2004 American Football Season

The 2004 American football season was a defining year that featured the cementing of a professional dynasty, a paradigm shift in passing offenses, and a controversial college football landscape that ultimately fueled the demand for a playoff system.

The NFL: A Patriots Dynasty and Passing Records

The 2004 NFL season was dominated by two major storylines: the undeniable supremacy of the New England Patriots and a record-shattering offensive performance by the Indianapolis Colts.

• Super Bowl XXXIX: The New England Patriots secured their status as a modern dynasty by winning their third Super Bowl in four years. On February 6, 2005, in Jacksonville, Florida, the Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24–21. Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch was named MVP after tying a Super Bowl record with 11 catches for 133 yards.
• Peyton Manning’s Historic Season: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning orchestrated one of the most efficient passing seasons in NFL history. He threw for 49 touchdowns, breaking Dan Marino’s two-decade-old single-season record of 48. Manning accomplished this on just 497 pass attempts, resulting in an astonishing 9.9% touchdown rate.
• A Historic Rookie Class: The 2004 NFL Draft class produced legendary talent immediately. Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stepped in for an injured Tommy Maddox and led his team to an unprecedented 13–0 regular-season record as a starter, taking the Steelers all the way to the AFC Championship Game.

College Football: The BCS Controversy and Trojan Dominance

The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season exposed the deep flaws of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) system when an unprecedented five teams finished the regular season undefeated (USC, Oklahoma, Auburn, Utah, and Boise State).

• USC’s Wire-to-Wire Run: The USC Trojans, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart and dynamic running back Reggie Bush, started the season ranked No. 1 and never surrendered the spot. In the Orange Bowl (the designated BCS National Championship Game), USC dismantled the No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners 55–19. Leinart threw for five touchdowns in a flawless performance. (Note: USC’s 2004 BCS title was later vacated due to NCAA sanctions involving Reggie Bush).
• The Auburn Grievance: The Auburn Tigers ran the table in the formidable SEC, finishing 13–0 after a Sugar Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. However, because USC and Oklahoma started the season ranked higher, Auburn was shut out of the national title game—a major controversy that intensified calls for a college football playoff.
• The Original “BCS Busters”: The Utah Utes, led by head coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Alex Smith, became the first team from a non-AQ (Automatic Qualifying) conference to bust the BCS. They finished completely undefeated and dominated Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.

More Gridiron Milestone Moments in 2004

The 2004 season represented a major turning point for offensive philosophies and rule enforcement in both the professional and collegiate ranks:

• The Strict Enforcement of the “Ty Law Rule”: Following physical play by the Patriots’ secondary in the 2003 playoffs, the NFL Competition Committee mandated strict enforcement of the illegal contact penalty in 2004. Defenders could no longer continuously jam receivers past five yards. This rule change heavily favored wide receivers and quarterbacks, sparking the modern, pass-heavy era of the NFL and directly setting the stage for Manning’s 49-touchdown season.
• The Spread Offense Takes Over: In college football, Urban Meyer’s success at Utah proved that the spread offense could dominate at the highest levels. Utah’s ability to dictate matchups using four wide receivers and a dual-threat quarterback prompted major programs across the country to begin abandoning traditional pro-style or option offenses in favor of shotgun-heavy spread attacks.

A Deep Dive into 2004 Football History and Highlights

• January 1, 2004 – The Rose Bowl Game celebrated its 90th football game with a traditional Pac-10 vs. Big Ten matchup, as the USC Trojans entertained the Michigan Wolverines. USC was too much for the Michigan crew, as the Trojans won 28-14, with SC QB Matt Leinart named the game MVP.
• January 3, 2004 – Charlotte, North Carolina – The setting was the NFC Wild Card weekend,d as the home crowd was out to support the Carolina Panthers against the visiting Dallas Cowboys, per Pro-Football-Reference. The Panthers jumped out to a 13-0 lead early and never looked back. Panthers kicker John Kasay tied an NFL playoff record with 5 field goals, leading Carolina to a 29-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys and advancing in the playoff tournament.
• January 4, 2004 – Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans – The 6th BCS National Championship was held at the Superdome, where the top two teams in the rankings met. The second-ranked LSU Tigers were the opponents for the #1 Oklahoma Sooners, per the AllstateSugarBowl.org site. Even the coaches in this game were interesting, as OU’s Bob Stoops would face Nick Saban’s strategies. The Sooners went into the game as a 6-point favorite. Oklahoma’s offense, which was tops in the land, averaged an astounding 45.2 points coming into the game, and the Sooners were the nation’s third-best overall defensive team, giving up an average of just 255.7 yards per game. The Tigers fielded two All-America selections in the contest, but Oklahoma looked like an All-Star team when they rolled out 7 young men who received the All-America honors, including Heisman winner Jason White. On paper, no wonder the Sooners were favored, but there is a reason why they still play the games. LSU came out and played as a complete, cohesive unit in the ultimate team sport. The Tigers’ defense stifled White and the Sooners’ offense for most of the evening, limiting them to just 152 yards and two TDs. Saban’s offense responded when it needed to most, including right after the Sooners scored when they had great field position after a blocked punt. It was LSU in a 21-14 upset of Oklahoma at the 70th Sugar Bowl for the National Title.
• January 10, 2004 – The NFC Divisional Playoff had a thriller when the Rams and Panthers tangled.It took two overtime sessions to determine a winner as the Panthers, led by quarterback Jake Delhomme and wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., helped the black cats to a 29-23 victory over the Greatest Show on Turf.

