2010 NFL season
Encyclopedia
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season
of the National Football League
.
The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game
on NBC
on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome
as the New Orleans Saints
, Super Bowl XLIV
champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings
14–9.
Tom Brady
, quarterback of the New England Patriots
, was named MVP for the 2010 season. In Super Bowl XLV
, the League's championship game played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas
, the Green Bay Packers
defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers
31–25 to win their fourth Super Bowl
. This season also marked the first full-length season in which a team with a losing record made the playoffs, when the Seattle Seahawks
won the NFC West with a 7–9 record.
). Under the original 2002 formula, since the pairings were strictly based on alphabetical order, those teams scheduled to play all the AFC West
clubs had to travel to both Oakland
and San Diego
in the same season, while those clubs playing the entire NFC West
had to make their way to both San Francisco
and Seattle
. In , the New England Patriots
and New York Jets
each had to make cross-country trips to all four of the aforementioned West Coast teams. In an effort to relieve east coast teams from having to travel to the West Coast multiple times during the same season, clubs would only have to visit one West Coast team (AFC West
or NFC West
), plus one western team from the same division closer to the Midwest, under the 2010 modified formula. Specifically, those clubs traveling to Oakland will now also play at Denver
, while those playing at San Diego will also play at Kansas City
. For teams scheduled to play the NFC West, those travelling to San Francisco will also go to Arizona
, while those scheduled to play in Seattle will also go to St. Louis
.
For the 2010 season, the intraconference and interconference matchups are:
The entire 2010 regular-season schedule was unveiled at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 20. Additionally, schedule release shows aired on both the NFL Network and as a SportsCenter
special on ESPN2
.
, took place at Radio City Music Hall
in New York City
from April 22–24, the first time that the draft was held over three days instead of the normal two.
was held on Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. EDT
on NBC
, with the Dallas Cowboys
defeating the Cincinnati Bengals
, 16–7 at Fawcett Stadium
in Canton, Ohio
. The remainder of the preseason game
matchups were announced March 31, 2010. Highlights, among others, include the New York Giants
and New York Jets
facing off in the first-ever game at New Meadowlands Stadium
on ESPN
. The preseason game in the Bills Toronto Series
featured the host Bills defeating the Indianapolis Colts
in Toronto on Thursday, August 19 by a score of 34–21. Exact dates and times for most games were announced in April, shortly after the regular season games were announced.
, the first game of the season, took place on Thursday, September 9, 2010, starting at 8:35 p.m. EDT
, with the Super Bowl XLIV
champion New Orleans Saints
hosting the Minnesota Vikings
, in a rematch of the 2009
NFC Championship Game
. The Saints won 14–9. Like in previous years, the opening week's prime-time games were expected to be announced at the NFL's annual owners meetings in late March, but that wasn't the case this year, with the schedule announced on April 20.
On March 15, 2010, the NFL announced that both the New York Giants
and New York Jets
will play at home during the opening weekend to open New Meadowlands Stadium
. The Giants played on Sunday with a 1 PM EDT kickoff against the Carolina Panthers
and the Jets opened ESPN's Monday Night Football
schedule against the Baltimore Ravens
the next night. For the nightcap, the San Diego Chargers
traveled to play their division rival, the Kansas City Chiefs
, marking the first time that a team from outside the Mountain
or Pacific Time Zone
s has played in, or hosted, the "late" (10:15 p.m. ET) game. The game started at 9:15 p.m. Kansas City time (Central).
and New Orleans Saints
had both started the year before
13–0 (with the Colts even going 14–0), on October 10, the Kansas City Chiefs
became the last undefeated team to lose, losing to the Colts 19–9. It would mark the first time that no NFL team reached 4–0 since 1970
, when the Denver Broncos
, Detroit Lions
, and Los Angeles Rams
started the season 3–0 but all lost in Week 4.
game, played at Wembley Stadium
in London
. The teams for this game were confirmed on January 15, 2010, with the San Francisco 49ers
playing host to the Denver Broncos
on October 31, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. EDT (5:00 p.m. GMT
). The 49ers won 24–16, scoring 21 points in the 4th quarter. CBS
televised this game on a regional basis, as the Broncos were the "visiting" team. The Kansas City Chiefs
and Seattle Seahawks
, who had expressed interest in previous games, were a possible matchup for a second NFL game (with the Seahawks as the home team), but league officials dropped a plan for two games in the UK, citing the economy and ongoing labor negotiations.
The following week, the third regular-season game of the Bills Toronto Series
featured the Buffalo Bills
hosting the Chicago Bears
at Toronto's Rogers Centre
on November 7 at 1 PM EST, marking the first time that the regular-season portion of the series has taken place during the Canadian Football League
season and the first time an NFC opponent played in the series.
on NBC's Sunday Night Football. This game was televised opposite Game Four of the World Series
on Fox, a practice the league had traditionally avoided. The Saints won this game 20–10.
took place on Thursday, November 25, 2010, with the Detroit Lions
falling to the visiting New England Patriots
, 45–24. The second game featured the Dallas Cowboys
giving up a late lead to the New Orleans Saints
. New Orleans won 30–27 when Saints quarterback
Drew Brees
threw a go-ahead touchdown to Lance Moore
with less than two minutes remaining. In the prime-time NFL Network
game, the New York Jets
defeated the visiting Cincinnati Bengals
, 26–10.
Both the Saints and Bengals made their first appearance in a Thanksgiving game; in the case of the Bengals, it also marked the first appearance of an AFC North
team on Thanksgiving since 1998, when the Pittsburgh Steelers
of what was known as the AFC Central played the Detroit Lions.
Additionally, since Christmas Day fell on a Saturday in 2010, the NFL scheduled a Christmas game
between the Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals
in Glendale, Arizona
on December 25 on NFL Network
. The Cowboys came back from a 21–3 deficit behind third-string quarterback Stephen McGee
to take a 26–24 lead late in the fourth quarter, but kicker David Buehler
missed an extra point, allowing the Cardinals to win the game 27–26 on a last-second Jay Feely
field goal.
Tie-breakers Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North title instead of Baltimore based on division record (5–1 to Baltimore's 4–2). Houston finished ahead of Tennessee in the AFC South based on division record (3–3 to Tennessee's 2–4). Philadelphia clinched the NFC East title based on a head-to-head sweep over New York. Dallas finished ahead of Washington in the NFC East based on division record (3–3 to Washington's 2–4). Detroit finished ahead of Minnesota in the NFC North based on division record (2–4 to Minnesota's 1–5). Seattle clinched the NFC West title instead of St. Louis based on division record (4–2 to St. Louis' 3–3). Indianapolis clinched the AFC #3 seed instead of Kansas City based on a head-to-head victory. Green Bay clinched the NFC #6 seed based on better strength of victory (.475) than the N.Y. Giants (.400) or Tampa Bay (.344).
, to be played at 3:00 PM EST on January 23, and the AFC Championship Game
, to be played at 6:30 PM EST.
After a backlash from players and critics about the previous season's Pro Bowl
being played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
in the contiguous United States
, the 2011 Pro Bowl
was played at Aloha Stadium
in Halawa
, Honolulu, Hawaii
.
The date was January 30, 2011, the week before the Super Bowl
. An NFL spokesman stated that "Plans for future Pro Bowls are not final." Indianapolis Colts
President Bill Polian
has stated his objections to the format, and is in favor of returning the game to after the Super Bowl as in previous years.
The annual Pro Bowl
had previously been played in Hawaii for 30 consecutive seasons from 1980 to 2009. However, the NFL and State of Hawaii officials only agreed to a two-year deal to hold the Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium in 2011 and 2012. This gives the option of playing the Pro Bowl in Hawaii on a rotational basis with the mainland, so it both maintains the traditional ties of holding it on the islands and providing accessibility to fans when played in the contiguous 48 states.
Super Bowl XLV
, was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 6, 2011, and was the NFL's final event of the 2010 season.
