. NFL Network will exclusively televise eight games in the run-up to the playoffs.
The New England Patriots won their fourth Super Bowl, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona on February 1. The game was viewed by an average audience of 114.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched program in U.S. television history.
Sarah Thomas became the first female to be assigned full-time to an NFL officiating crew on April 8.
NFL clubs at the league’s spring meeting in San Francisco adopted a change to the Try for Point After Touchdown (PAT) rule in an attempt to add skill and excitement to the extra play following touchdowns on May 19. The new rule: 1. Moves the kicking spot to the defensive team’s 15-yard line; 2. Places the two-point conversion spot at the defensive team’s two-yard line; and 3. Gives the defensive team the opportunity to return a blocked kick, fumble or interception for a score of two points.
The NFL and Yahoo! announced an exclusive partnership to deliver the first-ever live stream of an NFL game to a global audience across devices and for free on June 3. The partnership brought the NFL’s scheduled 2015 International Series game in London, between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars on October 25, to Yahoo! properties globally, which attract more than one billion monthly users.
The NFL announced a $2.5 million foundational donation to UW Medicine to establish the first-of-its-kind Sports Health and Safety Institute to advance research, education and advocacy for the prevention and treatment of sports-related concussions on August 14.
NFL clubs approved a commitment to play international regular-season games through 2025 and broadens the league’s opportunity to play games in countries other than the United Kingdom at a league meeting in New York on October 7.
The NFL and SiriusXM announced a six-year extension of their satellite broadcasting and marketing agreement on October 7. SiriusXM will continue to feature every NFL game live nationwide from the preseason through Super Bowl LVI in 2022.
The NFL hosted the 2nd Annual International Professional Sports Concussion Research Think Tank in London, on October 24, which served as a platform for leading scientific and medical experts from preeminent international sports organizations to propose ideas for future research collaborations and to share best practices and progress made in the areas of concussion diagnosis, protocols, management and treatment. During the Think Tank, the NFL and International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation (ICHIRF) announced a partnership to fund research investigating the potential long-term effects and risk factors associated with concussion in sports.
2016
The transfer of the Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles for the 2016 season was approved by a vote of NFL clubs at a meeting in Houston on January 12.
The NFL announces expansion of Thursday Night Football for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, continuing its partnership with CBS while also adding NBC as a partner on February 1. Both CBS and NBC broadcasted five Thursday Night Football games, growing the package to 10 broadcast games.
The Denver Broncos won their third Super Bowl, defeating the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA on February 7.
The NFL and Twitter announced a partnership to deliver a live digital stream of Thursday Night Football to a global audience for free during the course of the 2016 season on April 5. Twitter will stream the 10 games broadcast by NBC and CBS, which will also be simulcast on NFL Network, securing the league’s “Tri-Cast” distribution model of broadcast (NBC/CBS), cable (NFL Network) and digital (Twitter).
The NFL returned to Mexico City for the first time since 2005, as the Houston Texans and Oakland Raiders met at Estadio Azteca in the first-ever Monday Night Football game to be played outside of the United States on November 21.
For the first time, the Pro Bowl was played at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, and featured a return to the traditional AFC vs. NFC game format following three years using a revised, “unconferenced” format. Pro Bowl practices were held alongside youth football competitions, activities and fan events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort.
On the field, the NFL featured 72 games won by teams that trailed in the fourth quarter of 2016, the most such games in NFL history, surpassing the previous high of 70 (1989).
2017
The Chargers exercised their option to move from San Diego to Los Angeles for the 2017 season on January 12.
The New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl LI in the first Super Bowl to go to overtime on February 5. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady became the only player in NFL history to win four Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Awards, setting Super Bowl single-game records in pass attempts, completions and passing yards.
The NFL reached an agreement with Amazon Prime as its exclusive partner to deliver a live digital stream of Thursday Night Football to a global audience across devices during the 2017 season. Amazon Prime Video streamed the 10 Thursday Night Football games broadcast by NBC and CBS, which will also were simulcast on NFL Network, once again securing the league’s “Tri-Cast” model of broadcast (NBC/CBS), cable (NFL Net- work) and digital (Amazon Prime Video) distribution.
The NFL committed to play four regular-season games in London in 2017, with two games played at both Wembley Stadium and Twickenham Stadium on March 2. NFL clubs at the league’s annual meeting approved the future relocation of the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas7.
NFL clubs at the league’s annual meeting approved a rule stating that instant replay rulings during NFL games will be made by members of the league’s officiating department stationed in New York on March 27.
