This article is about the American football season in the United States. For the Gaelic football season in Ireland, see2011 National Football League (Ireland).
Due to a labor dispute between league owners and players, alockout began on March 11 and ended on July 25, lasting 130 days. Although it initially threatened to postpone or cancel the season, the only game that was canceled was the August 7Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.
The 2011 season saw an unprecedented amount of passing offense: Three of the nine highest passing yardage totals of all time were established: No. 2Drew Brees (5,476), No. 3Tom Brady (5,235), and No. 9Matthew Stafford (5,038);Eli Manning threw for 4,933 yards, which places him 14th all time.[1] It also saw Green Bay Packers quarterbackAaron Rodgers establish the all-time single-season best quarterback rating of 122.5.[2] Further cementing the modern NFL's reputation as a "passing league"[3][4][5] was that, for the second consecutive year, the league overall set a record for most average passing yards per team per game, with 229.7, breaking 2010's record by more than eight yards per game.[6] (For comparison, the league-wide average rushing yards total finished the 2011 season at 57th all-time.)
A subplot of the 2011 season was determining who would have the worst record, and therefore "earn" the right to the No. 1 overall pick in the2012 draft.Stanford senior quarterbackAndrew Luck was seen as the best quarterback prospect in years. Fans of some teams that started the season with numerous losses (notably theIndianapolis Colts) were openly rooting for their teams to "Suck for Luck."[7][8]
In May 2008 the owners decided to opt out of the 1993 arrangement and play the 2010 season without an agreement in place.[9] Some of the major points of contention included openness of owners' financial books, the rookie pay scale, a proposed 18 percent reduction in the players' share of revenues, forfeiture on bonus payments for players who fail to perform, players' health and retirement benefits, details of free agency, the cost and benefit of new stadiums, players' salaries, extending the regular season to 18 games, and the revenue-sharing structure.[9] By March 2011, theNational Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and the NFL had not yet come to terms on a newcollective bargaining agreement (CBA), thus failing to resolve the labor dispute. Accordingly, the NFLPA informed the league and the clubs that the players had voted to have the NFLPA renounce its bargaining rights.[10] After the renunciation of collective bargaining rights, quarterbacksTom Brady,Peyton Manning, andDrew Brees joined seven other NFL players and filed an antitrust suit to enjoin the lockout.[11][10][12]
Following the settlement of theBrady et al. v.NFL antitrust suit on July 25, 2011, a majority of players signed union authorization cards approving the NFL Players Association to act as their exclusive collective bargaining representative.[13] The NFL officially recognized the NFLPA's status as the players' collective bargaining representative on July 30.[14] The NFL and NFLPA proceeded to negotiate terms for a new collective bargaining agreement, and the agreement became effective after ratification by the players on August 4.[15] The new collective bargaining agreement ran through 2021.[16]
The following are rule changes that were passed at the league's annual owners meeting in March. These rule changes went into effect once the labor dispute was resolved.
Changes were made regarding kickoffs to limit injuries. First, kickoffs will be moved from the 30 to the 35-yard line, repealing a1994 rule change, restoring the1974 rule. In addition, players on the kickoff coverage team cannot line up more than 5 yards behind the kickoff line, minimizing running starts and thus reducing the speed of collisions.[29] Other changes were also proposed, but a number of players and coaches expressed concern they would actually significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the number of kickoff returns.[30][31] Proposals that would have brought touchbacks out to the 25 instead of the 20, and eliminated all wedge blocks were not adopted.[29] Despite this rule, theBears kicked off from the 30-yard line twice[citation needed][why?] in their preseason game against theBills.
All replay reviews of scoring plays during the entire game can now be initiated by the replay booth official. Coaches will no longer have to use one of their challenges if a scoring play occurs outside of the two-minute warning.[29][30] Because the play is now "unchallengeable" by coaches, attempting to do so will result in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which several coaches were flagged for during the season.
Nicknamed the "Boise State Rule", all playing fields must remain green, and not be in another color like the blue turf at Boise State'sBronco Stadium, unless approval is granted by the league. This was passed in response to a few sponsors who requested to change the colors in a few stadiums.[32]
The following rule changes were adopted at the NFL Owners' Meeting on May 24, 2011:
Hits to the head of a passer-by an opponent's hands, arms or other parts of the body will not be fouls unless they are forcible blows, modifying the existing rule that any contact to a passer's head, regardless of the reason, is penalized as a personal foul (15 yards).
