2003 NFL season

The 2003 NFL season was the 84th regular season of the National Football League (NFL).

2003 National Football League season
Regular season
DurationSeptember 4 – December 28, 2003
Playoffs
Start dateJanuary 3, 2004
AFC ChampionsNew England Patriots
NFC ChampionsCarolina Panthers
Super Bowl XXXVIII
DateFebruary 1, 2004
SiteReliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
ChampionsNew England Patriots
Pro Bowl
DateFebruary 8, 2004
SiteAloha Stadium
2003 NFL season is located in the United States
Patriots
Patriots
Bills
Bills
Dolphins
Dolphins
Jets
Jets
Bengals
Bengals
Ravens
Ravens
Steelers
Steelers
Browns
Browns
Colts
Colts
Titans
Titans
Jaguars
Jaguars
Texans
Texans
Broncos
Broncos
Chiefs
Chiefs
Raiders
Raiders
Chargers
Chargers
AFC teams: West, North, South, East
2003 NFL season is located in the United States
Cowboys
Cowboys
Giants
Giants
Eagles
Eagles
Redskins
Redskins
Bears
Bears
Lions
Lions
Packers
Packers
Vikings
Vikings
Falcons
Falcons
Panthers
Panthers
Saints
Saints
Buccaneers
Buccaneers
Cardinals
Cardinals
Rams
Rams
Seahawks
Seahawks
49ers
49ers
NFC teams: West, North, South, East

Regular-season play was held from September 4, 2003, to December 28, 2003. Due to damage caused by the Cedar Fire, Qualcomm Stadium was used as an emergency shelter, and thus the Miami DolphinsSan Diego Chargers regular-season match on October 27 was instead played at Sun Devil Stadium, the home field of the Arizona Cardinals. This was the first season in NFL history where every team won at least 4 games.

The playoffs began on January 3, 2004. The NFL title was won by the New England Patriots when they defeated the Carolina Panthers, in Super Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, on February 1.

This was the last season until the 2016 NFL season where neither of the previous Super Bowl participants made the playoffs.

Draft

The 2003 NFL Draft was held from April 26 to 27, 2003 at New York City's Theater at Madison Square Garden. With the first pick, the Cincinnati Bengals selected quarterback Carson Palmer from the University of Southern California.

Referee changes

Dick Hantak and Bob McElwee retired in the 2003 off-season. Hantak joined the league as a back judge (the position title was changed to field judge in 1998) in 1978, and was assigned Super Bowl XVII in that position. He was promoted to referee in 1986, working Super Bowl XXVII. McElwee joined the NFL in 1976 as a line judge, and became a referee in 1980. He was the referee for three Super Bowls: XXII, XXVIII, and XXXIV. Walt Anderson and Pete Morelli were promoted to referee to replace Hantak and McElwee.

Major rule changes

"NFL Kickoff" event on September 4, 2003: Joe Theismann (L) and Joe Namath (R) at a military tribute
  • If an onside kick inside the final five minutes of the game does not go 10 yards, goes out of bounds, or is touched illegally, the receiving team will have the option of accepting the penalty and getting the ball immediately. Previously, the kicking team was penalized, but had another chance to kick again from five yards back.
  • League officials encouraged networks to immediately cut to a commercial break if an instant replay challenge review was initiated. Previously networks were generally not permitted to utilize those game stoppages for their prescribed commercial periods.[1]

2003 deaths

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Final regular season standings

Tiebreakers

  • Indianapolis finished ahead of Tennessee in the AFC South based on head-to-head sweep (2–0).
  • Denver clinched the AFC 6 seed instead of Miami based on better conference record (9–3 to 7–5).
  • Buffalo finished ahead of N.Y. Jets in the AFC East based on better division record (2–4 to 1–5).
  • Jacksonville finished ahead of Houston in the AFC South based on better division record (2–4 to 1–5).
  • Oakland finished ahead of San Diego in the AFC West based on better conference record (3–9 to 2–10).
  • Philadelphia clinched the NFC 1 seed instead of St. Louis based on better conference record (9–3 to 8–4).
  • Seattle clinched the NFC 5 seed instead of Dallas based on strength of victory (.406 to .388).

