1991 American Football Season

The 1991 American football season featured one of the most statistically dominant teams in professional football history and a highly debated split national championship in the collegiate ranks. It was a year defined by explosive offenses, historic defenses, and iconic individual moments.

Perhaps the play of the 1991 season in this fantastic photo was snapped.

The NFL: Washington’s Historic Run

The 1991 NFL season was thoroughly dominated by the Washington Redskins. Coached by Joe Gibbs and quarterbacked by Mark Rypien, Washington finished the regular season 14–2, leading the league in scoring (485 points) while allowing the second-fewest points (224).

• Super Bowl XXVI: Washington capped off their historic season by defeating the Buffalo Bills 37–24 in Minneapolis on January 26, 1992. Mark Rypien was named Super Bowl MVP.
• The Buffalo Bills: Despite the Super Bowl loss, the Bills reached their second consecutive championship game, heavily relying on their no-huddle “K-Gun” offense. Running back Thurman Thomas was named the NFL’s regular-season MVP after leading the league in yards from scrimmage.
• The Detroit Lions: Led by legendary running back Barry Sanders, the Lions captured the NFC Central division title and secured their first playoff victory since 1957, eventually falling to Washington in the NFC Championship.

College Football: A Split Crown

The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended in a split National Championship, a major catalyst for the eventual creation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS).

• The Co-Champions: Both the Miami Hurricanes (AP Poll champions) and the Washington Huskies (Coaches Poll champions) finished with perfect 12–0 records. Miami shut out Nebraska 22–0 in the Orange Bowl, while Washington dismantled Michigan 34–14 in the Rose Bowl.
• The Heisman Trophy: Michigan wide receiver and return specialist Desmond Howard won the Heisman Trophy in a landslide. He cemented his victory during the rivalry game against Ohio State, returning a punt 93 yards for a touchdown and striking the now-legendary “Heisman pose” in the end zone.

More 1991 Football Milestone Moments

Beyond the champions, the 1991 season produced several notable historical footnotes and incredible statistical achievements:

• The ’91 Eagles Defense: Despite losing starting quarterback Randall Cunningham to a torn ACL in Week 1, the Philadelphia Eagles fielded one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. They led the league in the fewest rushing yards, passing yards, and total yards allowed, racking up 55 sacks and 43 forced turnovers.
• Coaching Milestones: 1991 marked the final season for legendary Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll, who retired after winning four Super Bowls over his 23-year tenure. It was also the first season for Bill Belichick as an NFL head coach, taking over the Cleveland Browns.
• Expansion on the Horizon: The NFL announced that it would expand from 28 to 30 teams by 1995, eventually awarding franchises to Charlotte (Carolina Panthers) and Jacksonville (Jacksonville Jaguars).

A Deep Dive into 1991 Football History and Highlights

• January 1, 1991 – At the 77th edition of the Rose Bowl Game, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Washington Huskies took Bowl game scoring to the next level. The Huskies survived the shootout with a 47-34 victory as their sophomore south-paw quarterback Mark Brunell was named the Player of the Game.
• January 20, 1991 – Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY –The AFC Championship for the 1990 season culminated in the Buffalo Bills blasting the Los Angeles Raiders, 51-3! Bills QB Jim Kelly threw for 300 yards and 2 TDs; his favorite target was James Lofton, who caught five balls for 113 and a score, and Thurman Thomas rushed for a touchdown as part of his 138 yards on the ground. (source)
• January 20, 1991 – Candlestick Park, San Francisco –There was only one TD scored in the NFC Championship game for the 1990 season, and it was by the team that ended up on the losing side. It doesn’t sound right to hear that, but Joe Montana’s 61-yard scoring strike to wide receiver John Taylor in the 3rd quarter was the only time either team crossed the goal line per Pro-Football-Reference.com. Matt Bahr of the Giants had an active day as he kicked 5 field goals to supply all of the Giants’ points as they beat the San Francisco 49ers, 15-13.
• January 26, 1991– Jan Stenerud became the first pure placekicker inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
• January 27, 1991 – Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida –Super Bowl XXV was one of the most memorable Super Bowls of all time. People still talk about it to this day. The statement that takes an avid NFL fan to the game is “Wide Right.” You see, the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 20-19, but it almost had a very different outcome. With just  4 seconds remaining, Jim Kelly orchestrated an impressive desperation drive that set up a 47-yard field goal attempt by the Bills’ very accurate kicker Scott Norwood. As you have already heard, the ball went slightly outside of the upright to the right. The Giants’ win was preserved, and torture set in for the Bills. The Washington Post calls the game the closest and most even ever played. The game’s MVP was Giants running back Ottis Anderson, who ran for 102 yards and a score.
• February 3, 1991, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu. – The AFC edged out the NFC 23-21 in a hard-fought Pro Bowl, overcoming the prevailing notion that the NFC’s star-studded lineup was unbeatable. Buffalo Bills legendary quarterback Jim Kelly, known more for his regular-season prowess than postseason heroics, delivered a performance defined by tenacity and flexibility, winning him the game’s Most Valuable Player award. This tight encounter and Kelly’s standout play highlighted an underdog spirit that pervaded the broader narrative of February 3’s football history, denoting a reversal of expectations and preparing the foundation for other improbable victories associated with this significant date.
• February 24, 1991 – End of World League of American Football’s (WLAF) 1st draft. According to a web page titled World League of American Football, “The NY/NJ Knights make the first selection on the first day of the WLAF draft and choose 6-3, 290lb offensive tackle Caesar Rentie of Oklahoma,” on February 14 to kick off the picking of teams from scratch draft. This final day of picking was to choose defensive backs and assign 40 Operation Discovery players for each franchise. After some ups and downs and major changes, the leagues disbanded in 2007 under the moniker of NFL Europe.
• February 26, 1991 – The World League of American Football teams opened up Training Camps just days after the league’s first draft had completed!
• March 23, 1991 – marked a new era as the World League of American Football opened with three games. First, the London Monarchs, who would become the season’s champions, defeated Frankfurt Galaxy—coached by Jack Elway—24-11. Next, the Sacramento Surge overcame the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks, led by Roman Gabriel, 9-3. Rounding out opening day, the Montreal Machine topped the Birmingham Fire, coached by Chan Gailey, 20-5.  

