The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League (NFL) and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end. Most significantly, the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy resulted in a then-unique legal settlement where the Cleveland Browns franchise, history, records, and intellectual property remained in Cleveland (with the Browns officially deactivated), while its players and personnel transferred to Baltimore, technically to a new league franchise that was named the Baltimore Ravens.
The season ended with Super Bowl XXXI when the Green Bay Packers defeated the New England Patriots 35–21 at the Louisiana Superdome.
Player movement
Transactions
Retirements
January 9, 1996: Rams offensive lineman Jackie Slater announced his retirement.
Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was held from April 20 to 21, 1996 at New York City's Paramount Theater. With the first pick, the New York Jets selected wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson from the University of Southern California.
Referee changes
Gordon McCarter retired during the 1996 off-season. He joined the NFL in 1967, serving as a line judge and back judge, before being promoted to referee in 1974. Dale Hamer, who had to sit out the 1995 season to recover from open heart surgery, took over McCarter's officiating crew.
Future Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira was hired as a side judge. He left the field after two seasons to join the league office and succeeded Jerry Seeman in 2001.
Major rule changes
In order to reduce injuries, hits with the helmet or to the head will be personal fouls and subject to fines.
Preseason
American Bowl
A series of National Football League pre-season exhibition games that were held at sites outside the United States. Two games were contested in 1996.
Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, in which the Indianapolis Colts defeated the New Orleans Saints 10–3, was played on July 27, and held at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio, the same city where the league was founded. The 1996 Hall of Fame Class included Lou Creekmur, Dan Dierdorf, a former offensive lineman with the St. Louis Cardinals and a member of the Monday Night Football broadcast team, Joe Gibbs, a three-time Super Bowl winning coach with Washington, Charlie Joiner and Mel Renfro.
Regular season
Scheduling formula
Highlights of the 1996 season included: Thanksgiving: Two games were played on Thursday, November 28, featuring Kansas City at Detroit and Washington at Dallas, with Kansas City and Dallas winning.
Final standings
Tiebreakers
Jacksonville was the second AFC Wild Card ahead of Indianapolis and Kansas City based on better conference record (7–5 to Colts' 6–6 and Chiefs' 5–7). Indianapolis was the third AFC Wild Card based on head-to-head victory over Kansas City (1–0). Cincinnati finished ahead of Houston in the AFC Central based on better net division points (19 to Oilers' 11). Oakland finished ahead of Seattle in the AFC West based on better division record (3–5 to Seahawks' 2–6). Dallas finished ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC East based on better record against common opponents (7–4 to Eagles' 6–5.) Minnesota was the third NFC Wild Card based on better conference record than Washington (8–4 to Redskins' 6–6). Carolina finished ahead of San Francisco in the NFC West based on head-to-head sweep (2–0). Atlanta finished ahead of New Orleans in the NFC West based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
Playoffs
Notable events
When Art Modell, owner of the Cleveland Browns, wanted to relocate his team to Baltimore in a surprise move first reported by The Boston Globe on November 4, 1995, the ensuing press furor and public relations mess forced the league to intercede and make an agreement with him and the cities of Cleveland and Baltimore before the new season began. In the agreement, the name, colors and history of the Browns were to remain in Cleveland, while the relocated club would technically be a new league franchise; the Browns would return to play in Cleveland at a new stadium no later than 1999 by way of an expansion or another franchise relocation. Either way, the Cleveland Browns would continue, officially suspended for the 1996 through 1998 seasons, while the Baltimore Ravens' history begins with the 1996 season.
The season was also the final season for the Houston Oilers before leaving Texas for Memphis for the following season, and then to Nashville in 1998. This move left Houston with no professional football team until the 2002 debut of the Texans.