Playoffs

Within each conference, the four division winners and the top two non-division winners with the best overall regular season records) qualified for the playoffs. The four division winners are seeded 1–4 based on their overall won-lost-tied record, and the wild card teams are seeded 5–6. The NFL does not use a fixed bracket playoff system, and there are no restrictions regarding teams from the same division matching up in any round. In the first round, dubbed the wild-card playoffs or wild-card weekend, the third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth-seed wild card, and the fourth seed hosts the fifth. The 1 and 2 seeds from each conference received a first-round bye. In the second round, the divisional playoffs, the number 1 seed hosts the worst-surviving seed from the first round (seed 4, 5, or 6), while the number 2 seed will play the other team (seed 3, 4, or 5). The two surviving teams from each conference's divisional playoff games met in the respective AFC and NFC Conference Championship games, hosted by the higher seed. Although the Super Bowl, the championship round of the playoffs, is played at a neutral site, the designated home team is based on an annual rotation by conference.[5]

Playoff seeds
SeedAFCNFC
1New England Patriots (East winner)Philadelphia Eagles (East winner)
2Kansas City Chiefs (West winner)St. Louis Rams (West winner)
3Indianapolis Colts (South winner)Carolina Panthers (South winner)
4Baltimore Ravens (North winner)Green Bay Packers (North winner)
5Tennessee Titans (wild card)Seattle Seahawks (wild card)
6Denver Broncos (wild card)Dallas Cowboys (wild card)

    Bracket

    Jan 3 – Bank of America Stadium Jan 10 – Edward Jones Dome
    6 Dallas 10
    3 Carolina 29**
    3 Carolina 29 Jan 18 – Lincoln Financial Field
    2 St. Louis 23
    NFC
    Jan 4 – Lambeau Field 3 Carolina 14
    Jan 11Lincoln Financial Field
    1 Philadelphia 3
    5 Seattle 27 NFC Championship
    4 Green Bay 17
    4 Green Bay 33* Feb 1 – Reliant Stadium
    1 Philadelphia 20*
    Wild Card playoffs
    Divisional playoffs
    Jan 4 – RCA Dome N3 Carolina 29
    Jan 11 – Arrowhead Stadium
    A1 New England 32
    6 Denver 10 Super Bowl XXXVIII
    3 Indianapolis 38
    3 Indianapolis 41 Jan 18 – Gillette Stadium
    2 Kansas City 31
    AFC
    Jan 3 – M&T Bank Stadium 3 Indianapolis 14
    Jan 10 – Gillette Stadium
    1 New England 24
    5 Tennessee 20 AFC Championship
    5 Tennessee 14
    4 Baltimore 17
    1 New England 17


    * Indicates overtime victory
    ** Indicates double overtime victory

    Milestones

    The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:

    Record Player or team Date/opponent Previous record holder[6]
    Most touchdowns, season Priest Holmes, Kansas City (27) December 28, vs. Chicago Marshall Faulk, St. Louis, 2000 (26)
    Most rushing yards gained, game Jamal Lewis, Baltimore (295) September 14, vs. Cleveland Corey Dillon, Cincinnati vs. Denver, October 22, 2000 (278)
    Most consecutive field goals Mike Vanderjagt, Indianapolis December 28, at Houston Gary Anderson, 1997–98 (40)
    Most consecutive road games lost Detroit Lions December 21, vs. Carolina Houston Oilers, 1981–84 (23)
    Most consecutive games with a sack Tampa Bay Buccaneers (69) November 9, 2003 Dallas Cowboys (68)

    Statistical leaders

    Team

    Points scoredKansas City Chiefs (484)
    Total yards gainedMinnesota Vikings (6,294)
    Yards rushingBaltimore Ravens (2,674)
    Yards passingIndianapolis Colts (4,179)
    Fewest points allowedNew England Patriots (238)
    Fewest total yards allowedDallas Cowboys (4,056)
    Fewest rushing yards allowedTennessee Titans (1,295)
    Fewest passing yards allowedDallas Cowboys (2,631)

