Beginning in the 1970 NFL season, the National Football League began scheduling a weekly regular season game on Monday night before a national television audience. From 1970-2005, the ABC television network carried these games, with the ESPN cable television network taking over beginning in September 2006. Listed below are games played from 1990 to 2009.
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Some stadiums and teams had multiple names throughout their appearances in the MNF package in this era. All names listed were seen in the package at least once in this era.
First name listed is the current (or final if it does not exist anymore) name for each team and stadium.
The November 12 game between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles is known as the infamous Body Bag Game, in which Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan promised a beating so severe, that the Redskins would have to be "hauled off in body bags." The Redskins had the last laugh, however, as these two teams met in the same stadium on the same network in the Wild Card playoffs - the first ever such game aired on ABC. The Redskins won 20-6.
The December 31 game started at 8:00 PM EST rather than 9:00 PM EST to allow New Year's Rockin' Eve to air as normal.
Super Bowl XXV is best remembered for its "final" play - Scott Norwood of the Buffalo Bills missed what would have been the game-winning field goal, as it sailed wide right.
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 10 | San Francisco 49ers | 13-12 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome |
| Monday | September 17 | Kansas City Chiefs | 23-24 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | September 24 | Buffalo Bills | 30-7 | New York Jets | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | October 1 | Cincinnati Bengals | 16-31 | Seattle Seahawks | Kingdome |
| Monday | October 8 | Cleveland Browns | 30-29 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | October 15 | Minnesota Vikings | 24-32 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | October 22 | Cincinnati Bengals | 34-13 | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Stadium |
| Monday | October 29 | Los Angeles Rams | 10-41 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | November 5 | New York Giants | 24-7 | Indianapolis Colts | Hoosier Dome |
| Monday | November 12 | Washington Redskins | 14-28 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | November 19 | Los Angeles Raiders | 13-10 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | November 26 | Buffalo Bills | 24-27 | Houston Oilers | The Astrodome |
| Monday | December 3 | New York Giants | 3-7 | San Francisco 49ers | Candlestick Park |
| Monday | December 10 | Los Angeles Raiders | 38-31 | Detroit Lions | Pontiac Silverdome |
| Monday | December 17 | San Francisco 49ers | 26-10 | Los Angeles Rams | Anaheim Stadium |
| Saturday | December 22 | Washington Redskins | 28-35 | Indianapolis Colts | Hoosier Dome |
| Monday | December 31 | Los Angeles Rams | 17-20 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 5 | Washington Redskins | 20-6 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 5 | Kansas City Chiefs | 16-17 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Sunday | January 27 | Buffalo Bills | 19-20 | New York Giants | Tampa Stadium (Super Bowl XXV) |
The November 25 game was the last MNF game played in the Los Angeles area, as well as the last appearance for the Los Angeles Rams before moving to St. Louis in 1995.
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 2 | San Francisco 49ers | 14-16 | New York Giants | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | September 9 | Washington Redskins | 33-31 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | September 16 | Kansas City Chiefs | 7-17 | Houston Oilers | The Astrodome |
| Monday | September 23 | New York Jets | 13-19 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field |
| Monday | September 30 | Philadelphia Eagles | 0-23 | Washington Redskins | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium |
| Monday | October 7 | Buffalo Bills | 6-33 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | October 14 | New York Giants | 23-20 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | October 21 | Cincinnati Bengals | 16-35 | Buffalo Bills | Rich Stadium |
| Monday | October 28 | Los Angeles Raiders | 21-24 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | November 4 | New York Giants | 7-30 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | November 11 | Chicago Bears | 34-17 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Monday | November 18 | Buffalo Bills | 41-27 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | November 25 | San Francisco 49ers | 33-10 | Los Angeles Rams | Anaheim Stadium |
| Monday | December 2 | Philadelphia Eagles | 13-6 | Houston Oilers | The Astrodome |
| Monday | December 9 | Cincinnati Bengals | 13-37 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | December 16 | Los Angeles Raiders | 0-27 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome |
| Monday | December 23 | Chicago Bears | 14-52 | San Francisco 49ers | Candlestick Park |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | December 28 | Los Angeles Raiders | 6-10 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | December 28 | Atlanta Falcons | 27-20 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome (NFC Wild Card) |
