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Beginning in the 1970 NFL season, the National Football League began scheduling a weekly regular season game on Monday night before a national television audience. From 1970-2005, the ABC television network carried these games, with the ESPN cable television network taking over beginning in September 2006. Listed below are games played from 1990 to 2009.

Overtime Result

Stadiums and teams appearing under different names[]

Some stadiums and teams had multiple names throughout their appearances in the MNF package in this era. All names listed were seen in the package at least once in this era.

First name listed is the current (or final if it does not exist anymore) name for each team and stadium.

Stadiums[]

Teams[]

1990s[]

1990 NFL season[]

The November 12 game between the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles is known as the infamous Body Bag Game, in which Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan promised a beating so severe, that the Redskins would have to be "hauled off in body bags." The Redskins had the last laugh, however, as these two teams met in the same stadium on the same network in the Wild Card playoffs - the first ever such game aired on ABC. The Redskins won 20-6.

The December 31 game started at 8:00 PM EST rather than 9:00 PM EST to allow New Year's Rockin' Eve to air as normal.

Super Bowl XXV is best remembered for its "final" play - Scott Norwood of the Buffalo Bills missed what would have been the game-winning field goal, as it sailed wide right.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 10 San Francisco 49ers 13-12 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday September 17 Kansas City Chiefs 23-24 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday September 24 Buffalo Bills 30-7 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday October 1 Cincinnati Bengals 16-31 Seattle Seahawks Kingdome
Monday October 8 Cleveland Browns 30-29 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday October 15 Minnesota Vikings 24-32 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday October 22 Cincinnati Bengals 13-34 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Stadium
Monday October 29 Los Angeles Rams 10-41 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday November 5 New York Giants 24-7 Indianapolis Colts Hoosier Dome
Monday November 12 Washington Redskins 14-28 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday November 19 Los Angeles Raiders 13-10 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday November 26 Buffalo Bills 24-27 Houston Oilers The Astrodome
Monday December 3 New York Giants 3-7 San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park
Monday December 10 Los Angeles Raiders 38-31 Detroit Lions Pontiac Silverdome
Monday December 17 San Francisco 49ers 26-10 Los Angeles Rams Anaheim Stadium
Saturday December 22 Washington Redskins 28-35 Indianapolis Colts Hoosier Dome
Monday December 31 Los Angeles Rams 17-20 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 5 Washington Redskins 20-6 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 5 Kansas City Chiefs 16-17 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Sunday January 27 Buffalo Bills 19-20 New York Giants Tampa Stadium (Super Bowl XXV)

1991 NFL season[]

The November 25 game was the last MNF game played in the Los Angeles area, as well as the last appearance for the Los Angeles Rams before moving to St. Louis in 1995.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 2 San Francisco 49ers 14-16 New York Giants Giants Stadium
Monday September 9 Washington Redskins 33-31 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday September 16 Kansas City Chiefs 7-17 Houston Oilers The Astrodome
Monday September 23 New York Jets 13-19 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday September 30 Philadelphia Eagles 0-23 Washington Redskins Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Monday October 7 Buffalo Bills 6-33 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday October 14 New York Giants 23-20 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday October 21 Cincinnati Bengals 16-35 Buffalo Bills Rich Stadium
Monday October 28 Los Angeles Raiders 21-24 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday November 4 New York Giants 7-30 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday November 11 Chicago Bears 34-17 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday November 18 Buffalo Bills 41-27 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday November 25 San Francisco 49ers 33-10 Los Angeles Rams Anaheim Stadium
Monday December 2 Philadelphia Eagles 13-6 Houston Oilers The Astrodome
Monday December 9 Cincinnati Bengals 13-37 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday December 16 Los Angeles Raiders 0-27 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday December 23 Chicago Bears 14-52 San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday December 28 Los Angeles Raiders 6-10 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday December 28 Atlanta Falcons 27-20 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome (NFC Wild Card)

1992 NFL season[]

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 7 Washington Redskins 10-23 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday September 14 Miami Dolphins 27-23 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Stadium
Monday September 21 New York Giants 27-14 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday September 28 Los Angeles Raiders 7-27 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday October 5 Dallas Cowboys 7-31 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday October 12 Denver Broncos 3-34 Washington Redskins Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Monday October 19 Cincinnati Bengals 0-20 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday October 26 Buffalo Bills 24-20 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday November 2 Minnesota Vikings 38-10 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday November 9 San Francisco 49ers 41-3 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday November 16 Buffalo Bills 26-20 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday November 23 Washington Redskins 3-20 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday November 30 Denver Broncos 13-16 Seattle Seahawks Kingdome
Monday December 7 Chicago Bears 7-24 Houston Oilers The Astrodome
Monday December 14 Los Angeles Raiders 7-20 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday December 21 Dallas Cowboys 41-17 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday December 28 Detroit Lions 6-24 San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 2 Washington Redskins 24-7 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 2 Kansas City Chiefs 0-17 San Diego Chargers Jack Murphy Stadium (AFC Wild Card)

Monday Night Football celebrated the 100th anniversary of nighttime football on September 28, 1992 with a game between the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.[1] The first recorded night football game was the 1892 Wyoming Seminary vs. Mansfield State Normal football game and ended at halftime with a 0-0 tie.[2]

1993 NFL season[]

The September 6 game marked the first time in 10 years that the Redskins hosted the Cowboys on MNF rather than visiting them. At the time, it was the most frequently seen match-up on the series, and it would be the last time these two teams played each other on MNF at RFK Stadium.

The September 13 game was the last win for the Cleveland Browns (who had won the very first MNF game in 1970) on the ABC program, and last win overall until 2008.