Players will be prohibited from "launching" (leaving both feet prior to contact to spring forward and upward into an opponent or using any part of the helmet to initiate forcible contact against any part of the opponent's body) to level a defenseless player, as well as "forcibly hitting the neck or head area with the helmet, facemask, forearm or shoulder regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him.", and lowering the head and make forcible contact with the top/crown or forehead/"hairline" parts of the helmet against any part of the defenseless player's body. Offenders will be penalised 15 yards for unnecessary roughness plus risking immediate disqualification if the contact is deemed flagrant.
A "defenseless player" is defined as a:
Player in the act of or just after throwing a pass.
Receiver attempting to catch a pass or one who has not completed a catch and hasn't had time to protect himself or hasn't clearly become a runner. If the receiver/runner is capable of avoiding or warding off the impending contact of an opponent, he is no longer a defenseless player.
Runner whose forward progress has been stopped and is already in the grasp of a tackler.
Kickoff or punt returner attempting to field a kick in the air.
Player on the ground at the end of a play.
Kicker/punter during the kick or return.
Quarterback any time after a change of possession (i.e. turnover).
Player who receives a "blindside" block when the blocker is moving toward his own end-line and approaches the opponent from behind or the side.[33]
The league has instructed game officials to "err on the side of caution" when calling such personal foul penalties, and that they will not be downgraded if they make a mistake so that they will not hesitate on making these kinds of calls.[34]
Game-day testing for performance-enhancing drugs. The NFL is adding game-day testing for performance-enhancing substances but not recreational drugs this season under the new collective bargaining agreement.[35]
The preseason schedule was released April 12, 2011. The Hall of Fame Game, had it been played, would have featured theChicago Bears against theSt. Louis Rams in only the second time since 1971 that the game would have featured two teams from the same conference.[36] Instead, the preseason began with theSan Diego Chargers hosting theSeattle Seahawks on August 11; the remainder of the preseason and all other games was played as originally scheduled (with the exception of the preseasonNew York Jets-New York Giants game, which was postponed two days due toHurricane Irene).
When the league was arranging the schedule in spring 2011, it added some cushion in case the labor dispute lasted into September and the planned start of the regular season. For example, every contest in Week 3 had teams which shared the same bye week later in the season, which would have allowed these games to be made up on what were originally the teams' byes. Weeks 2 and 4 were set up so that there were neither any divisional rivalry games nor teams on bye in those weeks, and every team with a home game in Week 2 was on the road in Week 4 and vice versa. This would have kept the season as fair as possible if those games had to be canceled.[37] These scheduling changes, along with eliminating the week off before the Super Bowl and moving the Super Bowl back a week, would have allowed the NFL to play a 14-game schedule beginning in mid-October while still having the Super Bowl in mid-February.
This season'sInternational Series game featured theChicago Bears and theTampa Bay Buccaneers atWembley Stadium in London on October 23, with the Buccaneers serving as the home team.[38] The Bears won 24–18.[39] It marked the Bears' second game played outside the United States in as many years, as they were a part of theBills Toronto Series in 2010. The Buccaneers previously appeared in the International Series in 2009. One week later on October 30, theBuffalo Bills defeated theWashington Redskins in the Bills' annual game atRogers Centre inToronto by a score of 23–0. Although this was within the bounds of the2011 CFL season, neither of the two Southern Ontario CFL teams was playing on the same day, and both played away games that weekend. The 2011–12 season also marked the 20th anniversary of the Bills and Redskins meeting inSuper Bowl XXVI.
TheDetroit Lions hosted their firstMonday Night Football game since2001, when they faced theChicago Bears onColumbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving (theDetroit-Windsor market straddles the U.S.–Canada border).[40] The Lions defeated the Bears 24–13 for the team's fifth straight win, the most Lions wins to start a season since the team's glory years in the 1950s, continuing a streak that has been seen as a pleasant surprise for Lions fans, after over a decade of mediocrity.[41]
Christmas Day fell on Sunday. The TV contracts stated that the majority of afternoon games would be played on Christmas Eve (Saturday) and only one game was held over for Sunday night. TheGreen Bay Packers defeated theChicago Bears, 35–21, onChristmas evening onNBC.
New Year's Day 2012 consequently also fell on a Sunday, and the NFL played its entire Week 17 schedule that day. The major college bowl games usually played on New Year's Day, as well as theNHL Winter Classic, were instead played on Monday, January 2. For the second straight year, Week 17 only featured divisional match-ups.