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 7 | Washington Redskins | 10-23 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | September 14 | Miami Dolphins | 27-23 | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Stadium |
| Monday | September 21 | New York Giants | 27-14 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field |
| Monday | September 28 | Los Angeles Raiders | 7-27 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | October 5 | Dallas Cowboys | 7-31 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | October 12 | Denver Broncos | 3-34 | Washington Redskins | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium |
| Monday | October 19 | Cincinnati Bengals | 0-20 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | October 26 | Buffalo Bills | 24-20 | New York Jets | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | November 2 | Minnesota Vikings | 38-10 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field |
| Monday | November 9 | San Francisco 49ers | 41-3 | Atlanta Falcons | Georgia Dome |
| Monday | November 16 | Buffalo Bills | 26-20 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | November 23 | Washington Redskins | 3-20 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome |
| Monday | November 30 | Denver Broncos | 13-16 | Seattle Seahawks | Kingdome |
| Monday | December 7 | Chicago Bears | 7-24 | Houston Oilers | The Astrodome |
| Monday | December 14 | Los Angeles Raiders | 7-20 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | December 21 | Dallas Cowboys | 41-17 | Atlanta Falcons | Georgia Dome |
| Monday | December 28 | Detroit Lions | 6-24 | San Francisco 49ers | Candlestick Park |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 2 | Washington Redskins | 24-7 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 2 | Kansas City Chiefs | 0-17 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Murphy Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
Monday Night Football celebrated the 100th anniversary of nighttime football on September 28, 1992 with a game between the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.[1] The first recorded night football game was the 1892 Wyoming Seminary vs. Mansfield State Normal football game and ended at halftime with a 0-0 tie.[2]
The September 6 game marked the first time in 10 years that the Redskins hosted the Cowboys on MNF rather than visiting them. At the time, it was the most frequently seen match-up on the series, and it would be the last time these two teams played each other on MNF at RFK Stadium.
The September 13 game was the last win for the Cleveland Browns (who had won the very first MNF game in 1970) on the ABC program, and last win overall until 2008.
The October 18 game marked the first of nine meetings between the Raiders and Broncos on MNF over an 11-year span, seven of these games being played in Denver.
During the January 3 game, the Eagles missed a game-winning field goal as the overtime period expired, which would have left the game a tie. However, a penalty against the 49ers allowed a re-kick, and the Eagles were granted one untimed down. On the second attempt, the field goal was good and the deadlock was barely averted, preserving the fourth of what would eventually be seven consecutive tie-free seasons.
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 6 | Dallas Cowboys | 16-35 | Washington Redskins | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium |
| Monday | September 13 | San Francisco 49ers | 13-23 | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Stadium |
| Monday | September 20 | Denver Broncos | 7-15 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | September 27 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 45-17 | Atlanta Falcons | Georgia Dome |
| Monday | October 4 | Washington Redskins | 10-17 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | October 11 | Houston Oilers | 7-35 | Buffalo Bills | Rich Stadium |
| Monday | October 18 | Los Angeles Raiders | 23-20 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | October 25 | Minnesota Vikings | 19-12 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field |
| Monday | November 1 | Washington Redskins | 10-24 | Buffalo Bills | Rich Stadium |
| Monday | November 8 | Green Bay Packers | 16-23 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | November 15 | Buffalo Bills | 0-23 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | November 22 | New Orleans Saints | 7-42 | San Francisco 49ers | Candlestick Park |
| Monday | November 29 | San Diego Chargers | 31-0 | Indianapolis Colts | Hoosier Dome |
| Monday | December 6 | Philadelphia Eagles | 17-23 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | December 13 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21-20 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | December 20 | New York Giants | 24-14 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome |
| Monday | December 27 | Miami Dolphins | 20-45 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Murphy Stadium |
| Monday | January 3 | Philadelphia Eagles | 37-34 | San Francisco 49ers | Candlestick Park |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 8 | Green Bay Packers | 28-24 | Detroit Lions | Pontiac Silverdome (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 24-27 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
In the September 5 game, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice broke Jim Brown's touchdown record.