(CBA) with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) as of the end of the 2010 season. (The vote was 23 in favor, 9 against; the extension measure needed 24 to pass, which would have set the CBA to expire after the 2012 season). Since a new CBA was not reached with the NFLPA, 2010 was an uncapped season, meaning that there was no salary cap
or salary floor between which teams had to operate. Also, the uncapped season limited unrestricted free agency only to players with at least six years of experience, as opposed to four under a capped season. The final eight teams alive in the 2009–10 NFL playoffs
(Arizona, Dallas, Minnesota and New Orleans in the NFC; and Baltimore, Indianapolis, the New York Jets and San Diego in the AFC) were restricted in the free agents they would be able to sign.
The issue of a CBA continued into the 2011 NFL season
, affecting most of the off-season - see 2011 NFL lockout
for more details.
The crackdown has been controversial. Many defensive players have complained that the league is being too strict in their interpretation of what constitutes an "illegal hit", and that it forces them to behave significantly different than how they were taught to play the game. Another concern is the league's instructions to game officials to err on the side of caution, since questionable calls late in close games significantly affect their outcome. However, the medical community has supported the move, believing that it would help reduce concussions and other head injuries.
The league did not end up suspending any players for violent or illegal hits, however several players were fined for these types of hits within the first few weeks of the crackdown.
The NFL also introduced new Lamar Hunt
and George Halas
trophies for the AFC and NFC Championship games. The trophies were changed from a brown base with an 'A' or 'N' on top of it surrounded by players layered on a frieze
upon a wall, to silver trophies in the make of a football. Additionally, both the NFC
and AFC
logos were revamped and recolored to reflect the current shield adopted two years earlier and with four stars running down the inside on both logos top to bottom from left to right instead of the six surrounding the AFC and three down the side of the NFC logo as each conference has four divisions. In addition, all event and playoff logos have undergone a complete makeover in a new logo system.
were the only team who made a major change to their main uniforms, wearing gold pants with their burgundy jerseys, and except for a game against the Packers, wore them for home games instead of their white jerseys and red pants. The white pants were not abandoned entirely, and would be worn together with the burgundy jerseys for the two away games ( and one home game ) in which their opponent wore white at home. This was made possible with a sleeve modification, in which the broad yellow and white stripes were severely shrunken on an elastic band (same for white jerseys) so that when wearing the gold pants, the team also wore the retro style socks that had a different stripe pattern matching the sleeves of the day, so there is no longer a stripe design conflict.
The Green Bay Packers
became the first team to officially unveil a third uniform for 2010, a throwback uniform
based on their 1929 uniforms when they won their first NFL championship. The throwbacks are as accurate as possible while complying with current NFL guidelines, with a brown modern-shell helmet in place of the leather helmets of 1929, along with blue jerseys and gold circles with the jersey numbers nested within the circles, and brown pants. Like throwbacks worn in recent seasons by the San Diego Chargers
, Dallas Cowboys
, Buffalo Bills
, New York Jets
, and the archrival Minnesota Vikings
, these throwbacks will be a permanent addition to the Packers uniforms, unlike throwbacks worn by the Detroit Lions
and Pittsburgh Steelers
that were intended as one-time deals but made permanent, as well as several one-shot throwbacks in recent years. The new Packers throwbacks replace the previous throwbacks (which comprised the current helmets with the "G" logo and stripes removed, white jerseys with plain green lettering, and tan pants) worn sporadically since the early 2000s.
Also going the throwback route were the Chicago Bears
, who harkened back to the Sid Luckman
era with a 1940's set, replacing the pumpkin orange third jerseys, and the Indianapolis Colts
, who will wear throwbacks as well. Since the Colts only have two colors, they only have previously worn a throwback jersey once in their history, in . The difference between the 2004 throwback and the 2010 throwback is the helmet color, which reverses the 2004 scheme.
The Arizona Cardinals
, who were the only team to not wear a third jersey in any form since the NFL allowed third jerseys in , unveiled a black third jersey to be worn in 2010.
The Philadelphia Eagles
have adopted their championship uniforms that were worn September 12 against the Packers, the team they beat to win their last championship in celebration of the 50th anniversary of that game.
The Tennessee Titans
returned to using navy blue jerseys as their third jersey, after a one-year hiatus in which they wore light blue Houston Oilers throwback jerseys in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the American Football League
, but did not wear them for any game in 2010.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wore their throwbacks against the Cleveland Browns
on October 17 and against the New England Patriots on November 14.
The Seattle Seahawks
have retired the neon green uniform worn for one game in against Chicago, which was in turn an offshoot from a April Fools Day joke written about by Uni Watch founder Paul Lukas that year.
with the league's television partners: CBS
(all AFC Sunday afternoon away games and one Thanksgiving
game), Fox
(all NFC Sunday afternoon away games and one Thanksgiving game), NBC
(17 Sunday night games and the kickoff game), ESPN
(17 Monday night games over sixteen weeks), NFL Network (eight late-season games on Thursday and Saturday nights, including one Thanksgiving game), and DirecTV
's NFL Sunday Ticket
package. These contracts run through at least 2013.
In national radio, this is the second year on Westwood One
's most recent contract extension. The network also agreed to a four-year extension on December 23, 2010.
Nielsen Ratings
for the fall 2010 television season have shown viewership increases of up to 10 percent for most of the NFL's broadcast partners; eighteen of the twenty most watched television broadcasts of the season have so far been NFL games.
opened in 2010, replacing Giants Stadium
as the home of both the New York Giants
and the New York Jets
. The new stadium is located a few hundred feet away from the old building in the parking lot of Meadowlands Sports Complex
in East Rutherford, New Jersey
. Unlike Giants Stadium (in which the Giants were the sole NFL tenant until the 1984 season), the new Meadowlands Stadium will be a 50/50 partnership between both New York teams. The Giants played their first regular season game on September 12 against the Carolina Panthers
, while the Jets played the following night against the Baltimore Ravens
in the first game of a Monday Night Football
doubleheader.
Arrowhead Stadium
, home of the Kansas City Chiefs
since 1972, underwent a two-year $375 million renovation project which was completed and unveiled in July 2010. The stadium hosted the second game of the Monday Night Football opening weekend doubleheader when the Chiefs played the San Diego Chargers
.
M&T Bank Stadium
, home of the Baltimore Ravens
, installed FieldTurf
prior to the 2010 season. The field had been Sportexe Momentum Turf since 2002 and grass before that.
Prior to Week 14, the inflatable roof of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
, home of the Minnesota Vikings
, buckled and tore as a result of heavy snowfall in Minneapolis, spilling snow onto Mall of America field and rendering the stadium unusable for the remainder of the Vikings' season. The Vikings' scheduled home game against the New York Giants
was moved to Detroit's Ford Field
and postponed to a 7:20 p.m. EST kickoff on Monday. Though stadium workers were initially "optimistic" that the roof could be repaired before the Vikings faced the Chicago Bears
on December 20, stadium officials determined that such a repair would not be possible in that time frame and the game was moved to TCF Bank Stadium
.
Starts
Turnovers
Special Teams
Playoff records
, Kansas City
Maurice Jones-Drew
, Jacksonville
|-
|Fullback
||Vonta Leach
, Houston
|-
|Wide receiver
||Roddy White
, Atlanta
Reggie Wayne
, Indianapolis
Andre Johnson
, Houston
|-
|Tight end
||Jason Witten
, Dallas
|-
|Offensive tackle||Joe Thomas, Cleveland
Jake Long
, Miami
|-
|Offensive guard
||Jahri Evans
, New Orleans
Logan Mankins
, New England
Chris Snee
, NY Giants
|-
|Center
||Nick Mangold
, NY Jets
|}
John Abraham, AtlantaRegular season (NFL)
The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game
National Football League Kickoff game
The NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. The first game of the season is currently scheduled for the Thursday following Labor Day. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. Since the 2004 season, the defending...
on NBC
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
as the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
14–9.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
, quarterback of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, was named MVP for the 2010 season. In Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
, the League's championship game played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
31–25 to win their fourth Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. This season also marked the first full-length season in which a team with a losing record made the playoffs, when the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
won the NFC West with a 7–9 record.
