2007 NFL season

American football season March 2026 the American football season in the United States the Gaelic football season in Ireland 2007 National Football League (Ireland) April 2024 2007 New York Giants September 6 – December 30, 2007 January 5, 2008 New England Patriots San Diego Chargers New York Giants Green Bay Packers XLII February 3, 2008 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona February 10, 2008 "18–1" The 2007 NFL season was the 88th regular season of the National Football League (NFL). Regular-season play was held from September 6 to December 30. The campaign kicked off with the defending Super Bowl XLI champion Indianapolis Colts defeating the New Orleans Saints in the NFL Kickoff Game. The New England Patriots became the first team to complete the regular season undefeated since the league expanded to a 16-game regular season in 1978. Four weeks after the playoffs began on January 5, 2008, the Patriots' bid for a perfect season was dashed when they lost to the New York Giants 17–14 in Super Bowl XLII, the league championship game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on February 3. For the first time, two divisions (the NFC East and the AFC South) had no team finish with a losing record.Since 1935 this had previously occurred only with the 1989 AFC Central, the 1995 AFC West, the 1999 AFC East and the 2002 AFC East, but had since occurred with the 2008 NFC South, the 2008 NFC East and the 2022 NFC East. In 2023, the AFC North would surpass this by having all teams finish with a winning record. Draft The 2007 NFL draft was held from April 28 to 29, 2007, at New York City's Radio City Music Hall. With the first pick, the Oakland Raiders selected quarterback JaMarcus Russell from Louisiana State University. New referee John Parry was promoted to referee, replacing Bill Vinovich, who was forced to resign due to a heart condition. Vinovich would then serve as a replay official from 2007 to 2011. He would later be given a clean bill of health and return to the field as a referee in 2012. Notable retirements Marshall Faulk Curtis Martin Drew Bledsoe Will Shields Jake Plummer Adam Timmerman Kevin Mathis Kris Mangum Aaron Brooks Jeff Hartings Terrence Murphy Bob Whitfield Priest Holmes (After week 11) Tiki Barber Mike Bartrum Mike Vanderjagt Antonio Freeman Jessie Armstead Jerome Woods Tarik Glenn Eric Beverly Vinny Testaverde Rule changes The following rule changes were passed at the league's annual owners meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, during the week of March 25–28: The instant replay system, used since the 1999 season, was finally made a permanent officiating tool.http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10091752 Owners vote to make replay permanent NFL March 27, 2007 March 28, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070331232051/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10091752 March 31, 2007 dead Previously, it was renewed on a biennial basis. The system has also been upgraded to use high-definition technology. However, the systems at Texas Stadium (Dallas Cowboys), RCA Dome (Indianapolis Colts), and Giants Stadium (New York Giants and Jets) did not receive the HDTV updates since those stadiums were scheduled to be (and since have been) replaced in the forthcoming years.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/03/27/bc.fbn.nflmeetings.ap/index.html Replay now permanent in NFL SI.com March 27, 2007 March 28, 2007September 2024 medicmedic One reason that the technology was improved was that fans with high-definition televisions at home were having better views on replays than the officials and according to Dean Blandino, the NFL's instant replay director "that could have bit us in the rear if we continued [with the old system]." In addition, the amount of time allotted for the referee to review a play was reduced from 90 seconds to one minute.http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10093969 Henry to meet with Goodell; new rules passed NFL March 28, 2007 March 28, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070331190010/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10093969 March 31, 2007 dead After a play is over, players who spike the ball in the field of play, other than in the end zone, will receive a 5-yard delay of game penalty. Forward passes that unintentionally hit an offensive lineman before an eligible receiver will no longer be an illegal touching penalty, but deliberate actions are still penalized. Roughing-the-passer penalties will not be called on a defender engaged with a quarterback who simply extends his arms and shoves the passer to the ground. During situations where crowd noise becomes too loud that it prevents the offensive team from hearing its signals, the offense can no longer ask the referee to reset the play clock. It is necessary to have the ball touch the pylon or break the plane above the pylon to count as a touchdown. Previously, a player just had to have some portion of his body over the goal line or pylon to count a touchdown.http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=3456 Rule changes for 2007 NFL season HoustonTexans.com August 3, 2007 August 22, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222624/http://www.houstontexans.