Sideline replay monitors are replaced with hand-held devices.
In an effort to increase player safety, NFL clubs at the league’s annual meeting adopted rules eliminating the “leaper” block attempt on field goal and extra point plays, prohibiting crackback blocks by a backfield player who is in motion and giving a receiver running a pass route defenseless player protection.
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died at the age of 84 on April 13.
NFL clubs at the league’s spring meeting in Chicago adopted a rule shortening the overtime period in the preseason and regular season from 15 to 10 minutes on May 23.
NFL owners voted to move Super Bowl LV from Los Angeles to Tampa Bay on May 23. (Super Bowl LVI will be held in Los Angeles.)
The NFL committed to play three regular-season games in London and one in Mexico City in 2018. In November, the NFL and Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism announced an agreement to play three NFL regular-season games from 2019 to 2021.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 386 of 536 pass attempts for an NFL-record 72.0 completion percentage.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady led the NFL with 4,577 passing yards at age 40, becoming the oldest player in NFL history to lead the league in passing yards. Brady was named the Associated Press Most Valuable Player for the third time in his career, tied for the second most in league history.
2018
The NFL announced a joint player and ownership committee focused on social justice and debuted a new campaign, Let’s Listen Together, highlighting the player-led work on social and racial equality on January 23. The NFL Foundation also launched a new grant for active and retired players who develop social justice programming or partner with local non-profit organizations committed to this work.
The NFL reached an agreement with FOX Sports to broadcast the next five seasons of Thursday Night Football beginning with the 2018 season on January 31. The agreement awards FOX Sports with a five-year deal that includes 11 games between Weeks 4-15 (excluding Thanksgiving night) to be broadcast on FOX, simulcast via NFL Network, and distributed in Spanish on FOX Deportes.
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII to earn their first Super Bowl title in franchise history on February 4. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was named MVP after becoming the first player in NFL history with a touchdown pass and a touchdown catch in a Super Bowl. Philadelphia and New England combined for 1,151 yards in Super Bowl LII, the highest total in any game in league history.
New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson died at the age of 90 on March 15.
In an effort to take unnecessary risk out of the game and improve player safety, NFL clubs at the league’s annual meeting adopted rules that make lowering the head to initiate contact with the helmet a foul on March 28. The standard for a catch is also changed.
The NFL reached an agreement to renew its exclusive partnership with Amazon Prime Video to deliver a live OTT digital stream of Thursday Night Football to a global audience across devices during the 2018 and 2019 NFL Seasons on April 26.
NFL clubs approved the majority ownership transfer of the Carolina Panthers from Jerry Richardson to David Tepper on May 22.
NFL clubs adopted changes to the kickoff, including the following: the kickoff team must have at least five players on each side of the ball; the kickoff team cannot line up more than one yard from the restraining line; at least two players must be lined up outside the yard-line number and two players between the inbounds line and the yard-line number; at least eight players must be in the 15-yard “setup zone” prior to kickoff; prohibiting wedge blocks; until the ball is touched or hits the ground, no player on the receiving team may cross the restraining line or initiate a block against the kicking team in the 15-yard area from the kicking team’s restraining line; the ball is dead if it is not touched by the receiving team and touches the ground in the end zone (touchback) all on May 22.
NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl LVII to Arizona and Super Bowl LVIII to New Orleans. Nashville was named the host of the 2019 NFL Draft on May 22.
NFL clubs unanimously approve a policy for all league and team personnel to stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem on May 23. Personnel who choose not to stand for the Anthem may stay in the locker room until after the Anthem has been performed.
2019
The NFL launched the Inspire Change platform, showcasing the collaborative efforts of players, owners and the league to create positive change in communities across the country on Jan. 11.
New England defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 13-3, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Super Bowl LIII, the Patriots’ sixth Super Bowl victory, matching the Pittsburgh Steelers’ NFL record on Feb. 3. WR Julian Edelman earned MVP honors.
At the Annual League Meeting, clubs approved a rule change that expanded reviewable plays in Instant Replay to include pass interference, called or not called on the field, for one year only on March 26.
The NFL Draft set new records in media consumption and fan attendance. With a combined 3.9 HH TV rating and average of 6.1 million viewers across NFL, ESPN and ABC TV digital channels, the 2019 Draft was the highest-rated and most watched ever.
Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen died at the age of 75 on June 13.
William V. Bidwill, the owner of the Arizona Cardinals, died at the age of 88 on Oct. 2.
The Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, one of the league’s richest rivalries, kicked off the NFL’s 100th season at historic Soldier Field on Sept. 5.
