100 Fun Facts About 2023 NFL Season

Which team won Super Bowl LVIII, capping the 2023 season?

The 25-22 overtime win made them the first repeat champions since the 2004 New England Patriots.

Super Bowl LVIII was played at Allegiant Stadium in which state?

The sellout crowd of 61,629 was the smallest unrestricted Super Bowl attendance ever because of the building's capacity.

Which quarterback won the 2023 NFL MVP, receiving 49 of 50 first-place votes?

At 27 he became the second-youngest player to win multiple MVPs, behind only Jim Brown.

Who won Super Bowl LVIII MVP for the third time in his career after throwing for 333 yards?

He also ran for 66 yards, including an 8-yard fourth-and-1 scramble on the winning overtime drive.

Which receiver caught the walk-off touchdown in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII, his only touchdown of the season?

The Jets had traded him back to Kansas City in October for a swap of late-round picks.

Who headlined the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show?

Guests included Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris, will.i.am and H.E.R.; Reba McEntire sang the anthem.

Which team beat the defending champion Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Kickoff Game on September 7?

It set the tone for a season in which the winner went 12-5 and won its first division title since 1993.

Which division became the first since 1935 to have all four of its teams finish with a winning record?

Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati all finished above .500 and three of the four made the playoffs.

Which quarterback was selected first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft?

Chicago owned the pick but traded it to Carolina for a package that included receiver D. J. Moore.

The 2023 NFL Draft was held outside Union Station in which Missouri metropolis?

The Rams closed the draft by taking Desjuan Johnson with the final pick, making him that year's Mr. Irrelevant.

Which rookie quarterback set the record of 191 pass attempts without an interception to start a career?

The Houston passer broke Dak Prescott's mark of 176 and went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

How many passing yards did Houston's rookie quarterback throw for in his record game against Tampa Bay?

He also tied the rookie record with five touchdown passes and did not throw an interception.

Which fifth-round rookie set rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486)?

The Rams took him 177th overall out of BYU; the yardage record he broke had belonged to Bill Groman since 1960.

Which team became only the third in NFL history to score 70 points in a game, in 2023?

The 70-20 win over Denver produced over 700 yards of offense and five rushing plus five passing touchdowns, both firsts of their kind.

Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles on his fourth snap as a Jet after a sack by which Bills defender?

Zach Wilson came on and the Jets still won 22-16 in overtime on Monday Night Football.

Which quarterback joined Cleveland's practice squad in November 2023 and won Comeback Player of the Year?

He was named starter 13 days after signing and led the Browns to the playoffs, his first postseason start since 2015.

Which team first reached the postseason after four quarterbacks made multiple starts in one season?

Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker and Joe Flacco all started games for the 11-6 team.

Who was named 2023 Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league in scrimmage yards?

The 49ers back also became the third player with 50 rushing and 25 receiving touchdowns, joining Marshall Faulk and Lenny Moore.

Which Browns pass rusher won 2023 Defensive Player of the Year?

During the season he passed Reggie White for the most sacks before a 28th birthday, with 82.

Which Texans edge rusher, drafted third overall, won 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year?

Houston traded up from 12th to take him one pick after selecting his quarterback classmate C. J. Stroud.

Which head coach won his second AP Coach of the Year award in 2023 after taking Cleveland to 11-6?

He is the first Browns coach since Marty Schottenheimer to lead the team to multiple postseason appearances.

Which Steelers defensive lineman received the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award?

He missed much of the season with a groin injury but was honoured at NFL Honors in Las Vegas on February 8, 2024.

Which Cowboys cornerback set the single-season record with five interception-return touchdowns in 2023?

The previous mark of four had been shared by Eric Allen, Ken Houston and Jim Kearney.

Which two quarterbacks tied the single-season record with 15 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in 2023?

The Eagles star set the mark first, breaking Cam Newton's 14, and the Bills star matched it in the final weeks.

Which former soccer player kicked a record 35 straight field goals to start his NFL career with Dallas?

He was drafted by Toronto FC in 2017 and played in the USFL before the Cowboys signed him; the old record was 18.

Which quarterback in 2023 became the first player with 40,000 passing and 5,000 rushing yards?

He did it in his lone injury-free season as a Bronco before Denver benched and released him.

Which head coach reached 300 career wins during the 2023 season, joining Don Shula and George Halas?

The same season he tied the record for most career losses by a head coach with 165, and it proved to be his last in New England.

