Week 1 of the season reverted to Labor Day weekend in 2000. It would be the last NFL season to date to start on Labor Day weekend. It would also be the last time until 2015 that CBS televised the late afternoon games in Week 1, because both Week 1 of the NFL season and CBS's coverage of the U.S. Open tennis finals would take place on the same day beginning next season.
In order to cut down on group celebrations, unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and fines will be assessed for celebrations by two or more players.
Anyone wearing an eligible number (1 to 49 or 80 to 89) can play quarterback without having to first report to the referee before a play.
This rule change resulted in the increase of trick plays teams can employ on offense.
The "Bert Emanuel" rule was implemented, stating that when making a catch and falling to the ground, the ball is allowed to touch the ground and still be considered a catch if the player maintains clear control of the ball.
Fears played 9 seasons as an end for the Los Angeles Rams and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970. He was a 3-time NFL champion (1951, 1962, 1965), he was named First-team All-Pro in 1950, and was a member of the 1950s All-Decade Team. He was the first Mexican born player inducted into the Hall of Fame. He died January 4, aged 77
Thomas played 11 seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a 6-time All-Pro selection (1st team 1990–1992, 2nd team 1993, 1994, 1996) and a 9-time Pro Bowl selection (1989–1997). He was named to the 1990s All-Decade Team. He owns NFL record for sacks in a game with 7, which he achieved in 1990. He was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. He died February 8 of a pulmonary embolism, aged 33. He is the only player inducted into the Hall of Fame that died while still active in the NFL.
Landry was the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He won 2 Super Bowls VI and XII. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. He died February 12, aged 75.
New England Patriots – Bill Belichick replaced Pete Carroll, who was fired after the 1999 season. Belichick was hired by the New England Patriots shortly after he resigned from the Jets. Bill Parcells and the Jets claimed that Belichick was still under contract to the Jets, and demanded compensation from the Patriots. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue agreed, and the Patriots gave the Jets a first-round draft pick in 2000 in exchange for the right to hire Belichick.
New York Jets – Al Groh replaced Bill Belichick, who replaced Bill Parcells, who retired to become the full-time General Manager after the 1999 season. Defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, the first choice to replace Parcells as head coach, resigned in order to take the Patriots job.
Houston Texans – Charley Casserly was hired as the first executive vice president/GM of the expansion Texans on January 19th, 2000. The Texans would play their inaugural season two years later.
The Baltimore Ravens introduced a new Ravens wordmark logo, a new Ravens shield logo was placed on the sleeve ends, and there was new pants stripping with the "B" logo on hips.
The Kansas City Chiefs began wearing red pants with their white jerseys for first time since 1988.
The New England Patriots introduced new uniforms, darkening the shade of their blue from royal to nautical blue. The new white jerseys were worn with blue block numbers and blue pants.
The New Orleans Saints updated their fleur-de-lis helmet logo to be a bit smaller but with a wider white and black outline. Also introduced was an alternative old gold logo. They also returned to wearing old gold pants with their white jerseys.
The New York Giants unveiled new uniforms. The blue jerseys were a modernized version of the team's design used in the 1950s. The white jerseys still retained elements of the 1980s design (such as the 1980s' blue collars and nameplates, and missing the 1950s' red sleeve stripes) but with red numbers like the 1950s version. Gray pants were worn with both the blue and white jerseys. The helmet also returned to featuring the lowercase "ny" logo, in addition to the TV numbers moving from the sleeve to the shoulder.
The St. Louis Rams introduced new uniforms, darkening the shades of blue and gold to "New Century Blue" and "Millennium Gold". Among other modifications, the curling rams horns on the sleeves were replaced by a new logo featuring charging ram's head, in addition to the TV numbers moving from the sleeve to the shoulder.
This was the third year under the league's eight-year broadcast contracts with ABC, CBS, Fox, and ESPN to televise Monday Night Football, the AFC package, the NFC package, and Sunday Night Football, respectively.
ABC fired Boomer Esiason, reportedly because he and Al Michaels never got along in the MNF booth. The network decided to go in a radical direction by hiring comedian Dennis Miller, along with Dan Fouts, to join Michaels.[5]