Schedule
The 2010 regular season is the first year that the league will use a modified version of the scheduling formula that was first introduced in , in which all teams will play each other at least once every four years, and will play in every other team's stadium at least once every eight years (notwithstanding the regular season games played overseas as part of the NFL International SeriesNFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
). Under the original 2002 formula, since the pairings were strictly based on alphabetical order, those teams scheduled to play all the AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
clubs had to travel to both Oakland
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and San Diego
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the same season, while those clubs playing the entire NFC West
NFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
had to make their way to both San Francisco
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
and Seattle
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. In , the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
each had to make cross-country trips to all four of the aforementioned West Coast teams. In an effort to relieve east coast teams from having to travel to the West Coast multiple times during the same season, clubs would only have to visit one West Coast team (AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
or NFC West
NFC West
The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St...
), plus one western team from the same division closer to the Midwest, under the 2010 modified formula. Specifically, those clubs traveling to Oakland will now also play at Denver
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, while those playing at San Diego will also play at Kansas City
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. For teams scheduled to play the NFC West, those travelling to San Francisco will also go to Arizona
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, while those scheduled to play in Seattle will also go to St. Louis
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
.
For the 2010 season, the intraconference and interconference matchups are:
The entire 2010 regular-season schedule was unveiled at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 20. Additionally, schedule release shows aired on both the NFL Network and as a SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
special on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
.
Draft
The league's 75th annual selection meeting, more commonly known as the NFL DraftNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
, took place at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
from April 22–24, the first time that the draft was held over three days instead of the normal two.
Preseason
The Pro Football Hall of Fame GamePro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
was held on Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. EDT
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on NBC
NFL on NBC
NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS...
, with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
defeating the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
, 16–7 at Fawcett Stadium
Fawcett Stadium
Fawcett Stadium is a football stadium in Canton, Ohio. The stadium was officially dedicated in 1938. Fawcett Stadium is named for John A. Fawcett. Mr. Fawcett was a former member of the Canton Board of Education and a well-known athlete...
in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The remainder of the preseason game
National Football League exhibition season
The National Football League preseason refers to the period each year during which NFL teams play several not-for-the-record exhibition games before the actual "championship" or "regular" season starts. Beginning with the featured Pro Football Hall of Fame game in early August, five weekends of...
matchups were announced March 31, 2010. Highlights, among others, include the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
facing off in the first-ever game at New Meadowlands Stadium
New Meadowlands Stadium
MetLife Stadium is a stadium in the New York City Metropolitan Area, part of the MetLife Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League and is adjacent to the site of the former Giants Stadium, which was home...
on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. The preseason game in the Bills Toronto Series
Bills Toronto Series
The Bills Toronto Series is a five-year deal consisting of a series of National Football League games featuring the Buffalo Bills played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The series began in the 2008 NFL season and will end during the 2012 NFL season...
featured the host Bills defeating the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in Toronto on Thursday, August 19 by a score of 34–21. Exact dates and times for most games were announced in April, shortly after the regular season games were announced.
Opening weekend
The NFL Kickoff GameNational Football League Kickoff game
The NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. The first game of the season is currently scheduled for the Thursday following Labor Day. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. Since the 2004 season, the defending...
, the first game of the season, took place on Thursday, September 9, 2010, starting at 8:35 p.m. EDT
North American Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
, with the Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
champion New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
hosting the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, in a rematch of the 2009
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
. The Saints won 14–9. Like in previous years, the opening week's prime-time games were expected to be announced at the NFL's annual owners meetings in late March, but that wasn't the case this year, with the schedule announced on April 20.
On March 15, 2010, the NFL announced that both the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
will play at home during the opening weekend to open New Meadowlands Stadium
New Meadowlands Stadium
MetLife Stadium is a stadium in the New York City Metropolitan Area, part of the MetLife Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League and is adjacent to the site of the former Giants Stadium, which was home...
. The Giants played on Sunday with a 1 PM EDT kickoff against the Carolina Panthers
2010 Carolina Panthers season
-Coaching staff:-Preseason:The Panthers preseason schedule was announced on March 31, 2010.-Regular season:-Week 1: at New York Giants:The Panthers began their season at New Meadowlands Stadium for an NFC duel with the New York Giants. In the first quarter, Carolina got the stadium's very first...
and the Jets opened ESPN's Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
schedule against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
the next night. For the nightcap, the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
traveled to play their division rival, the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, marking the first time that a team from outside the Mountain
Mountain Time Zone
The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time, during the shortest days of autumn and winter , and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time in the spring, summer, and early autumn...
or Pacific Time Zone
Pacific Time Zone
The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time . The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 120th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory. During daylight saving time, its time offset is UTC-7.In the United States...
s has played in, or hosted, the "late" (10:15 p.m. ET) game. The game started at 9:15 p.m. Kansas City time (Central).
No undefeated teams after Week Five
While the Indianapolis ColtsIndianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
had both started the year before
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
13–0 (with the Colts even going 14–0), on October 10, the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
became the last undefeated team to lose, losing to the Colts 19–9. It would mark the first time that no NFL team reached 4–0 since 1970
1970 NFL season
The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger.The merger forced a realignment between the combined league's clubs. Because there were 16 NFL teams and 10 AFL teams, three teams needed to transfer to balance the two new...
, when the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, and Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
started the season 3–0 but all lost in Week 4.
International play
The 2010 season featured one International SeriesNFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
game, played at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The teams for this game were confirmed on January 15, 2010, with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
playing host to the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 31, 2010, at 1:00 p.m. EDT (5:00 p.m. GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
). The 49ers won 24–16, scoring 21 points in the 4th quarter. CBS
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
televised this game on a regional basis, as the Broncos were the "visiting" team. The Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
and Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, who had expressed interest in previous games, were a possible matchup for a second NFL game (with the Seahawks as the home team), but league officials dropped a plan for two games in the UK, citing the economy and ongoing labor negotiations.
The following week, the third regular-season game of the Bills Toronto Series
Bills Toronto Series
The Bills Toronto Series is a five-year deal consisting of a series of National Football League games featuring the Buffalo Bills played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The series began in the 2008 NFL season and will end during the 2012 NFL season...
featured the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
hosting the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Toronto's Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
on November 7 at 1 PM EST, marking the first time that the regular-season portion of the series has taken place during the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
season and the first time an NFC opponent played in the series.
NFL vs. World Series Game 4
On the same day that the Broncos and 49ers played in London, the Saints hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season
The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 78th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League and the eleventh season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fourth under head coach Mike Tomlin...
on NBC's Sunday Night Football. This game was televised opposite Game Four of the World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
on Fox, a practice the league had traditionally avoided. The Saints won this game 20–10.
Thanksgiving and Christmas
The Thanksgiving gamesThanksgiving Classic
The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving...
took place on Thursday, November 25, 2010, with the Detroit Lions
2010 Detroit Lions season
The 2010 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 81st season in the NFL. It was Jim Schwartz's second season as head coach. The Lions spent most of the season at the bottom of their division, but with more division wins than the Vikings , the Lions ended up at 3rd place on the final day of the...
falling to the visiting New England Patriots
2010 New England Patriots season
The 2010 New England Patriots season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League and 51st season overall. The Patriots improved on their 10–6 record from 2009 by finishing with a league-best 14–2 record and clinching the top seed in the AFC, before losing to the New York Jets...
, 45–24. The second game featured the Dallas Cowboys
2010 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2010 Dallas Cowboys season is the 51st season for the team in the National Football League, and the second season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium...
giving up a late lead to the New Orleans Saints
2010 New Orleans Saints season
The 2010 New Orleans Saints season was the 44th season for the franchise in the National Football League and city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and was the 35th to host home games in the Louisiana Superdome. The Saints entered their season for the first time as defending Super Bowl and National...
. New Orleans won 30–27 when Saints quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
threw a go-ahead touchdown to Lance Moore
Lance Moore
Lance Andrew Moore is an American football wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
with less than two minutes remaining. In the prime-time NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
game, the New York Jets
2010 New York Jets season
The 2010 New York Jets season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st season overall and the team's first season at New Meadowlands Stadium. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 2009 and reached the playoffs again. The Jets played their first pre-season game...
defeated the visiting Cincinnati Bengals
2010 Cincinnati Bengals season
The 2010 Cincinnati Bengals season was the 41st season for the team in the National Football League , and their 43rd overall. The Bengals looked to improve on their 10–6 record in 2009, during which they swept the AFC North for the first time in team history and made the playoffs as division...
, 26–10.