Which German city hosted NFL games for the first time in 2023, at Deutsche Bank Park?

The Chiefs beat the Dolphins there on November 5, and the Colts beat the Patriots a week later.

Which team played London games at Wembley and Tottenham on consecutive weeks in 2023?

They beat Atlanta and then Buffalo, the only team to win two International Series games that season.

Which jersey number became legal for most positions in 2023, a first since numbering was standardised in 1973?

Kickers and punters were also freed to wear 0-49 and 90-99 instead of only 1-19.

A 2023 rule change let teams dress a third quarterback on game day without using what?

The change followed the 49ers running out of healthy quarterbacks in the previous season's NFC Championship Game.

Under a 2023 NFL rule, a kickoff fair catch at or behind which yard line is treated like a touchback?

College football adopted the same rule in 2018 to cut down on high-speed kickoff collisions.

Which foul was upgraded from a 10-yard to a 15-yard personal foul in 2023, reversing a 1974 change?

The same rules meeting made launching from one foot illegal, tightening the previous two-feet standard.

For how much did Daniel Snyder sell the Washington Commanders to Josh Harris's group in 2023?

It was the highest price ever paid for a sports team; limited partners included Magic Johnson.

Which team scored a record 42 first-half points in 2023, one week after being shut out?

The outburst came under interim coach Antonio Pierce, in Aidan O'Connell's rookie season, against the Chargers.

Which streaming service exclusively carried the 2023 Chiefs-Dolphins wild-card game played in minus-4 degree cold?

The kickoff temperature made it the fourth-coldest NFL game ever, and the service recorded its busiest day in history.

Which team became the first No. 7 seed to win a playoff game, beating No. 2 Dallas in January 2024?

Jordan Love's team led 48-16 in the fourth quarter before Dallas made the final score respectable.

The Lions' 24-23 wild-card win over the Rams was their first playoff victory since which season?

Jared Goff outduelled his predecessor Matthew Stafford in the first playoff meeting between the traded quarterbacks.

In the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers came back from what halftime deficit to beat Detroit 34-31?

The 17-point rally tied the largest comeback in NFC Championship history and revived talk of the Curse of Bobby Layne.

Which 49ers kicker's record 55-yard Super Bowl field goal was beaten by Harrison Butker in the same game?

The rookie also became the first player to make two 50-plus-yard field goals in one Super Bowl.

Which 49ers receiver both threw and caught a touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII, matching Nick Foles' feat?

His backwards-pass trick play to Christian McCaffrey went 21 yards, and he later caught Brock Purdy's 10-yard score.

What do the overtime rules adopted in 2022 and first used in Super Bowl LVIII guarantee?

Several 49ers admitted they only learned of the change from the stadium video board at the start of overtime.

Which children's network aired an alternate Super Bowl LVIII broadcast "Live from Bikini Bottom"?

It was the first alternate broadcast ever produced for a Super Bowl and used SpongeBob-themed augmented reality.

Which pop star's romance with the Chiefs' tight end led fans to call it the "Swiftie Bowl"?

The season broke viewership, merchandise and ticket records, and new converts were dubbed "Chiefties".

Which pass-catcher passed Jerry Rice for the most career postseason receptions during the 2023 playoffs?

He and Mahomes also set the record for postseason touchdowns by a passer-receiver duo, passing Brady and Gronkowski.

Which pass rusher first led two teams in sacks in one season after an October 2023 trade to Chicago?

The Bears sent a 2024 second-round pick for him; Chase Young was traded to San Francisco the same day.

Which team's throwback "creamsicle" orange uniforms returned in 2023 for the first time since 2012?

The team had planned the comeback for 2022 but blamed supply-chain issues; the look was paired with the Bucco Bruce helmet.

Who set the record for most 1,000-yard receiving seasons to start a career, reaching 10 in 2023?

The Buccaneers receiver joined Randy Moss and Jerry Rice as the only players with ten 1,000-yard seasons.

Which two teams met in the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game that opened the preseason on August 3?

Cleveland, represented in the Class of 2023 by Joe Thomas, beat the Jets, whose inductees were Joe Klecko and Darrelle Revis.

Which franchise wore throwback Houston Oilers uniforms for two home games in 2023?

The 1981-98 design replaced the light blue alternate; the Titans had last worn Oilers uniforms in 2009.

Which team signed quarterback Derek Carr after Las Vegas released him in 2023?

The Raiders cut Carr on Valentine's Day, ending a nine-season run as the franchise's starter.