The October 18 game marked the first of nine meetings between the Raiders and Broncos on MNF over an 11-year span, seven of these games being played in Denver.

During the January 3 game, the Eagles missed a game-winning field goal as the overtime period expired, which would have left the game a tie. However, a penalty against the 49ers allowed a re-kick, and the Eagles were granted one untimed down. On the second attempt, the field goal was good and the deadlock was barely averted, preserving the fourth of what would eventually be seven consecutive tie-free seasons.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 6 Dallas Cowboys 16-35 Washington Redskins Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Monday September 13 San Francisco 49ers 13-23 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Stadium
Monday September 20 Denver Broncos 7-15 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday September 27 Pittsburgh Steelers 45-17 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday October 4 Washington Redskins 10-17 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday October 11 Houston Oilers 7-35 Buffalo Bills Rich Stadium
Monday October 18 Los Angeles Raiders 23-20 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday October 25 Minnesota Vikings 19-12 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday November 1 Washington Redskins 10-24 Buffalo Bills Rich Stadium
Monday November 8 Green Bay Packers 16-23 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday November 15 Buffalo Bills 0-23 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday November 22 New Orleans Saints 7-42 San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park
Monday November 29 San Diego Chargers 31-0 Indianapolis Colts Hoosier Dome
Monday December 6 Philadelphia Eagles 17-23 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday December 13 Pittsburgh Steelers 21-20 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday December 20 New York Giants 24-14 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday December 27 Miami Dolphins 20-45 San Diego Chargers Jack Murphy Stadium
Monday January 3 Philadelphia Eagles 37-34 San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 8 Green Bay Packers 28-24 Detroit Lions Pontiac Silverdome (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 8 Pittsburgh Steelers 24-27 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium (AFC Wild Card)

1994 NFL season[]

In the September 5 game, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice broke Jim Brown's touchdown record.

The first two-point conversion in MNF history came on September 12, when Chicago Bears quarterback Erik Kramer threw a pass to Curtis Conway.[3]

The October 17 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos featured a quarterback matchup between Joe Montana and John Elway. Montana led the Chiefs to a 75-yard game-winning drive with 8 seconds left.

The October 31 game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears was played in a driving rain with wind gusts up to 36 mph. Coincidentally, it also marked the 11th anniversary of the death of former Bears player, coach and owner George Halas.

The November 7 game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys included a fight between several players from both teams, including safety James Washington grabbing and swinging a cameraman's tripod.

The November 21 game was the first for Jeff Fisher as coach of the Houston Oilers. He would remain with the franchise through the end of the 2010 season, by which point they had become the Tennessee Titans.

The December 12 game would be re-matched later that month in the Wild Card playoffs in the same stadium, and on the same network.

The December 19 game between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints was the first NFL start for Larry Allen, who replaced Erik Williams after he suffered season-ending injuries from an automobile accident. Allen provided a memorable play early in the game when Saints cornerback Darien Conner intercepted a Troy Aikman pass and looked to be on his way to a breakaway touchdown. However, the 325-lb. Allen surprisingly ran Conner down from behind short of the end zone.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 5 Los Angeles Raiders 14-44 San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park
Monday September 12 Chicago Bears 22-30 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday September 19 Detroit Lions 20-17 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday September 26 Denver Broncos 20-27 Buffalo Bills Rich Stadium
Monday October 3 Houston Oilers 14-30 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday October 10 Minnesota Vikings 27-10 New York Giants Giants Stadium
Monday October 17 Kansas City Chiefs 31-28 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday October 24 Houston Oilers 6-21 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday October 31 Green Bay Packers 33-6 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday November 7 New York Giants 10-38 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday November 14 Buffalo Bills 10-23 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday November 21 New York Giants 13-10 Houston Oilers The Astrodome
Monday November 28 San Francisco 49ers 35-14 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday December 5 Los Angeles Raiders 24-17 San Diego Chargers Jack Murphy Stadium
Monday December 12 Kansas City Chiefs 28-45 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday December 19 Dallas Cowboys 24-16 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday December 26 San Francisco 49ers 14-21 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday December 31 Detroit Lions 12-16 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday December 31 Kansas City Chiefs 17-27 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Sunday January 29 San Diego Chargers 26-49 San Francisco 49ers Joe Robbie Stadium (Super Bowl XXIX)

1995 NFL season[]

In the September 11 game, Packers quarterback Brett Favre threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Robert Brooks. It was the eighth 99-yard touchdown pass in NFL history.

In the October 9 game, Chiefs kick returner Tamarick Vanover returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown to win the game for the Chiefs.

The November 13 game between the Browns and Steelers was played one week after Browns owner Art Modell announced that he would be moving the team to Baltimore for the 1996 season.

Some portions of the December 25 Cowboys-Cardinals game were used in the 1996 film, Jerry Maguire.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 4 Dallas Cowboys 35-0 New York Giants Giants Stadium
Monday September 11 Green Bay Packers 27-24 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday September 18 Pittsburgh Steelers 10-23 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday September 25 San Francisco 49ers 24-27 Detroit Lions Pontiac Silverdome
Monday October 2 Buffalo Bills 22-19 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Stadium
Monday October 9 San Diego Chargers 23-29 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday October 16 Oakland Raiders 0-27 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday October 23 Buffalo Bills 14-27 New England Patriots Foxboro Stadium
Monday October 30 Chicago Bears 14-6 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday November 6 Philadelphia Eagles 12-34 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday November 13 Cleveland Browns 3-20 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday November 20 San Francisco 49ers 44-20 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday November 27 Oakland Raiders 6-12 San Diego Chargers Jack Murphy Stadium
Monday December 4 Chicago Bears 7-27 Detroit Lions Pontiac Silverdome
Monday December 11 Kansas City Chiefs 6-13 Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie Stadium
Monday December 18 Minnesota Vikings 30-37 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park
Monday December 25 Dallas Cowboys 37-13 Arizona Cardinals Sun Devil Stadium