TheNew York Giants visited theWashington Redskins on September 11, 2011, the first Sunday of the regular season, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of theSeptember 11 attacks in which Washington, D.C. and New York City were both targeted, as well as the first such anniversary since thekilling of Osama bin Laden in May.[42] Due to the proximity ofBaltimore with Washington as well as the proximity ofPittsburgh with thesite whereUnited Airlines Flight 93 crashed, thePittsburgh Steelers visited thearchrivalBaltimore Ravens atM&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. It marked the first time the two teams played in a season-opening game since2003, as their heated rivalry usually prompts their games to be scheduled later in the season. There had been some speculation that the Giants and their same-city rival, theNew York Jets, could have played each other that day since the two were scheduled to play each other in 2011; the Jets were the designated home team atMetLife Stadium in the matchup which had been predetermined due to the NFL's scheduling formula.[43] However, the Jets instead hosted theDallas Cowboys.[44]
Week 11: TheTennessee–Atlanta game was moved from 1:00 pm EST to 4:15 pm EST.[46]
Week 13: TheIndianapolis–New England game was moved from the 8:20 pm EST time slot onNBC Sunday Night Football to 1:00 pm EST onCBS. The Detroit–New Orleans game, originally scheduled at 1:00 pm EST onFox, was flexed into the 8:20 pm slot on NBC, in place of the originally-scheduled Colts–Patriots game. TheBaltimore–Cleveland game was changed from 1:00 pm EST to 4:05 pm EST. TheDenver–Minnesota game was changed from 4:05 pm EST to 1:00 pm EST, and aired on Fox instead of CBS because Fox had only two games in the early time slot. This was the first time that the league moved an interconference telecast to the home team's Sunday afternoon regional broadcaster.[46][47]
Week 14: TheOakland–Green Bay game was moved from 1:00 pm EST to 4:15 pm EST.[48]
Week 17: By way of flexible scheduling, the following games were moved due to playoff implications during the final week of the regular season: TheDallas–New York Giants game, originally scheduled at 1:00 pm EST on Fox, was selected as the final NBC Sunday Night Football game, which decided theNFC East division champion. TheTampa Bay–Atlanta, Baltimore–Cincinnati andPittsburgh–Cleveland games were all moved from 1:00 pm EST to 4:15 pm EST.[49]
^abBaltimore clinched the AFC North title based on a head-to-head sweep over Pittsburgh.
^abcDenver clinched the AFC West title instead of San Diego or Oakland based on record versus common opponents (5–5 to San Diego's and Oakland's 4–6).
^abCincinnati clinched the AFC 6 seed instead of Tennessee based on a head-to-head victory.
^abNew York Jets finished ahead of San Diego based on head-to-head victory.
^abSan Diego finished ahead of Oakland in the AFC West based on better conference record (7–5 to 6–6).
^abMiami finished in third place in the AFC East based on a head-to-head sweep over Buffalo.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
^abSan Francisco clinched the NFC 2 seed instead of New Orleans based on better conference record (10–2 to 9–3).
^abAtlanta clinched the NFC 5 seed instead of Detroit based on a head-to-head victory.
^abChicago finished ahead of Arizona based on record versus common opponents (4–1 against 3–2 versus Philadelphia, Seattle, Carolina and Minnesota)
^abArizona finished ahead of Philadelphia based on a head-to-head victory.
^abPhiladelphia finished in second place in the NFC East based on a head-to-head sweep over Dallas.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
Longest game-winning punt return touchdown in overtime: 99 yards,Patrick Peterson, Arizona (vs. St. Louis, November 6, 2011)[58]
Most punt returns in a season for touchdown (tied): 4, Patrick Peterson, Arizona
Most punt return yards by a rookie in a season: 699, Patrick Peterson, Arizona
Most field goals in a season: 44,David Akers, San Francisco
Most points in a season without a touchdown: 166, David Akers, San Francisco[57]
Most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season: 14, Cam Newton, Carolina
Most passing yards in a season: 5,476,Drew Brees, New Orleans.[59]
Tom Brady, New England (5,235) andMatthew Stafford, Detroit (5,038) also passed for more than 5,000 yards marking the 4th and 5th times an individual has reached that milestone in NFL history, and the first time more than one person has done it in a single season.
