The 2011 American football season was a year of resilience, record-breaking offenses, and historic rematches. Beginning under the shadow of a prolonged labor dispute in the professional ranks and culminating in highly controversial and dramatic championship games, the 2011 season remains one of the most consequential in modern football history.
The NFL Lockout and “The Year of the Quarterback”
The 2011 NFL season almost didn’t happen. From March 12 to July 25, the league experienced a 136-day lockout—the longest work stoppage in NFL history. Players and owners ultimately reached a new collective bargaining agreement just in time to save the preseason.
Once the games began, it became clear that the league was entering a new era of offensive firepower, dominated by elite quarterback play:
- Record-Shattering Passing: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 5,476 yards, breaking Dan Marino‘s 1984 single-season passing record of 5,084 yards. Tom Brady also surpassed Marino’s old mark that same year, throwing for 5,235 yards.
- The MVP: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers orchestrated a nearly perfect 15-1 regular season, throwing 45 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions and securing the league MVP award.
- Tebowmania: Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow captivated the nation by leading his team on a miraculous mid-season run, characterized by late-game comebacks, unorthodox play, and a stunning overtime playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Super Bowl XLVI: Giants vs. Patriots, Part II
The NFL postseason culminated in a highly anticipated rematch of Super Bowl XLII. On February 5, 2012, the New York Giants faced the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Despite finishing the regular season with a modest 9-7 record, the Giants peaked at the right time. Guided by head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning, the Giants’ defense thwarted Tom Brady’s high-powered offense. The game is best remembered for a spectacular sideline catch by Giants receiver Mario Manningham on a crucial fourth-quarter game-winning drive. The Giants won 21-17, and Eli Manning captured his second Super Bowl MVP award.
College Football: SEC Dominance and Conference Realignment
The 2011 NCAA Division I FBS season was defined by the iron grip of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the chaotic beginnings of massive conference realignment, as traditional rivalries fractured in pursuit of lucrative television contracts (including Texas A&M and Missouri announcing their departure to the SEC).
- The Heisman Trophy: Baylor University’s dual-threat quarterback Robert Griffin III (RG3) won the Heisman Trophy, dazzling fans with his explosive playmaking ability and leading the Bears to a 10-3 record.
- The “Game of the Century” Rematch: The regular season featured a brutal defensive battle where the LSU Tigers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 9-6 in overtime.
- The BCS National Championship: Despite Alabama not winning their own conference, the BCS computer formulas controversially placed them in a rematch against LSU for the national title. On January 9, 2012, Alabama’s defense completely smothered LSU, winning 21-0. It was the first shutout in BCS bowl history and marked Nick Saban’s second national title at Alabama.
2011 Gridiron Monumental News and Notes
Beyond the major headlines, the 2011 season featured several other historical footnotes and milestones that shaped the future of the sport:
- Calvin Johnson‘s Dominance: Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin “Megatron” Johnson put together a staggering campaign, catching 96 passes for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns, establishing himself as the premier offensive weapon in the game.
- The Catch Rule: The 2011 season saw increased scrutiny and debate over what constituted a “catch” in the NFL, a controversy that would plague the league’s officiating for the next decade.
- The End of the BCS Era: The controversy surrounding the all-SEC Alabama vs. LSU championship rematch became the primary catalyst for college football to overhaul its postseason. It directly accelerated the creation of the four-team College Football Playoff (CFP), which launched in the 2014 season.
A Deep Dive into 2011 Football History and Highlights
- January 1, 2011 – At the 97th Rose Bowl Game, the TCU Horned Frogs upended the Wisconsin Badgers, 21-19. The MVPs were both from TCU as QB, the “Red Rifle”, Andy Dalton, and LB Tank Carder had the honors bestowed upon them postgame.
- January 10, 2011 – University of Phoenix Stadium – The 13th BCS National Championship pitted Auburn, led by Heisman-winning quarterback Cam Newton, against Oregon for all the marbles. ESPN.com has the story of how Michael Dyer, a standout Auburn running back, ran a few yards before being spun down by a would-be tackler. Everyone on the field stopped, including Dyer, for a moment, but then, after hearing his sideline yelling to keep going, he completed a 37-yard run to drive the ball deep into Oregon territory with about two minutes left to play. Michael had landed on top of the tackler for a moment, but his body never hit the ground, and he sprang back up so quickly that his progress was not judged to have stopped. The Tigers methodically advanced the ball and milked the clock. Finally, Dyer took off on another burst to the Ducks’ one-yard line. That is when kicker Wes Byrum, widely recognized for his composure, nailed the nineteen-yard field goal to break the tie and give Auburn the national title. #1 Auburn outlasted #2 Oregon, 22-19.