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=3456 September 27, 2007 dead A completed catch is now when a receiver gets two feet down and has control of the ball. Previously, a receiver had to make "a football move" in addition to having control of the ball for a reception.Notebook: Officials outline rule changes http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2007/08/Notebook_Officials_outline_rules_changes_for_2007.aspx Moore J. Michael Atlanta Falcons August 3, 2007 November 24, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20080105035546/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/News/Articles/2007/08/Notebook_Officials_outline_rules_changes_for_2007.aspx January 5, 2008 dead Players will be subject to a fine from the league for playing with an unbuckled chin strap. Officials will not penalize for chin strap violations during a game. Preseason The Hall of Fame Game was played in Canton, Ohio, on Sunday August 5, 2007, with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Saints by a score of 20–7;http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07218/807333-66.stm Steelers start strong in 20–7 victory Pittsburgh Post-Gazette August 6, 2007 January 28, 2008 Ed Bouchette https://web.archive.org/web/20110522074422/http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07218/807333-66.stm May 22, 2011 dead the game was televised by the NFL Network, replacing NBC, who had been previously scheduled to broadcast the China Bowl exhibition game from Beijing, China on August 8, 2007, between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Workers Stadium. However, with all efforts being put into the London regular season game, plans for the game were postponed (then later cancelled completely) as Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics. Regular season thumb|240px|Adrian Peterson of Minnesota rushes against San Diego in week 9, on his way to a record 296 rushing yards in a game Schedule formula Based on the NFL's scheduling formula, the intraconference and interconference matchups for 2007 were:2006 NFL Record and Fact Book July 25, 2006 978-1-933405-32-2 16 Time Home Entertainment, Incorporated https://archive.org/details/2006nflrecordfac00edit/page/16 48% Intraconference AFC East vs. AFC North AFC West vs. AFC South NFC East vs. NFC North NFC West vs. NFC South 48% Interconference AFC East vs. NFC East AFC North vs. NFC West AFC South vs. NFC South AFC West vs. NFC North Opening weekend On March 26, 2007, the league announced the opening Saints–Colts Kickoff Game on September 6 that would be telecast on NBC. Pre-game activities featured Indiana native John Mellencamp, Billy Joel, and Kelly Clarkson. The entertainment portion of events started 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled start time of the game, leading up to the unveiling of the Colts' Super Bowl XLI championship banner. The opening events were simulcast on NFL Network. The Dallas Cowboys hosted the New York Giants in the first Sunday night game September 9 at 8:15 p.m. US EDT. Monday Night Football on ESPN kicked off with a doubleheader on September 10 with the Cincinnati Bengals hosting the Baltimore Ravens at 7:00 p.m. US EDT, and the San Francisco 49ers hosting the Arizona Cardinals at 10:15 p.m. US EDT. The 49ers paid tribute to three-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Walsh, who died July 30, in that game. Going global In October 2006, NFL club owners approved a plan to stage up to two international regular season games per season beginning in 2007 and continuing through at least 2011.http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9752443 Resolution approved for international games NFL October 24, 2006 January 11, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070106140758/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9752443 January 6, 2007 dead On February 2, 2007, the league announced that the Week 8 contest between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins would be played at Wembley Stadium in London on October 28 at 5 p.m. GMT, which was 1 p.m. EDT.http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9971024 London to host 2007 regular-season game NFL January 16, 2007 February 10, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070204064219/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9971024 February 4, 2007 dead https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2751440 Dolphins will host Giants in a game in London ESPN February 1, 2007 February 2, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20120111102842/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2751440 January 11, 2012 live As the Giants were the away-team designate from the NFC, Fox broadcast the game in the United States according to league broadcast contract rules. http://www.giants.com/news/eisen/story.asp?story_id=24334 Giants to Face Dolphins in London Eisen, Michael Giants.com February 2, 2007 September 11, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20090111004404/http://www.giants.com/news/eisen/story.asp?story_id=24334 January 11, 2009 dead mdy-all "Super Bowl 411 2" In Week 9, the New England Patriots (8–0) faced the Indianapolis Colts (7–0) in a battle of undefeated teams. Thus there was a lot of hype surrounding the game, also due to the fact that these teams had met in the previous season's AFC Championship game, and would possibly meet later in the 2007 AFC Championship game. Many people dubbed the game "Super Bowl 411 2".Week 9 primer: Patriots at Colts and the rest – NFL – Sporting News https://web.archive.org/web/20150610222932/http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2007-10-31/week-9-primer-patriots-colts-and-rest June 10, 2015 The Patriots prevailed 24–20,New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts – Recap – November 4, 2007 – ESPN and would finish the regular season as the league's first 16–0 team. Thanksgiving For the second year in a row, three games were held on the United States' Thanksgiving Day (November 22). In addition to the traditional games hosted by the Detroit Lions and Cowboys (with those teams respectively playing the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets, with the Packers–Lions game starting at 12:30 p.m. US EST and the Jets–Cowboys game kicking off at 4:15 p.m. US EST respectively), the Colts faced the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome, with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. US EST. Flex scheduling The NFL entered its second year of flexible scheduling in the final weeks of the season. In each of the Sunday night contests from Weeks 11 through 17, NBC had the