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday December 30 Miami Dolphins 22-37 Buffalo Bills Rich Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday December 30 Detroit Lions 37-58 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium (NFC Wild Card)

1996 NFL season[]

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 2 Dallas Cowboys 6-22 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday September 9 Philadelphia Eagles 13-39 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday September 16 Buffalo Bills 6-24 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday September 23 Miami Dolphins 6-10 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday September 30 Dallas Cowboys 23-19 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday October 7 Pittsburgh Steelers 17-7 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday October 14 San Francisco 49ers 20-23 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday October 21 Oakland Raiders 23-14 San Diego Chargers Jack Murphy Stadium
Monday October 28 Chicago Bears 15-13 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday November 4 Denver Broncos 22-21 Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Monday November 11 Detroit Lions 21-27 San Diego Chargers Jack Murphy Stadium
Monday November 18 Green Bay Packers 6-21 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday November 25 Pittsburgh Steelers 24-17 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday December 2 San Francisco 49ers 34-10 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday December 9 Kansas City Chiefs 7-26 Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Monday December 16 Buffalo Bills 14-16 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday December 23 Detroit Lions 14-24 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday December 28 Jacksonville Jaguars 30-27 Buffalo Bills Rich Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday December 28 Minnesota Vikings 15-40 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium (NFC Wild Card)

1997 NFL season[]

The September 22 game between the Steelers and the Jaguars (playing on Monday night for the first time in their short history) had one of the craziest endings in MNF history. The Jaguars were up 2 with almost no time left and Pittsburgh tried a field goal. Jacksonville blocked it and Chris Hudson returned it the other way for a touchdown. During the return, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher cocked his fist back like he was going to throw a punch at Hudson when he was running down the Steelers sideline for the winning score . The extra point was finally kicked about 15 minutes after ABC signed off.

The October 27 game between the Bears and the Dolphins was rescheduled because Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, which featured the Florida Marlins, had to play at Pro Player Stadium on Sunday night, when the Dolphins originally were slated to host the Bears. Therefore, the game was moved to Monday night and was played simultaneously with the Packers-Patriots game (a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI, the only time MNF aired a rematch of a Super Bowl from the year before). After the conclusion of the Packer game, viewers were not taken to the conclusion of the close Bears win but instead went to local news. Because the Bears-Dolphins game was intended to be played Sunday on Fox (which aired Super Bowl XXXI, at the time the network's highest-rated program ever, and would have aired the Packers-Patriots game if it was played on Sunday afternoon as well), this marked a rare time in history where the Dolphins wore their road jerseys in a nighttime home game.

The November 10 game between the 49ers and the Eagles was the infamous game in which a fan had fired off a flare gun in Veterans Stadium, leading to the introduction of the court in the stadium.

The December 15 game between the 49ers and the Broncos is remembered for an incident where Bronco linebacker (and former 49er) Bill Romanowski spitting in the face of 49er wide receiver J.J. Stokes.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 1 Chicago Bears 24-38 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday September 8 Kansas City Chiefs 28-27 Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Monday September 15 Philadelphia Eagles 20-21 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday September 22 Pittsburgh Steelers 21-30 Jacksonville Jaguars Alltel Stadium
Monday September 29 San Francisco 49ers 34-21 Carolina Panthers Ericsson Stadium
Monday October 6 New England Patriots 13-34 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday October 13 Dallas Cowboys 16-21 Washington Redskins Jack Kent Cooke Stadium
Monday October 20 Buffalo Bills 9-6 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday October 27 Green Bay Packers 28-10 New England Patriots Foxboro Stadium
Monday October 27 Chicago Bears 36-33 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday November 3 Pittsburgh Steelers 10-13 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday November 10 San Francisco 49ers 24-12 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday November 17 Buffalo Bills 13-30 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday November 24 Oakland Raiders 3-31 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday December 1 Green Bay Packers 27-11 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday December 8 Carolina Panthers 23-13 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday December 15 Denver Broncos 17-34 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park
Monday December 22 New England Patriots 14-12 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday December 27 Minnesota Vikings 23-22 New York Giants Giants Stadium (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday December 27 Jacksonville Jaguars 17-42 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium (AFC Wild Card)

1998 NFL season[]

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 7 New England Patriots 21-27 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday September 14 San Francisco 49ers 45-10 Washington Redskins Jack Kent Cooke Stadium
Monday September 21 Dallas Cowboys 31-7 New York Giants Giants Stadium
Monday September 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-27 Detroit Lions Pontiac Silverdome
Monday October 5 Minnesota Vikings 37-24 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday October 12 Miami Dolphins 21-28 Jacksonville Jaguars Alltel Stadium
Monday October 19 New York Jets 24-14 New England Patriots Foxboro Stadium
Monday October 26 Pittsburgh Steelers 20-13 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday November 2 Dallas Cowboys 34-0 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday November 9 Green Bay Packers 20-27 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday November 16 Denver Broncos 30-7 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday November 23 Miami Dolphins 23-26 New England Patriots Foxboro Stadium
Monday November 30 New York Giants 7-31 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park
Monday December 7 Green Bay Packers 22-24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday December 14 Detroit Lions 13-34 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park
Monday December 21 Denver Broncos 21-31 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday December 28 Pittsburgh Steelers 3-20 Jacksonville Jaguars Alltel Stadium

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 2 Buffalo Bills 17-24 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 2 Arizona Cardinals 20-7 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium (NFC Wild Card)

1999 NFL season[]

The September 27 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals is remembered for Aeneas Williams' knockdown of Steve Young that resulted in a career-ending concussion.