- January 23, 2011 – Heinz Field, Pittsburgh – The AFC Championship game had Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall run 27 times for 121 yards and score once to help the Pittsburgh Steelers overcome the New York Jets, 24-19, according to an ESPN.com story.
- January 23, 2011 – The NFC Championship, played at Soldier Field in Chicago, featured two longtime NFC North rivals. In the game for the right to play in the Super Bowl, it was the Green Bay Packers knocking out the Chicago Bears, 21-14.
- January 30, 2011 – The NFL Pro Bowl was played once again at beautiful Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The game ended with the NFC outscoring the AFC, 55-41. Washington Redskins defensive back DeAngelo Hall was given the MVP.
- February 5, 2011 – the legendary filmmaker Ed Sabol, co-founder of NFL Films, was elected for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a contributor. Ed’s NFL Films creation is an interesting story, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame website. Apparently, in 1962, Ed created a company named Blair Productions, after his daughter. To secure the exclusive rights to film the 1962 NFL Championship game, Ed doubled the next-closest bid of $ 1,500. Commissioner Pete Rozelle accepted the offer, and Blair Productions was in business, rolling tape at the New York Giants vs Green Bay Packers Title game! Two years later, after experiencing success, the company was renamed NFL Films. Sabol used multiple cameras to capture aspects of the game that the average television viewer did not get to see, such as the sidelines. When he mixed that with the legendary voice of narrator John Facenda, what an experience fans could have in their living rooms!
- February 6, 2011 – Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV. Rodgers threw for 304 yards and three scores to earn the MVP trophy.
- February 17, 2011 – Marked the unfortunate passing of former NFL Defensive back Ricky Bell. Bell had played from 1996 to 1998.
- February 17, 2011 – Marked the unfortunate passing of former NFL Linebacker Brad van Pelt. Van Pelt had played from 1973 to 1986.
- November 9, 2011 – State College, Pennsylvania – the Penn State board of trustees fires Long-time Head Coach Joe Paterno due to the growing furor over the handling of child sex abuse allegations against assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Penn State President Graham Spanier was also ousted because of the scandal. (source)
- November 11, 2011 – Montgomery, Alabama – A piece on AL.com reports that Faulkner University defeated Union University of Kentucky by the amazing score of 95-89 in triple overtime to set an NAIA football record. The 184 combined points smash the previous mark of 141 set in 1994, when Southwestern University defeated Sterling University in a State of Kansas shootout, 79-62. The 184 total points in our 2011 game, though, were the second-highest scoring game in college football history, surpassed only by Georgia Tech’s 222-0 blasting of Cumberland in 1916.
- November 19, 2011 – Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana – It was the 21st meeting of the two largest U.S. Catholic Universities, often referred to as the College Football Holy War. ESPN.com has a great recap of the game, noting that Irish Kicker David Ruffer banged home three field goals, with Jonas Gray rushing TDs powering Notre Dame to a 16-14 victory over Boston College.
- November 26, 2011 – At the 76th Iron Bowl, onthisday.com shows that Alabama beat Auburn 42-14 in Auburn’s home stadium.
- November 27, 2011 – CFL Grey Cup, BC Place, Vancouver: BC Lions beat Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 34-23, for their 6th Championship.
- December 12, 2011 – Robert Griffin III, the quarterback from Baylor, took home the Heisman Trophy for the 2011 season, per Heisman.com. The Junior signal caller was the first Baylor Bear to have the Heisman in his trophy case. Robert’s pass efficiency mark of 192.31 was the highest ever in Heisman history, and his passing of just shy of 4000 yards with 36 TDs was nothing to sneeze at. Griffin also added 9 more scores and 644 yards with his ground game.RGIII also took home the Manning Award and the O’Brien Award for his top-notch throwing.
- December 25, 2011 – Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers tosses 5 touchdown passes to prevent the Chicago Bears from earning a Wildcard spot in the playoffs in a Packers 35-21 victory, per a Pro Football HOF story.