option of switching its Sunday night game for a more favorable contest, up to 12 days before the game's start.The flexible-scheduling policy also allows a shorter time window for changing Week 17 games prior to the game. thumb|250px|Philadelphia playing at Dallas on December 16 – Donovan McNabb calls a play to Matt Schobel In addition to an extra week of flexible scheduling (because of the conflict with scheduling Christmas Eve the previous season, which NBC did not do (instead opting to air a game on Christmas Day), the NFL slightly changed its flex-schedule procedure. In 2006, the league did not reveal its predetermined Sunday night game; the reason given by the league was to avoid embarrassing the teams switched out for a more compelling game.https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2006-04-05-nfl-scheduling_x.htm Process of game-time decisions will eliminate TV duds, create chaos USA Today Hiestand, Michael April 5, 2006 April 11, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20110523204146/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2006-04-05-nfl-scheduling_x.htm May 23, 2011 live In 2007, the league announced all predetermined matchups, with a footnote on the games subject to flex scheduling.http://www.nfl.com/schedules/tv/primetime 2007 prime-time schedule NFL April 11, 2007 April 11, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20070325204355/http://www.nfl.com/schedules/tv/primetime March 25, 2007 live Also, the network that carries the "doubleheader" week game (either CBS or Fox) will be able to switch one game per week into the 4:15 pm (US ET) time slot, except in the final week, when NBC will select one game for the 8:15 pm slot, and both CBS and Fox will have doubleheader games on December 30. Week 11: The New England–Buffalo game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS, was flexed into NBC Sunday Night Football at 8:15 p.m. ET, replacing the Chicago–Seattle game, which was moved to 4:15 p.m. ET on Fox. The New York Giants–Detroit game, originally scheduled for 4:15 p.m. ET, was flexed to 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox. The Pittsburgh–New York Jets game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. The Washington–Dallas game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:15 p.m. ET on Fox. Week 12: The Denver–Chicago game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Week 13: The Tampa Bay–New Orleans game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:15 p.m. ET on Fox. Week 14: The Pittsburgh–New England game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Week 16: The Washington–Minnesota game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox, was flexed into NBC Sunday Night Football at 8:15 p.m. ET, replacing the Tampa Bay–San Francisco game, which was moved to 4:05 p.m. ET on Fox. The Miami–New England game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. Week 17: The Tennessee–Indianapolis game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS, was flexed into NBC Sunday Night Football at 8:15 p.m. ET, replacing the Kansas City–New York Jets game, which was moved to 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. The Pittsburgh–Baltimore game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:15 p.m. ET on CBS. The Dallas–Washington game, originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET, was flexed to 4:15 p.m. ET on Fox. Regular season standings Division Conference Playoffs 2007–08 NFL playoffs New England Patriots East Indianapolis Colts South San Diego Chargers West Pittsburgh Steelers North Jacksonville Jaguars Tennessee Titans Dallas Cowboys East Green Bay Packers North Seattle Seahawks West Tampa Bay Buccaneers South New York Giants Washington Redskins 2007 Bracket Deaths Pro Football Hall of Fame members Jim Ringo Ringo played 16 seasons in the NFL as a center with the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981. He was a 10-time Pro Bowler, 9-time All-Pro selection, and 2-time NFL Champion. He died on November 19, age 75. Active personnel Marquise Hill, New England Patriots defensive end, died on May 28, at the age of 24, drowned.http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/05/29/tragic_history/ Tragic history May 29, 2007 Boston Globe https://web.archive.org/web/20100817042021/http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/05/29/tragic_history/ August 17, 2010 dead Sean Taylor, Washington Redskins safety, died November 27 at the age of 24, homicide. Posthumously named to 2008 Pro Bowl.http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=9EF67272BEB9224E883F00665CB0D53A?id=09000d5d804946ac&template=with-video&confirm=true Redskins safety Taylor dies day after being shot November 27, 2007 November 27, 2007 Associated Press https://archive.today/20120907075733/http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=9EF67272BEB9224E883F00665CB0D53A?id=09000d5d804946ac&template=with-video&confirm=true September 7, 2012 live Events Player conduct off the field NFL player conduct policy The NFLPA, then led by their president Gene Upshaw and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, worked with player conduct in the form of suspensions for off the field conduct in light of the more than fifty arrests by local law enforcement since the start of the 2006 season. The hardest hit came on April 10 when Adam "Pacman" Jones of the Tennessee Titans was suspended for the entire season for his five arrests, the most blatant while in Las Vegas for the NBA All-Star Weekend in February where he was accused of causing a riot/shooting in a strip club. That same day, Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals was suspended for the first eight games of the season for his run-ins with the legal system. The other big name that has been caught in the web of controversy was Falcons' quarterback Michael Vick. Vick was charged on July 24, 2007, with dogfighting and animal abuse, and was suspended following