The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland, to Indianapolis, Indiana, before the season.
The season ended with Super Bowl XIX when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins 38–16 at Stanford Stadium in California. This was the first Super Bowl televised by ABC, who entered into the annual championship game rotation with CBS and NBC. This game marked the second shortest distance between the Super Bowl host stadium (Stanford, California) and a Super Bowl team (San Francisco 49ers).The shortest distance was the Los Angeles Rams, whose home was the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before moving to Anaheim the year after playing in Super Bowl XIV vs the Pittsburgh Steelers, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The 49ers became the first team in NFL history to win 15 games in a regular season and to win 18 in an entire season (including the postseason). Additionally, two major offensive records were set this season, with quarterback Dan Marino establishing a new single-season passing yards record with 5,084 (later broken by Drew Brees in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016, by Tom Brady in 2011, by Peyton Manning in 2013, by Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes in 2018 and by Jameis Winston in 2019) and Eric Dickerson establishing a new single-season rushing yards record with 2,105. Another statistical record broken was Mark Gastineau for most sacks in a single season, with 22 (surpassed by Michael Strahan in 2001, T.J. Watt in 2021, and Myles Garrett in 2025).
Also during the season, San Diego Chargers wide receiver Charlie Joiner became the all-time leader in career receptions; he set that mark in a game between the Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers at Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium.
In a week 10 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Seattle Seahawks set numerous NFL records for interception returns, including most interception return yardage in a game and most interceptions returned for touchdowns in a game with 4 (all touchdowns over 50 yards in length). The Seahawks also tied an NFL record with 63 defensive takeaways on the season.
Salaries increased significantly over the past two seasons in the NFL, up nearly fifty percent; new Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon led the list at $1.1 million.
Player movement
Transactions February 4, 1984: Warren Moon signs a contract with the Houston Oilers. Trades February 18, 1984: The New Orleans Saints acquire quarterback Richard Todd in a trade with the New York Jets. February 23, 1984: The Pittsburgh Steelers acquire David Woodley in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. October 10, 1984: The Houston Oilers traded running back Earl Campbell to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for their top choice in the 1985 NFL draft.
Retirements July 24, 1984: Four-time Super Bowl champion Terry Bradshaw announces his retirement. Draft The 1984 NFL draft was held from May 1 to May 2, 1984, at New York City's Omni Park Central Hotel. With the first pick, the New England Patriots selected wide receiver Irving Fryar from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players
In an attempt to head off a bidding war within its own ranks for United States Football League and Canadian Football League players, a one-time supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players was held on June 5, 1984. This supplemental draft was especially designed for players who would have been eligible for the regular NFL draft but had already signed a contract with a USFL team after being selected in 1984 USFL draft earlier on January 4. NFL owners did not want to risk potentially "wasting" picks in the regular draft on players who were already signed by another league, but also wanted to ensure there would not be a large influx of free agent talent in case the new rival league suddenly collapsed. With the first pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected quarterback Steve Young from BYU, who previously was selected by the Los Angeles Express with the 11th pick in the USFL draft. Young would eventually join the Buccaneers in summer 1985 soon after the Express suspended operations.
Major rule changes The league's jersey numbering system was modified to allow linebackers to wear numbers 90 to 99, in addition to 50 to 59. The penalty for a kickoff or onside kick that goes out of bounds is 5 yards from the previous spot and a re-kick must be made. However, if the second (or more) kickoff or onside kick goes out of bounds, the receiving team may choose instead to take possession of the ball at the out of bounds spot. Leaping to try to block a field goal or an extra point is illegal unless the defensive player was lined up at the line of scrimmage. A kicker or holder who fakes being roughed or run into by a defensive player can receive an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Unsportsmanlike conduct will also be called for any prolonged, excessive, or premeditated celebration by individual players or a group of players. This is usually referred to as the "Mark Gastineau Rule" because a major reason why this change was made was to stop him from performing his signature "Sack Dance" every time after he sacked an opposing quarterback. This rule was instituted after Rams offensive tackle Jackie Slater pushed New York Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau, who after sacking Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo, performed his sack dance, igniting a brawl. This occurred during a week 4 game between the Rams and the Jets. This also referred to the Washington Redskins "Fun Bunch".