The AFC Wild Card game on January 8 is remembered for a lateral on a kickoff return that gave the Titans the win. It is called the Music City Miracle.

Super Bowl XXXIV came down to the final play - Kevin Dyson of the Titans was stopped just short of the end zone, preserving the victory for the Rams.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 13 Miami Dolphins 38-21 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday September 20 Atlanta Falcons 7-24 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday September 27 San Francisco 49ers 24-10 Arizona Cardinals Sun Devil Stadium
Monday October 4 Buffalo Bills 23-18 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday October 11 Jacksonville Jaguars 16-6 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday October 18 Dallas Cowboys 10-13 New York Giants Giants Stadium
Monday October 25 Atlanta Falcons 9-13 Pittsburgh Steelers Three Rivers Stadium
Monday November 1 Seattle Seahawks 27-7 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday November 8 Dallas Cowboys 17-27 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday November 15 New York Jets 24-17 New England Patriots Foxboro Stadium
Monday November 22 Oakland Raiders 21-27 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday November 29 Green Bay Packers 20-3 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park
Monday December 6 Minnesota Vikings 17-24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday December 13 Denver Broncos 24-27 Jacksonville Jaguars Alltel Stadium
Monday December 20 Green Bay Packers 20-24 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday December 27 New York Jets 38-31 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday January 3 San Francisco 49ers 29-34 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 8 Buffalo Bills 16-22 Tennessee Titans Adelphia Coliseum (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 8 Detroit Lions 13-27 Washington Redskins Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (NFC Wild Card)
Sunday January 30 St. Louis Rams 23-16 Tennessee Titans Georgia Dome (Super Bowl XXXIV)

2000s[]

2000 NFL season[]

The September 4 game marked the first MNF appearance for the previous season's Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams since moving from Los Angeles in 1995, and the first MNF game in St. Louis in fourteen years.

The week after that, the Jets hosted the Patriots - one full year before the September 11 attacks devastated New York City, among other places.

The September 25 game marked Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's debut in Monday Night Football.

The October 16 game was the first actual Monday night game in Nashville, making the Hank Williams Jr. opening theme even more appropriate as Nashville is a hotbed for country music, which Willams plays.

The October 23 game between the Dolphins and the Jets featured the "The Monday Night Miracle", when Vinny Testaverde led the Jets to 30 points in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime. John Hall kicked the game-winning field goal, finishing the second-biggest comeback in NFL history.

In overtime of the November 6 game between the Vikings and the Packers, Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman slipped on the wet grass, while Vikings cornerback Cris Dishman deflected the pass at the 20 yard line. The ball bounced off Freeman's shoulder, he rolled over, and it fell into his chest and right hand without touching the ground. While Dishman agonized over what he thought should have been an interception, Freeman stood up and ran for the end zone, scoring the game-winning touchdown. The play was replayed and allowed. Al Michaels call on the game-winning play: "He did WHAT????"

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Home Team Stadium
Monday September 4 Denver Broncos 36-41 St. Louis Rams Trans World Dome
Monday September 11 New England Patriots 19-20 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday September 18 Dallas Cowboys 27-21 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday September 25 Jacksonville Jaguars 14-43 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday October 2 Seattle Seahawks 17-24 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday October 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-30 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday October 16 Jacksonville Jaguars 13-27 Tennessee Titans Adelphia Coliseum
Monday October 23 Miami Dolphins 37-40 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday October 30 Tennessee Titans 27-21 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday November 6 Minnesota Vikings 20-26 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday November 13 Oakland Raiders 24-27 Denver Broncos Mile High Stadium
Monday November 20 Washington Redskins 33-20 St. Louis Rams Trans World Dome
Monday November 27 Green Bay Packers 14-31 Carolina Panthers Ericsson Stadium
Monday December 4 Kansas City Chiefs 24-30 New England Patriots Foxboro Stadium
Monday December 11 Buffalo Bills 20-44 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday December 18 St. Louis Rams 35-38 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday December 25 Dallas Cowboys 0-31 Tennessee Titans Adelphia Coliseum

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday December 30 Indianapolis Colts 17-23 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday December 30 St. Louis Rams 28-31 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome (NFC Wild Card)

2001 NFL season[]

The September 17 game between the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens (what would have been the Ravens' first appearance on MNF) was rescheduled to January 7 as the entire slate of week 2 games was postponed after the September 11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center and The Pentagon.

The September 24 game was not only the first MNF game since the attacks, it was also a rematch of one of the most significant games in the program's history - 18 years before at Lambeau Field, the Redskins and Packers combined for 95 points, more than any other Monday night game before or since (the Packers won 48-47, on a last second Jan Stenerud field goal).

The October 1 game was the first Monday night game in the NYC area since the attacks. A tribute to the rescue workers at the World Trade Center site was held before the game.