a guilty plea in the case, on which he was sentenced to 23 months in prison (retroactive to November) and three years probation on December 10.http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d801c1644&template=with-video&confirm=true Vick suspended indefinitely after filing plea NFL.com August 27, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20100121200813/http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d801c1644&template=with-video&confirm=true January 21, 2010 live Spygate Spygate (NFL) During the Patriots season opening game at The Meadowlands against the Jets, a Patriots camera staffer was ejected from the Patriots sideline and was accused of videotaping the Jets' defensive coaches relaying signals. The end result was that the team was fined $250,000, head coach Bill Belichick was docked $500,000 (the maximum fine that could be imposed) and also stripped of their first round selection of the 2008 NFL draft. If the Patriots had failed to make the playoffs, the penalty would have been their second and third round picks. The team was allowed to keep their other first-round pick acquired from the San Francisco 49ers during the previous year's selection meeting. Other events The NFL set an all-time attendance record in 2007, with the league's 31 stadiums attracting 17,345,205 paying customers during the regular season. Average per-game attendance was 67,755.https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-sets-attendance-record-in-2007-09000d5d8077f84d NFL sets attendance record in 2007 NFL.com March 31, 2008 live https://web.archive.org/web/20151002131933/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8077f84d/article/nfl-sets-attendance-record-in-2007 October 2, 2015 The ESPN Monday Night Football game between the unbeaten New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens on December 3 drew the highest basic cable rating in history, with over 17.5 million viewers, beating the premiere of Disney Channel's High School Musical 2, which set the previous record on August 17. The previous high-water mark was a MNF telecast between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys on October 23, 2006, which drew over 16 million viewers. Milestones The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the regular season: RecordPlayer/teamDate broken/opponentPrevious record holder2007 NFL Record and Fact Book 2007 NFL 978-1-933821-85-6 Records https://archive.org/details/2007nflrecordfac00edit Longest kickoff return Ellis Hobbs, New England (108 yards)hobbs a a September 9, at N.Y. Jets Tied by 3 players (106) Most regular-season wins by a quarterback, careerBrett Favre, Green Bay (160) September 16, at N.Y. Giants John Elway, 1983–1998 (148) Most touchdown passes, career Brett Favre, Green Bay (442) September 30, at Minnesota Dan Marino, 1983–1999 (420) Most pass attempts, career Brett Favre, Green Bay (8,758) September 30, at Minnesota Dan Marino, 1983–1999(8,358) Most Points Scored by a Team, Fourth quarter Detroit Lions (34) September 30, vs. Chicago Tied by 3 teams (31) Most consecutive games with a 20-point margin of victory, to start season New England Patriots (4) October 1, vs. Cincinnati 1920 Buffalo All-Americans (4, including semi-pro teams) Most touchdown catches by a tight end, career Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City (66) October 14, vs. Cincinnati Shannon Sharpe, 1990–2003 (62) Most passes had intercepted, career Brett Favre, Green Bay (288) October 14, vs. Washington George Blanda, 1949–1975 (277) Most field goals, game Rob Bironas, Tennessee (8) October 21, at Houston Tied by 4 players (7)Most consecutive seasons in one stadium Lambeau Field,Green Bay Packers 2007 marks 51st season. Wrigley Field, Chicago Bears (50 years, 1921–1970)Longest return of a missed field goal/longest play in NFL history Antonio Cromartie, San Diego (109 yards)http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d803decef&template=without-video&confirm=true San Diego's Cromartie sets NFL record with 109-yard FG return Associated Press https://web.archive.org/web/20100121193330/http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d803decef&template=without-video&confirm=true January 21, 2010 live November 4, at Minnesota Tied by 3 players (108 yards)hobbs a aMost rushing yards, game Adrian Peterson, Minnesota (296) November 4, vs. San Diego Jamal Lewis, 2003 (295) Most consecutive games with three touchdown passes Tom Brady, New England (10 games)http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20071105_squib.1dbafffb5.html Patriots: Tom's got you, Babe Providence Journal Online https://web.archive.org/web/20101010094500/http://www.projo.com/patriots/content/projo_20071105_squib.1dbafffb5.html October 10, 2010 live November 4, at Indianapolis Peyton Manning (8 games) Most games with Three Touchdown Passes, career Brett Favre, Green Bay (63) November 22, at Detroit Dan Marino, 1983–1999 (62)Most Yards Passing, careerBrett Favre, Green Bay (61,655)December 16, at St. LouisDan Marino, 1983–1999 (61,361) Consecutive 12+ win seasons 2003–2010 Indianapolis (5)https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271216013 Colts clip Raiders for fifth straight AFC South title ESPN https://web.archive.org/web/20080924122855/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=271216013 September 24, 2008 dead December 16, at Oakland 1992–1995 Dallas (4) Most touchdowns scored, season New England Patriots (75) December 23, vs. Miami Miami Dolphins, 1984 (69) Most Points After Touchdown Kicked, season/Most Point After Touchdown Attempts, season Stephen Gostkowski, New England (74/74) December 16, vs. N.Y. Jets/December 23, vs. Miami Uwe von Schamann, 1984 (66 PATs) /Uwe von Schamann, 1984 (70 attempts)Most Points, season New England Patriots (589) December 29, at N.Y. GiantsMinnesota, 1998 (556)Most touchdown passes, season Tom Brady, New England (50) December 29, at N.Y. Giants Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, 2004 (49)Most receiving touchdowns, season Randy Moss, New England (23) December 29, at N.Y. Giants Jerry Rice, San Francisco, 1987 (22) Most Points After Touchdown, No Misses, season Stephen Gostkowski, New England (74/74) December 29, at N.Y. Giants Jeff Wilkins, St. Louis, 1999 (64/64)Most Games Won, season New England (16) December 29, at N.Y. Giants Tied by 4 teams (15)Most consecutive games won, Start of Season/Most consecutive games Without Defeat, Start of Season New England (16) December 29, at N.Y. Giants Miami, 1972 (14)Most consecutive games won, End of Season/Most consecutive games Without Defeat, End of Season New England (16) December 29, at N.Y. Giants Tied by 2 teams (14)Most consecutive regular-season games won New England, 2006–07 (19) December 29, at N.Y. Giants New England, 2003–04 (18)Most kick returns for a touchdown, season Devin Hester, Chicago (6: 4 punts and 2 kickoffs)https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3173810 Hester scores on sixth kick return in 2007 to break own record July 16, 2024 December 2, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20241202213502/https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3173810 live December 30, vs. New Orleans Devin Hester, 2006 (5: 3 punts and 2 kickoffs)Most passes completed, season Drew Brees, New Orleans (443) December 30, at Chicago Rich Gannon, Oakland, 2002 (418)Most Receptions by a Tight End, career Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City (816) December 30, at N.Y. Jets Shannon Sharpe, 1990–2003 (815) hobbs a a Hobbs' kickoff return was also, at the time, tied for the longest play in NFL history until Antonio Cromartie broke the record. Regular season statistical leaders TeamPoints scored New England Patriots (589)Total yards gained New England Patriots (6,580)Yards rushing Minnesota Vikings (2,634)Yards passing New England Patriots (4,731)Fewest points allowed Indianapolis Colts (262)Fewest total yards allowed Pittsburgh Steelers (4,262)Fewest rushing yards allowed Minnesota Vikings (1,185)Fewest passing yards allowed Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2,728) IndividualScoring Mason Crosby, Green Bay (141 points)Touchdowns Randy Moss, New England (23 TDs)Most field goals made Rob Bironas, Tennessee (35 FGs)Rushing yards LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego (1,474 yards)Rushing touchdowns LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego (15 TDs)Passer ratingTom Brady, New England (117.2 rating)Passing touchdowns Tom Brady, New England (50 TDs)Passing yards Tom Brady, New England (4,806 yards)Receptions T. J. Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati and Wes Welker, New England (112 catches)Receiving yards Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis (1,510 yards)Receiving touchdowns Randy Moss, New England (23 TDs)Punt returns Devin Hester, Chicago (42 for 651 yards, 15.5 average yards)Kickoff returns Josh Cribbs, Cleveland (59 for 1,809 yards, 30.7 average yards)Tackles Patrick Willis, San Francisco (136)Interceptions Antonio Cromartie, San Diego (10)Punting Shane Lechler, Oakland (73 for 3,585 yards, 49.1 average yards)Sacks Jared Allen, Kansas City (15.5) Awards Most Valuable Player Tom Brady, New England PatriotsJanuary 5, 2008 Brady takes 49 of 50 votes in MVP voting https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3182557 2026-04-24 ESPN.com Associated Press en September 9, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180909001856/http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3182557 live Coach of the Year Bill Belichick, New England PatriotsPerfect season lifts Belichick to second AP Coach of Year honor https://web.archive.org/web/20080104153614/http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d805b47b4&template=without-video&confirm=true January 4, 2008 Offensive Player of the Year Tom Brady, New England Patriotshttp://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/01/08/bc.fbn.nfloffensiveplay.ap/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080112205526/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/01/08/bc.fbn.nfloffensiveplay.ap/index.html January 12, 2008 Brady wins Offensive Player of Year dead Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders, safety, Indianapolis ColtsColts Sanders wins NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award NFL.com https://web.archive.org/web/20100121200808/http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=7CF4F2961CE0EA75173F34E8CE80162A?id=09000d5d805cea17&template=with-video&confirm=true January 21, 2010 Offensive Rookie of the Year Adrian Peterson, running back, Minnesota Vikingshttp://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ip8OXJPZOvk5wQG6r-rKSD9R_tuA Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is top offensive rookie January 9, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080109180111/http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ip8OXJPZOvk5wQG6r-rKSD9R_tuA January 9, 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year Patrick Willis, linebacker, San Francisco 49ers49ers' Willis named AP's top defensive rookie – NFL – MSNBC.com https://web.archive.org/web/20080216031704/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22505325/ February 16, 2008 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Greg Ellis, Dallas CowboysEllis named Comeback Player https://web.archive.org/web/20091125014047/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/011308dnspoelliscomeback.86b60e.html November 25, 2009 Walter Payton NFL Man of the YearJason Taylor, defensive end, Miami DolphinsSuper Bowl Most Valuable Player Award Eli Manning, quarterback, New York Giants All-Pro Team 48% OffenseQuarterbackTom Brady, New EnglandBrett Favre, Green BayRunning backLaDainian Tomlinson, San DiegoBrian Westbrook, PhiladelphiaFullbackLorenzo Neal, San DiegoWide receiverRandy Moss, New EnglandTerrell Owens, DallasTight endJason Witten, DallasOffensive tackleMatt Light, New