Fewest turnovers in a season (tied): 10, San Francisco[57]
The 2011Saints broke many offensive records on January 1, 2012:[60]
Most net yardage of offense in a season: 7,474
Most net yards passing: 5,347
Most completions: 472
Highest completion percentage (team) for the season: 71.3
Fewest fumbles in a season: 6
Most first downs for the season: 416
Most passing first downs in a season: 280
Most kick-offs resulting in a touchback, season: 62
Most offensive yards in a single playoff game: 627, New Orleans (vs. Detroit, Wild Card January 7, 2012)
First quarterback to reach 400+ yards in two consecutive postseason games: Drew Brees, New Orleans (First time: 2010 vs. Seattle; 2nd time: 2011 vs. Detroit – both Wild Card games)
Most first downs (tie): 34, New Orleans (vs. Detroit, Wild Card January 7, 2012)
Most receiving yards in a playoff debut: 210, Calvin Johnson, Detroit (vs. New Orleans, Wild Card January 7, 2012)
Most consecutive playoff games lost (tie): 7,Detroit Lions
The uncertain labor issues and the possibility of a lockout were speculated to have a minimizing effect on coaching changes prior to the 2011 season, with owners predicted to be more hesitant than usual to hire a high-price, high-profile head coach.[122] Nevertheless, eight coaches were fired either during or immediately after the2010 NFL season, compared to three in the year prior; only one of the new hires (John Fox) had ever been a head coach in the NFL prior to their hirings or promotions. However,Leslie Frazier, andJason Garrett did get some experience as interim coaches during the 2010 season, with Garrett being successful in his debut season, going 5–3 in his tenure, improving the 1–7 Cowboys to a 6–10 season.
Phillips, son of former NFL head coachBum Phillips, was fired on November 8, 2010, following a 45–7 Week 9 loss against theGreen Bay Packers, leaving Dallas with a 35–24 (.593) record. Phillips was later hired as defensive coordinator of theHouston Texans. On January 5, 2011, Jason Garrett, the team's offensive coordinator and presumptive head coach in waiting, was named the Head coach for the 2011 season.
Childress was fired on November 22, 2010, following a Week 11 loss against theGreen Bay Packers, 31–3. The Vikings entered week 12 with a 3–7 record, second-to-last in the NFC North after a 12–4 season a year ago. Childress also faced controversy by releasingRandy Moss without the approval of owner Zygi Wilf and lost control over the locker room.[123] Childress amassed a record of 40–37 (.519) record during his time in Minnesota. Frazier, the Vikings' defensive coordinator since 2007, was named head coach following the end of the 2010 season.
McDaniels was fired on December 5, 2010, following a 10–6 loss to theKansas City Chiefs in Week 13. After a 6–0 start in the 2009 season, the Broncos lost 17 of their next 22 games, and became subject to avideotaping scandal.[124] McDaniels's record was 11–17 (.393) as coach of the Broncos. McDaniels was later hired by theSt. Louis Rams to be their offensive coordinator.[125]
Singletary compiled a record of 18–22 (.462) during his 2½ years as head coach of the 49ers and was criticized for his lack of focus on the team's offense.[126][127] Singletary is now the Linebackers coach for theMinnesota Vikings.[128]
Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback, came from theStanford Cardinal football team, where he led the Cardinal to a 12–1 record in 2010 behind the arm of top quarterback prospectAndrew Luck, culminating in a victory in the Orange Bowl. (Luck was expected to declare for the2011 NFL draft if Harbaugh left, but decided to stay at Stanford.)
The Panthers announced on December 31, 2010, two days before the final game of the 2010 season, that his contract will not be renewed for 2011.[129] Fox spent nine seasons with Carolina, including an appearance inSuper Bowl XXXVIII, and leaves Carolina with a total record of 78–76 (.506).
Rivera had spent the previous three seasons as defensive coordinator for theSan Diego Chargers.
The Browns announced on Monday January 3, 2011, the day after the end of the 2010 regular season that Eric Mangini will not be returning to coach the Browns.[130] Mangini led the Browns to back to back 5–11 seasons and an overall record of 10–22 (.313), the second-worst in Browns history.[131] Mangini is currently an analyst for ESPN. On January 13, the Browns announced that they hired Pat Shurmur, a career assistant coach who spent the last two seasons on the staff of the St. Louis Rams and from 1999 to 2008 on the staff of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Raiders announced on Tuesday January 4, 2011, that they will not exercise the option on Tom Cable's contract. He finishes with a 17–27 (.386) record, which included an 8–8 record in 2010, while going undefeated against division rivals, being the first team to go 6–0 against division opponents and miss the playoffs. On January 17, the Raiders announced that Hue Jackson, their previous offensive coordinator will replace Cable, who was later hired as the assistant head coach/offensive line coach for theSeattle Seahawks.
