1996 American Football Season

The 1996 American football season was a memorable year characterized by returning champions reclaiming their former glory, dramatic upsets, and explosive offensive performances. From the professional ranks of the NFL to the collegiate gridirons, the season delivered iconic moments that solidified the legacies of several football legends and introduced new rules that forever changed the game.

The NFL: The Return of Titletown and Expansion Success

In the National Football League, the 1996 season is best remembered as the year the Vince Lombardi Trophy returned to “Titletown.” The Green Bay Packers, led by head coach Mike Holmgren, MVP quarterback Brett Favre, and legendary defensive end Reggie White, dominated the league. They finished the regular season with a 13–3 record, boasting both the number one offense and the number one defense in the NFL.

The season was also notable for the unprecedented success of two second-year expansion franchises. Both the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars shocked the football world by advancing to their respective conference championship games before being eliminated by the Packers and Patriots.

The season concluded with Super Bowl XXXI at the Louisiana Superdome on January 26, 1997. The Packers defeated the AFC Champion New England Patriots 35–21. Reggie White set a Super Bowl record with three sacks, and Desmond Howard became the first special teams player to be named Super Bowl MVP after a back-breaking 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

College Football: The Gators Claim Their First National Title

The 1996 college football season was defined by a high-octane offense in Gainesville, Florida. Under head coach Steve Spurrier, the Florida Gators deployed an innovative “Fun ‘n’ Gun” offense that torched opposing defenses.

The Gators were led by senior quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who threw for 3,625 yards and 39 passing touchdowns. Wuerffel’s brilliant performance earned him the 1996 Heisman Trophy, making him the second Gator to win the prestigious award—joining his own coach, Steve Spurrier.

Florida’s season culminated in a highly anticipated rematch against their arch-rival, the Florida State Seminoles, in the Sugar Bowl. After losing to the Seminoles in the regular-season finale, the Gators exacted their revenge in the bowl game, routing FSU 52–20 to claim the program’s first-ever consensus National Championship.

More Milestones in Football 1996

• Overtime Introduced to College Football: 1996 was the first season that regular-season Division I-A college football games could go into overtime, completely eliminating tie games from the sport.
• The Inaugural Big 12 Season: The 1996 season marked the debut of the Big 12 Conference in college football, formed by the merger of the Big Eight Conference and four Texas schools from the dissolved Southwest Conference (SWC). The Texas Longhorns won the first-ever Big 12 Championship Game by upsetting heavily favored Nebraska 37–27.
• A Historic NFL Draft Class: The 1996 NFL Draft produced a legendary crop of players that shaped the league for a decade and beyond, including Hall of Famers Ray Lewis, Marvin Harrison, Brian Dawkins, Terrell Owens, and Jonathan Ogden.