Which receiver did Carolina send to Chicago in the trade for the 2023 No. 1 overall pick?

The deal also handed Chicago Carolina's 2024 first-rounder, which became the No. 1 pick again and turned into Caleb Williams.

Which three-time Defensive Player of the Year joined CBS's The NFL Today after retiring?

Watt won his three DPOY awards with Houston in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and finished his career with two seasons in Arizona.

Which team added a patch for Hall of Famer Dick Butkus after his death in October 2023?

Butkus played all nine of his seasons in Chicago and was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year before a 1979 Hall of Fame induction.

Which team revived Kelly green throwback uniforms in 2023, a first since 2010?

The throwbacks were modeled on the 1985-1995 set and were paired with the era's Kelly green helmet with silver wings.

Which platform streamed the NFL's first Black Friday game in November 2023?

Unlike the usual Thursday games, whose free feed lives on Twitch, the Black Friday game was free inside Prime Video itself.

Which service took over NFL Sunday Ticket in 2023 after DirecTV had carried it since 1994?

Commercial rights for bars and restaurants went separately to EverPass Media, a company backed by RedBird Capital and the NFL's venture arm.

Who was the first Super Bowl-era player with 1,200 receiving yards through 10 team games?

Hill had already broken Torry Holt's mark for yards through eight games with 1,014, fueling talk of a 2,000-yard season.

Which Lions rookie set the season record for catches by a rookie tight end, with 82?

LaPorta and running back Jahmyr Gibbs became the first rookie teammates to each score at least 10 touchdowns.

Who became Denver's head coach in 2023, with draft picks sent to his former team?

Payton was the Broncos' seventh different head coach since 2008, replacing Nathaniel Hackett, who lasted 15 games.

Which team first won a division with both a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback?

The Texans took both Rookie of the Year awards too, only the fourth time teammates have swept them.

Which rapper performed 'America the Beautiful' before Super Bowl LVIII?

Andra Day followed with 'Lift Every Voice and Sing', and the Air Force Thunderbirds flew over as the anthem ended.

Which undrafted rookie took over as Giants quarterback after Daniel Jones tore his ACL?

The New Jersey native still lived with his parents during his run as starter, which became a storyline of its own.

Which Vikings quarterback ruptured his Achilles against Green Bay in Week 8 of 2023?

Minnesota was 1-4 before a five-game winning streak, then went 1-6 after the injury with a rotating cast of passers.

Which head coach did Carolina fire after a Week 12 loss, in his only season with the team?

Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor finished the year as interim coach as the Panthers went 2-15, the league's worst record.

Which former No. 3 overall pick did the 49ers trade to Dallas for a fourth-rounder?

San Francisco had given up three first-round picks to move up for Lance in 2021; he started four games for the team.

Which defensive lineman did the Giants trade to Seattle for a 2024 second-round pick?

Williams had been the Jets' sixth overall pick in 2015 before crossing MetLife Stadium to the Giants in a 2019 trade.

Which team acquired tight end Darren Waller from Las Vegas for a third-round pick in 2023?

The deal was struck on March 15, the day the league year opened, alongside the Jalen Ramsey and Stephon Gilmore trades.

What nickname did Indianapolis give its 2023 alternate uniform with a black helmet?

The blue jersey and pants use a heather fabric pattern, and the black shell was the franchise's first alternate helmet.

Cleveland's stadium dropped which sponsor's name in 2023 after an Ohio bribery scandal?

The building reverted to the plain name it carried from 1999 to 2012, six years before the naming deal was due to expire.

Which Lions receiver's six-game gambling ban was cut short by a 2023 policy rewrite?

His ban was for betting on non-NFL sports at the team facility; the September rewrite cut that offense to two games.

Which Pixar franchise starred in an animated alternate feed of a 2023 London game?

Player-tracking data rendered the game live in Andy's bedroom on ESPN+ and Disney+, with real players turned into animated figures.

Which Titans rookie threw four touchdown passes in his debut, tying Mariota and Tarkenton?

Three of the four went to DeAndre Hopkins, who that day tied a record for catching the first TD pass of four different passers.

Which QB was the first with three TDs in back-to-back weeks for two different teams?

Dobbs arrived in Minnesota five days before relieving an injured Jaren Hall and winning in Atlanta without a full practice.

Who broke Michael Thomas's record for receiving yards in a player's first four seasons?

He reached 5,648 yards despite missing much of 2023 with a hamstring injury.

