# 1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league), played September 1993 through January 1994 and ending with the [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-cowboys) defeating the [Buffalo Bills](https://www.edgepedia.org/buffalo-bills) 30-13 in Super Bowl XXVIII on January 30, 1994, in Atlanta.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) • [2](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/super-powers-what-current-team-could-take-from-1993-cowboys-squad) It was the second of back-to-back Cowboys-Bills Super Bowl matchups, the only time the same two teams have met in consecutive Super Bowls.[3](https://ouatsports.com/nfl-seasons/1993-nfl-season/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Super Bowl | Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13, Super Bowl XXVIII, January 30, 1994, Atlanta[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) |
| AP MVP | Emmitt Smith, running back, Dallas Cowboys[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) |
| Passing leader | John Elway, Denver, 4,030 yards[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) |
| Rushing leader | Emmitt Smith, Dallas, 1,486 yards[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) |
| Receiving leader | Jerry Rice, San Francisco, 1,503 yards[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) |
| Schedule quirk | Each team received two bye weeks as a one-season experiment[4](https://www.packers.com/schedule/1993/) |
| Top-rated player | Steve Young, San Francisco, led the league in Approximate Value at 22[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) |
## Regular season
Three teams finished 12-4 and won their divisions: the Dallas Cowboys ([NFC East](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfc-east)), the Buffalo Bills ([AFC East](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-east)), and the [Houston Oilers](https://www.edgepedia.org/houston-oilers) (AFC Central).[5](https://www.nfl.com/standings/division/1993/reg) The Oilers entered the playoffs on an 11-game winning streak and outscored opponents 368-238.[5](https://www.nfl.com/standings/division/1993/reg) San Francisco (10-6) won the NFC West, and Kansas City (11-5) took the AFC West.[5](https://www.nfl.com/standings/division/1993/reg)
**Two byes instead of one.** For this season only, the NFL gave every team two bye weeks, spreading the 18-week schedule around 16 games; Green Bay, for example, had byes in Weeks 3 and 7.[4](https://www.packers.com/schedule/1993/) The arrangement was not retained after 1993.
**The Cowboys' slow start.** Dallas opened the season with two losses, in part because running back [Emmitt Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/emmitt-smith) was holding out over his contract, a dispute that frustrated much of the Cowboys locker room.[2](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/super-powers-what-current-team-could-take-from-1993-cowboys-squad) The second loss came on September 12, when the Bills beat a Smith-less Dallas team that struggled to move the ball until a late 98-yard touchdown drive.[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1993/09/13/this-time-bills-beat-smith-less-cowboys/dcf935a0-a071-4236-b4bf-76c492e0925d/) After Smith returned, Dallas won 12 of its remaining 14 games and closed the season on a five-game winning streak.[5](https://www.nfl.com/standings/division/1993/reg)
## Leaders and awards
Emmitt Smith won the AP Most Valuable Player award and led the league in rushing with 1,486 yards.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) • [7](https://profootballarchives.com/1993awards.html) [Jerry Rice](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-rice) was the AP Offensive Player of the Year and the receiving leader at 1,503 yards, and Rod Woodson of Pittsburgh was the AP Defensive Player of the Year.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) The rookie awards went to [Jerome Bettis](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerome-bettis) (offense) and [Dana Stubblefield](https://www.edgepedia.org/dana-stubblefield) (defense).[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm)
Steve Young of San Francisco posted the highest Approximate Value (22), followed by Rice and Smith at 20.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm) [John Elway](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-elway) led passers with 4,030 yards and 348 completions.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm)
One of the season's most remembered plays came on [Thanksgiving](https://www.edgepedia.org/thanksgiving) in Dallas, when a rare snowstorm left a slick [Texas Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/texas-stadium) field and Cowboys lineman Leon Lett's blunder cost Dallas in the closing moments; former coach Jimmy Johnson later called it "the weirdest day ever."[8](https://time.com/3606882/nfl-thanksgiving-football-games/)
## Playoffs
The 12-team postseason bracket (six teams per conference, in place since 1990) produced these results:[9](https://www.shrpsports.com/nfl/stand/1993finaldiv.htm)
- **AFC Wild Card**: Kansas City 27, [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh) 24 (overtime); LA Raiders 42, Denver 24.
- **NFC Wild Card**: Green Bay 28, Detroit 24; NY Giants 17, Minnesota 10.
- **AFC Divisional**: Buffalo 29, LA Raiders 23; Kansas City 28, Houston 20.
- **NFC Divisional**: Dallas 27, Green Bay 17; San Francisco 44, NY Giants 3.
- **AFC Championship**: Buffalo 30, Kansas City 13.
- **NFC Championship**: Dallas 38, San Francisco 21.
- **Super Bowl XXVIII**: Dallas 30, Buffalo 13.[9](https://www.shrpsports.com/nfl/stand/1993finaldiv.htm) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm)
Buffalo reached its fourth consecutive [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl) by defeating the Los Angeles Raiders and then Kansas City, while Dallas earned its rematch with Buffalo by defeating Green Bay and then the 49ers 38-21 in the NFC Championship Game.[9](https://www.shrpsports.com/nfl/stand/1993finaldiv.htm) • [11](https://www.buffalobills.com/news/important-dates-in-bills-history-jan-23-1994-bills-win-fourth-consecuti-16738844) The Chiefs' 27-24 overtime wild-card win over Pittsburgh was a memorable start to the postseason.[9](https://www.shrpsports.com/nfl/stand/1993finaldiv.htm)
## Super Bowl XXVIII
Dallas led 30-13 at the end, giving the Cowboys consecutive championships and a second straight victory over Buffalo, a year after the 52-17 Super Bowl XXVII win.[2](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/super-powers-what-current-team-could-take-from-1993-cowboys-squad) • [10](https://www.footballdb.com/seasons/nfl/1993) The repeat meant the Bills lost a fourth consecutive Super Bowl, and the Cowboys went on to add a third title in the decade in Super Bowl XXX.[2](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/super-powers-what-current-team-could-take-from-1993-cowboys-squad)
## References
1. [1993 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards, Pro-Football-Reference](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/leaders.htm)
2. [Super Powers: What current team could take from 1993 Cowboys squad, DallasCowboys.com](https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/super-powers-what-current-team-could-take-from-1993-cowboys-squad)
3. [The Narrative Of The 1993 NFL Season, OUAT Sports](https://ouatsports.com/nfl-seasons/1993-nfl-season/)
4. [Packers Historical 1993 Schedule, packers.com](https://www.packers.com/schedule/1993/)
5. [1993 NFL Division Standings, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/standings/division/1993/reg)
6. [This Time, Bills Beat Smith-less Cowboys, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1993/09/13/this-time-bills-beat-smith-less-cowboys/dcf935a0-a071-4236-b4bf-76c492e0925d/)
7. [1993 NFL Awards, Pro Football Archives](https://profootballarchives.com/1993awards.html)
8. [Thanksgiving NFL Football: Butt Fumble, Leon Lett, Other Odd Moments, TIME](https://time.com/3606882/nfl-thanksgiving-football-games/)
9. [Final NFL Division Standings 1993, SHRP Sports](https://www.shrpsports.com/nfl/stand/1993finaldiv.htm)
10. [1993 NFL Season, The Football Database](https://www.footballdb.com/seasons/nfl/1993)
11. [Important Dates in Bills History: Jan. 23, 1994. Bills win fourth consecutive AFC Championship](https://www.buffalobills.com/news/important-dates-in-bills-history-jan-23-1994-bills-win-fourth-consecuti-16738844)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › National Football League › NFL teams and franchises*
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