The Double-Overtime Epic: How the Carolina Panthers Dethroned the Rams in the 2003 NFC Divisional

• January 11, 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles faced a crucial “4th and 26” while trailing the Green Bay Packers by three in the NFC Divisional Playoff. ESPN.com reports that, with 1:12 remaining, Donovan McNabb threw a 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell to keep the drive alive. The Eagles tied the game on a David Akers field goal, forcing overtime. The Packers had a chance in overtime until Brett Favre threw an interception to Brian Dawkins, setting up the Eagles’ game-winning field goal by Akers for a 20-17 victory. McNabb set a postseason record by rushing for 107 yards as a quarterback.

The Miracle of 4th and 26: How the Eagles Stunned the Packers in a Playoff Thriller

• January 18, 2004 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough – The AFC Championship game ended with the New England Patriots defeating the Indianapolis Colts, 24-14.
• January 18, 2004 – the NFC Championship was played at Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field, where the Carolina Panthers overcame the home team Philadelphia Eagles, 14-3.
• February 1, 2004 – Super Bowl XXXVIII took place at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. The New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers 32–29 in a thrilling game decided by a 41-yard game-winning field goal from Adam Vinatieri with just four seconds remaining.
• March 2, 2004, the Indianapolis Colts signed quarterback Peyton Manning to a 7-year, $98 million deal with a $34.5 million signing bonus. To that date, it was the largest package in NFL history. Manning rewarded the franchise by winning a Super Bowl Championship and losing another title game. He was eventually replaced after a neck injury, but returned triumphantly in Denver to win another Super Bowl game. He was in 14 Pro Bowls, was the NFL MVP 5 times, and held numerous other awards and records per Pro Football Reference.
• March 30, 2004 – At the NFL Owners Meetings, the group voted to extend the Instant Replay System in place for another 5 years. The plan with the extension was that the next time the vote came up, proponents would tweak it and make it a permanent fixture in the NFL. Their wish came true in 2007, when a 30-2 vote gave the repeal permanence, so it would not have to be debated each year.   At that same meeting, the owners would give a reward for coaches who were successful on their first two reviews: a third challenge, according to Operations.NFL.com.
• April 8, 2004 – Steve Bisciotti took over as the controlling owner of the Baltimore Ravens, succeeding Art Modell, who operated the franchise for 43 years, first in Cleveland as the Browns and later in Baltimore. Since Bisciotti took over in 2004, the Ravens’ 151 wins are the fifth-most in the NFL. The Ravens were Super Bowl XLVII 47 champions in the 2012 season, and their young quarterback, Lamar Jackson, was named the 2019 AP MVP. (source)
• April 24, 2004 – At the 2004 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers had the number-one overall pick and selected Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning. This Draft featured significant talents. Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals, third), Philip Rivers (Chargers, fourth), and Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers, 11th) led the class, joined by Sean Taylor, Roy Williams, DeAngelo Hall, Jonathan Vilma, and Vince Wilfork. Their Hall of Fame prospects remain intriguing.
• October 3, 2004 – The New England Patriots win their 18th consecutive NFL game (spanning over two seasons). The Patriots tripped up the Buffalo Bills 31-17 on Tom Brady’s 298 yards passing and 2 touchdowns.
• October 23, 2004 – South Bend, Indiana – 16th College Football Holy War between the only two Roman Catholic Universities in the U.S. playing Division 1 football,  Boston College and Notre Dame. The Eagles and the Irish battled throughout the game, with the game coming down to a play in the final minute. According to an ESPN.com account of the game, with 54 ticks of the clock remaining, BC quarterback Paul Peterson dropped back and fired a 30-yard touchdown strike to Tony Gonzalez, giving Boston College a 24-23 come-from-behind victory over the Irish. Notre Dame had been undefeated and ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation before the loss to their unranked opponent. It was not the first time Boston College had the better of the Golden Domers. In fact, it was the Eagles’ fourth consecutive victory over the Fighting Irish!
• October 30, 2004 – NFL owners award Super Bowl XLII to Glendale, Arizona, to be played on February 3, 2008. The game was played at the University of Phoenix Stadium and pitted the 6-loss New York Giants against the undefeated New England Patriots. The records shouldn’t have fooled us, as the G-men pulled off the unthinkable by knocking off Tom Brady and the mighty Patriots 17-14 in very memorable fashion, including the David Tyree “Helmet Catch” on the game-winning drive for New York.
• November 21, 2004 – Frank Clair Stadium, Ottawa – In the CFL’s 92nd Grey Cup, the Toronto Argonauts knocked off the B.C. Lions, 27-19. This was the first Grey Cup game played on the next-generation FieldTurf surface, according to onthisday.com.
• December 4, 2004 – No. 3 Auburn outlasted No. 15 Tennessee, 38-28, in the SEC Championship Game.
• December 11, 2004, the 70th Heisman Trophy was awarded to Matt Leinart, Southern Cal’s quarterback. Leinart led USC to back-to-back National Championships in 2003 and 2004. In 2004, Matt threw for 2,990 yards and 28 touchdowns, according to his bio on the Heisman’s website. The article goes on to say that Matt Leinart accumulated more votes than his closest competitors for the Trophy, Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson and Jason White, Utah’s Alex Smith, and teammate Reggie Bush.
• December 12, 2004, the Pittsburgh Steelers locked up the AFC North with a win over the New York Jets.
• December 25, 2004 – KC return specialist Dante Hall set the table with a 49-yard kickoff return, allowing kicker Lawrence Tynes to knock through the game-winning FG with 22 seconds left to lift the Chiefs to a 31-30 win over the Raiders. Tynes had missed two earlier kicks in the game. (source)