Denver Broncos kicker Jason Elam recorded the 20,000th point scored in MNF history when he kicked a field goal in the Broncos' 38-28 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Due to Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve falling on Mondays in 2001, the NFL did not schedule games for those days. Instead, ABC aired Saturday night games on those weekends. The former weekend also had games on CBS and Fox that Saturday, marking one of the few times (until 2006) that three different over-the-air networks aired NFL games on the same day.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Monday September 10 New York Giants 20-31 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday September 24 Washington Redskins 0-37 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday October 1 San Francisco 49ers 19-17 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday October 8 St. Louis Rams 35-0 Detroit Lions Pontiac Silverdome
Monday October 15 Washington Redskins 7-9 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday October 22 Philadelphia Eagles 10-9 New York Giants Giants Stadium
Monday October 29 Tennessee Titans 7-34 Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field
Monday November 5 Denver Broncos 28-38 Oakland Raiders Network Associates Coliseum
Monday November 12 Baltimore Ravens 16-10 Tennessee Titans Adelphia Coliseum
Monday November 19 New York Giants 16-28 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday November 26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-17 St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome
Monday December 3 Green Bay Packers 28-21 Jacksonville Jaguars Alltel Stadium
Monday December 10 Indianapolis Colts 6-41 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday December 17 St. Louis Rams 34-21 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Saturday December 22 Tennessee Titans 13-10 Oakland Raiders Network Associates Coliseum
Saturday December 29 Baltimore Ravens 10-22 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday January 7 Minnesota Vikings 3-19 Baltimore Ravens PSINet Stadium

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-31 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 12 New York Jets 24-38 Oakland Raiders Network Associates Coliseum (AFC Wild Card)

2002 NFL season[]

During the October 14 game between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, wide receiver Terrell Owens pulled out a Sharpie following a touchdown and autographed the football.

The November 11 game between the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos marked the 500th Monday Night game. In commemoration, ABC used various themes and images of varied opens during commercial bumpers.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Monday September 9 Pittsburgh Steelers 14-30 New England Patriots Gillette Stadium
Monday September 16 Philadelphia Eagles 37-7 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday September 23 St. Louis Rams 14-26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday September 30 Denver Broncos 23-34 Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium
Monday October 7 Green Bay Packers 34-21 Chicago Bears Memorial Stadium
Monday October 14 San Francisco 49ers 28-21 Seattle Seahawks Seahawks Stadium
Monday October 21 Indianapolis Colts 10-28 Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field
Monday October 28 New York Giants 3-17 Philadelphia Eagles Veterans Stadium
Monday November 4 Miami Dolphins 10-24 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday November 11 Oakland Raiders 34-10 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday November 18 Chicago Bears 16-21 St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome
Monday November 25 Philadelphia Eagles 38-17 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park
Monday December 2 New York Jets 20-26 Oakland Raiders Network Associates Coliseum
Monday December 9 Chicago Bears 9-27 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday December 16 New England Patriots 7-24 Tennessee Titans Adelphia Coliseum
Monday December 23 Pittsburgh Steelers 17-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday December 30 San Francisco 49ers 20-31 St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 4 Indianapolis Colts 0-41 New York Jets Giants Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 4 Atlanta Falcons 27-7 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field (NFC Wild Card)
Sunday January 26 Oakland Raiders 48-21 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Qualcomm Stadium (Super Bowl XXXVII)

2003 NFL season[]

Under a new NFL policy, the NFL officially adopted a Thursday night game to open the season (something that was done for the first time the previous season), and no Monday night game in Week 17. The change was designed to maximize opportunities for scheduling between Week 17 and the opening week of the playoffs; in this way, no team could be disadvantaged by potentially having only four days between their final regular season game and a playoff game. Also, the ratings for the last game of the regular season were often low, and the game usually had no playoff meaning (the most likely reason for the scheduling move). To compensate for losing the opening night game (which was successful enough to be upgraded from cable to network television after only one year), ESPN got the Week 17 game that previously was on Monday Night, and aired it on Saturday.

The season saw two improbable comebacks occur. The Giants led their game with the Cowboys 32-29 with ten seconds left. An out-of-bounds kickoff allowed Dallas to quickly get into field goal position and force overtime. Dallas' Billy Cundiff tied an NFL record with seven field goals. Three weeks later, Indianapolis trailed Tampa Bay 35-14 with 3:43 remaining. They scored three touchdowns in the closing minutes and won in overtime after an unsportsmanlike "leaping" call negated a field goal miss by the Colts. Ironically, Simeon Rice, the player charged with "leaping", would later play for the Colts in 2007.

The Buccaneers-Eagles game was the very first regular season game at Lincoln Financial Field, the third straight year that MNF opened with a stadium's first ever regular season game (following Invesco Field in 2001 and Gillette Stadium in 2002).

The Dolphins-Chargers game was played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona because the Cedar Fire in California forced evacuees to Qualcomm Stadium. Ironically, this was supposed to be the homecoming for former Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who was playing for Miami at the time.

All AFC West teams appeared on the program in a span of three weeks: the Chiefs played at the Raiders on October 20, the aforementioned Dolphins-Chargers game, and the Patriots-Broncos game on November 3. It was the first time since the realignment that MNF featured all of a division's teams in a 3-week span.

The Packers-Raiders game was played the day after the death of the father of quarterback Brett Favre. In an inspiring performance, Favre threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in the Packers' rout.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Thursday September 4 New York Jets 13-16 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday September 8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-0 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday September 15 Dallas Cowboys 35-32 New York Giants Giants Stadium
Monday September 22 Oakland Raiders 10-31 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday September 29 Green Bay Packers 38-23 Chicago Bears Soldier Field
Monday October 6 Indianapolis Colts 38-35 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday October 13 Atlanta Falcons 0-36 St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome
Monday October 20 Kansas City Chiefs 17-10 Oakland Raiders McAfee Coliseum
Monday October 27 Miami Dolphins 26-10 San Diego Chargers Sun Devil Stadium
Monday November 3 New England Patriots 30-26 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday November 10 Philadelphia Eagles 17-14 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday November 17 Pittsburgh Steelers 14-30 San Francisco 49ers 3Com Park
Monday November 24 New York Giants 13-19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium
Monday December 1 Tennessee Titans 17-24 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday December 8 St. Louis Rams 26-20 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Stadium
Monday December 15 Philadelphia Eagles 34-27 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday December 22 Green Bay Packers 41-7 Oakland Raiders McAfee Coliseum

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 3 Tennessee Titans 20-17 Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 3 Dallas Cowboys 10-29 Carolina Panthers Ericsson Stadium (NFC Wild Card)

2004 NFL season[]

The Eagles-Cowboys game drew controversy when ABC aired a risqué pregame skit featuring Eagles receiver Terrell Owens and Desperate Housewives actress Nicollette Sheridan. Owens caught three touchdowns in the game.

