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NFL/Seasons/1981

Full NFL season

1981

Explore the indexed regular season, conference races, divisions and every playoff round from the 1981 NFL season.

233indexed games

28teams

9playoff games

San Francisco 49ersSuper Bowl champion
Offseason that built this season →Trade deadline timeline →

Postseason map

Playoff bracket

Follow the complete path from the Wild Card round through the Super Bowl. Open any game for its box score, players, highlights and historical context.

Swipe through the bracket

1 / 4

Wild Card

Wild CardBUF · NYJBuffalo BillsNew York JetsWild CardNYG · PHINew York GiantsPhiladelphia Eagles

Divisional Round

Divisional RoundLAC · MIALos Angeles ChargersMiami DolphinsDivisional RoundTB · DALTampa Bay BuccaneersDallas CowboysDivisional RoundBUF · CINBuffalo BillsCincinnati BengalsDivisional RoundNYG · SFNew York GiantsSan Francisco 49ers

Conference Championships

Conference ChampionshipDAL · SFDallas CowboysSan Francisco 49ersConference ChampionshipLAC · CINLos Angeles ChargersCincinnati Bengals

Super Bowl XVI

Super Bowl XVICIN · SFCincinnati BengalsSan Francisco 49ers

Wild Card

Wild CardBUFBuffalo BillsNYJNew York Jets
Wild CardNYGNew York GiantsPHIPhiladelphia Eagles

Divisional Round

Divisional RoundLACLos Angeles ChargersMIAMiami Dolphins
Divisional RoundTBTampa Bay BuccaneersDALDallas Cowboys
Divisional RoundBUFBuffalo BillsCINCincinnati Bengals
Divisional RoundNYGNew York GiantsSFSan Francisco 49ers

Conference Championships

Conference ChampionshipDALDallas CowboysSFSan Francisco 49ers
Conference ChampionshipLACLos Angeles ChargersCINCincinnati Bengals

Super Bowl XVI

Super Bowl XVICINCincinnati BengalsSFSan Francisco 49ers
Fantasy football1981 PPR leadersOverall, QB, RB, WR, TE and flex leaderboards · PPR, half PPR and standard→

Season honors

Awards and statistical leaders

Season totals from verified box scores. Press any column to rerank the compact top eight.

AP NFL MVPKen AndersonPlayer season →AP NFL Defensive Player of the YearLawrence TaylorPlayer season →Super Bowl MVPJoe MontanaPlayer season →

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League showcase

Pro Bowl rosters

AFC and NFC selections load independently so the season page stays fast.

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Regular season

Conference standings

Ranked by indexed winning percentage, then wins and point differential. Historical league formats may appear under “League standings.”

AFC standings

Indexed regular season
RankTeamRecordPctPFPA
1Cincinnati Bengals12–4.750421304
2Miami Dolphins11–4–1.719345275
3

Around the league

Division standings

AFC East

Miami Dolphins11–4–1
New York Jets10–5–1
Buffalo Bills10–6
New England Patriots2–14

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals12–4
Pittsburgh Steelers8–8
Cleveland Browns5–11

AFC South

Tennessee Titans7–9
Indianapolis Colts2–14

Start with these

Defining games

Championship stakes and close finishes bring the most consequential indexed games to the front.

Super Bowl
XVI
CINCINNATIBENGALS
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
Score hidden
JAN 24, 1982

Cincinnati Bengals vs San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl XVI · Jan 24, 1982

Conference Championship
1981
DALLASCOWBOYS
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
Score hidden
JAN 10, 1982

Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers

Conference Championship · Jan 10, 1982

Conference Championship
1981
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
CINCINNATIBENGALS
Score hidden
JAN 10, 1982

Los Angeles Chargers vs Cincinnati Bengals

Conference Championship · Jan 10, 1982

Divisional Round
1981
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
MIAMIDOLPHINS
Score hidden
JAN 2, 1982