On January 27, it was formally announced by the Tennessee Titans that Jeff Fisher would not return to coach the team in 2011,[132] following a dispute with quarterbackVince Young. Fisher, whose time with the team dated back to when it was still the Houston Oilers, had the longest tenure as head coach with one team among active head coaches in the league at the time of his dismissal. In 17 years with the Oilers and Titans, Fisher compiled a record of 147–126 (.538) and led the Titans toSuper Bowl XXXIV. Mike Munchak, who joined the Oilers in 1982 and has remained with the team as a player or coach every year since (serving most recently as offensive line coach), was promoted to the head coach position as Fisher's replacement.
In-season
The following head coaches were replaced in-season:
Del Rio was fired after compiling a 69–73 (.486) record (including postseason games) in 8¾ seasons as head coach; the team has not made the playoffs since2007. Del Rio was fired at the same time thatWayne Weaver, the owner of the Jaguars, announced his intentions to sell the team to Pakistani-American automotive parts builderShahid Khan.[133]
Haley compiled a 19–27 (.413) record, including one postseason loss, in nearly 3 seasons with the Chiefs. Team ownership cited inconsistent play and a lack of progress in their decision; Haley was also cited for anunsportsmanlike conduct penalty in what turned out to be his final game. Crennel had previously served as head coach of theCleveland Browns from 2005 to 2008. Crennel won his first game as the interim head coach of the Chiefs on December 18, 2011, against the then undefeated Green Bay Packers 19–14, which was significant as Crennel snapped the Packers' 19-game winning streak and ended their hopes for a perfect season. Crennel finished his stint as interim head coach with a 2–1 record. On January 9, 2012, Crennel was named the team's permanent head coach.
Sparano compiled a 29–33 (.468) record, including one postseason loss, in nearly 4 seasons with the Dolphins. Ongoing speculation regarding Sparano's future in Miami prompted Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to dismiss Sparano prior to the end of the season instead of letting the speculation become a further distraction. The Dolphins intend on hiring someone from outside the organization in the 2012 offseason.[134]
Baalke had already served asde facto general manager during the2010 season after the resignation ofScot McCloughan in March 2010. Baalke's official promotion to general manager comes in anticipation of needing an official general manager to lureJim Harbaugh away from Stanford for the vacant coaching position.
On January 5, 2011, Elway was named general manager and executive vice president of football operations of the Broncos, with the final say in all football matters. In this capacity, he reports to team presidentJoe Ellis and is the immediate supervisor for the head coach of the team. General managerBrian Xanders was actually retained, but serves mostly in an advisory role to Elway.
On October 8, one day before the team's Week 5 game at theHouston Texans, owner Al Davis died in his Oakland, California home at the age of 82. After his death, head coach Hue Jackson essentially gained control over the entire organization.
April 27: The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, home of theOakland Raiders, was renamed Overstock.com Coliseum, and later shortened toO.co Coliseum. The Raiders' home field has undergone several name changes in its history, including Network Associates Coliseum (1998–2004) and McAfee Coliseum (2004–2008).[135]
August 23:Life insurance companyMetLife purchased the naming rights to the New Meadowlands Stadium, the new home field of theNew York Jets andNew York Giants that opened in2010, renaming itMetLife Stadium. The life insurance company signed a 25-year, $17 million per year agreement with the Jets and Giants for the stadium's naming rights.[138]
October 4:German automakerMercedes-Benz purchased the naming rights to the Louisiana Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints. The Saints' home field was officially renamed theMercedes-Benz Superdome prior to the Saints' Week 7 home game vs. theIndianapolis Colts.[139]
In addition, theSan Diego Chargers' home field,Qualcomm Stadium, was temporarily renamed "Snapdragon Stadium" for a ten-day period from December 16–25, which included the team's Week 15 home game vs. theBaltimore Ravens, as a marketing tie in for Qualcomm'sSnapdragon brand.[140]
This was the last season thatReebok exclusively supplied uniforms and sideline caps along with performance and fan apparel for all 32 teams in the league, asNike andNew Era now have the 40-year rights to manufacture on-field uniforms and fan apparel, with Nike handling uniforms and performance apparel, and New Era with on-field caps. For Reebok, this ends a 10-year exclusivity association that began in2001.[141]
The first Sunday of the season fell on the tenth anniversary of theSeptember 11 attacks. To commemorate that event players, coaches, game officials and sideline personnel all wore a special stars and stripes ribbon bearing the dates "9/11/01" and "9/11/11" as a patch or pin. Players were also allowed to wear special red, white and blue gloves and shoes.[142]