The Miami Dolphins pulled off a classic upset over the New England Patriots on December 20. Trailing 17-28 with 3:59 left, the Dolphins drove 68 yards to score on Sammy Morris' 1-yard run with 2:07 remaining, and then on a third down play, Tom Brady threw as he was being sacked by Jason Taylor. The ill-advised, off-balance pass sailed directly to linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, giving Miami a first down at the Patriots' 21 with 1:45 to go. Three plays later, A.J. Feeley threw for the game-winning score, a 21-yard pass to Derrius Thompson on fourth-and-10 with 1:23 left. The Dolphins wore orange jerseys for only the second time in team history.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Thursday September 9 Indianapolis Colts 24-27 New England Patriots Gillette Stadium
Monday September 13 Green Bay Packers 24-14 Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium
Monday September 20 Minnesota Vikings 16-27 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday September 27 Dallas Cowboys 21-18 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday October 4 Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium
Monday October 11 Tennessee Titans 48-27 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday October 18 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21-28 St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome
Monday October 25 Denver Broncos 10-23 Cincinnati Bengals Paul Brown Stadium
Monday November 1 Miami Dolphins 14-41 New York Jets Giants Stadium
Monday November 8 Minnesota Vikings 28-31 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday November 15 Philadelphia Eagles 49-21 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday November 22 New England Patriots 27-19 Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium
Monday November 29 St. Louis Rams 17-45 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday December 6 Dallas Cowboys 43-39 Seattle Seahawks Qwest Field
Monday December 13 Kansas City Chiefs 49-38 Tennessee Titans Adelphia Coliseum
Monday December 20 New England Patriots 28-29 Miami Dolphins Pro Player Stadium
Monday December 27 Philadelphia Eagles 7-20 St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 8 St. Louis Rams 27-20 Seattle Seahawks Qwest Field (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 8 New York Jets 20-17 San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium (AFC Wild Card)

2005 NFL season[]

This marked the final season for Monday Night Football on ABC. An impromptu doubleheader was scheduled on September 19 when the New Orleans Saints scheduled Sunday home opener with the New York Giants was rescheduled due to Hurricane Katrina's extensive damage to the Louisiana Superdome. The game was moved to the Giants' home field at Giants Stadium (though the Giants were still the road team; usually, the only time the Giants are the road team in their own stadium is when they play the New York Jets) for Monday night with a special start time of 7:30 PM EDT. ABC held a telethon to raise money for victims of the hurricane during the broadcast. At 9:00 PM, ABC viewers outside NYC and New Orleans moved to the Redskins-Cowboys game, while the Giants-Saints game aired on ESPN (the inverse was true for the NYC and New Orleans markets). This could be considered the pilot episode of the ESPN series as well.

The record for largest Monday Night victory was tied and later broken during the season. The Seattle Seahawks 42-0 win over Philadelphia tied the record set in the Miami Dolphins' 45-3 victory over the New York Jets in 1986. Two weeks later, the Baltimore Ravens bested the margin in their win over the Green Bay Packers, crushing them 48-3.

The Atlanta Falcons became the first team to win three home games on Monday night, beating the Eagles, Jets, and Saints. The final Monday Night Football game on ABC saw the New England Patriots beat the Jets 31-21; this was the same score the Jets were defeated by in the very first MNF telecast, when they played the Cleveland Browns.

ABC's final NFL broadcast, Super Bowl XL, was plagued by controversial calls made by officials that ultimately decided the game in favor of the Steelers. Had the Seahawks won, they would have been one of a handful of teams to beat both Pennsylvania-based NFL teams on ABC in the same season.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Thursday September 8 Oakland Raiders 20-30 New England Patriots Gillette Stadium
Monday September 12 Philadelphia Eagles 10-14 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday September 19 New York Giants 27-10 New Orleans Saints Giants Stadium
Monday September 19 Washington Redskins 14-13 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday September 26 Kansas City Chiefs 10-30 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday October 3 Green Bay Packers 29-32 Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium
Monday October 10 Pittsburgh Steelers 24-22 San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium
Monday October 17 St. Louis Rams 28-45 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday October 24 New York Jets 14-27 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday October 31 Baltimore Ravens 19-20 Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field
Monday November 7 Indianapolis Colts 40-21 New England Patriots Gillette Stadium
Monday November 14 Dallas Cowboys 21-20 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday November 21 Minnesota Vikings 20-17 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday November 28 Pittsburgh Steelers 7-26 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday December 5 Seattle Seahawks 42-0 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday December 12 New Orleans Saints 17-36 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday December 19 Green Bay Packers 3-48 Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium
Monday December 26 New England Patriots 31-21 New York Jets Giants Stadium

Postseason games covered by ABC Monday Night Football team

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Saturday January 7 Washington Redskins 17-10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium (NFC Wild Card)
Saturday January 7 Jacksonville Jaguars 3-28 New England Patriots Gillette Stadium (AFC Wild Card)
Sunday February 6 Seattle Seahawks 10-21 Pittsburgh Steelers Ford Field (Super Bowl XL)