1984 deaths David Overstreet was killed in a car accident on June 24, 1984.100 Things Dolphins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Armando Salguero, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2020, ISBN 978-1-62937-722-3, p.26185 He was driving northbound in his 1980 Mercedes on Texas State Highway 155, when his car swerved off the road about 10 miles northeast of Tyler into gasoline pumps at a service station and exploded. The Dolphins wore a helmet decal with the number 20 in his memory during their 1984 season in which they reached Super Bowl XIX. This was the third offseason in four years in which an active Dolphins player died. Linebacker Rusty Chambers was killed in a July 1981 automobile accident, and linebacker Larry Gordon died of a heart attack while jogging in June 1983. Ricky Bell died November 28, 1984, at the age of 29 due to complications caused by dermatomyositis. Bell was the first overall selection in the 1977 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following an All-America career at USC. Bell played for coach John McKay at USC and Tampa Bay. Kirk Collins died on February 22, 1984. Collins had been a defensive back for the Los Angeles Rams. Collins emerged as a starter despite being drafted in the seventh round of the 1980 draft. Collins had been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer the previous season.
Division races From 1970 to 2001, there were three divisions (Eastern, Central and Western) in each conference. The winners of each division, and a fourth "wild card" team based on the best non-division winner, qualified for the playoffs. The tiebreaker rules were changed to start with head-to-head competition, followed by division records, records against common opponents, and records in conference play.
National Football Conference Week Eastern Central Western Wild Card (Home) Wild Card (Road) 1 Dallas, N.Y. Giants 1–0–0 Chicago, Green Bay 1–0–0 Atlanta, San Francisco 1–0–0 2 N.Y. Giants 2–0–0 Chicago 2–0–0 San Francisco 2–0–0 3 Dallas, N.Y. Giants, St. Louis 2–1–0 Chicago 3–0–0 San Francisco 3–0–0 Dallas, N.Y. Giants, St. Louis 2–1–0 Dallas, N.Y. Giants, St. Louis 2-1-0 4 Dallas, N.Y. Giants 3–1–0 Chicago 3–1–0 San Francisco 4–0–0 Dallas, N.Y. Giants 3–1–0 6 Teams 2–2–0 5 Dallas 4–1–0 Chicago 3–2–0 San Francisco 5–0–0 New Orleans, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams, Washington 3–2–0 New Orleans, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams, Washington 3–2–0 6 Dallas, Washington 4–2–0 Chicago 4–2–0 San Francisco 6–0–0 Dallas, Washington 4–2–0 5 teams 3–3–0 7 Washington 5–2–0 Chicago 4–3–0 San Francisco 6–1–0 4 teams 4–3–0 4 teams 4-3-0 8 Dallas, Washington, St. Louis 5–3–0 Chicago 5–3–0 San Francisco 7–1–0 Dallas, Washington, St. Louis, L.A. Rams 5–3–0 Dallas, Washington, St. Louis, L.A. Rams 5-3-0 9 Dallas, St Louis 6–3–0 Chicago 6–3–0 San Francisco 8–1–0 Dallas, St Louis 6–3–0 Washington, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams 5-4-0 10 4 teams 6–4–0 Chicago 7–3–0 San Francisco 9–1–0 5 teams 6–4–0 5 teams 6–4–0 11 Dallas, Washington 7–4–0 Chicago 7–4–0 San Francisco 10–1–0 Dallas, Washington, L.A. Rams 7–4–0 Dallas, Washington, L.A. Rams 7-4-0 12 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants 7–5–0 Chicago 8–4–0 San Francisco 