The first two-point conversion in MNF history came on September 12, when Chicago Bears quarterback Erik Kramer threw a pass to Curtis Conway. [3]
The October 17 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos featured a quarterback matchup between Joe Montana and John Elway. Montana led the Chiefs to a 75-yard game-winning drive with 8 seconds left.
The October 31 game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears was played in a driving rain with wind gusts up to 36 mph. Coincidentally, it also marked the 11th anniversary of the death of former Bears player, coach and owner George Halas.
The November 7 game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys included a fight between several players from both teams, including safety James Washington grabbing and swinging a cameraman's tripod.
The November 21 game was the first for Jeff Fisher as coach of the Houston Oilers. He would remain with the franchise through the end of the 2010 season, by which point they had become the Tennessee Titans.
The December 12 game would be re-matched later that month in the Wild Card playoffs in the same stadium, and on the same network.
The December 19 game between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints was the first NFL start for Larry Allen, who replaced Erik Williams after he suffered season-ending injuries from an automobile accident. Allen provided a memorable play early in the game when Saints cornerback Darien Conner intercepted a Troy Aikman pass and looked to be on his way to a breakaway touchdown. However, the 325-lb. Allen surprisingly ran Conner down from behind short of the end zone.
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 5 | Los Angeles Raiders | 14-44 | San Francisco 49ers | Candlestick Park |
| Monday | September 12 | Chicago Bears | 22-30 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | September 19 | Detroit Lions | 20-17 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | September 26 | Denver Broncos | 20-27 | Buffalo Bills | Rich Stadium |
| Monday | October 3 | Houston Oilers | 14-30 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | October 10 | Minnesota Vikings | 27-10 | New York Giants | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | October 17 | Kansas City Chiefs | 31-28 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | October 24 | Houston Oilers | 6-21 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | October 31 | Green Bay Packers | 33-6 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field |
| Monday | November 7 | New York Giants | 10-38 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | November 14 | Buffalo Bills | 10-23 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | November 21 | New York Giants | 13-10 | Houston Oilers | The Astrodome |
| Monday | November 28 | San Francisco 49ers | 35-14 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome |
| Monday | December 5 | Los Angeles Raiders | 24-17 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Murphy Stadium |
| Monday | December 12 | Kansas City Chiefs | 28-45 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | December 19 | Dallas Cowboys | 24-16 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome |
| Monday | December 26 | San Francisco 49ers | 14-21 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | December 31 | Detroit Lions | 12-16 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | December 31 | Kansas City Chiefs | 17-27 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Sunday | January 29 | San Diego Chargers | 49-26 | San Francisco 49ers | Joe Robbie Stadium (Super Bowl XXIX) |
In the September 11 game, Packers quarterback Brett Favre threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Robert Brooks. It was the eighth 99-yard touchdown pass in NFL history.
In the October 9 game, Chiefs kick returner Tamarick Vanover returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown to win the game for the Chiefs.
The November 13 game between the Browns and Steelers was played one week after Browns owner Art Modell announced that he would be moving the team to Baltimore for the 1996 season.
Some portions of the December 25 Cowboys-Cardinals game were used in the 1996 film, Jerry Maguire.
