List of Sunday Night Football results (1987–2005) explained
This is a list of results of National Football League games played on ESPN Sunday Night Football and TNT Sunday Night Football . In 1987, the NFL began regularly scheduling games for Sunday nights to be aired on ESPN during the second half (Weeks 10–18) of the season. The league expanded these games to the entire season in 1990, though the first half (Weeks 1–9) of the season was televised on TNT, while ESPN continued to carry the second half (Weeks 10–18). In 1998, ESPN took over the entire season's slate of games. The network also aired occasional Thursday and Saturday night games when they were scheduled (some of these games were either to avoid conflicts with the World Series, or because Sunday was Christmas Eve).
1980s
1987 NFL Season
1988 NFL Season
The December 18 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams featured the Rams clinching the final NFC wild card, eliminating the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints from playoff contention. Giants quarterback Phil Simms accused the 49ers of losing intentionally to put an end to the Giants' season.[1] [2] [3]
1989 NFL Season
The November 5 game between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins would be the only win for the Cowboys during the 1989 season.
The December 23 game was played on that day in particular because the Sunday on that weekend was Christmas Eve, which the NFL avoids playing on for night games. The same thing happened in 1995 and 2000.
1990s
1990 NFL Season
Beginning this season Sunday Night Football became a full season package and was split between two broadcasters, ESPN and TNT.
Weeks 1–9 aired on TNT, all other games aired on ESPN.
1991 NFL Season
Weeks 1–8 aired on TNT, and all other games aired on ESPN.
1992 NFL Season
Weeks 1–9 aired on TNT, and all other games aired on ESPN.
| Week | Date | Visiting Team | Final Score | Host Team | Stadium | OTA Affiliates | Significance |
|---|
| 1 | September 6 | Los Angeles Raiders | 13-17 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium | KCAL-TV (Los Angeles)
KUSA-TV (Denver) | Broncos–Raiders rivalry |
| 2 | September 13 | Philadelphia Eagles | 31-14 | Phoenix Cardinals | Sun Devil Stadium | WPVI-TV (Philadelphia)
None (Phoenix) | |
| 3 | September 20 | Indianapolis Colts | 0-38 | Buffalo Bills | Rich Stadium | WRTV (Indianapolis)
WKBW-TV (Buffalo) | |
| 4 | September 27 | San Francisco 49ers | 16-10 | | Louisiana Superdome | KTVU (San Francisco)
WVUE-DT (New Orleans) | |
| 5 | October 4 | New England Patriots | 21-30 | New York Jets | Giants Stadium | WCVB-TV (Boston)
WPIX (New York City) | Jets–Patriots rivalry |
| 6 | October 11 | Los Angeles Rams | 10-13 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome | KCAL-TV (Los Angeles)
WVUE-DT (New Orleans) | Rams–Saints rivalry, 7:30 p.m. start. |
| 7 | October 15 | Detroit Lions | 14-31 | Minnesota Vikings | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | WXYZ-TV (Detroit)
WCCO-TV (Minneapolis) | Lions–Vikings rivalry, Thursday game |
| 8 | October 25 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 27-3 | Kansas City Chiefs | Arrowhead Stadium | WPXI (Pittsburgh)
KMBC-TV (Kansas City) | 7:30 p.m. start. |
| 9 | November 1 | New York Giants | 24-7 | Washington Redskins | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium | WPIX (New York City)
WJLA-TV (Washington D.C.) | Giants–Redskins rivalry |
| 10 | November 8 | Cincinnati Bengals | 31–28 | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field | WKRC-TV (Cincinnati)
WLS-TV (Chicago) | |
| 11 | November 15 | New York Giants | 13–27 | Denver Broncos | Mile High Stadium | WPIX (New York City)
KMGH-TV (Denver) | |
| 12 | November 22 | Kansas City Chiefs | 24–14 | Seattle Seahawks | Kingdome | KMBC-TV (Kansas City)
KING-TV (Seattle) | |
| 13 | November 29 | Los Angeles Raiders | 3–27 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Murphy Stadium | KCAL-TV (Los Angeles)
KGTV (San Diego) | Chargers–Raiders rivalry |
| 14 | December 3 | Atlanta Falcons | 14–22 | New Orleans Saints | Louisiana Superdome | WSB-TV (Atlanta)
WVUE-DT (New Orleans) | Falcons–Saints rivalry
1991 NFC Wild Card playoff rematch, Thursday game. |
| December 6 | Los Angeles Rams | 31–27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tampa Stadium | KCAL-TV (Los Angeles)
None (Tampa Bay) | |
| 15 | December 13 | Green Bay Packers | 16–14 | Houston Oilers | Astrodome | WLUK-TV (Green Bay)
WTMJ-TV (Milwaukee)
KHOU (Houston) | |
| 16 | December 20 | New York Jets | 17–19 | Miami Dolphins | Joe Robbie Stadium | WPIX (New York City)
WDZL-TV (Miami) | Dolphins–Jets rivalry |
| 17 | December 27 | Buffalo Bills | 3–27 | Houston Oilers | Astrodome | WKBW-TV (Buffalo)KHOU (Houston) | AFC playoff seeding:
BUF win: 1. BUF, 2. PIT, 3. SD, 4. MIA, 5. KC, 6. HOU
HOU win: 1. PIT, 2. MIA, 3. SD, 4. BUF, 5. HOU, 6. KC |
| 1993 Pro Bowl | February 7 | AFC | 23–20 | NFC | Aloha Stadium | None | | |
1993 NFL Season
The January 2 game between the Houston Oilers and New York Jets is best remembered for an incident near halftime when Oilers defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan punched offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride.
Weeks 1–9 aired on TNT, and all other games aired on ESPN.
1994 NFL Season
Weeks 1–9 aired on TNT, and all other games aired on ESPN.
1995 NFL Season
Weeks 1–9 aired on TNT, and all other games aired on ESPN.
1996 NFL Season
Weeks 1–9 aired on TNT, and all other games aired on ESPN.
1997 NFL Season
This is the final season that TNT aired NFL games to date.
The November 23 game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins ended in a rare 7–7 tie which was the first and only ESPN Sunday Night Football tie in series history.
Weeks 1–9 aired on TNT, and all other games aired on ESPN.
1998 NFL Season
This is the first season that ESPN will air the entire Sunday Night Football game schedule.
1999 NFL Season
2000s
2000 NFL Season
2001 NFL Season
2002 NFL Season
2003 NFL Season
The December 14 game between the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints is remembered for an incident where, after scoring a touchdown, Saints wide receiver Joe Horn grabbed a cell phone hidden under the goalpost padding and pretended to make a phone call. resulting in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and Horn being fined $30,000 by the NFL.
2004 NFL Season
2005 NFL Season
See also
Notes and References
- News: Can't blame 'em for not trying . Miller . Ira . March 31, 2004 . . November 23, 2010 . February 13, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110213010941/http://articles.sfgate.com/2004-12-31/sports/17459066_1_49ers-jeff-fisher-rest-players . live .
- News: Litsky . Frank . December 19, 1988 . After the Fall, Mixed Feelings for Giants . May 18, 2024 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
- Web site: December 3, 2015 . First NFL postgame prayer circle: 25 years later . May 18, 2024 . ESPN.com . en.