Both the Saints and Bengals made their first appearance in a Thanksgiving game; in the case of the Bengals, it also marked the first appearance of an AFC North
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
team on Thanksgiving since 1998, when the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
of what was known as the AFC Central played the Detroit Lions.
Additionally, since Christmas Day fell on a Saturday in 2010, the NFL scheduled a Christmas game
National Football League Christmas games
The National Football League occasionally schedules matchups on Christmas, December 25 or Christmas Eve, December 24.Unlike their November holiday counterparts, the Thanksgiving Classic games, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve games in the National Football League are not a regular annual part of the...
between the Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals
2010 Arizona Cardinals season
The 2010 Arizona Cardinals season is the 91st season for the team in the National Football League, and their 23rd season in Arizona. The Cardinals failed to improve on their 10–6 record from 2009, and were eliminated from postseason contention in Week 15....
in Glendale, Arizona
University of Phoenix Stadium
University of Phoenix Stadium, opened August 1, 2006, is a multipurpose football stadium located in Glendale, Arizona. It is the home of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League and the annual Fiesta Bowl...
on December 25 on NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
. The Cowboys came back from a 21–3 deficit behind third-string quarterback Stephen McGee
Stephen McGee
Stephen Richard McGee is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for Texas A&M....
to take a 26–24 lead late in the fourth quarter, but kicker David Buehler
David Buehler
-Dallas Cowboys:He was drafted in the 5th round by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2009 NFL Draft, and the first kicker taken. He was the first USC kicker to be drafted since Cole Ford in 1995. He handles the team's kickoffs and missed his only field goal attempt in the Cowboys' opening regular season...
missed an extra point, allowing the Cardinals to win the game 27–26 on a last-second Jay Feely
Jay Feely
Thomas James "Jay" Feely is an American football placekicker for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. Jay played for the Temple Terrace Spirit Soccer team that won the National Championships when he was 16....
field goal.
Week 17: Division games only
The entire Week 17 schedule, played on January 2, 2011, consisted solely of divisional contests, in an attempt to increase competition after several cases over the last few seasons of playoff-bound teams resting their regular starters and playing their reserves.Scheduling changes
- The EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
–BearsChicago BearsThe Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
–RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
games in Week 12 were moved from 1:00 p.m. ESTNorth American Eastern Time ZoneThe Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
to 4:15 p.m. EST. - The FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
–Buccaneers game in Week 13 was moved from 1:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. EST. - The PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
–Bears game in Week 14 was moved from 1:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. EST - The Week 14 game between the VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and the GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
was changed from Sunday, December 12 at 12:00 p.m. EST to Monday, December 13 at 7:20 p.m. EST because of the collapse of the Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeHubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeThe Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
's roof. (See "Stadiums" below.) - By way of flexible scheduling, three game times were changed in Week 16: The Vikings–EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST on FoxNFL on FOXNFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
, was flexed into the 8:20 p.m. time slot on NBC's Sunday Night FootballNBC Sunday Night FootballNBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
. The originally-scheduled NBC Sunday Night game between the ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
–BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
was changed to a 4:05 p.m. EST kickoff on CBSNFL on CBSThe NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
. The SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
–Buccaneers game was moved from 1:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. EST.- The Vikings-Eagles game was then postponed to Tuesday, December 28 at 8 p.m. due to public safety concerns resulting from an anticipated snowstorm in Philadelphia, even though no snow had fallen at the time of the postponement. The resulting game was the first Tuesday NFL game since 1946.
- By way of flexible scheduling, the following Week 17 games were changed: The Rams-Seahawks game, originally scheduled at 4:15 p.m. EST, was moved onto Sunday Night Football. Also, the Jaguars-Texans, Titans-Colts, Bears-Packers, Cowboys-Eagles and Giants-Redskins matches were all rescheduled from 1:00 p.m. to the 4:15 p.m. slot. Except for Cowboys-Eagles, all these games carried playoff implications. (Per its flexible scheduling rules for Week 17, the league had to commit to move these games a full six days in advance before the aforementioned Week 16 Vikings-Eagles game eventually played out on that Tuesday night. Had Philadelphia won that game instead of Minnesota, they would have still been in contention for a first round playoff bye.)
Regular season standings
Playoff seeds are marked in parentheses and shaded in greenTie-breakers Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North title instead of Baltimore based on division record (5–1 to Baltimore's 4–2). Houston finished ahead of Tennessee in the AFC South based on division record (3–3 to Tennessee's 2–4). Philadelphia clinched the NFC East title based on a head-to-head sweep over New York. Dallas finished ahead of Washington in the NFC East based on division record (3–3 to Washington's 2–4). Detroit finished ahead of Minnesota in the NFC North based on division record (2–4 to Minnesota's 1–5). Seattle clinched the NFC West title instead of St. Louis based on division record (4–2 to St. Louis' 3–3). Indianapolis clinched the AFC #3 seed instead of Kansas City based on a head-to-head victory. Green Bay clinched the NFC #6 seed based on better strength of victory (.475) than the N.Y. Giants (.400) or Tampa Bay (.344).
Postseason
The 2010–11 NFL playoff tournament began January 8–9, 2011 with wild card weekend. Following that, the divisional playoffs set the matchups for the NFC Championship GameNFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
, to be played at 3:00 PM EST on January 23, and the AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
, to be played at 6:30 PM EST.
After a backlash from players and critics about the previous season's Pro Bowl
2010 Pro Bowl
The 2010 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV...
being played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S...
in the contiguous United States
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
, the 2011 Pro Bowl
2011 Pro Bowl
The 2011 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2010 season. It took place at 7:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 30, 2011 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii...
was played at Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
in Halawa
Halawa, Hawaii
Halawa is a census-designated place in the ‘Ewa District of Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. Halawa Stream branches into two valleys: North and South Halawa; North Halawa is the larger stream and fluvial feature. Their confluence is within the H-3/H-201 highways exchange. Most of Halawa...
, Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu County, Hawaii
The City and County of Honolulu is a consolidated city–county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The municipality and county includes both the urban district of Honolulu and the rest of the island of Oahu, as well as several minor outlying islands, including all of the Northwestern Hawaiian...
.
The date was January 30, 2011, the week before the Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
. An NFL spokesman stated that "Plans for future Pro Bowls are not final." Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
President Bill Polian
Bill Polian
Bill Polian is the Vice Chairman of the Indianapolis Colts NFL team. He rose to league prominence as the General Manager of the Buffalo Bills, building a team that participated in four straight Super Bowls, losing each time...
has stated his objections to the format, and is in favor of returning the game to after the Super Bowl as in previous years.
The annual Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
had previously been played in Hawaii for 30 consecutive seasons from 1980 to 2009. However, the NFL and State of Hawaii officials only agreed to a two-year deal to hold the Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium in 2011 and 2012. This gives the option of playing the Pro Bowl in Hawaii on a rotational basis with the mainland, so it both maintains the traditional ties of holding it on the islands and providing accessibility to fans when played in the contiguous 48 states.
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV
Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League champion for the 2010 season. The game was held at Cowboys Stadium in...
, was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 6, 2011, and was the NFL's final event of the 2010 season.
Labor issues
NFL owners voted in 2008 to opt out of their collective bargaining agreementCollective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
(CBA) with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) as of the end of the 2010 season. (The vote was 23 in favor, 9 against; the extension measure needed 24 to pass, which would have set the CBA to expire after the 2012 season). Since a new CBA was not reached with the NFLPA, 2010 was an uncapped season, meaning that there was no salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
or salary floor between which teams had to operate. Also, the uncapped season limited unrestricted free agency only to players with at least six years of experience, as opposed to four under a capped season. The final eight teams alive in the 2009–10 NFL playoffs
2009–10 NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs for the 2009 season began on January 9, 2010 and led up to Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
(Arizona, Dallas, Minnesota and New Orleans in the NFC; and Baltimore, Indianapolis, the New York Jets and San Diego in the AFC) were restricted in the free agents they would be able to sign.
The issue of a CBA continued into the 2011 NFL season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
, affecting most of the off-season - see 2011 NFL lockout
2011 NFL lockout
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days...
for more details.