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 4 | Dallas Cowboys | 35-0 | New York Giants | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | September 11 | Green Bay Packers | 27-24 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field |
| Monday | September 18 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-23 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | September 25 | San Francisco 49ers | 24-27 | Detroit Lions | Pontiac Silverdome |
| Monday | October 2 | Buffalo Bills | 22-19 | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Stadium |
| Monday | October 9 | San Diego Chargers | 23-29 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | October 16 | Oakland Raiders | 0-27 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | October 23 | Buffalo Bills | 14-27 | New England Patriots | Foxboro Stadium |
| Monday | October 30 | Chicago Bears | 14-6 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Monday | November 6 | Philadelphia Eagles | 12-34 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | November 13 | Cleveland Browns | 3-20 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | November 20 | San Francisco 49ers | 44-20 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | November 27 | Oakland Raiders | 6-12 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Murphy Stadium |
| Monday | December 4 | Chicago Bears | 7-27 | Detroit Lions | Pontiac Silverdome |
| Monday | December 11 | Kansas City Chiefs | 6-13 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium |
| Monday | December 18 | Minnesota Vikings | 30-37 | San Francisco 49ers | 3Com Park |
| Monday | December 25 | Dallas Cowboys | 37-13 | Arizona Cardinals | Sun Devil Stadium |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | December 30 | Miami Dolphins | 22-37 | Buffalo Bills | Rich Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | December 30 | Detroit Lions | 37-58 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 2 | Dallas Cowboys | 6-22 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field |
| Monday | September 9 | Philadelphia Eagles | 13-39 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field |
| Monday | September 16 | Buffalo Bills | 6-24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | September 23 | Miami Dolphins | 6-10 | Indianapolis Colts | RCA Dome |
| Monday | September 30 | Dallas Cowboys | 23-19 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | October 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 17-7 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | October 14 | San Francisco 49ers | 20-23 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field |
| Monday | October 21 | Oakland Raiders | 23-14 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Murphy Stadium |
| Monday | October 28 | Chicago Bears | 15-13 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Monday | November 4 | Denver Broncos | 22-21 | Oakland Raiders | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum |
| Monday | November 11 | Detroit Lions | 21-27 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Murphy Stadium |
| Monday | November 18 | Green Bay Packers | 6-21 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | November 25 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 24-17 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
| Monday | December 2 | San Francisco 49ers | 34-10 | Atlanta Falcons | Georgia Dome |
| Monday | December 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | 7-26 | Oakland Raiders | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum |
| Monday | December 16 | Buffalo Bills | 14-16 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
| Monday | December 23 | Detroit Lions | 14-24 | San Francisco 49ers | 3Com Park |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | December 28 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 30-27 | Buffalo Bills | Rich Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | December 28 | Minnesota Vikings | 15-40 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
The September 22 game between the Steelers and the Jaguars (playing on Monday night for the first time in their short history) had one of the craziest endings in MNF history. The Jaguars were up 2 with almost no time left and Pittsburgh tried a field goal. Jacksonville blocked it and Chris Hudson returned it the other way for a touchdown. During the return, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher cocked his fist back like he was going to throw a punch at Hudson when he was running down the Steelers sideline for the winning score . The extra point was finally kicked about 15 minutes after ABC signed off.
The October 27 game between the Bears and the Dolphins was rescheduled because Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, which featured the Florida Marlins, had to play at Pro Player Stadium on Sunday night, when the Dolphins originally were slated to host the Bears. Therefore, the game was moved to Monday night and was played simultaneously with the Packers-Patriots game (a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI, the only time MNF aired a rematch of a Super Bowl from the year before). After the conclusion of the Packer game, viewers were not taken to the conclusion of the close Bears win but instead went to local news. Because the Bears-Dolphins game was intended to be played Sunday on Fox (which aired Super Bowl XXXI, at the time the network's highest-rated program ever, and would have aired the Packers-Patriots game if it was played on Sunday afternoon as well), this marked a rare time in history where the Dolphins wore their road jerseys in a nighttime home game.
The November 10 game between the 49ers and the Eagles was the infamous game in which a fan had fired off a flare gun in Veterans Stadium, leading to the introduction of the court in the stadium.
The December 15 game between the 49ers and the Broncos is remembered for an incident where Bronco linebacker (and former 49er) Bill Romanowski spitting in the face of 49er wide receiver J.J. Stokes.