Which Chargers head coach was fired after a 63-21 loss to the Raiders in Week 15?

General manager Tom Telesco went out the same day; the Chargers lost seven games by three points or fewer, most in the league.

Which Olympic great delivered the game ball for the AFC Championship Game in Baltimore?

It was the first AFC title game the Ravens had ever hosted, and the city's first since January 1971.

Which offensive coordinator did Buffalo fire after 10 games in 2023?

The Bills were 6-6 at their bye and still overturned a three-game Miami lead to win a fourth straight AFC East title.

What nickname did the Chiefs give the play that won Super Bowl LVIII in overtime?

The walk-off came with three seconds left in the period, just short of an unprecedented second overtime.

Dallas was the first team to win 12+ games three straight years without reaching what?

The 2023 exit was a 48-32 home loss to a seventh seed that snapped a 16-game winning streak at AT&T Stadium.

What was the NFL salary cap per team for the 2023 season?

The cap had only been $182.5 million in 2021 after the pandemic season cut league revenue.

The Chiefs wore a memorial patch all season in 2023 for which person, who died June 4?

Lamar Hunt's widow was a minority owner and had attended every Super Bowl; the patch carried her initials, NKH.

Under the NFL's revised 2023 gambling policy, betting on NFL games draws what minimum ban?

Fixing or attempting to fix a game draws a lifetime ban, while betting on other sports at team facilities fell to two games.

Which streamer became the home of NFL Game Pass outside the U.S. and China in 2023?

DAZN already held Game Pass and Sunday Ticket rights in Canada before the February 2023 deal.

Which Colts kicker became the first to make four 50-plus-yard field goals in one game?

Gay had signed from the Rams in March and did it in Week 3 at Baltimore, including the overtime winner.

Denver's Week 8 win in 2023 snapped a losing streak of how many games against the Chiefs?

The 24-9 result was also Denver's first win over the Chiefs' star quarterback, who had been 15-0 against them as a starter.

From how many yards did Tyler Bass miss his potential tying field goal against the Chiefs?

Fans responded to the abuse Bass received by donating about $100,000 to the cat shelter he represents.

Which Packers safety returned a Dak Prescott interception 64 yards for a wild-card score?

The pick-six made it 27-0 late in the first half; Green Bay improved to 6-0 all-time at AT&T Stadium.

How many career Super Bowl field goals did Harrison Butker have after LVIII, a record?

He passed Adam Vinatieri and Stephen Gostkowski, who each made eight across their Super Bowl appearances.

Whose career Super Bowl rushing record for quarterbacks fell to the Chiefs' QB in LVIII?

His 66 rushing yards in the game pushed his four-game total to 172, well past Montana's 105.

Which kicker, the last Super Bowl 50 holdover, did Denver release in 2023?

The release made safety Justin Simmons, a 2016 draft pick, the Broncos' longest-tenured player.

Super Bowl LVIII averaged how many viewers across all platforms, then a U.S. TV record?

Some 200 million people watched at least part of it, the biggest U.S. audience since the Apollo 11 moon landing.

The Jets' 2023 'Legacy White' throwbacks revived a design the team wore in which era?

The set was worn for two home games and brought back the green-helmet look of the Joe Klecko years.

How many 2023 Week 10 games ended on field goals as time expired, a record for one week?

Week 10 was the same week CeeDee Lamb posted 10 catches, 150 yards and both a receiving and a rushing score.

What was Super Bowl LVIII's attendance, the smallest unrestricted crowd in its history?

Allegiant Stadium's capacity made it the smallest crowd at an NFL title game since 58,346 in December 1946.

Who refereed Super Bowl LVIII, the first to work two Super Bowls between the same teams?

It was his third Super Bowl as referee; he had also worked the Chiefs-49ers meeting in Super Bowl LIV.

Which Super Bowl LVIII official was the first to officiate the game after playing in one?

Killens was a Titans linebacker in Super Bowl XXXIV, the game that ended one yard short against the Rams.

Which 49ers cornerback's foot deflected a Chiefs punt, setting up the Chiefs' first lead?

Jaylen Watson recovered at the 16, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling scored on the next play to make it 13-10.

Brock Purdy led the NFL in 2023 with what passer rating?

In his first full season as starter he threw for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl.

Which offensive coordinator did the Eagles fire within a week of their wild-card exit?

Defensive coordinators Sean Desai and Matt Patricia went with him after a 10-1 start collapsed into a 1-6 finish.