Regular season | |
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Duration | September 1 - December 23, 1991 |
Playoffs | |
Start date | December 28, 1991 |
AFC Champions | Buffalo Bills |
NFC Champions | Washington Redskins |
Super Bowl XXVI | |
Date | January 26, 1992 |
Site | Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Champions | Washington Redskins |
Pro Bowl | |
Date | February 2, 1992 |
Site | Aloha Stadium |
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. It was the final season for legendary coach Chuck Noll. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills 37-24 at the Metrodome in Minnesota. This was the second of four consecutive Super Bowl losses for Buffalo.
The 1991 NFL Draft was held from April 21 to 22, 1991 at New York City's Marriott Marquis. With the first pick, the Dallas Cowboys selected defensive tackle Russell Maryland from the University of Miami.
Art McNally resigned as the league's Director of Officiating during the offseason. He had held the position since 1968.[8] Longtime NFL referee Jerry Seeman, who worked the previous season's Super Bowl XXV, was named as McNally's replacement.[9]
Jim Tunney retired after 31 years as an NFL official. He remains the only referee to have worked consecutive Super Bowls (XI, and XII).
Gene Barth died on October 11, 1991.[10] For the remainder of the 1991 season, NFL officials wore a black armband on their left sleeve with the white number 14 to honor him.
Bernie Kukar, Larry Nemmers (the side judge for Super Bowl XXV), and Stan Kemp were promoted to referee to replace Barth, Seeman, and Tunney.
A series of National Football League pre-season exhibition games that were held at sites outside the United States, a total of three games were contested.
Date | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Score | Stadium | City |
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July 28, 1991 | Buffalo Bills | 17 | Philadelphia Eagles | 13 | Wembley Stadium | ![]() |
August 3, 1991 | San Francisco 49ers | 21 | Chicago Bears | 7 | Olympiastadion | ![]() |
August 4, 1991 | Miami Dolphins | 19 | Los Angeles Raiders | 17 | Tokyo Dome | ![]() |
Inter-conference |
Highlights of the 1991 season included:
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Dec. 29 - Soldier Field | Jan. 5 - Pontiac Silverdome | |||||||||||||||||
5 | Dallas | 17 | ||||||||||||||||
5 | Dallas | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
4 | Chicago | 13 | Jan. 12 - RFK Stadium | |||||||||||||||
2 | Detroit | 38 | ||||||||||||||||
NFC | ||||||||||||||||||
Dec. 28 - Louisiana Superdome | 2 | Detroit | 10 | |||||||||||||||
Jan. 4 - RFK Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
1 | Washington | 41 | ||||||||||||||||
6 | Atlanta | 27 | NFC Championship | |||||||||||||||
6 | Atlanta | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
3 | New Orleans | 20 | Jan. 26 - Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | |||||||||||||||
1 | Washington | 24 | ||||||||||||||||
Wild Card playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||
Divisional playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||
Dec. 29 - Astrodome | N1 | Washington | 37 | |||||||||||||||
Jan. 4 - Mile High Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
A1 | Buffalo | 24 | ||||||||||||||||
6 | NY Jets | 10 | Super Bowl XXVI | |||||||||||||||
3 | Houston | 24 | ||||||||||||||||
3 | Houston | 17 | Jan. 12 - Rich Stadium | |||||||||||||||
2 | Denver | 26 | ||||||||||||||||
AFC | ||||||||||||||||||
Dec. 28 - Arrowhead Stadium | 2 | Denver | 7 | |||||||||||||||
Jan. 5 - Rich Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
1 | Buffalo | 10 | ||||||||||||||||
5 | LA Raiders | 6 | AFC Championship | |||||||||||||||
4 | Kansas City | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
4 | Kansas City | 10 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Buffalo | 37 | ||||||||||||||||
Most Valuable Player | Thurman Thomas, Running Back, Buffalo |
Coach of the Year | Wayne Fontes, Detroit |
Offensive Player of the Year | Thurman Thomas, Running Back, Buffalo |
Defensive Player of the Year | Pat Swilling, Linebacker, New Orleans |
Offensive Rookie of the Year | Leonard Russell, Running Back, New England |
Defensive Rookie of the Year | Mike Croel, Linebacker, Denver |
NFL Comeback Player of the Year | Jim McMahon, Quarterback, Philadelphia |
NFL Man of the Year | Anthony Muñoz, Offensive Tackle, Cincinnati |
Super Bowl Most Valuable Player | Mark Rypien, Quarterback, Washington |