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 1 | Chicago Bears | 24-38 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field |
| Monday | September 8 | Kansas City Chiefs | 28-27 | Oakland Raiders | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum |
| Monday | September 15 | Philadelphia Eagles | 20-21 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | September 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21-30 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Alltel Stadium |
| Monday | September 29 | San Francisco 49ers | 34-21 | Carolina Panthers | Ericsson Stadium |
| Monday | October 6 | New England Patriots | 13-34 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | October 13 | Dallas Cowboys | 16-21 | Washington Redskins | Jack Kent Cooke Stadium |
| Monday | October 20 | Buffalo Bills | 9-6 | Indianapolis Colts | RCA Dome |
| Monday | October 27 | Green Bay Packers | 28-10 | New England Patriots | Foxboro Stadium |
| Monday | October 27 | Chicago Bears | 36-33 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
| Monday | November 3 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-13 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | November 10 | San Francisco 49ers | 24-12 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | November 17 | Buffalo Bills | 13-30 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
| Monday | November 24 | Oakland Raiders | 3-31 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | December 1 | Green Bay Packers | 27-11 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Monday | December 8 | Carolina Panthers | 23-13 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | December 15 | Denver Broncos | 17-34 | San Francisco 49ers | 3Com Park |
| Monday | December 22 | New England Patriots | 14-12 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | December 27 | Minnesota Vikings | 23-22 | New York Giants | Giants Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | December 27 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 17-42 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 7 | New England Patriots | 21-27 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | September 14 | San Francisco 49ers | 45-10 | Washington Redskins | Jack Kent Cooke Stadium |
| Monday | September 21 | Dallas Cowboys | 31-7 | New York Giants | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | September 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-27 | Detroit Lions | Pontiac Silverdome |
| Monday | October 5 | Minnesota Vikings | 37-24 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field |
| Monday | October 12 | Miami Dolphins | 21-28 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Alltel Stadium |
| Monday | October 19 | New York Jets | 24-14 | New England Patriots | Foxboro Stadium |
| Monday | October 26 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 20-13 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | November 2 | Dallas Cowboys | 34-0 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium |
| Monday | November 9 | Green Bay Packers | 20-27 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | November 16 | Denver Broncos | 30-7 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | November 23 | Miami Dolphins | 23-26 | New England Patriots | Foxboro Stadium |
| Monday | November 30 | New York Giants | 7-31 | San Francisco 49ers | 3Com Park |
| Monday | December 7 | Green Bay Packers | 22-24 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium |
| Monday | December 14 | Detroit Lions | 13-34 | San Francisco 49ers | 3Com Park |
| Monday | December 21 | Denver Broncos | 21-31 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
| Monday | December 28 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-20 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Alltel Stadium |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 2 | Buffalo Bills | 17-24 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 2 | Arizona Cardinals | 20-7 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
The September 27 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals is remembered for Aeneas Williams' knockdown of Steve Young that resulted in a career-ending concussion.
The AFC Wild Card game on January 8 is remembered for a lateral on a kickoff return that gave the Titans the win. It is called the Music City Miracle.
Super Bowl XXXIV came down to the final play - Kevin Dyson of the Titans was stopped just short of the end zone, preserving the victory for the Rams.
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 13 | Miami Dolphins | 38-21 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | September 20 | Atlanta Falcons | 7-24 | Dallas Cowboys | Texas Stadium |
| Monday | September 27 | San Francisco 49ers | 24-10 | Arizona Cardinals | Sun Devil Stadium |
| Monday | October 4 | Buffalo Bills | 23-18 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
| Monday | October 11 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 16-6 | New York Jets | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | October 18 | Dallas Cowboys | 10-13 | New York Giants | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | October 25 | Atlanta Falcons | 9-13 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Three Rivers Stadium |
| Monday | November 1 | Seattle Seahawks | 27-7 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field |
| Monday | November 8 | Dallas Cowboys | 17-27 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Monday | November 15 | New York Jets | 24-17 | New England Patriots | Foxboro Stadium |
| Monday | November 22 | Oakland Raiders | 21-27 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | November 29 | Green Bay Packers | 20-3 | San Francisco 49ers | 3Com Park |
| Monday | December 6 | Minnesota Vikings | 17-24 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium |
| Monday | December 13 | Denver Broncos | 24-27 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Alltel Stadium |
| Monday | December 20 | Green Bay Packers | 20-24 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Monday | December 27 | New York Jets | 38-31 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium |
| Monday | January 3 | San Francisco 49ers | 29-34 | Atlanta Falcons | Georgia Dome |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 8 | Buffalo Bills | 16-22 | Tennessee Titans | Adelphia Coliseum (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 8 | Detroit Lions | 13-27 | Washington Redskins | Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
| Sunday | January 30 | St. Louis Rams | 23-16 | Tennessee Titans | Georgia Dome (Super Bowl XXXIV) |
The September 4 game marked the first MNF appearance for the previous season's Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams since moving from Los Angeles in 1995, and the first MNF game in St. Louis in fourteen years.