    Individual

    ScoringJeff Wilkins, St. Louis (163 points)
    TouchdownsPriest Holmes, Kansas City (27 TDs)
    Most field goals madeJeff Wilkins, St. Louis (39 FGs)
    RushingJamal Lewis, Baltimore (2,066 yards)
    PassingPeyton Manning, Indianapolis (4,267 yards)
    Passing touchdownsBrett Favre, Green Bay (32 TDs)
    Pass receivingTorry Holt, St. Louis (117 catches)
    Pass receiving yardsTorry Holt, St. Louis (1,696)
    Pass receiving touchdownsRandy Moss, Minnesota (17 touchdowns)
    Punt returnsDante Hall, Kansas City (16.3 average yards)
    Kickoff returnsJerry Azumah, Chicago (29.0 average yards)
    InterceptionsBrian Russell, Minnesota and Tony Parrish, San Francisco (9)
    PuntingShane Lechler, Oakland (46.9 average yards)
    SacksMichael Strahan, New York Giants (18.5)

    Awards

    Most Valuable PlayerPeyton Manning, quarterback, Indianapolis and Steve McNair, quarterback, Tennessee Titans (As of 2022, this is the most recent season without a consensus MVP)
    Coach of the YearBill Belichick, New England
    Offensive Player of the YearJamal Lewis, running back, Baltimore
    Defensive Player of the YearRay Lewis, linebacker, Baltimore
    Offensive Rookie of the YearAnquan Boldin, wide receiver, Arizona
    Defensive Rookie of the YearTerrell Suggs, linebacker, Baltimore
    NFL Comeback Player of the YearJon Kitna, quarterback, Cincinnati
    Walter Payton NFL Man of the YearWill Shields, guard, Kansas City
    Super Bowl Most Valuable PlayerTom Brady, quarterback, New England

    Coaching changes

    Stadium changes

    Tennessee at Green Bay in the preseason; both teams made the playoffs

    In addition new turf was installed for the following teams:

    New uniforms

    • The Atlanta Falcons unveiled a new uniform design featuring red trim down the sides of both the jerseys and pants. The pants were switched from gray to white, and black pants were also introduced for selected games. Black remained the primary jersey color while a red alternate jersey was also introduced. The falcons helmet logo was redesigned to be more aggressive and closely resemble a capital "F".
    • The Cincinnati Bengals added new alternate black pants with their black jerseys for select home games.
    • The Cleveland Browns added new alternate orange pants last worn during the 1970s-early 1980s Kardiac Kids era of coach Sam Rutigliano.
    • The Denver Broncos introduced blue pants with orange streaks to match with their blue jerseys.
    • The Detroit Lions introduced a new design that added black trim to their logo and jerseys, and changed their face masks from blue to black.
    • The Houston Texans added red third alternate uniforms.
    • The Miami Dolphins added orange third alternate uniforms.
    • The New England Patriots added silver third alternate uniforms.
    • The New Orleans Saints wore gold pants full time, discontinuing using black pants with their white jerseys.
    • The Philadelphia Eagles added silver trim to the jersey numbers on uniforms, and black third alternate uniforms.
    • The San Diego Chargers wore white pants instead of blue with their white jerseys. They wore blue pants with their blue jerseys for the game vs. the Dolphins which had to be moved from San Diego to Arizona due to wildfires in southern California.
    • The Tennessee Titans added powder blue third alternate uniforms.

    Television

    This was the sixth year under the league's eight-year broadcast contracts with ABC, CBS, Fox, and ESPN to televise Monday Night Football, the AFC package, the NFC package, and Sunday Night Football, respectively.

    At Fox, Tony Siragusa joined Dick Stockton and Daryl Johnston on the network's #2 broadcast team in a sideline analyst role instead of the traditional sideline reporter.

    Notes

    1. Gaughan, Mark (March 27, 2003). "Execs Plan Only Minor Procedures". The Buffalo News. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
    2. "John Butler (1946-2003)". Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
    3. Bikoff, Ken (May 7, 2003). "Woodley's death sad but powerful". Pro Football Weekly. Archived from the original on July 2, 2005. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
    4. Martin, Susan (January 4, 2003). "Legendary Gillman dies at 91". Buffalo News. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
    5. "NFL Playoff Procedures and Tiebreakers". Yahoo! Sports. December 31, 2006. Archived from the original on January 1, 2010.
    6. "Records". 2005 NFL Record and Fact Book. NFL. 2005. ISBN 978-1-932994-36-0.

    References

    • NFL Record and Fact Book (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
    • NFL History 2001– (Last accessed October 17, 2005)
    • Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
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