• March 24, 1991 – the Barcelona Dragons defeated the New York Knights 19-7 in their first World League of American Football game.
• March 27, 1991, the NCAA banned the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football program from postseason play in 1992. Ed Sherman, in an article he wrote for the Chicago Tribune, tells the tale of the incident quite well. A former University of Minnesota administrator, Luther Darville, began handing out cash to football players in 1982. Others in the Minnesota program caught him red-handed in 1988 and stopped the practice with consequences. Therefore, the NCAA felt obligated to conduct its own investigation, and in its aftermath, it laid the hammer down on the program in 1991, preventing the team from participating in a bowl game during the 1991 postseason. Mr. Sherman raises some great points about people who committed crimes, both in Darville’s handing out the funds and in the 1982-era players who accepted them, who did not suffer much at all from the NCAA penalty. But the legacy players and coaches in the Golden Gophers program, almost a decade later, served penance for what their predecessors had done so long ago. D. Alan Williams, chairman of the NCAA’s infractions committee in 1991, had a different opinion, according to the article. First, he said, the NCAA isn`t penalizing individuals. The penalties are imposed on the institution. It`s always unfortunate, but the committee has before it what it is required to do .” The matter comes down to the fact that there has to be a better solution for punishing those who violate institutions, perhaps a more efficient and timely investigation, rather than one that takes three years to complete. (source)
• April 21, 1991 – 1991 NFL Draft: University of Miami defensive tackle Russell Maryland was the first pick by the Dallas Cowboys. The Pro Football Reference says that the Hall of Fame players from this class so far are Brett Favre, selected with the 33rd pick by Atlanta, and the Cardinals’ 59th pick of Aeneas Williams.
• May 22, 1991 – The NFL agrees to expand by two teams by the start of the 1994 season. The two expansion teams later became the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars.
• May 29, 1991 –Georgia Tech Coach Bobby Ross suspended the team’s leading rusher from the previous season, William Bell, along with a couple of other backfield players, after they were arrested for receiving stolen property. (source)
• June 1, 1991 – The clock was ready to start ticking on an option that the National Football League had bought two years earlier on the Arena Football League. If they exercised the option within 10 months of the writing, the NFL would own 49.9% of the Arena League. Then, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced that March 31, 1992, would be the deadline for such a decision. More on this story in our June 1 feed.
• September 7,  1991 – In the college ranks BYU quarterback Ty Detmer goes past the NCAA career record of 11,606 yards on the state Detmer won the Heisman Trophy after the 1990 season and showed the UCLA Bruins that day that his game was still as sharp as it was a year before In this exciting early season matchup the Bruins held on to win the game at home 2723 but not before Ty Detmer surpasses the throwing milestone.
• September 14, 1991 – San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk, on this date, rushed for an NCAA record 386 yards and scored seven touchdowns in a 55- 34 Aztec victory over Pacific University.
• September 18, 1991 – The NCAA penalized the University of Tennessee with two years of probation due to a confirmed football recruiting violation.
• September 22, 1991 – Miami Dolphins Head Coach Don Shula won his 300th NFL game! Shula started his head coaching career in the NFL in 1963 with the Baltimore Colts at the age of 33. He spent 7 seasons in that position, tallying 71 wins, before leaving for warmer weather in Miami and staying at that post for 26 seasons. Don Shula won 1 NFL Championship in 1968 with the Colts and then won two Super Bowls at the helm of the Dolphins, including the NFL’s only undefeated Super Bowl team in 1972!
• September 24, 1991 – Two-sport phenom Deion Sanders returned to the MLB’s Atlanta Braves, as he had been with the Atlanta Falcons through training camp and the start of the season since July 31 of that year. Sanders had a special clause in his NFL contract that allowed him to leave the Falcons to play in the Braves’ postseason. Since the Falcons had a bye week, Sanders contributed to their baseball team’s stretch run.
• October 5, 1991 – An NCAA record is tied when Fresno State reeled off 49 points in the 2nd quarter against New Mexico at home in Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs routed their guests 94-17.
• October 12, 1991 – Mike Lerch of Princeton ties the NCAA record with 370 receiving yards, along with 4 touchdowns, to lead the then-unbeaten Princeton Tigers to a 59-37 victory over a winless Brown University.