The week after that, the Jets hosted the Patriots - one full year before the September 11 attacks devastated New York City, among other places.
The October 16 game was the first actual Monday night game in Nashville, making the Hank Williams Jr. opening theme even more appropriate as Nashville is a hotbed for country music, which Willams plays.
The October 23 game between the Dolphins and the Jets featured the "The Monday Night Miracle", when Vinny Testaverde led the Jets to 30 points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime. John Hall kicked the game-winning field goal, finishing the second-biggest comeback in NFL history.
In overtime of the November 6 game between the Vikings and the Packers, Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman slipped on the wet grass, while Vikings cornerback Cris Dishman deflected the pass at the 20 yard line. The ball bounced off Freeman's shoulder, he rolled over, and it fell into his chest and right hand without touching the ground. While Dishman agonized over what he thought should have been an interception, Freeman stood up and ran for the end zone, scoring the game-winning touchdown. The play was replayed and allowed. Al Michaels call on the game-winning play: "He did WHAT????"
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Home Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | September 4 | Denver Broncos | 36-41 | St. Louis Rams | Trans World Dome |
| Monday | September 11 | New England Patriots | 19-20 | New York Jets | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | September 18 | Dallas Cowboys | 27-21 | Washington Redskins | FedEx Field |
| Monday | September 25 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 14-43 | Indianapolis Colts | RCA Dome |
| Monday | October 2 | Seattle Seahawks | 17-24 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Monday | October 9 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 23-30 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
| Monday | October 16 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 13-27 | Tennessee Titans | Adelphia Coliseum |
| Monday | October 23 | Miami Dolphins | 37-40 | New York Jets | Giants Stadium |
| Monday | October 30 | Tennessee Titans | 27-21 | Washington Redskins | FedEx Field |
| Monday | November 6 | Minnesota Vikings | 20-26 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field |
| Monday | November 13 | Oakland Raiders | 24-27 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium |
| Monday | November 20 | Washington Redskins | 33-20 | St. Louis Rams | Trans World Dome |
| Monday | November 27 | Green Bay Packers | 14-31 | Carolina Panthers | Ericsson Stadium |
| Monday | December 4 | Kansas City Chiefs | 24-30 | New England Patriots | Foxboro Stadium |
| Monday | December 11 | Buffalo Bills | 20-44 | Indianapolis Colts | RCA Dome |
| Monday | December 18 | St. Louis Rams | 35-38 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium |
| Monday | December 25 | Dallas Cowboys | 0-31 | Tennessee Titans | Adelphia Coliseum |
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | December 30 | Indianapolis Colts | 17-23 | Miami Dolphins | Pro Player Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | December 30 | St. Louis Rams | 28-31 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome (NFC Wild Card) |
The September 17 game between the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens (what would have been the Ravens' first appearance on MNF) was rescheduled to January 7 as the entire slate of week 2 games was postponed after the September 11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and The Pentagon.
The September 24 game was not only the first MNF game since the attacks, it was also a rematch of one of the most significant games in the program's history - 18 years before at Lambeau Field, the Redskins and Packers combined for 95 points, more than any other Monday night game before or since (the Packers won 48-47, on a last second Jan Stenerud field goal).
The October 1 game was the first Monday night game in the NYC area since the attacks. A tribute to the rescue workers at the World Trade Center site was held before the game.
Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam recorded the 20,000th point scored in MNF history when he kicked a field goal in the Broncos' 38-28 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Due to Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve falling on Mondays in 2001, the NFL did not schedule games for those days. Instead, ABC aired Saturday night games on those weekends. The former weekend also had games on CBS and Fox that Saturday, marking one of the few times (until 2006) that three different over-the-air networks aired NFL games on the same day.
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 12 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9-31 | Philadelphia Eagles | Veterans Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 12 | New York Jets | 24-38 | Oakland Raiders | Network Associates Coliseum (AFC Wild Card) |
During the October 14 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, wide receiver Terrell Owens pulled out a Sharpie following a touchdown and autographed the football.
The November 11 game between the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos marked the 500th Monday Night game. In commemoration, ABC used various themes and images of varied opens during commercial bumpers.