Rule changes
The following rule changes were passed at the league's annual owners meeting in March:- The overtimeOvertime (sports)Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
procedure for postseason games has changed. Instead of a straight sudden death, the game will not immediately end if the team that wins the coin toss only scores a field goal on its first possession (they can still win the game if they score a touchdown). Instead, the other team gets a possession. If the coin toss loser then scores a touchdown, it is declared the winner. If the score is tied after both teams had a possession, then it goes back to sudden death. These changes were passed in response to recent statistics that show that since 1994, teams that win the coin toss have won overtime 59.8 percent of the time, and won 34.4 percent of the time on the first possession. This included the 2009 NFC Championship Game between the Minnesota Vikings2009 Minnesota Vikings seasonThe 2009 Minnesota Vikings season was the franchise's 49th season in the NFL. The Vikings improved upon their 10–6 record and defended their NFC North title from 2008; it was the first time that they had retained a divisional title since they won six NFC Central titles in a row between 1973 and 1978...
and the New Orleans Saints2009 New Orleans Saints seasonThe 2009 New Orleans Saints season is the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League and the most successful in franchise history in which they won Super Bowl XLIV. The Saints recorded a franchise record 13 victories, an improvement on their 8–8 record and fourth place finish in the...
where the Saints won the overtime coin toss and scored a field goal on their first possession to win the game. In May, the league decided against applying these overtime rule changes to regular season games as well. As all of the 2010–2011 playoff games ended in regulation, the new rule wasn't tested during its first year of use.
- The definition of a "defenseless receiver" (where a receiver cannot be hit in the head or neck area by an opponent who launches himself and makes contact with his helmet, shoulder, or forearm) will now apply to every defenseless player.
- A play will now immediately be whistled deadDead ballDead ball is a phenomenon in many sports in which the ball is deemed temporarily not playable, and no movement may be made with it or the players from their respective positions of significance...
once a ball carrier's helmet is knocked off.
- The position of the umpireOfficial (American football)In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
has been moved from behind the defensive linebackers (except in the last two minutes of the first half, the last five minutes of the second half, and anytime the offense is inside the defense's five-yard-line) to the offensive backfield opposite the throwing arm of the quarterback in order to reduce the numerous times that the official has been run over during plays.
- During field goal and extra point attempts, defenders cannot line up directly across from the long snapperLong snapperIn American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
.
- Dead ball 15-yard personal fouls that are committed on the final play of either the second or fourth quarters will be assessed on the second half or overtime kickoff, respectively. Previously, such penalties during those situations were not enforced.
- Punt returners who make a fair catchFair catchA fair catch is a feature of American football and several other codes of football, in which a player attempting to catch a ball kicked by the opposing team – either on a kickoff or punt – is entitled to catch the ball without interference from any member of the kicking team...
signal but then muff the ball are now entitled with the opportunity to catch the ball before it hits the ground without interference. If there is interference during such a scenario, the receiving team would be awarded the ball at the spot of the foul, but no penalty yardage would be assessed.
- The 2009 temporary modification to the rules regarding balls in play that strike an object such as a video board or a guide wire has been made permanent. Prior to 2009, only the down was replayed. The 2009 modification added resetting the game clock to the time when the original play was snapped. This amendment was originally passed in response to a punt hitting the center-hung video display boards of Cowboys Stadium during a 2009 pre-season game.
- The replay system will now also be allowed to cover whether there was some sort of interference with the ball during a play.
- If the clock is stopped in the final minute of either half for a replay review, but would not have stopped without the review, there will be a 10-second runoff (similar to when the offensive team commits a penalty inside of one minute in order to preserve time). As with any other 10-second runoff, teams are permitted to take a timeout instead.
Crackdown on illegal hits
After several violent hits throughout the NFL made the news in Week 3, the league announced that it would consider suspending players for illegal hits, such as helmet-to-helmet hits or other blows to the head. (Previously, players could only be fined for such hits.) The league also instructed all officials and referees to have an even higher level of attention toward flagrant hits. Game officials were also instructed to err on the side of safety, and throw flags even when in doubt.The crackdown has been controversial. Many defensive players have complained that the league is being too strict in their interpretation of what constitutes an "illegal hit", and that it forces them to behave significantly different than how they were taught to play the game. Another concern is the league's instructions to game officials to err on the side of caution, since questionable calls late in close games significantly affect their outcome. However, the medical community has supported the move, believing that it would help reduce concussions and other head injuries.
The league did not end up suspending any players for violent or illegal hits, however several players were fined for these types of hits within the first few weeks of the crackdown.
Super Bowl and conference logo, trophy changes
Starting with Super Bowl XLV, the template of all Super Bowl logos will virtually remain the same. The only differences from year to year will be the stadium backdrop and the Roman numerals for the game as well as colors of the area. For Super Bowl XLV, Cowboys Stadium is featured and "XLV" signifying the forty-fifth Super Bowl game.The NFL also introduced new Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt was an American sportsman and promoter of American football, soccer, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee into three sports' halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League and Major League Soccer , as well as MLS predecessor the...
and George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
trophies for the AFC and NFC Championship games. The trophies were changed from a brown base with an 'A' or 'N' on top of it surrounded by players layered on a frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
upon a wall, to silver trophies in the make of a football. Additionally, both the NFC
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
and AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
logos were revamped and recolored to reflect the current shield adopted two years earlier and with four stars running down the inside on both logos top to bottom from left to right instead of the six surrounding the AFC and three down the side of the NFC logo as each conference has four divisions. In addition, all event and playoff logos have undergone a complete makeover in a new logo system.
Uniforms
In the 2010 season, the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
were the only team who made a major change to their main uniforms, wearing gold pants with their burgundy jerseys, and except for a game against the Packers, wore them for home games instead of their white jerseys and red pants. The white pants were not abandoned entirely, and would be worn together with the burgundy jerseys for the two away games ( and one home game ) in which their opponent wore white at home. This was made possible with a sleeve modification, in which the broad yellow and white stripes were severely shrunken on an elastic band (same for white jerseys) so that when wearing the gold pants, the team also wore the retro style socks that had a different stripe pattern matching the sleeves of the day, so there is no longer a stripe design conflict.
The Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
became the first team to officially unveil a third uniform for 2010, a throwback uniform
Throwback uniform
Throwback uniforms and jerseys are one-time or limited-time variations on a sports team's uniforms styled to resemble uniforms from that team's past. They have proven popular in all major pro and college sports in the USA, not only with fans, but with the teams' marketing and merchandising...
based on their 1929 uniforms when they won their first NFL championship. The throwbacks are as accurate as possible while complying with current NFL guidelines, with a brown modern-shell helmet in place of the leather helmets of 1929, along with blue jerseys and gold circles with the jersey numbers nested within the circles, and brown pants. Like throwbacks worn in recent seasons by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and the archrival Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, these throwbacks will be a permanent addition to the Packers uniforms, unlike throwbacks worn by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
that were intended as one-time deals but made permanent, as well as several one-shot throwbacks in recent years. The new Packers throwbacks replace the previous throwbacks (which comprised the current helmets with the "G" logo and stripes removed, white jerseys with plain green lettering, and tan pants) worn sporadically since the early 2000s.
Also going the throwback route were the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who harkened back to the Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
era with a 1940's set, replacing the pumpkin orange third jerseys, and the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, who will wear throwbacks as well. Since the Colts only have two colors, they only have previously worn a throwback jersey once in their history, in . The difference between the 2004 throwback and the 2010 throwback is the helmet color, which reverses the 2004 scheme.
The Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who were the only team to not wear a third jersey in any form since the NFL allowed third jerseys in , unveiled a black third jersey to be worn in 2010.
The Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
have adopted their championship uniforms that were worn September 12 against the Packers, the team they beat to win their last championship in celebration of the 50th anniversary of that game.
The Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
returned to using navy blue jerseys as their third jersey, after a one-year hiatus in which they wore light blue Houston Oilers throwback jerseys in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
, but did not wear them for any game in 2010.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wore their throwbacks against the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 17 and against the New England Patriots on November 14.
The Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
have retired the neon green uniform worn for one game in against Chicago, which was in turn an offshoot from a April Fools Day joke written about by Uni Watch founder Paul Lukas that year.
