1989 NFL season

Infobox NFL
year = 1989
NFLchampion = San Francisco 49ers
regular_season = September 10 1989-December 25 1989
playoffs_start = December 31 1989
AFCchampion = Denver Broncos
NFCchampion = San Francisco 49ers
sb_name = XXIV
sb_date = January 28 1990
sb_site = Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
pb_date = February 4 1990

The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement. Paul Tagliabue was eventually chosen to succeed him.

Due to damage caused by the Loma Prieta earthquake to Candlestick Park, the New England Patriots - San Francisco 49ers match on October 22 was played at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California.

The season ended with Super Bowl XXIV when the 49ers defeated the Denver Broncos.

Major rule changes

*After a foul that occurs inside the last two minutes of the first half and inside the last five minutes of the second half, the game clock will start at the snap, instead of when the ball is spotted and the Referee signals it is ready to be played.
*New rules are enacted, including loss of time outs or five-yard penalties, to handle the problems of crowd noise when it becomes too loud that it prevents the offensive team from hearing its signals.
*If a receiver and a defender eventually establish joint control of a pass, the ball will be awarded to whoever was the first one who established control the ball first.

Final standings

"W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against"

"Green-shaded teams clinched playoff berths"
"x - clinched wild card berth, y - clinched division title"

Tiebreakers

*Indianapolis finished ahead of Miami in the AFC East based on better conference record (7-5 vs. Dolphins' 6-8).
*Houston finished ahead of Pittsburgh in the AFC Central based on head-to-head sweep (2-0).
*Philadelphia was first NFC Wild Card ahead of L.A. Rams based on better record against common opponents (6-3 to Rams' 5-4).
*Minnesota finished ahead of Green Bay in the NFC Central based on better division record (6-2 vs. Packers' 5-3).

Playoffs

:"Home team in capitals"

AFC

*Wild-Card playoff: Pittsburgh 26, HOUSTON 23 (OT)
*Divisional playoffs: CLEVELAND 34, Buffalo 30; DENVER 24, Pittsburgh 23
*AFC Championship: DENVER 37, Cleveland 21 at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado, January 14, 1990

NFC

*Wild-Card playoff: L.A. Rams 21, PHILADELPHIA 7
*Divisional playoffs: L.A. Rams 19, N.Y. GIANTS 13 (OT); SAN FRANCISCO 41, Minnesota 13
*NFC Championship: SAN FRANCISCO 30, L.A. Rams 3 at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California, January 14, 1990

uper Bowl

*Super Bowl XXIV: San Francisco (NFC) 55, Denver (AFC) 10, at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 28, 1990

References

* "NFL Record and Fact Book" (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
* [http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1981-1990 NFL History 1981-1990] (Last accessed December 4, 2005)
* [http://nflhistory.net/linescores/pdf/1989.pdf 1989 season in details]
* "Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League" (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)