TheBuffalo Bills introduced redesigned uniforms on June 24, 2011. Early rumors fueled by aMadden NFL 12 trailer featuring a Bills throwback uniform had indicated the team would be adopting the uniforms the team wore between1975 and1983;[143] the final product indeed resembled those uniforms, with some minor adjustments.[144] The new uniforms (which marked the first redesign since2002) were unveiled at a fan appreciation event atRalph Wilson Stadium.[145] The Bills wore their white "away" uniforms in their week nine home game against theNew York Jets as part of awhiteout promotion; the last time the team had worn their white uniforms at home was in1986.[146]
TheNew England Patriots' uniforms bore a patch bearing the initials "MHK" in honor of team ownerRobert Kraft's wifeMyra Kraft who died of cancer in July.[147] The Patriots wore their red throwback uniforms in their week five game against the New York Jets. They wore their white jerseys at home against theDallas Cowboys in week six, thus forcing the Cowboys to use their navy jerseys for the only time all season and the first time since 2009.[148] As per tradition, the Cowboys wore their throwbacks on Thanksgiving Day (November 24) at home against theMiami Dolphins.[148]
TheSt. Louis Rams wore their throwback uniforms in week 8 against the New Orleans Saints; the date was determined by fan voting.[149]
TheBaltimore Ravens wore their black alternative jerseys twice in 2011: with black pants against theJets and with white pants against the49ers.[150]
TheOakland Raiders wore stickers featuring "AL" on their helmets after ownerAl Davis died on October 8, 2011.[152]
This season was the last in which theDenver Broncos wore their navy blue jerseys as their primary jersey, as the team has designated their orange jerseys—the team's alternate home jersey since2002—as their new primary home jersey color, beginning with the2012 season. The move was made due to overwhelming fan support to return to using orange as the team's primary home jersey color, which harkens back to the days of theOrange Crush Defense, as well asJohn Elway's return to the organization as the team's executive vice president of football operations. The team had considered making the switch for the 2011 season, but were too late to notify the NFL of the changes.[153] The team's navy blue jerseys, which had been their primary home jersey since they were first introduced in1997, will become the alternate jerseys which will be worn in one or two home games each year.[154]
This season was the last in which theSeattle Seahawks wore their pacific blue (or "Seahawks blue") jerseys as the team's home jersey, as the team changed their home jersey color to dark navy for the 2012 season.[155]
ESPN extended its contract forMonday Night Football on September 8, during the opening week of the season. This new contract, valued between $14.2 billion and $15.2 billion, extended ESPN's rights for eight seasons until 2021. It also gave them rights to expanded highlights, international and digital rights, thePro Bowl beginning with the 2015 installment, and possibly a wild card playoff game.[156] The league also signed a nine-year extension with CBS, Fox and NBC on their current contracts starting with the 2014 season through 2022.[157]
On December 22, 2010, the league announced that its national radio contract withWestwood One, which was acquired byDial Global in the 2011 offseason, had been extended through 2014.[161] The league also extended its contract withSirius XM Radio through 2015.[162] In addition to these contracts, and in a first for an NFL team, theDallas Cowboys signed a deal to allow for nationwide broadcasts of all of its home and away games broadcast onCompass Media Networks, in addition to itsexisting local radio network. Compass also acquired exclusive national broadcast rights to both the International Series and Toronto Series contests.[163]
The league did not announce plans to compensate their media partners had the season been shortened or canceled as a result of the work stoppage. NBC had ordered several low-cost reality television shows for the2011–12 TV season in the event that Sunday Night Football could not be played, but other networks had not made public any contingency plans in the event NFL games could not be televised (in the case of CBS and Fox, the Sunday afternoon time slots could have been left unfilled and turned over to the affiliates, likely to be used fortime buys by minor andextreme sports organizations, or locally programmedinfomercials or movies as they are during the offseason). A work stoppage could have potentially cost these networks billions of dollars in ad revenue and other entertainment platforms that depend on the games being played. (Under the NFL's television contracts, the networks must still pay the league a rights fee regardless of whether or not the league plays any games; a March 2 ruling states that this money must be put intoescrow and not be spent.)[164] Meanwhile, theUnited Football League had set aside a portion of their television contract for their2011 UFL season, as a potential package of replacement programs for the networks;[165] while CBS and Fox briefly negotiated with the UFL regarding the package, neither network committed to carrying the games, forcing the UFL to postpone its season by a month.