2006 NFL season[]

This marked the first season of Monday night games broadcast on ESPN. The season began with the first-ever scheduled Monday night doubleheader. September 25 saw the New Orleans Saints return to the Louisiana Superdome for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. The game was preceded by musical performances by the Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, and U2. The October 23 game between the Giants and Cowboys became the highest-rated program in the history of cable television, being watched by over 16 million people.[4]

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Monday September 11 Minnesota Vikings 19-16 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday September 11 San Diego Chargers 27-0 Oakland Raiders McAfee Coliseum
Monday September 18 Pittsburgh Steelers 0-9 Jacksonville Jaguars Alltel Stadium
Monday September 25 Atlanta Falcons 3-23 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday October 2 Green Bay Packers 9-31 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday October 9 Baltimore Ravens 3-13 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday October 16 Chicago Bears 24-23 Arizona Cardinals University of Phoenix Stadium
Monday October 23 New York Giants 36-22 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday October 30 New England Patriots 31-7 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday November 6 Oakland Raiders 0-16 Seattle Seahawks Qwest Field
Monday November 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-24 Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium
Monday November 20 New York Giants 10-26 Jacksonville Jaguars Alltel Stadium
Monday November 27 Green Bay Packers 24-34 Seattle Seahawks Qwest Field
Monday December 4 Carolina Panthers 24-27 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday December 11 Chicago Bears 42-27 St. Louis Rams Edward Jones Dome
Monday December 18 Cincinnati Bengals 16-34 Indianapolis Colts RCA Dome
Monday December 25 New York Jets 13-10 Miami Dolphins Sun Life Stadium

U.S. television ratings[]

Viewer numbers (based on average total viewers per episode) of Monday Night Football on ESPN. All times Eastern.

With the exception of the September 11, 2006 Chargers-Raiders game, Monday Night Football has been the most-watched program on cable until the premiere of High School Musical 2 which had 17 million viewers, breaking Monday Night Football's record of 16 million. The "It would have ranked..." column indicates what Monday Night Football would have ranked in the respective weekly viewer rankings, if it were ranked among the programs that aired on the main broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CW).

Date Timeslot Score Viewers Total
(in millions)
It would
have ranked...
September 11, 2006 Monday 7:00PM Minnesota Vikings 19
Washington Redskins 16
12.6[5] #10
Monday 10:22PM San Diego Chargers 27
Oakland Raiders 0
10.5[5] #14
September 18, 2006 Monday 8:30PM Pittsburgh Steelers 0
Jacksonville Jaguars 9
13.3[6] #21
September 25, 2006 Atlanta Falcons 3
New Orleans Saints 23
14.9[7] #14
October 2, 2006 Green Bay Packers 9
Philadelphia Eagles 31
12.9[8] #27
October 9, 2006 Baltimore Ravens 3
Denver Broncos 13
12.5[9] #27
October 16, 2006 Chicago Bears 24
Arizona Cardinals 23
14.2[10] #19
October 23, 2006 New York Giants 36
Dallas Cowboys 22
16.0[4] #14
October 30, 2006 New England Patriots 31
Minnesota Vikings 7
11.9[11] #29
November 6, 2006 Oakland Raiders 0
Seattle Seahawks 16
9.9[11] #39
November 13, 2006 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
Carolina Panthers 24
9.6 #39
November 20, 2006 New York Giants 10
Jacksonville Jaguars 26
11.0 #31
November 27, 2006 Green Bay Packers 24
Seattle Seahawks 34
12.7 #24
December 4, 2006 Carolina Panthers 24
Philadelphia Eagles 27
10.5 #25
December 11, 2006 Chicago Bears 42
St. Louis Rams 27
11.2 #20
December 18, 2006 Cincinnati Bengals 16
Indianapolis Colts 34
14.2 #3
December 25, 2006 New York Jets 13
Miami Dolphins 10
11.1 #7

According to ESPN.com news services, ESPN's telecast of the New York Giants' 36-22 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, October 23, 2006 was viewed by the largest audience in cable history.

The game, featuring two of the NFL's biggest rivals, was seen in an average of 11,807,000 homes, based on a 12.8 rating. That translates to 16,028,000 viewers (a cable ratings point represents 923,000 households).

The previous record for cable television was the debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in November 1993, between then-vice president Al Gore and Ross Perot, [which aired on CNN's Larry King Live]."[4]

We've never believed the acronyms NAFTA and MNF belonged in the same sentence, and we're thrilled to have established MNF as the home of cable's biggest audience ever, said Norby! Williamson, ESPN executive vice president for studio and remote production. "That fans have responded with the record is very rewarding and a vivid reminder of the power of Monday Night Football."[4]

The nine most-watched programs ever on ESPN (as well as being 9 of the top 10 most-watched programs ever on cable, excluding breaking news[4]) are:

2007 NFL season[]

The November 26 Miami Dolphins-Pittsburgh Steelers contest was the lowest-scoring game in Monday Night Football's 38-year history; it threatened to become the first scoreless NFL game since 1943 until just 17 seconds remaining, when Steelers kicker Jeff Reed booted a 24-yard field goal to win it, 3-0. Both offenses were stymied by a heavy thunderstorm which delayed kickoff for about twenty minutes; also, local high school football championship games the preceding weekend left the field in less-than-desirable shape. (The game also marked the return of Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter to Pittsburgh where he won a Super Bowl with the Steelers in 2006.)