Media
This is the fifth season under the current television contractsNFL on television
The television rights to broadcast National Football League games are the most lucrative and expensive rights of any American sport. It was television that brought professional football into prominence in the modern era after World War II...
with the league's television partners: CBS
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
(all AFC Sunday afternoon away games and one Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Classic
The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving...
game), Fox
NFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
(all NFC Sunday afternoon away games and one Thanksgiving game), NBC
NBC Sunday Night Football
NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color...
(17 Sunday night games and the kickoff game), ESPN
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
(17 Monday night games over sixteen weeks), NFL Network (eight late-season games on Thursday and Saturday nights, including one Thanksgiving game), and DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
's NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket is an Out-of-Market Sports Package that broadcasts National Football League regular season games unavailable on local affiliates. It carries all regional Sunday afternoon games produced by Fox and CBS...
package. These contracts run through at least 2013.
In national radio, this is the second year on Westwood One
NFL on Westwood One
The NFL on Westwood One is the brand name given to weekly National Football League games carried on the radio over the Dial Global Radio Network...
's most recent contract extension. The network also agreed to a four-year extension on December 23, 2010.
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
for the fall 2010 television season have shown viewership increases of up to 10 percent for most of the NFL's broadcast partners; eighteen of the twenty most watched television broadcasts of the season have so far been NFL games.
Stadiums
New Meadowlands StadiumNew Meadowlands Stadium
MetLife Stadium is a stadium in the New York City Metropolitan Area, part of the MetLife Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League and is adjacent to the site of the former Giants Stadium, which was home...
opened in 2010, replacing Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
as the home of both the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The new stadium is located a few hundred feet away from the old building in the parking lot of Meadowlands Sports Complex
Meadowlands Sports Complex
The MetLife Sports Complex is a sports and entertainment facility located in East Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority...
in East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
. Unlike Giants Stadium (in which the Giants were the sole NFL tenant until the 1984 season), the new Meadowlands Stadium will be a 50/50 partnership between both New York teams. The Giants played their first regular season game on September 12 against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, while the Jets played the following night against the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in the first game of a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
doubleheader.
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
, home of the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
since 1972, underwent a two-year $375 million renovation project which was completed and unveiled in July 2010. The stadium hosted the second game of the Monday Night Football opening weekend doubleheader when the Chiefs played the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
M&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...
, home of the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, installed FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
prior to the 2010 season. The field had been Sportexe Momentum Turf since 2002 and grass before that.
Prior to Week 14, the inflatable roof of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
, home of the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, buckled and tore as a result of heavy snowfall in Minneapolis, spilling snow onto Mall of America field and rendering the stadium unusable for the remainder of the Vikings' season. The Vikings' scheduled home game against the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
was moved to Detroit's Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
and postponed to a 7:20 p.m. EST kickoff on Monday. Though stadium workers were initially "optimistic" that the roof could be repaired before the Vikings faced the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on December 20, stadium officials determined that such a repair would not be possible in that time frame and the game was moved to TCF Bank Stadium
TCF Bank Stadium
TCF Bank Stadium, sometimes referred to as either "The Bank" or "The Gopher Hole," is the football stadium for the Minnesota Golden Gophers college football team at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
.
Records
Passing- Consecutive passes without an interception: 335, Tom BradyTom BradyThomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
(Bernie KosarBernie KosarBernard Joseph "Bernie" Kosar, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Kosar played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993 and then finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.-Early life and high school career:A Hungarian-American...
, 308) - Consecutive games with no interceptions, 2+ touchdowns: 9, Tom Brady (Don MeredithDon MeredithJoseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League . He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years as a player...
, 6)
Starts
- Consecutive starts by a quarterback: 297, Brett FavreBrett FavreBrett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
- Consecutive starts to start a career: 208, Peyton ManningPeyton ManningPeyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
(Gene UpshawGene UpshawEugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. was an American football player for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League and later the NFL, later the executive director of the National Football League Players' Association...
)
Turnovers
- Number of times sacked, career: 525, Brett Favre (John ElwayJohn ElwayJohn Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
, 516) - Fumbles, career: 166, Brett Favre (Warren MoonWarren MoonHarold Warren Moon is a former American professional gridiron football quarterback who played for the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos and the National Football League's Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs...
, 161) - Fewest turnovers by a team, season: 10, New England Patriots (13, 2008 Miami Dolphins2008 Miami Dolphins seasonThe 2008 Miami Dolphins season was the organization's 39th season in the National Football League and 43rd overall. During the regular season the Dolphins completed the greatest single-season turnaround in NFL history, going from a 1–15 regular season record in 2007 to an 11–5 record in 2008...
and 2008 New York Giants2008 New York Giants seasonThe 2008 New York Giants season was the franchise's 84th season in the National Football League as the team looked to defend its Super Bowl XLII title. They improved upon their 10–6 record from 2007, becoming NFC East champions and finished with the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a 12-4 record...
)
Special Teams
- Kicks returned for touchdowns, career: 14, Devin HesterDevin HesterDevin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
(Brian Mitchell, 13)
Playoff records
- Worst record to make the playoffs: 7–9, 2010 Seattle Seahawks2010 Seattle Seahawks seasonThe 2010 Seattle Seahawks season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League. Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010, leading the Seahawks to come to an agreement with Pete Carroll, instating him as head coach the following day. This marks the 9th season that the Seahawks will...
(1982 Cleveland Browns1982 Cleveland Browns seasonThe 1982 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 33rd season with the National Football League.The Browns were among 8 teams that qualified for the playoffs during this strike shorted season, and became one of only three teams to ever qualify for the playoffs despite having a losing record...
and 1982 Detroit Lions1982 Detroit Lions season-Awards and records:Regular Season record* First team with a losing record to qualify for the playoffs. Shared with Cleveland Browns...
, 4–5)
Milestones
- Brett FavreBrett FavreBrett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
became the first quarterback to throw for 70,000 career yards. - Brett Favre became the first quarterback to throw for 500 career touchdowns.
- Brett Favre became the first quarterback to attempt 10,000 career passes.
- Brett Favre became the second non-kicker to play in 300 games. (First was Jerry RiceJerry RiceJerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
) - DeSean JacksonDeSean JacksonGoing to the 2008 NFL Draft Jackson was considered one of the top ten wide receivers available in a draft class littered with talented wide outs. The only knock on Jackson was his small frame, being measured at 5'9¾ " and just over 170 pounds. During the pre-draft period, Hall of Fame wide receiver...
became the first player in NFL history to end a game by scoring on a punt return as time expired. - The Oakland RaidersOakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
became the first team since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger to go unbeaten in their division and miss the playoffs. - The Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
became the first team to win a division with a losing record (7–9). - The Seattle Seahawks became the first team to win a playoff game with a losing record.
- Defensive end Osi UmenyioraOsi Umenyiora-2003:Umenyiora was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the New York Giants out of Troy State University, now Troy University. He was number 72. As a rookie in 2003, he played in 13 games with one start.-2005:...
set the NFL Record for forced fumbles in a season, with 10. - The Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
became the first team since the 1962 Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
to never trail a single game by more than 7 points at any time. - The Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
became the first team since the merger to start 10 rookies and still complete a winning season (10–6). The Buccaneers would however go on to miss the playoffs.