EnglandWalter Jones, SeattleOffensive guardSteve Hutchinson, MinnesotaAlan Faneca, PittsburghCenterJeff Saturday, Indianapolis 48% DefenseDefensive endPatrick Kerney, SeattleJared Allen, Kansas CityDefensive tackleAlbert Haynesworth, TennesseeKevin Williams, MinnesotaOutside linebackerMike Vrabel, New EnglandDeMarcus Ware, DallasInside linebackerLofa Tatupu, SeattlePatrick Willis, San FranciscoCornerbackAsante Samuel, New EnglandAntonio Cromartie, San DiegoSafetyBob Sanders, IndianapolisEd Reed, Baltimore Special teamsKickerRob Bironas, TennesseePunterAndy Lee, San FranciscoKick returnerDevin Hester, Chicago Team superlatives Offense Most points scored: New England, 589 Fewest points scored: San Francisco, 219 Most total offensive yards: New England, 6,580 Fewest total offensive yards: San Francisco, 3,797 Most total passing yards: New England, 4,731 Fewest total passing yards: San Francisco, 2,320 Most rushing yards: Minnesota, 2,634 Fewest rushing yards: Kansas City, 1,248 https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/ 2007 NFL Standings & Team Stats - Pro-Football-Reference.com Pro-Football-Reference.com April 28, 2018 live https://web.archive.org/web/20180426182942/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/ April 26, 2018 Defense Fewest points allowed: Indianapolis, 262 Most points allowed: Detroit, 444 Fewest total yards allowed: Pittsburgh, 4,262 Most total yards allowed: Detroit, 6,042 Fewest passing yards allowed: Tampa Bay, 2,725 Most passing yards allowed: Minnesota, 4,225 Fewest rushing yards allowed: Minnesota, 1,185 Most rushing yards allowed: Miami, 2,456 https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/opp.htm 2007 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com Pro-Football-Reference.com April 28, 2018 live https://web.archive.org/web/20170704175154/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/opp.htm July 4, 2017 Week/MonthOffensivePlayer of the Week/MonthDefensivePlayer of the Week/MonthSpecial TeamsPlayer of the Week/MonthAFCNFCAFCNFCAFCNFC1Chris Brown(Titans)Tony Romo(Cowboys)Mario Williams(Texans)Dewayne White(Lions)Ellis Hobbs(Patriots)Mason Crosby(Packers)2Derek Anderson(Browns)Brett Favre(Packers)Bob Sanders(Colts)Barrett Ruud(Buccaneers)Jason Elam(Broncos)Devin Hester(Bears)3Tom Brady(Patriots)Brian Westbrook(Eagles)Keith Bulluck(Titans)Anthony Henry(Cowboys)Yamon Figurs(Ravens)Lance Laury(Seahawks)4Daunte Culpepper(Raiders)Brett Favre(Packers)Jabari Greer(Bills)Osi Umenyiora(Giants)Dave Rayner(Chiefs)Steve Breaston(Cardinals)5Philip Rivers(Chargers)Jason Campbell(Redskins)Ike Taylor(Steelers)Roderick Hood(Cardinals)Kris Brown(Texans)Nick Folk(Cowboys)6Tom Brady(Patriots)Adrian Peterson(Vikings)Paul Spicer(Jaguars)Charles Woodson(Packers)Matt Stover(Ravens)Devin Hester(Bears)7Tom Brady(Patriots)Brian Griese(Bears)Dwight Freeney(Colts)Osi Umenyiora(Giants)Rob Bironas(Titans)Nate Burleson(Seahawks)8Joseph Addai(Colts)Drew Brees(Saints)Mike Vrabel(Patriots)Trent Cole(Eagles)Mike Scifres(Chargers)Jason Hanson(Lions)9Randy Moss(Patriots)Adrian Peterson(Vikings)James Harrison(Steelers)Shaun Rogers(Lions)Antonio Cromartie(Chargers)Shaun Suisham(Redskins)10Ben Roethlisberger(Steelers)Marc Bulger(Rams)Antonio Cromartie(Chargers)Karlos Dansby(Cardinals)Darren Sproles(Chargers)Morten Anderson(Falcons)11Randy Moss(Patriots)Terrell Owens(Cowboys)Shaun Ellis(Jets)Antrel Rolle(Cardinals)Glenn Martinez(Broncos)Tramon Williams(Packers)12Chad Johnson(Bengals)Frank Gore(49ers)Asante Samuel(Patriots)Dwight Smith(Vikings)Josh Scobee(Jaguars)Devin Hester(Bears)13Peyton Manning(Colts)Tony Romo(Cowboys)Shawne Merriman(Chargers)Lofa Tatupu(Seahawks)Rian Lindell(Bills)Aundrae Allison(Vikings) Head coach/front office changes Head coach Offseason The following teams hired new head coaches prior to the start of the 2007 season: Team 2007 Coach Former Coach Reason for leaving Notes Atlanta Falcons Bobby Petrino, former head coach, University of Louisville Jim Mora Fired Hired in 2004 and subsequently led the Falcons to the NFC Championship Game. However, Atlanta went 8–8 in 2005 before going 7–9 in 2006, losing their final three games. Arizona Cardinals Ken Whisenhunt, former offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers Dennis Green Fired Hired in 2004. However, the Cardinals suffered three consecutive losing seasons under him, including a loss to the Chicago Bears after blowing a 20-point lead that prompted Green to throw an infamous tirade during the post-game media conference saying, "They are who we thought they were, and we let em' off the hook!" Dallas Cowboys Wade Phillips, former defensive coordinator, San Diego Chargers Bill Parcells Retired Hired in 2003. Led the Cowboys to the playoffs in two of his four seasons as Dallas head coach. Miami Dolphins Cam Cameron, former offensive coordinator, San Diego Chargers Nick Saban Resigned to coach the University of Alabama Hired in 2005 and finished the year 9–7, narrowly missing the playoffs. Went 6–10 in 2006, first losing record as a head coach. Oakland Raiders Lane Kiffin, former offensive coordinator, Southern California Art Shell Fired Re-hired in 2006 after having previously served as Raiders head coach, 1989–94. However, in his only season back, the team finished with its worst record, 2–14, since 1963. Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Tomlin, former defensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings Bill Cowher Resigned Hired in 1992 and led the Steelers to an appearance in Super Bowl XXX and a victory in Super Bowl XL, resigning and eventually retiring to become an analyst for the NFL on CBS. San Diego Chargers Norv Turner, former offensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers Marty Schottenheimer Fired Hired in 2002. Led the Chargers to two playoff appearances, but a strained relationship with general manager A.J. Smith led to his ousting. In-season The following head coaches were fired or resigned during the 2007 season: Team Coach at start of the season Interim coach Reason for leaving Notes Atlanta Falcons Bobby Petrino Emmitt Thomas Resigned Petrino resigned after going 3–10 to take job at University of Arkansas; Thomas took over and went 1–2 as interim coach. Front office Offseason Team Position 2006 office holder Reason for leaving 2007 replacement NotesNew York GiantsGMErnie AccorsiRetiredJerry Reese Jerry Reese succeeded Accorsi as general manager on January 16, 2007. He was the director of player personnel for the Giants from 2002 until he became general manager.Tennessee Titans GMFloyd ReeseResigned Mike Reinfeldt Floyd Reese resigned (was forced out) following disputes with owner Bud Adams and coach Jeff Fisher about the direction of the team. He had been general manager since 1994, when the franchise was still the Houston Oilers. Stadiums The 2007 season was the last in the RCA Dome for the Indianapolis Colts, who had played there since 1984. The franchise moved to the new Lucas Oil Stadium in time for the 2008 season, located directly across the street. The dome would be demolished, and an extension to the Indiana Convention Center would replace the stadium. Alltel Stadium reverts to Jacksonville Municipal Stadium after Alltel declines to renew the naming rights of the Jacksonville Jaguars's home. Uniforms and patches This was the last season in which the classic NFL Shield logo, which had not changed since 1980, was used. An updated version first seen on August 31 in USA Today was put into use starting with the 2008 NFL draft in April.https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-08-30-shield-change_N.htm NFL to revamp shield with redesigned logo USA Today Michael McCarthy August 31, 2007 April 22, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20110822015141/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2007-08-30-shield-change_N.htm August 22, 2011 live The new logo design features eight stars (one for each division) instead of the current 25 stars, the football now resembles that on the top of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, given to the Super Bowl champion and the lettering and point has been updated and modified to that of the league's current typeface for other logos. Teams that have permanent captains are allowed to wear a "C" patch (similar to those in ice hockey) on their right shoulder. The patch is in team colors with four stars under the "C." A gold star is placed on a bar below the "C" signaling how many years (with a maximum of four years) that player has been captain. The Pittsburgh Steelers—who were using up two patches as it was for the season with their own logo (which was already part of the standard uniforms) and the team's 75th anniversary logo—and Oakland Raiders elected not to use the "C" patch. The San Diego Chargers introduced new uniforms featuring white helmets, navy face masks, and revamped gold lightning bolts. A powder blue third jersey was also introduced. San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan and Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio each wore suits on the sidelines for all of the teams' home games to honor Nolan's father, former 49ers and Saints coach Dick Nolan. In 2006, both coaches were allowed to wear a suit on the sidelines for a maximum of two home games. Del Rio did not wear a suit in the September 16 game against the Falcons due to the extreme heat in Jacksonville that day. Nolan wore a suit at the Meadowlands against the Giants on October 21. The Washington Redskins celebrated their 75th anniversary season (the franchise having been founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves), and wore Vince Lombardi-styled uniforms against the New York Giants on September 23. The Philadelphia Eagles and their cross-state rival Pittsburgh Steelers also celebrated their respective 75th seasons, having been founded in 1933. The Eagles wore replicas of their inaugural season uniforms against the Detroit Lions on September 23, while the Steelers wore 1960 uniforms against the Buffalo Bills on September 16 and did so again when the Baltimore Ravens visited on November 5. Throwback uniforms were not just limited to team anniversary celebrations. The Cleveland Browns wore their 1957 throwbacks in a game against the Houston Texans on November 25, the Minnesota Vikings wore 1970s uniforms against the Green Bay Packers on September 30 (in the same game that Brett Favre passed Dan Marino for most touchdown passes in NFL history), while the Jets honored their historic predecessors on October 14 against the Eagles and, in a rare instance, wore them in a road game at Miami December 2 by wearing the New York Titans' 1960 through 1962 uniforms. The team did not become the Jets until 1963. The Cowboys wore their 1960 uniforms on November 29 against the Packers, and the Bills wore their 1960s throwbacks at home against Dallas October 7 and against Miami December 9. The 49ers also honored the late Bill Walsh, coach of their wins in Super Bowls XVI, XIX, and XXIII by wearing throwback uniforms from the 1980s in their opener on September 10 against the Arizona Cardinals. Mike Nolan had been considering wearing the 1980s uniforms for the entire season to honor Walsh's memory. The retro uniforms were worn again on November 18 against the Seahawks. In addition, all season long, the team wore a black football-shaped decal on their helmets with the initials "BW" in white. The Kansas City Chiefs honored their late former owner and team founder Lamar Hunt by wearing special American Football League logo patches on their jerseys with the letters "LH" emblazoned inside the logo's football. Originally meant to be a one-season tribute, the Chiefs announced that as of the 2008 NFL season, the patch will be a permanent fixture on the jerseys, joining the Chicago Bears (for George Halas) and Cleveland Browns (for Al Lerner) for such memorial patches. Television NFL on television The 2007 season marked the second year under the league's television