• October 12, 1991 – Doug Flutie, formerly of Boston College and now with the BC Lions, set a CFL passing record of 582 yards despite losing to the Edmonton Eskimos, 45-38 in overtime.
• October 24, 1991 – Music industry Executive Larry Ryckman purchases CFL’s Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders franchise was struggling financially, and Ryckman’s guidance was just what the Doctor ordered. The new owner made a string of positive decisions that turned the team’s finances around, including signing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Doug Flutie, Jeff Garcia, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He also launched a successful marketing campaign that won over fans and put the team on a winning streak, as they participated in 5 Grey Cup games and even won the coveted cup in 1992.
• November 9, 1991 – Future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk of San Diego State returns after missing three games due to injury. The real news comes when the Charlotte Observer reports that, in his first game back, he broke the NCAA freshman record for touchdowns with his 20th in a 42-32 win over Colorado State.
• November 9, 1991 – University of Houston’s kicker Roman Anderson is the 1st in NCAA history to kick 400 pts by knocking through a 32-yard field goal in the Cougars’ 23-14 victory over Texas. (source)
• November 9, 1991 – Tennessee Volunteers rallied from 31-7 down in the first half against highly ranked Notre Dame to pull off an upset.
• November 10, 1991 – Cleveland Browns QB Bernie Kosar breaks the NFL record for most passes without an interception, with 308, per the onthisday.com website.
• November 16, 1991 –The original game, dubbed “Wide Right,” was played at the college level as top-ranked Florida State and second-ranked Miami squared off in a game that came down to a last-second kick.
• November 17, 1991 – Tragedy struck as Detroit Lions running back Mike Utley was paralyzed in a game against the LA Rams.
• November 23, 1991 – Brigham Young University quarterback Ty Detmer unleashed the Cougars’ offensive firepower, leading his team to a 48-17 blowout victory over the Utah Utes, per the cougarstats.com website. Detmer’s 378 yards passing and 5 TDs helped the signal caller complete a fantastic college career. Detmer finished his NCAA career with 15,031 yards and a record 4,031 yards passed in a season. (source)
• November 24, 1991 – RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. –After starting off the season with a perfect 12-0 record, the Washington Redskins lost to the Dallas Cowboys 24-21, according to the Washington Post. The Cowboys lost their starting QB, Troy Aikman, in the 3rd quarter, but still controlled the clock for 39 minutes, and the Dallas D held the Washington rushing offense to a mere 50 yards, helping Dallas defeat their arch rivals. (source)
• November 24, 1991 – Winnipeg Stadium – The CFL’s 79th Grey Cup featured the Toronto Argonauts defeating the Calgary Stampeders, 36-21. Weather played a major factor in the game, as temperatures dropped to -16 degrees Celsius at kickoff, making it the coldest Grey Cup Game ever. Rocket Ismail, formerly of Notre Dame and an all-time CFL great, was the game’s MVP. At the same time, Calgary’s Dave Sapunjis was the Most Valuable Canadian. The Boatmen celebrated the Championship under their new ownership of LA Kings owner Bruce McNall, hockey player Wayne Gretzky, and actor John Candy, per the onthisday.com website. 
• November 30, 1991 – Legion Field, Birmingham –The annual SEC matchup of Alabama and Auburn was another dandy in the 56th Iron Bowl. This would be the last time Auburn would be the “home” team in the series played at Legion Field, as the Tigers’ brass insisted that future Auburn-hosted contests be played at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. Alabama spoiled the nostalgia of the Tigers’ fans, though, as the Tide outlasted Auburn in an exciting 13-6 game.
• December 1, 1991 – Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida –Dolphins legendary Quarterback Dan Marino set an NFL record when he reached 3,000 yards passing in a season for the 8th time in his career during the Dolphins’ 33-14 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per MiamiDolphins.com.
• December 14, 1991 – The 57th Heisman Trophy was awarded to Desmond Howard, the University of Michigan’s standout wide receiver and return specialist.
• December 26, 1991 – Chuck Noll retired after 23 seasons coaching the Pittsburgh Steelers, tying Steve Owen for the third-longest tenure with one NFL team. Curly Lambeau and Tom Landry each coached 29 seasons. The Washington Post notes Noll started in 1969, suffering through a 1-13 debut. From there, he transformed the Steelers into a powerhouse, recording 209 wins and 4 Super Bowl titles in 6 seasons.
• December 27, 1991 – OnthisDay.com reports that the Brown family, owners of the Cincinnati Bengals, hired Dave Shula, the son of legendary Coach Don Shula, as their new head coach. The younger Shula then became the youngest NFL coach in history at 32.