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 4 | Indianapolis Colts | 0-41 | New York Jets | Giants Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 4 | Atlanta Falcons | 27-7 | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field (NFC Wild Card) |
| Sunday | January 26 | Oakland Raiders | 48-21 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Qualcomm Stadium (Super Bowl XXXVII) |
Under a new NFL policy, the NFL officially adopted a Thursday night game to open the season (something that was done for the first time the previous season), and no Monday night game in Week 17. The change was designed to maximize opportunities for scheduling between Week 17 and the opening week of the playoffs; in this way, no team could be disadvantaged by potentially having only four days between their final regular season game and a playoff game. Also, the ratings for the last game of the regular season were often low, and the game usually had no playoff meaning (the most likely reason for the scheduling move). To compensate for losing the opening night game (which was successful enough to be upgraded from cable to network television after only one year), ESPN got the Week 17 game that previously was on Monday Night, and aired it on Saturday.
The season saw two improbable comebacks occur. The Giants led their game with the Cowboys 32-29 with ten seconds left. An out-of-bounds kickoff allowed Dallas to quickly get into field goal position and force overtime. Dallas' Billy Cundiff tied an NFL record with seven field goals. Three weeks later, Indianapolis trailed Tampa Bay 35-14 with 3:43 remaining. They scored three touchdowns in the closing minutes and won in overtime after an unsportsmanlike "leaping" call negated a field goal miss by the Colts. Ironically, Simeon Rice, the player charged with "leaping", would later play for the Colts in 2007.
The Buccaneers-Eagles game was the very first regular season game at Lincoln Financial Field, the third straight year that MNF opened with a stadium's first ever regular season game (following Invesco Field in 2001 and Gillette Stadium in 2002).
The Dolphins-Chargers game was played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona because the Cedar Fire in California forced evacuees to Qualcomm Stadium. Ironically, this was supposed to be the homecoming for former Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who was playing for Miami at the time.
All AFC West teams appeared on the program in a span of three weeks: the Chiefs played at the Raiders on October 20, the aforementioned Dolphins-Chargers game, and the Patriots-Broncos game on November 3. It was the first time since the realignment that MNF featured all of a division's teams in a 3-week span.
The Packers-Raiders game was played the day after the death of the father of quarterback Brett Favre. In an inspiring performance, Favre threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in the Packers' rout.
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 3 | Tennessee Titans | 20-17 | Baltimore Ravens | M&T Bank Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 3 | Dallas Cowboys | 10-29 | Carolina Panthers | Ericsson Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
The Eagles-Cowboys game drew controversy when ABC aired a risqué pregame skit featuring Eagles receiver Terrell Owens and Desperate Housewives actress Nicollette Sheridan. Owens caught three touchdowns in the game.
The Miami Dolphins pulled off a classic upset over the New England Patriots on December 20. Trailing 17-28 with 3:59 left, the Dolphins drove 68 yards to score on Sammy Morris' 1-yard run with 2:07 remaining, and then on a third down play, Tom Brady threw as he was being sacked by Jason Taylor. The ill-advised, off-balance pass sailed directly to linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, giving Miami a first down at the Patriots' 21 with 1:45 to go. Three plays later, A.J. Feeley threw for the game-winning score, a 21-yard pass to Derrius Thompson on fourth-and-10 with 1:23 left. The Dolphins wore orange jerseys for only the second time in team history.
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 8 | St. Louis Rams | 27-20 | Seattle Seahawks | Qwest Field (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 8 | New York Jets | 20-17 | San Diego Chargers | Qualcomm Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
This marked the final season for Monday Night Football on ABC. An impromptu doubleheader was scheduled on September 19 when the New Orleans Saints scheduled Sunday home opener with the New York Giants was rescheduled due to Hurricane Katrina's extensive damage to the Louisiana Superdome. The game was moved to the Giants' home field at Giants Stadium (though the Giants were still the road team; usually, the only time the Giants are the road team in their own stadium is when they play the New York Jets) for Monday night with a special start time of 7:30 PM EDT. ABC held a telethon to raise money for victims of the hurricane during the broadcast. At 9:00 PM, ABC viewers outside NYC and New Orleans moved to the Redskins-Cowboys game, while the Giants-Saints game aired on ESPN (the inverse was true for the NYC and New Orleans markets). This could be considered the pilot episode of the ESPN series as well.
