‘The NFL Today’ celebrating 50th anniversary: All you need to know about the 1975 season

Throwbacks are all the rage in the NFL these days. From helmets to uniforms to end zones, fans can’t get enough of nostalgia when it comes to their favorite NFL team.

CBS is taking throwback weekend to a whole new level.

Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season is a significant day in the history of the NFL on CBS. Sunday, Sept. 21, marks the 50th anniversary of “The NFL Today” — the groundbreaking pregame show that put CBS’ NFL coverage on the map. 

In honor of the iconic show’s 50th birthday, CBS Sports will bring viewers back in time throughout Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season, paying homage to the groundbreaking studio show that altered the landscape of sports TV. The weeklong celebration will be highlighted by a vintage edition of “The NFL Today” Sunday at noon, ET, with special guests, retro graphics and music, and innovative technology including a virtual recreation of the 1975 NFL Today set.

Even better? Brent Musburger, one of the original hosts from 1975 through 1990, will join join host James Brown in studio alongside analysts Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson and Matt Ryan. The show will feature its usual highlights, news and analysis of the NFL’s top storylines, and also reflect on the past 50 years of “The NFL Today” with an on-air look that celebrates the show’s historic half-century of NFL studio coverage.

The NFL on CBS game broadcast will also feature throwback themes throughout Week 3 game coverage, with flashback clips and musical elements throughout the day. Additionally, as part of their own throwback celebrations, several NFL clubs have announced that they will be wearing throwback uniforms in Week 3 including the New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Debuting on Sept. 21, 1975, the modern version of “The NFL Today” was the first live studio show that took viewers across the entire country, previewing and highlighting every game in the NFL. This was a landmark event in the proud history of CBS Sports, as we will be taking you back to 1975 all week. 

How did the NFL look in 1975? Here’s a quick refresher: 

Teams that did not exist in 1975

• Baltimore Ravens (were Cleveland Browns)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (first season in 1976)
• Seattle Seahawks (first season in 1976)
• Carolina Panthers (first season in 1995)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (first season in 1995)
• Houston Texans (first season in 2002)

The NFL had 26 teams in 1975. There were three divisions in each conference. Five teams were in the NFC East and AFC East, while four teams were in the AFC Central, NFC Central, NFC West, and AFC West. 

Teams that were in different cities in 1975

• Indianapolis Colts (Baltimore)
• Tennessee Titans (Houston)
• Baltimore Ravens (Cleveland)
• Las Vegas Raiders (Oakland)
• Los Angeles Chargers (San Diego)
• Arizona Cardinals (St. Louis)

The Colts moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore in 1984, the biggest relocation among these teams. The Browns left Cleveland for Baltimore in 1996, but kept the Browns name and history when the NFL awarded Cleveland an expansion team in 1999 (Ravens were treated as essentially an expansion franchise in 1996 with the Browns ownership and front office). 

The Cardinals moved from St. Louis to Phoenix in 1988. The Oilers moved from Houston to Tennessee in 1997 and changed the nickname to the Titans in 1999. The Chargers moved from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017 while the Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020 (moved to Los Angeles in 1982 and back to Oakland in 1995). 

The Rams even moved from Los Angeles in 1995 to St. Louis, then went back to Los Angeles in 2016. 

Award winners

• League MVP: Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota Vikings)
• Man of the Year: Ken Anderson (Cincinnati Bengals)
• Offensive Player of the Year: Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota Vikings)
• Defensive Player of the Year: Mel Blount (Pittsburgh Steelers)
• Offensive Rookie of the Year: Mike Thomas (Washington)
• Defensive Rookie of the Year: Robert Brazile (Houston Oliers)
• Coach of the Year: Ted Marchibroda (Baltimore Colts)

Tarkenton was league MVP after throwing for 2,994 yards with a league-high 25 touchdowns in a 14-game season. He had a 91.8 passer rating while leading the league in completions (273) and attempts (425). Blount had an NFL-high 11 interceptions in 1975 in earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. 

Thomas rushed for 919 yards and had 1,402 yards from scrimmage with seven touchdowns to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Brazile began his Hall of Fame career in 1975 by having seven sacks in his rookie season. Marchibroda was the coach of the Colts in his first season, winning the AFC East title with a 10-4 record. 

League leaders

• Pass yards: Ken Anderson (3,169)
• Pass TD: Fran Tarkenton (25)
• Passer rating: Ken Anderson (93.9)
• Rush yards: O.J. Simpson (1,817)
• Rush TD: O.J. Simpson (16)
• Receptions: Chuck Foreman (73)
• Receiving yards: Ken Burrough (1,063)
• Receiving TD: Mel Gray, Lynn Swann (11)
• Yards from scrimmage: O.J. Simpson (2,273)
• Scrimmage TD: O.J. Simpson (23)
• Interceptions: Mel Blount (11)

The NFL played a 14-game season in 1975, which is why some of these numbers don’t pop out like in 2025. Simpson’s 1,817 yards rushing were third-most in a season, behind his 2,003 yards rushing in 1973 and Jim Brown’s 1,863 in 1963. Simpson did set the yards from scrimmage record with 2,273 — breaking Brown’s 2,131 yards in 1963. 

Division winners

• AFC East: Baltimore Colts
• AFC Central: Pittsburgh Steelers
• AFC West: Oakland Raiders
• NFC East: St. Louis Cardinals
• NFC Central: Minnesota Vikings
• NFC West: Los Angeles Rams
• Wild card playoff team (NFC): Dallas Cowboys
• Wild card playoff team (AFC): Cincinnati Bengals

Only eight teams made the playoffs and they all played in the divisional round of the postseason. Teams were seeded 1 through 4 in each conference, with the highest seed having home-field advantage in the conference playoffs. 

Super Bowl X

Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17

The Steelers trailed 10-7 heading into the fourth quarter before Lynn Swann took over the game with a 64-yard touchdown catch — part of an MVP performance which he had four catches for 161 yards and a score. Terry Bradshaw finished 9 of 19 for 209 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Roger Staubach threw three interceptions for the Cowboys in the loss.

The Steelers won their second straight Super Bowl while the Cowboys reached their third Super Bowl in six years.