Pre-season
| Team | 2010 Coach | 2009 Coach(es) | Reason for leaving | Story/Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Chan Gailey Chan Gailey Thomas Chandler "Chan" Gailey, Jr. is an American professional and college football coach. Gailey is the current head coach of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League ; he was formerly the head coach of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets college football... , former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... and Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
Dick Jauron Dick Jauron Richard Manuel Jauron is the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was the head coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2006 until November 2009. Jauron has previously held head coaching positions with the Chicago Bears and, on an interim basis, with the... , Perry Fewell Perry Fewell Perry Fewell is an American football coach who currently serves as the Defensive Coordinator of the New York Giants. Before that he served as the interim head coach and defensive coordinator of the National Football League's Buffalo Bills... (interim for 7 weeks) |
Fired | Jauron was fired after nine games into the season after compiling a 24–33 (.421) record, including a 3–6 record at the time of his firing, in 3½ years. Fewell, the Bills' defensive coordinator, was the interim head coach for the rest of the season and went 3–4 (.429) in that capacity; he was hired to be defensive coordinator for the New York Giants 2010 New York Giants season The 2010 New York Giants season was the 86th season for the team in the National Football League and the team's inaugural season in New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants improved on their 8–8 2009 record by finishing 10–6 and second place in the NFC East... January 14. Jauron was hired as defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... . Gailey, who was last seen in the NFL as the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive coordinator before Todd Haley Todd Haley Todd Haley is the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . Prior to joining the Chiefs, Haley served as the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2008, and was the wide receivers coach for the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys.-Early... fired him prior to the 2009 regular season, was named the new Bills coach on January 19; he was recommended to the Bills by former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher Bill Cowher William Laird "Bill" Cowher is a former American football coach and player. Cowher resigned after 15 seasons as the Steelers' coach on January 5, 2007, 11 months to the day after winning 2005–06's Super Bowl XL... . |
| Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
Mike Shanahan Mike Shanahan Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously... , former head coach of the Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Jim Zorn Jim Zorn James Arthur "Jim" Zorn is an American quarterbacks coach in the National Football League. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs... |
Fired | Zorn, who was first hired to be offensive coordinator but had never been a head coach before being given the coaching reins, went out to a 6–2 start in the first half of , but fell dramatically afterwards, and in his two seasons went 12–20 (.375) as the Redskins coach before being relieved of his duties following the completion of the 2009 season. On January 5, 2010, Shanahan, the former two-time Super Bowl Super Bowl The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather... winning coach with the Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... , was hired as the Redskins' new coach. Zorn was hired January 30, 2010 to be the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... . |
| Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
Pete Carroll Pete Carroll Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High... , former USC head coach |
Jim L. Mora Jim L. Mora James Lawrence "Jim" Mora is an American former NCAA defensive back and National Football League head coach. As of 2010, he is currently an analyst for the NFL Network.... |
Fired | Mora was fired after compiling a 5–11 (.313) record in his only season as head coach as the Seahawks lost the last four games of the 2009 season, being outscored 123–37. Mora will be a color commentator for Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... this season. Carroll had spent the past eight years as the head coach of the USC Trojans, having won a share of the 2003 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate.... and the outright 2004 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss... national championships; however, many of Carroll's achievements at USC may be stricken from the record books due to improprieties involving Reggie Bush Reggie Bush Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft... . He had previously been the head coach of the New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... in and New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... from to , with a career 33–31 record. |
In-season
| Team | 2010 Coach | Interim | Reason for leaving | Story/Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
Wade Phillips Wade Phillips Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons... |
Jason Garrett Jason Garrett Jason Calvin Garrett is an American former National Football League player and the current head coach of the Dallas Cowboys... |
Fired | Phillips, son of former NFL head coach Bum Phillips Bum Phillips Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips is a retired American football coach and the father of Wade Phillips, the Defensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans... , was fired on November 8 following a 45–7 Week 9 loss against the Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... . Garrett was their offensive coordinator and head-coach in waiting prior to being promoted. Phillips later was hired by the Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... as their defensive coordinator. Garrett was named the full-time head coach January 6, four days after the season ended. |
| Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
Brad Childress Brad Childress Brad "Chilly" Childress is the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. He attended high school at the Marmion Academy in Aurora, Illinois... |
Leslie Frazier Leslie Frazier Leslie Antonio Frazier is a former cornerback/safety in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and is currently the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings.-College career:... |
Fired | Childress was fired on November 22 following a Week 11 loss against the Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... , 31–3. The Vikings entered week 12 with a 3–7 record, second-to-last in the NFC North. Childress also faced controversy by releasing Randy Moss Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft... without the approval of owner Zygi Wilf and lost control over the locker room. Frazier was given position full-time prior to the Vikings' regular season finale in Detroit. |
| Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Josh McDaniels Josh McDaniels Josh McDaniels is the former head coach of the Denver Broncos and currently the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He previously served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots... |
Eric Studesville Eric Studesville Eric Studesville is an American football coach. In December 2010, Studesville became the interim head coach of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He replaced Josh McDaniels after 12 games in the 2010 NFL Season... |
Fired | McDaniels was fired on December 5, following a 10–6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... in Week 13. After a 6–0 start in the 2009 season, the Broncos lost 17 of their next 22 games, and became subject to a videotaping scandal. |
| San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
Mike Singletary Mike Singletary Michael "Mike" Singletary is an American football coach and former professional football player. He is currently the linebacker coach and assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL.... |
Jim Tomsula Jim Tomsula Jim Tomsula is an American football coach. He was the interim head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League.-Coaching career:... |
Fired | Singletary was fired on December 26, following a 25–17 loss to the St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... in Week 16, which officially eliminated the 49ers from playoff contention. Heavily favored to win the NFC West NFC West The NFC West is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: Arizona Cardinals, St... , the 49ers instead started the 2010 season with an 0–5 record. Singletary also faced controversy by switching between starting quarterbacks Alex Smith Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah... and Troy Smith Troy Smith Troy James Smith is an American football quarterback for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.Smith has also played for the San Francisco 49ers. He... at least three different times during the season, and unsuccessfully trying to mold the team like the 1985 Chicago Bears 1985 Chicago Bears season The 1985 Chicago Bears season was their 66th regular season and 16th post-season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 15-1 record, earning them the top seed in the NFC for the playoffs. The Bears defeated their three post season opponents by a combined score of 91-10 en... . |
Players of the Week
The following were the players of the week during the 2010 season:| Week | FedEx Air Player of the Week | FedEx Ground Player of the Week | Pepsi Rookie of the Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | QB Jay Cutler Jay Cutler (American football) Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft... , Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Arian Foster Arian Foster Arian Foster , is an American football running back for the Houston Texans. He was signed by the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and was added to their active roster from the practice squad on November 17, 2009. He played college football at Tennessee... , Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
WR Dexter McCluster Dexter McCluster Dexter Marquise McCluster is an American football wide receiver and running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, formerly of the Ole Miss Rebels. He was considered one of the top athlete prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft... , Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
| 2 | QB Matt Schaub Matt Schaub Matthew Rutledge Schaub is the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.-College career:... , Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB LeSean McCoy LeSean McCoy -Philadelphia Eagles:McCoy was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 29, 2009.... , Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Jahvid Best Jahvid Best Jahvid Andre Best is a running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was selected by the Lions with the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. In college, he played for the California Golden Bears, setting several records, including most all-purpose yards in a single season and... , Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
| 3 | QB Michael Vick Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League... , Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
TE Tony Moeaki Tony Moeaki Anthony "Tony" Moeaki is an American football tight end. He finished his senior season at Iowa with 30 catches for 387 yards and 4 touchdowns. Moeaki was considered one of the top tight end prospects for the 2010 NFL Draft.... , Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
| 4 | QB Kyle Orton Kyle Orton Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft... , Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB LaDainian Tomlinson LaDainian Tomlinson LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L... , New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
QB Sam Bradford Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a... , St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
| 5 | QB Shaun Hill Shaun Hill Shaun Hill is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002... , Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
RB Matt Forte Matt Forté Matthew Garrett Forté is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft... , Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
QB Max Hall Max Hall Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:... , Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| 6 | QB Kevin Kolb Kevin Kolb Kevin Benjamin Kolb is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston.... , Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Chris Ivory Chris Ivory Christopher Ivory is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed as a free agent by the Saints after the 2010 NFL Draft... , New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
RB Chris Ivory Chris Ivory Christopher Ivory is an American football running back for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed as a free agent by the Saints after the 2010 NFL Draft... , New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
| 7 | QB Matt Ryan Matt Ryan Matt Ryan is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Villacher SV of the Austrian Hockey League .-Playing career:... , Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Darren McFadden Darren McFadden Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007... , Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
WR Dez Bryant Dez Bryant - 2010 - Rookie Season :Bryant was signed by the Cowboys to a contract very similar to that of Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin on July 22, 2010. On July 23, 2010, it was announced that Bryant will wear number 88, the same as Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, and Cowboys legend Drew Pearson... , Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
| 8 | QB Jason Campbell Jason Campbell Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft... , Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Jamaal Charles Jamaal Charles Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft... , Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
DT Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... , Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