The record for largest Monday Night victory was tied and later broken during the season. The Seattle Seahawks 42-0 win over Philadelphia tied the record set in the Miami Dolphins' 45-3 victory over the New York Jets in 1986. Two weeks later, the Baltimore Ravens bested the margin in their win over the Green Bay Packers, crushing them 48-3.
The Atlanta Falcons became the first team to win three home games on Monday night, beating the Eagles, Jets, and Saints. The final Monday Night Football game on ABC saw the New England Patriots beat the Jets 31-21; this was the same score the Jets were defeated by in the very first MNF telecast, when they played the Cleveland Browns.
ABC's final NFL broadcast, Super Bowl XL, was plagued by controversial calls made by officials that ultimately decided the game in favor of the Steelers. Had the Seahawks won, they would have been one of a handful of teams to beat both Pennsylvania-based NFL teams on ABC in the same season.
Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team
| Day | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | January 7 | Washington Redskins | 17-10 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Raymond James Stadium (NFC Wild Card) |
| Saturday | January 7 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 3-28 | New England Patriots | Gillette Stadium (AFC Wild Card) |
| Sunday | February 6 | Seattle Seahawks | 10-21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Ford Field (Super Bowl XL) |
This marked the first season of Monday night games broadcast on ESPN. The season began with the first-ever scheduled Monday night doubleheader. September 25 saw the New Orleans Saints return to the Louisiana Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. The game was preceded by musical performances by the Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, and U2. The October 23 game between the Giants and Cowboys became the highest-rated program in the history of cable television, being watched by over 16 million people.[4]
Viewer numbers (based on average total viewers per episode) of Monday Night Football on ESPN. All times Eastern.
With the exception of the September 11, 2006 Chargers-Raiders game, Monday Night Football has been the most-watched program on cable until the premiere of High School Musical 2 which had 17 million viewers, breaking Monday Night Football's record of 16 million. The "It would have ranked..." column indicates what Monday Night Football would have ranked in the respective weekly viewer rankings, if it were ranked among the programs that aired on the main broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CW).
According to ESPN.com news services, "ESPN's telecast of the New York Giants' 36-22 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, October 23, 2006 was viewed by the largest audience in cable history.
The game, featuring two of the NFL's biggest rivals, was seen in an average of 11,807,000 homes, based on a 12.8 rating. That translates to 16,028,000 viewers (a cable ratings point represents 923,000 households).
The previous record for cable television was the debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in November 1993, between then-vice president Al Gore and Ross Perot, [which aired on CNN's Larry King Live]."[4]
We've never believed the acronyms NAFTA and MNF belonged in the same sentence, and we're thrilled to have established MNF as the home of cable's biggest audience ever, said Norby! Williamson, ESPN executive vice president for studio and remote production. "That fans have responded with the record is very rewarding and a vivid reminder of the power of Monday Night Football."[4]
The nine most-watched programs ever on ESPN (as well as being 9 of the top 10 most-watched programs ever on cable, excluding breaking news[4]) are:
The November 26 Miami Dolphins-Pittsburgh Steelers game was the lowest scoring game ever to be played in Monday Night Football's 38-year history; Steelers kicker Jeff Reed kicked the game winning field goal with 17 seconds left in the fourth quarter as the Steelers won by a score of 3-0. The game was marred by a heavy thunderstorm which delayed kickoff for about 20 minutes and was compounded by the play of local high school football championships that preceding weekend, which left the field in less than desirable shape. That game also marked the return of Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter to Pittsburgh where he won a Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2006.
The December 3 New England Patriots-Baltimore Ravens game finished with 17.5 million viewers, topping the debut of corporate sibling Disney Channel's premiere of the High School Musical 2 movie as the highest-rated cable television program of all-time.
On September 8, Aaron Rodgers debuted as the starting quarterback for the Packers in their victory over the Vikings. It was the first game since September 20, 1992 in which Brett Favre was not the team's starter.
The September 15 game was the highest combined score in the 98 meetings between the Eagles and Cowboys, and the second-highest score in the first half of any MNF game.
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