1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season marked the first time since 1966 that teams played a bye week. This change stretched the traditional 16-game schedule across 17 weeks to generate more revenue for all franchises. The league also expanded its playoff field from ten teams to twelve teams by adding one wild card spot per conference. Before this shift, at least one team with a 10, 6 record missed the postseason in four of five prior seasons under the old format. The 11, 5 Denver Broncos sat out the playoffs in 1985 despite their strong win total. Three years later, the 10, 6 San Francisco 49ers won Super Bowl XXIII, fueling demands for broader access. Ironically, the first sixth-seeded team to benefit from the new system was the New Orleans Saints. They finished 8, 8 and claimed the newly created wild card berth.
Paul Tagliabue entered his first full year as commissioner after taking over mid-season from Pete Rozelle the previous year. On October 8, the league announced that the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award would be renamed the Pete Rozelle Trophy. This honor commemorated the former commissioner who had led the NFL for decades before his passing. Tagliabue faced immediate pressure to modernize operations while honoring the legacy of his predecessor. The renaming ceremony signaled a transition period where old traditions met new leadership styles. Fans and players alike watched closely to see how Tagliabue would shape the future direction of professional football during this pivotal year.
On the 2nd of April 1990, Elvis Patterson signed with the Los Angeles Raiders as a Plan B free agent. He was waived on September 3 but later re-signed and became known by the nickname Ghost due to his special teams prowess. Patterson served as captain of special teams units for three consecutive years. The Dallas Cowboys traded quarterback Steve Walsh to the New Orleans Saints on the 25th of September 1990. In return, New Orleans received their first and third round picks in the 1991 draft plus a second round pick that could upgrade to first based on performance. Ed Too Tall Jones announced his retirement from the Dallas Cowboys on the 5th of June 1990 after a long career. The 1990 NFL draft took place at New York City's Marriott Marquis from April 22 to 23. The Indianapolis Colts selected Jeff George from the University of Illinois with the first overall pick. Emmitt Smith went seventeenth overall to the Dallas Cowboys before retiring as the league's all-time leading rusher.
Dick Jorgensen had refereed Super Bowl XXIV the previous season before being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder in May. He died five months later on October 10, prompting officials to wear black armbands bearing the white number 60 throughout the rest of the season. Ben Dreith filed an age discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after being demoted to line judge and eventually fired following the 1990 campaign. Fred Wyant also moved down from referee status to line judge during this period. Dreith and the NFL reached a $165,000 settlement agreement along with court costs and attorney fees in 1993. Gerald Austin and Tom White were promoted to referee positions for the upcoming year. White became the first official elevated to referee after only one season of experience since Jerry Markbreit in 1977. Ed Hochuli joined Howard Roe's crew as back judge before earning promotion two years later. The number of officiating crews dropped from sixteen in 1989 to fifteen in 1990 to match weekly game loads.
New regulations clarified that players who butt, spear, or ram opponents risked immediate disqualification under updated unnecessary roughness rules. Penalties for illegal forward passes beyond the line of scrimmage now applied from where any part of the passer's body crossed the boundary when releasing the ball. The play clock interval shortened from thirty seconds to twenty-five seconds following timeouts and administrative stoppages. Game clocks started immediately whenever a player went out of bounds except within the final two minutes of the first half or last five minutes of regulation and overtime. Clocks also restarted after declined penalties outside those same critical time windows. These adjustments aimed to accelerate gameplay while maintaining competitive integrity across all matchups. Teams adapted quickly to these faster-paced environments during regular season contests.
Four American Bowl exhibition matches took place outside the United States during August 1990. The Denver Broncos defeated the Seattle Seahawks 10, 7 at Tokyo Dome on August 5. The New Orleans Saints beat the Los Angeles Raiders 17, 10 at Wembley Stadium in London later that day. Pittsburgh Steelers scored 30 points against New England Patriots 14 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal on August 9. The Los Angeles Rams edged Kansas City Chiefs 19, 3 at Olympiastadion in West Berlin on August 11. These international games represented early efforts to expand NFL reach globally before becoming annual traditions decades later. Fans in Tokyo, London, Montreal, and West Berlin witnessed live professional football for the first time through these special exhibitions organized by league officials seeking new markets beyond North America.
Thurman Thomas rushed for 214 yards versus the New York Jets on the 24th of September 1990, marking the second-highest total ever recorded on Monday Night Football. Joe Montana threw for 476 yards and six touchdowns while Jerry Rice set franchise records with five touchdown receptions and thirty points in one game on the 14th of October 1990. Derrick Thomas established an NFL single-game record of seven quarterback sacks during a Veterans Day matchup against Seattle's Dave Krieg. Barry Word rushed for a team-record 200 yards against Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium on the 14th of October 1990. Warren Moon passed for 527 yards against Kansas City on the 16th of December 1990, ranking as the second-most passing yards in a single game historically. The Buffalo Bills led the league with 428 total points scored while Houston Oilers accumulated 6,222 total yards gained. Philadelphia Eagles allowed just 1,169 rushing yards defensively, and Pittsburgh Steelers surrendered only 2,500 passing yards all season long.
The New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 20, 19 at Tampa Stadium to conclude the 1990 NFL season. This victory marked Buffalo's first Super Bowl appearance before representing the AFC in three consecutive future championships. Two teams started the season 10, 0 for the first time in history: the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants. That dual perfect start would not be matched until 2009 when Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints both reached 13, 0 records. Joe Montana earned Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honors after leading his team to championship status. Ottis Anderson also received MVP recognition for his running contributions during the title game. Final standings reflected tight divisional races decided by head-to-head records and net point differentials across multiple conferences. The league entered its next decade with renewed excitement following this dramatic conclusion.
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Common questions
What major schedule changes did the 1990 NFL season introduce?
The 1990 NFL season marked the first time since 1966 that teams played a bye week. This change stretched the traditional 16-game schedule across 17 weeks to generate more revenue for all franchises.
Who became commissioner of the NFL in 1990 and what tribute was made to his predecessor?
Paul Tagliabue entered his first full year as commissioner after taking over mid-season from Pete Rozelle the previous year. On October 8, the league announced that the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award would be renamed the Pete Rozelle Trophy.
Which players were notable free agents or draft picks during the 1990 NFL season?
Elvis Patterson signed with the Los Angeles Raiders on the 2nd of April 1990 as a Plan B free agent while Jeff George went first overall to the Indianapolis Colts in the 1990 NFL draft. Emmitt Smith went seventeenth overall to the Dallas Cowboys before retiring as the league's all-time leading rusher.
How did officiating rules and personnel change during the 1990 NFL season?
The number of officiating crews dropped from sixteen in 1989 to fifteen in 1990 to match weekly game loads. Dick Jorgensen died five months later on October 10 prompting officials to wear black armbands bearing the white number 60 throughout the rest of the season.
Where did American Bowl exhibition matches take place during August 1990?
Four American Bowl exhibition matches took place outside the United States during August 1990 including games at Tokyo Dome, Wembley Stadium in London, Olympic Stadium in Montreal, and Olympiastadion in West Berlin.