| 9 | QB Brett Favre Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota... , Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
RB Peyton Hillis Peyton Hillis Hillis was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.-2008 Season:At the start of the 2008 season, Hillis was listed as the Broncos' starting fullback... , Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
WR Jacoby Ford Jacoby Ford Jacoby Ford is an American football wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He is also an accomplished track and field athlete. He played college football as a wide receiver and return specialist for the Clemson Tigers at Clemson University... , Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| 10 | QB Michael Vick Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League... , Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Fred Jackson, Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
QB Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft... , Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| 11 | QB Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers... , Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
RB Maurice Jones-Drew Maurice Jones-Drew Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew is a professional American football player who currently plays running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft... , Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
PR Bryan McCann Bryan McCann Bryan McCann is an American football cornerback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2010... , Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
| 12 | QB Matt Cassel Matt Cassel Matthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft... , Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
RB Peyton Hillis Peyton Hillis Hillis was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.-2008 Season:At the start of the 2008 season, Hillis was listed as the Broncos' starting fullback... , Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
QB Sam Bradford Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a... , St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
| 13 | QB Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers... , Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
RB Maurice Jones-Drew Maurice Jones-Drew Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew is a professional American football player who currently plays running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft... , Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
LB Sean Lee Sean Lee Sean Patrick Lee is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Penn State.-Early life:... , Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
| 14 | QB Tom Brady Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,... , New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
RB Darren McFadden Darren McFadden Darren McFadden is an American football running back who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Arkansas from 2005 to 2007... , Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
TE Rob Gronkowski Rob Gronkowski Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft... , New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| 15 | QB Michael Vick Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League... , Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
RB Ray Rice Ray Rice Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in... , Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... |
TE Aaron Hernandez Aaron Hernandez -New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop... , New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| 16 | QB Josh Freeman Josh Freeman -2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie... , Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
RB LeGarrette Blount LeGarrette Blount LeGarrette Montez Blount is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2010.... , Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
QB Tim Tebow Tim Tebow Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft... , Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| 17 | QB Josh Freeman Josh Freeman -2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie... , Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
RB Arian Foster Arian Foster Arian Foster , is an American football running back for the Houston Texans. He was signed by the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and was added to their active roster from the practice squad on November 17, 2009. He played college football at Tennessee... , Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
TE Rob Gronkowski Rob Gronkowski Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft... , New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
Regular Season Awards
| Award | Winner | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| AP Defensive Player of the Year | Troy Polamalu Troy Polamalu Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated... |
Strong Safety | Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
| AP Offensive Player of the Year | Tom Brady Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| AP Coach of the Year | Bill Belichick Bill Belichick William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991... |
Head Coach | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| AP Offensive Rookie of the Year | Sam Bradford Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
| AP Defensive Rookie of the Year | Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... |
Defensive Tackle | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
| AP Comeback Player of the Year | Michael Vick Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| AP Most Valuable Player | Tom Brady Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
| Pepsi Rookie of the Year | Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... |
Defensive Tackle | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
| Super Bowl Most Valuable Player | Aaron Rodgers Aaron Rodgers Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers... |
Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
All-pro team
Jamaal CharlesJamaal Charles
Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, Kansas City
Maurice Jones-Drew
Maurice Jones-Drew
Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew is a professional American football player who currently plays running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League . He was drafted in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, Jacksonville
|-
|Fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
||Vonta Leach
Vonta Leach
Terzell Vonta Leach is an American football fullback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
, Houston
|-
|Wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
||Roddy White
Roddy White
Sharod Lamor White is an American football wide receiver playing for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League...
, Atlanta
Reggie Wayne
Reggie Wayne
Reginald "Reggie" Wayne is a professional American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. Wayne was selected in the 1st round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Colts...
, Indianapolis
Andre Johnson
Andre Johnson
Andre Lamont Johnson is an American football wide receiver currently playing for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Through the 2010–11 NFL season, Johnson currently ranks first all-time in NFL history in receiving yards per game for a career...
, Houston
|-
|Tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
||Jason Witten
Jason Witten
Christopher Jason Witten is an American football tight end who plays for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee....
, Dallas
|-
|Offensive tackle||Joe Thomas, Cleveland
Jake Long
Jake Long
Jake Edward Long is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Dolphins first overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan...
, Miami
|-
|Offensive guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
||Jahri Evans
Jahri Evans
-New Orleans Saints:Evans was signed to a three-year contract by the Saints on July 25, 2006. He emerged as a consistent performer in training camp and preseason, and won the starting job after the projected starter, Jermane Mayberry, was injured in training camp and ultimately retired. In his...
, New Orleans
Logan Mankins
Logan Mankins
-2005–06 seasons:Mankins was drafted with the final pick of the first round, 32nd overall, in the 2005 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Despite playing his entire collegiate career as a tackle, Mankins was moved to left guard by the Patriots, where he immediately stepped into the starting...
, New England
Chris Snee
Chris Snee
Christopher Snee is an American football guard for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boston College....
, NY Giants
|-
|Center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
||Nick Mangold
Nick Mangold
-New York Jets:Replacing Kevin Mawae at center, Mangold had a good rookie season, allowing only 0.5 sacks, committed only 3 penalties and made all the line calls. Mangold was considered to be the best prospect at center in the last 15 years according to NFL draft expert Mike Mayock...
, NY Jets
|}
Justin Tuck
Justin Tuck
Justin Lee Tuck is an American football defensive end for the National Football League's New York Giants.A former standout defensive end for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Tuck currently plays in the National Football League for the New York Giants. His cousin Adalius Thomas was also a former...
, NY Giants
|-
|Defensive tackle||Haloti Ngata
Haloti Ngata
-Baltimore Ravens:Ngata decided to leave Oregon a year early because his mother, 'Ofa, was in the early stages of kidney dialysis. She died from her illness on January 13, 2006....
, Baltimore
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is an American football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions 2nd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
, Detroit
|-
|Outside linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
||Clay Matthews III
Clay Matthews III
William Clay Matthews III is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers 26th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-Early years:Matthews was born in the Los...
, Green Bay
James Harrison, Pittsburgh
Cameron Wake
Cameron Wake
Derek Cameron Wake is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State....
, Miami
|-
|Inside linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
||Jerod Mayo
Jerod Mayo
-2008 season:Mayo was drafted by the New England Patriots with the tenth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. He was signed on July 24, 2008, to a five-year contract worth $18.9 million, including $13.8 million in bonuses and guarantees...
, New England
Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis
Patrick L. Willis is an American football player who plays inside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers 11th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft...
, San Francisco
|-
|Cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
||Darrelle Revis
Darrelle Revis
Though Revis was not the first defensive back drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft , he was the first cornerback taken that year...
, NY Jets
Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha
Nnamdi Asomugha is an American cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders and played college football for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley...
, Oakland
Asante Samuel
Asante Samuel
Asante T. Samuel is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
, Philadelphia
Devin McCourty
Devin McCourty
-2010 season:McCourty was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He signed a five-year contract on July 28, 2010. Following a preseason injury to veteran Leigh Bodden, McCourty began his rookie season as a starter at cornerback...
, New England
|-
|Safety
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
||Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
, Pittsburgh
Ed Reed
Ed Reed
Edward Earl Reed Jr. is an American football free safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens 24th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
, Baltimore
|}
| Special teams | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kicker Placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points... |
Billy Cundiff Billy Cundiff William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002... , Baltimore David Akers David Akers David Roy Akers is a left footed American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. He played college football at Louisville.... , Philadelphia |
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| Punter Punter (football position) A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a... |
Shane Lechler Shane Lechler Edward Shane Lechler is an American football punter who currently plays for the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League. Lechler played college football for Texas A&M from 1996-1999. In the NFL, Lechler has been named an All-Pro eight times during his career... , Oakland |
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| Kick returner Kick returner In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the... |
Devin Hester Devin Hester Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football... , Chicago Leon Washington Leon Washington Leon Washington is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State. He is married to Charity Washington with whom he has a son... , Seattle |
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| Punt returner Punt returner Punt returner is a position on special teams in American football.-Description:The role of a punt returner is to catch the ball after it is punted and to give his team good field position by returning it. Before catching the punted ball, the returner must assess the situation on the field while... |
Devin Hester Devin Hester Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football... , Chicago |
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| Special Teams | Eric Weems Eric Weems Eric Weems is an American football wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was signed by the Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Bethune-Cookman.-Early years:Weems attended Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Florida and... , Atlanta |
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