1981 NFL season
The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.
Major rule changes
- It is illegal for any player to put adhesive or slippery substances such as the product "stickum" on his body, equipment or uniform. This rule is known as both the "Lester Hayes Rule" and the "Fred Biletnikoff Rule" since both players were notorious for using sticky substances to make it easier for them to catch passes.
- An offensive player who comes into the game wearing an illegal number for the position he takes must report to the Referee before the start of the next play.
- The penalty for an ineligible receiver who touches a forward pass is a loss of down.
- The penalty for illegal use of hands, arms, or body (including holding) is reduced from 15 yards to 10 yards.
- The penalty for intentional grounding is modified: loss of down and 10 yards penalty from the previous spot, or if the foul occurs more than 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, loss of down at the spot of the foul.
Final standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against
x – clinched wild card berth, y – clinched division title
Tiebreakers
- Baltimore finished ahead of New England in the AFC East based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
- San Diego finished ahead of Denver in the AFC West based on better division record (6–2 to Broncos' 5–3).
- Buffalo was the second AFC Wild Card based on head-to-head victory over Denver (1–0).
- Detroit finished ahead of Green Bay in the NFC Central based on better record against common opponents (5–5 to Packers' 4–6).
Playoffs
- Home team in capitals
AFC
NFC
Super Bowl
Awards
| Most Valuable Player |
Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati |
| Coach of the Year |
Bill Walsh, San Francisco |
| Offensive Player of the Year |
Ken Anderson, Quarterback, Cincinnati |
| Defensive Player of the Year |
Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker, N.Y. Giants |
| Offensive Rookie of the Year |
George Rogers, Running Back, New Orleans |
| Defensive Rookie of the Year |
Lawrence Taylor, Linebacker, N.Y. Giants |
References
- NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
- NFL History 1981–1990 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
- 1981 season in details
- Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
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