- Whenever the quarterback is sacked, the clock will be stopped for at least five seconds and then restarted again.
- If a fair catch is made, or signaled and awarded to a team because of interference, on the last play of a half, the period can be extended and the team can run one play.
- Defensive linemen can wear numbers 90 to 99.
- Centers are included as the interior offensive linemen in the uniform numbering system.
- Players are prohibited from wearing torn or altered equipment. Tear-away jerseys are banned.
- During kickoffs, punts, and field goal attempts, players on the receiving team cannot block below the waist.
- The zone in which crackback blocks are prohibited is extended from 3 yards on either side of the line of scrimmage to 5.
- Players cannot use their helmets to butt, spear, or ram an opponent. Any player who uses the crown or the top of his helmet unnecessarily will be called for unnecessary roughness.
- In order to prevent incidents such as the rule" after the Oakland Raiders quarterback who made the infamous play in the Holy Roller game. Rules of the Name, or How The Emmitt Rule Became The Emmitt Rule (URL last accessed March 1, 2006)
''W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against''
- San Diego was the top AFC playoff seed based on head-to-head victory over Pittsburgh (1-0).
- Seattle finished ahead of Oakland in the AFC West based on head-to-head sweep (2-0).
- Dallas finished ahead of Philadelphia in the NFC Central based on better conference record (10-2 to Eagles' 9-3).
- Tampa Bay finished ahead of Chicago in the NFC Central based on a better division record (6-2 to Bears' 5-3).
- Chicago was the second NFC Wild Card ahead of Washington based on better net points in all games (57 to Redskins' 53).
See Also: NFL playoffs, 1979-80
- Wild-Card playoff: HOUSTON 13, Denver 7
- Divisional playoffs: Houston 17, SAN DIEGO 14; PITTSBURGH 34, Miami 14
- AFC Championship: PITTSBURGH 27, Houston 13
- Wild-Card playoff: PHILADELPHIA 27, Chicago 17
- Divisional playoffs: TAMPA BAY 24, Philadelphia 17; Los Angeles 21, DALLAS 19
- NFC Championship: Los Angeles 9, TAMPA BAY 0
Pittsburgh (AFC) 31, Los Angeles (NFC) 19, at Rose Bowl , Pasadena, California
- ''NFL Record and Fact Book'' (ISBN 193299436X)
- NFL History 1971-1980 (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
- ''Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League'' (ISBN 0062701746)
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