11–1–0 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams 7–5–0 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams 7-5-0 13 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants 8–5–0 Chicago 9–4–0 San Francisco 12–1–0 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams 8–5–0 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams 8–5–0 14 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants 9–5–0 Chicago 9–5–0 San Francisco 13–1–0 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams 9–5–0 Dallas, Washington, N.Y. Giants, L.A. Rams 9–5–0 15 Washington 10–5–0 Chicago 9–6–0 San Francisco 14–1–0 L.A. Rams 10–5–0 Dallas, N.Y. Giants, St. Louis 9–6–0 16Washington 11–5–0Chicago 10–6–0San Francisco 15–1–0L.A. Rams 10–6–0N.Y. Giants 9–7–0
American Football Conference Week Eastern Central Western Wild Card (Home) Wild Card (Road) 1 3 teams 1–0–0 4 teams 0–1–0 5 teams 1–0–0 2 Miami 2–0–0 Pittsburgh 1–1–0 3 teams 2–0–0 3 Miami 3–0–0 Pittsburgh 2–1–0 L.A. Raiders 3–0–0 4 Miami 4–0–0 Pittsburgh 2–2–0 L.A. Raiders 4–0–0 N.Y. Jets 3–1–0 Denver, Seattle 3–1–0 5 Miami 5–0–0 Pittsburgh 3–2–0 L.A. Raiders Denver, Seattle 4–1–0 L.A. Raiders Denver, Seattle 4–1–0 New England, N.Y. Jets, San Diego 3-2-0 6 Miami 6–0–0 Pittsburgh 3–3–0 L.A. Raiders Denver 5–1–0 L.A. Raiders Denver 5–1–0 Seattle, N.Y. Jets, Sam Diego, New England 4-2-0 7 Miami 7–0–0 Pittsburgh 4–3–0 L.A. Raiders Denver 6–1–0 L.A. Raiders Denver 6–1–0 Seattle, N.Y. Jets, New England 5-2-0 8 Miami 8–0–0 Pittsburgh 4–4–0 L.A. Raiders Denver 7–1–0 L.A. Raiders Denver 7–1–0 Seattle, N.Y. Jets 6-2-0 9 Miami 9–0–0 Pittsburgh 5–4–0 Denver 8–1–0 L.A. Raiders, Seattle 7–2–0 New England, N.Y. Jets 6-3-0 10 Miami 10–0–0 Pittsburgh 6–4–0 Denver 9–1–0 Seattle 8–2–0 L.A. Raiders 7–3–0 11 Miami 11–0–0 Pittsburgh 6–5–0 Denver 10–1–0 Seattle 9–2–0 L.A. Raiders, New England 7–4–0 12 Miami 11–1–0 Pittsburgh 6–6–0 Denver 11–1–0 Seattle 10–2–0 L.A. Raiders, New England Patriots 8–4–0 13 Miami 12–1–0 Pittsburgh 7–6–0 Denver, Seattle 11–2–0 Denver, Seattle 11–2–0 L.A. Raiders 9–4–0 14 Miami 12–2–0 Pittsburgh 7–7–0 Seattle 12–2–0 Denver 11–3–0 L.A. Raiders 10–4–0 15 Miami 13–2–0 Pittsburgh 8–7–0 Denver, Seattle 12–3–0 Denver, Seattle 12–3–0 L.A. Raiders 11–4–0 16Miami 14–2–0Pittsburgh 9–7–0Denver 13–3–0Seattle 12–4–0L.A. Raiders 11–5–0
Preseason The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, in which the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38–0, was contested on July 28, 1984, and held at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio, the same city where the league was founded. The 1984 Hall of Fame Class included Willie Brown, Mike McCormack, Charley Taylor and Arnie Weinmeister.
Regular season
Scheduling formula Inter-conference AFC East vs NFC East AFC Central vs NFC West AFC West vs NFC Central
Highlights of the 1984 season included: Thanksgiving: Two games were played on Thursday, November 22, featuring Green Bay at Detroit and New England at Dallas, with Detroit and Dallas winning.
Final standings
Tiebreakers N.Y. Giants finished ahead of St. Louis and Dallas in the NFC East based on best head-to-head record (3–1 to Cardinals' 2–2 and Cowboys' 1–3). St. Louis finished ahead of Dallas in the NFC East based on better division record (5–3 to Cowboys' 3–5).
Playoffs
Notable events