The December 3 New England Patriots-Baltimore Ravens game finished with 17.5 million viewers, topping the debut of corporate sibling Disney Channel's premiere of the High School Musical 2 movie as the highest-rated cable television program of all-time.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Monday September 10 Baltimore Ravens 20-27 Cincinnati Bengals Paul Brown Stadium
Monday September 10 Arizona Cardinals 17-20 San Francisco 49ers Monster Park
Monday September 17 Washington Redskins 20-12 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday September 24 Tennessee Titans 31-14 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday October 1 New England Patriots 34-13 Cincinnati Bengals Paul Brown Stadium
Monday October 8 Dallas Cowboys 25-24 Buffalo Bills Ralph Wilson Stadium
Monday October 15 New York Giants 31-10 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday October 22 Indianapolis Colts 29-7 Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
Monday October 29 Green Bay Packers 19-13 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday November 5 Baltimore Ravens 7-38 Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field
Monday November 12 San Francisco 49ers 0-24 Seattle Seahawks Qwest Field
Monday November 19 Tennessee Titans 20-34 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday November 26 Miami Dolphins 0-3 Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field
Monday December 3 New England Patriots 27-24 Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium
Monday December 10 New Orleans Saints 34-14 Atlanta Falcons Georgia Dome
Monday December 17 Chicago Bears 13-20 Minnesota Vikings Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Monday December 24 Denver Broncos 3-23 San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium

2008 NFL season[]

On September 8, Aaron Rodgers debuted as the starting quarterback for the Packers in their victory over the Vikings. It was the first game since September 20, 1992 in which Brett Favre was not the team's starter.

The September 15 game was the highest combined score in the 98 meetings between the Eagles and Cowboys, and the second-highest score in the first half of any MNF game.

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Monday September 8 Minnesota Vikings 19-24 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday September 8 Denver Broncos 41-14 Oakland Raiders McAfee Coliseum
Monday September 15 Philadelphia Eagles 37-41 Dallas Cowboys Texas Stadium
Monday September 22 New York Jets 29-48 San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium
Monday September 29 Baltimore Ravens 20-23 Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field
Monday October 6 Minnesota Vikings 30-27 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday October 13 New York Giants 14-35 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Stadium
Monday October 20 Denver Broncos 7-41 New England Patriots Gillette Stadium
Monday October 27 Indianapolis Colts 21-31 Tennessee Titans LP Field
Monday November 3 Pittsburgh Steelers 23-6 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday November 10 San Francisco 49ers 24-29 Arizona Cardinals University of Phoenix Stadium
Monday November 17 Cleveland Browns 29-27 Buffalo Bills Ralph Wilson Stadium
Monday November 24 Green Bay Packers 29-51 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday December 1 Jacksonville Jaguars 13-30 Houston Texans Reliant Stadium
Monday December 8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-38 Carolina Panthers Bank of America Stadium
Monday December 15 Cleveland Browns 10-30 Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field
Monday December 22 Green Bay Packers 17-20 Chicago Bears Soldier Field

2009 NFL season[]

Day Date Visiting Team Final Score Host Team Stadium
Monday September 14 Buffalo Bills 24-25 New England Patriots Gillette Stadium
Monday September 14 San Diego Chargers 24-20 Oakland Raiders Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Monday September 21 Indianapolis Colts 27-23 Miami Dolphins LandShark Stadium
Monday September 28 Carolina Panthers 7-21 Dallas Cowboys Cowboys Stadium
Monday October 5 Green Bay Packers 23-30 Minnesota Vikings Mall of America Field
Monday October 12 New York Jets 27-31 Miami Dolphins LandShark Stadium
Monday October 19 Denver Broncos 34-23 San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium
Monday October 26 Philadelphia Eagles 27-17 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday November 2 Atlanta Falcons 27-35 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday November 9 Pittsburgh Steelers 28-10 Denver Broncos Invesco Field at Mile High
Monday November 16 Baltimore Ravens 16-0 Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Stadium
Monday November 23 Tennessee Titans 20-17 Houston Texans Reliant Stadium
Monday November 30 New England Patriots 17-38 New Orleans Saints Louisiana Superdome
Monday December 7 Baltimore Ravens 14-27 Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field
Monday December 14 Arizona Cardinals 9-24 San Francisco 49ers Candlestick Park
Monday December 21 New York Giants 45-12 Washington Redskins FedEx Field
Monday December 28 Minnesota Vikings 30-36 Chicago Bears Soldier Field

See also[]

References[]

  • Total Football II,, Edited by Bob Carroll, Michael Gershman, David Neft and John Thorn, Harper Collins Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-06-270174-6.
  1. Kansas City Chiefs Year-by-year record
  2. Mansfield, Pennsylvania - It happened one night - First Football under lights - Mansfield PA 1892
  3. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199409120phi.htm
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Giants-Cowboys draws largest cable audience". ESPN. October 25, 2006. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2637570. Retrieved 2006-10-26.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Crupi, Anthony (September 19, 2006). "NFL Coverage Lifts ESPN to Top". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003124606.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Crupi, Anthony (September 19, 2006). "Steelers vs. Jaguars Tops ESPN's Ratings". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003124428.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Consoli, John (September 27, 2006). "Saints Opener Draws ESPN's Largest Audience". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003187162.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Crupi, Anthony (October 10, 2006). "ESPN Beats TNT in Weekly Ratings". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003223985.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Crupi, Anthony (October 17, 2006). "MNF Lifts ESPN to Top of Cable Ratings Heap". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003255890.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Crupi, Anthony (October 24, 2006). "Disney Beats ESPN to Lead Cable Ratings". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003287466. Retrieved 2006-10-26.[dead link]
  11. 11.0 11.1 Crupi, Anthony (November 8, 2006). "ESPN Leads the Cable Ratings Pack". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003353462. Retrieved 2006-11-15.[dead link] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "mw_nwemin" defined multiple times with different content
  12. Berman, Marc (October 18, 2006). "The Programming Insider". Mediaweek. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003283407. Retrieved 2006-10-26.[dead link]
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