Los Angeles Chargers vs Miami Dolphins

Divisional Round · Jan 2, 1982

Divisional Round
1981
BUFFALOBILLS
CINCINNATIBENGALS
Score hidden
JAN 3, 1982

Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals

Divisional Round · Jan 3, 1982

← Previous season1980All seasonsNext season →1982
New York Jets
10–5–1
.656
355
287
4Los Angeles Chargers10–6.625478390
5Buffalo Bills10–6.625311276
6Denver Broncos10–6.625321289
7Kansas City Chiefs9–7.563343290
8Pittsburgh Steelers8–8.500356297
9Oakland Raiders7–9.438273343
10Tennessee Titans7–9.438281355
11Cleveland Browns5–11.313276375
12New England Patriots2–14.125322370
13Indianapolis Colts2–14.125259533

NFC standings

Indexed regular season
RankTeamRecordPctPFPA
1San Francisco 49ers13–3.813357250
2Dallas Cowboys12–4.750367277
3Philadelphia Eagles10–6.625368221
4Tampa Bay Buccaneers9–7.563315268
5New York Giants9–7.563295257
6Detroit Lions8–8.500397322
7Green Bay Packers8–8.500324361
8Atlanta Falcons7–9.438426355
9Minnesota Vikings7–9.438325369
10Arizona Cardinals7–9.438315408
11Los Angeles Rams6–10.375303351
12Seattle Seahawks6–10.375322388
13Chicago Bears6–10.375253324
14New Orleans Saints4–12.250207378

League standings

Indexed regular season
RankTeamRecordPctPFPA
1WWSH8–8.500347349

AFC West

Los Angeles Chargers10–6
Denver Broncos10–6
Kansas City Chiefs9–7
Oakland Raiders7–9

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys12–4
Philadelphia Eagles10–6
New York Giants9–7

NFC North

Detroit Lions8–8
Green Bay Packers8–8
Minnesota Vikings7–9
Chicago Bears6–10

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers9–7
Atlanta Falcons7–9
New Orleans Saints4–12

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers13–3
Arizona Cardinals7–9
Los Angeles Rams6–10
Seattle Seahawks6–10

NFL

WSH8–8
Divisional Round
1981
NEW YORKGIANTS
SAN FRANCISCO49ERS
Score hidden
JAN 3, 1982

New York Giants vs San Francisco 49ers

Divisional Round · Jan 3, 1982

Divisional Round
1981
TAMPA BAYBUCCANEERS
DALLASCOWBOYS
Score hidden
JAN 2, 1982

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys

Divisional Round · Jan 2, 1982

Wild Card
1981
BUFFALOBILLS
NEW YORKJETS
Score hidden
DEC 27, 1981

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Wild Card · Dec 27, 1981

Wild Card
1981
NEW YORKGIANTS
PHILADELPHIAEAGLES
Score hidden
DEC 27, 1981

New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles

Wild Card · Dec 27, 1981

Regular Season
1981
NEW YORKJETS
MIAMIDOLPHINS
Score hidden
OCT 4, 1981

New York Jets vs Miami Dolphins

Regular Season · Oct 4, 1981

Regular Season
1981
PITTSBURGHSTEELERS
TENNESSEETITANS
Score hidden
DEC 20, 1981

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tennessee Titans

Regular Season · Dec 20, 1981

Regular Season
1981
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
TAMPA BAYBUCCANEERS
Score hidden
DEC 13, 1981

Los Angeles Chargers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Regular Season · Dec 13, 1981

Player
Dan FoutsQB · Los Angeles Chargers480233560000.00
Tommy KramerQB · Minnesota Vikings391226130000.00
Brian SipeQB · Cleveland Browns3876171530010.00
Steve BartkowskiQB · Atlanta Falcons38293020000.00
Ken AndersonQB · Cincinnati Bengals3754293200010.00
Joe FergusonQB · Buffalo Bills365224290010.00
Joe TheismannQB · WSH3568191770020.00
Joe MontanaQB · San Francisco 49ers356519950020.00