A Deep Dive into 1996 Football History and Highlights

• January 1, 1996 – At the 82nd Rose Bowl game, the Northwestern Wildcats fell to the USC Trojans in a shootout 32-41. The game’s MVP was Keyshawn Johnson (USC WR). (Source)
• January 5, 1996 – Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula announced his retirement. This was the day after his birthday. Details of Shula’s coaching career appear in the Football History Headlines of January 4.
• January 10, 1996, the Miami Dolphins announced that they had hired former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson as their next head coach. Johnson, who had big shoes in Big D by winning two Super Bowls with the “Boys,” was filling some even bigger shoes of the now-retired Don Shula, who spent 26 seasons as the Miami field boss. We discussed Shula’s legacy and his retirement in the January 5 post.
• January 14, 1996 – Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh – The season’s AFC Championship featured the Indianapolis Colts and their gritty quarterback, Jim Harbaugh. Chuck Moody of the United Press International covered the game story as Pittsburgh’s Bam Morris plunged in with 1:34 left to put the Steelers up by four points late. The game got a little bit hairy after that, though, as Harbaugh launched a Hail Mary to the endzone that his receiver, Aaron Bailey, had in his hands momentarily until it rolled out to hit the artificial turf of Three Rivers Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers hung on to overcome the Indianapolis Colts, 20-16, and advance to the Super Bowl. We have more on this exciting game at The Three Rivers Thriller: How the Steelers Narrowly Escaped the Colts’ “Cardiac” Upset.
• January 14, 1996 – Texas Stadium, Irving – The NFC Championship game had the Dallas Cowboys outlast the Green Bay Packers, 38-27.
• January 28, 1996 – Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona – Super Bowl XXX was the third time that the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys had met in the Super Bowl. The first two times were two of the greatest Championships the League had ever seen. The Steelers had won both contests by four points each time in the 1970’s. This time, the Dallas Cowboys turned the needle on the point differential between these two teams, knocking off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17. Cornerback Larry Brown of Dallas won the Most Valuable Player award after he picked off a couple of errant Neil O’Donnell passes and returned them for a total of 77 yards. The American Football Database claims that 95.13 million watched the contest in the United States alone, making it the most-watched TV sports program at the time! (source)
• February 4, 1996 – Aloha Stadium, Honolulu – In another NFC victory, the conference rivals were bested 20-13. The legendary Jerry Rice, then representing the San Francisco 49ers, earned MVP honors after showcasing the receiving skills that made him the GOAT.
• February 9, 1996 – The League office officially announced the Baltimore Ravens franchise. The Ravens were the franchise that formerly called Cleveland home. On February 8, 1996, Art Modell, the owner of the franchise, learned that the “Browns” nickname belonged to the City of Cleveland and would not be taking it with his franchise.
• March 29, 1996 – The former Cleveland Browns chose a new name, the Baltimore Ravens. Owner Art Modell decided to move the franchise out of the City of Cleveland, but one condition of the move was that the Browns’ name, logo, and records must remain in Cleveland, and his new team would have to adopt a new identity.
• April 20, 1996 – Keyshawn Johnson and the 1996 NFL Draft – The Jets made Keyshawn Johnson the #1 overall pick, sparking a legendary draft class. This group eventually produced Hall of Famers Jonathan Ogden, Marvin Harrison, Ray Lewis, Brian Dawkins, and Terrell Owens.
• September 1, 1996 – The Baltimore Ravens quarterback Vinny Testaverde leads the Ravens to a 17-14 win over the Oakland Raiders, the franchise’s first in their new city with their new colors and nickname. The franchise, as you remember, was formerly the old Cleveland Browns.
• September 1, 1996 – At Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Carolina Panthers opened up as the Carolina Panthers outlasted the Atlanta Falcons 29-6.
• September 28, 1996 – Iowa State’s running back Troy Davis rushes for 378 yards, which, according to iowastatedaily.com, ranks fourth in college football history. This effort of hard running helped the Cyclones defeat the University of Missouri 45-31.
• October 6, 1996 – Nick Lowery of the New York Jets ties legendary kicker Jon Stenerud with 373 career NFL field goals. Lowery booted two field goals and an extra point in a loss to the Oakland Raiders, 34-13.
• November 3, 1996 – San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice became the first player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions in a 24-17 win over the New Orleans Saints, hauling in 3 passes for 45 yards and a TD. Rice finished his career with 1,549 receptions to set a milestone for NFL receivers of the future to strive for.
• November 9, 1996 – Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts – Onthisday.com chimes in that the 8th College Football Holy War is played as Notre Dame defeats Boston College 48-21. (source)
• November 10, 1996  – Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida – Alamy.com reports that the Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino surpassed the  50,000 career yards passing mark in a 37-13 win over Indianapolis. The toss that hit the milestone was a 36-yarder to O.J. McDuffie during the second quarter of the contest. Marino also reached 4,000 completions, another NFL first, with his 10th completion of the game.
• November 24, 1996 – Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton – The 84th CFL Grey Cup was played, per the Toronto.com website. The Toronto Argonauts won their 13th CFL title as they beat the Edmonton Eskimos, 43-37. Quarterback Doug Flutie of the Argos was the game’s MVP. This edition of the Grey Cup is sometimes called The Snow Bowl because of near-blizzard-like weather conditions.
• December 7, 1996 – at the 5th SEC Championship Game, the #4 Florida Gators swamped the #11 Crimson Tide, 45-30.
• December 7, 1996 – the first Big 12 Championship Game was held, as Texas stunned #3 Nebraska by 2 points in a 37-27 upset.
• December 14, 1996 – Florida Gators quarterback Danny Wuerffel was voted the 62nd Heisman Trophy winner. Wuerffel was only the second Gator to win the award, reinforcing Florida’s emergence as a premier program. He later delivered in the national championship game, throwing for 306 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 52-20 victory. That win earned Florida its first-ever national title, underscoring the Heisman winner’s direct impact on team success.
• December 22, 1996 – Ericsson Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina – Per a story on the SteelersDepot.On the website, Pittsburgh’s Kordell Stewart holds the NFL record for an 80-yard touchdown. “Slash” Stewart weaved his way through a stout Carolina Panthers defense to put the Steelers ahead in the low-scoring game. The score did not hold up, though, as the Panthers rallied to win 18-14.