contracts with its American broadcast partners. CBS and Fox primarily televised Sunday afternoon AFC and NFC away games, respectively. NBC broadcast Sunday Night Football, ESPN aired Monday Night Football, and NFL Network held the rights to Thursday Night Football. The pre-game shows made some changes, with former Steelers coach Bill Cowher joining host James Brown, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino on CBS' The NFL Today. On Fox, after one season on the road, Fox NFL Sunday returned to Los Angeles as Curt Menefee took over as full-time host. Chris Rose, who had been doing in-game updates of other NFL games, was reverted to a part-time play-by-play role. thumb|300px|New England takes on San Diego in the AFC Championship Game The biggest changes were at NBC and ESPN. Michael Irvin's contract with ESPN was not renewed, and former coach Bill Parcells returned to the network after four years as Cowboys head coach. Parcells left before the season ended to become the Miami Dolphins VP of Player Personnel. Another pair of former Cowboys, Emmitt Smith and Keyshawn Johnson also provided roles in the studio for Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown. At Monday Night Football, Joe Theismann was dropped (and would later resign from the network) after seventeen years in the booth between the Sunday and Monday Night packages, and former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback and current Philadelphia Soul (AFL) president Ron Jaworski took his place alongside Mike Tirico and Tony Kornheiser. Part of the reason that Jaworski replaced Theismann was because of his chemistry with Kornheiser on Pardon the Interruption, where Jaworski was a frequent guest during the football season. NBC's Football Night in America also made two changes. MSNBC Countdown anchor Keith Olbermann joined Bob Costas and Cris Collinsworth as another co-host, while Sterling Sharpe exited as a studio analyst, and former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber replaced him. In another change, Faith Hill took over singing "Waiting All Day For Sunday Night" for Pink. In the second year of the NFL Network's "Run to the Playoffs", Marshall Faulk and Deion Sanders replaced Dick Vermeil for two games when Collinsworth was unavailable. An unforced change saw Bryant Gumbel miss the Broncos–Texans game December 13 due to a sore throat and NBC announcer Tom Hammond step into Gumbel's play-by-play role in what turned out to be more or less a preview of one of NBC's Wild Card Game announcing teams. Controversy surrounding NFL Network coverage NFL Network#2007 Patriots vs. Giants controversy 2007 New England Patriots–New York Giants game The dispute between the NFL Network and various cable companies involving the distribution of the cable channel continued throughout the season, getting the attention of government officials when the NFL Network was scheduled to televise two high-profile regular season games: the Packers-Cowboys game on November 29 and the Patriots-Giants game on December 29. In the case of the Packers-Cowboys game, the carriage was so limited that even Governor of Wisconsin Jim Doyle went to his brother's house to watch the game on satellite (which is where the majority of the viewers watch the network). The contest drew a network record 10.1 million viewers, a high-water mark at that time. Some politicians urged the league to seek a resolution to conflict. In December, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking for the league to settle their differences in time for the Patriots-Giants game. Because the game, as it turned out, would be the Patriots' attempt to seal the record that would make them the first undefeated team in 35 years, Kerry urged for a solution to be decided upon in time so that Americans can witness "an historic event".http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/12/kerry_presses_t.html The Boston Globe Mike Reiss Kerry presses on NFL Network December 6, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20110810174649/http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/12/kerry_presses_t.html August 10, 2011 dead Also, Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter threatened to introduce legislation to eliminate the league's freedom from antitrust laws.https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/07/AR2006120701608.html The Washington Post Specter Wants to Revisit NFL's Antitrust Status December 8, 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20121105131715/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/07/AR2006120701608.html November 5, 2012 live On December 26, the NFL announced that, despite initial plans to broadcast the game only on the NFL Network, the game would be presented in a three-network simulcast with both CBS and NBC, the first time an NFL game would be broadcast on three networks, and the first simulcast of any pro football game since Super Bowl I.Patriots' historic game to be available to all of America, after all NFL.com. Retrieved December 26, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20110918115033/http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80579400&template=with-video&confirm=true September 18, 2011 Nielsen ratings saw CBS with 15.7 million viewers, NBC with 13.2 million viewers and NFL Network with 4.5 million viewers for the game. In addition, local stations in New York City (WWOR-TV in nearby Secaucus, New Jersey), Boston (WCVB-TV), and Manchester, New Hampshire (WMUR-TV), all previously signed on to carry the game in the teams' home markets, added 1.2 million viewers, making it the most watched television show since the 2007 Oscars and the most watched regular season NFL telecast in twelve years. Notes note References External links Football Outsiders 2007 DVOA Ratings https://web.archive.org/web/20230106194830/https://www.footballoutsiders.com/dvoa-ratings/2007/final-2007-dvoa-ratings January 6, 2023 Category:NFL seasons National Football League