In 1976 the National Football League expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks. In between this expansion and the relocation of the St. Louis Cardinals to Phoenix, Arizona in 1988, two Irish-born players, Neil O’Donoghue from Dublin, and John Sinnott from Wexford played in the National Football League. O’Donoghue was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1977, and went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1978 to 1979 and St. Louis Cardinals from 1980 to 1985. Sinnott was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978, but cut from the roster in Training Camp, and picked up by the New York Giants, where he was on the Roster from 1980 to 1981, before playing for the Baltimore Colts in 1982.
The Standings and Playoff Results of the NFL (1976-1987) are followed by the Career Statistics and Biographies of the two Irish-born Players in this period, as well as a Video Highlights reel of Neil O’Donoghue playing for the Cardinals and Buccaneers.
NFL 1976
| NFL 1976 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Baltimore Colts (D) | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 417 | 246 | .786 |
| New England Patriots (P) | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 376 | 236 | .786 |
| Miami Dolphins | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 263 | 264 | .429 |
| New York Jets | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 169 | 383 | .214 |
| Buffalo Bills | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 245 | 363 | .143 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers (D) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 342 | 138 | .714 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 335 | 210 | .714 |
| Cleveland Browns | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 267 | 287 | .643 |
| Houston Oilers | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 222 | 273 | .357 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Oakland Raiders (D) | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 350 | 237 | .929 |
| Denver Broncos | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 315 | 206 | .643 |
| San Diego Chargers | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 248 | 285 | .429 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 290 | 376 | .357 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 125 | 412 | .000 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Dallas Cowboys (D) | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 296 | 194 | .786 |
| Washington Redskins (P) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 291 | 217 | .714 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 309 | 267 | .714 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 165 | 286 | .286 |
| New York Giants | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 170 | 250 | .214 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Minnesota Vikings (D) | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 305 | 176 | .821 |
| Chicago Bears | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 253 | 216 | .500 |
| Detroit Lions | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 262 | 220 | .429 |
| Green Bay Packers | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 218 | 299 | .357 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| Los Angeles Rams (D) | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 351 | 190 | .750 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 270 | 190 | .571 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 172 | 312 | .286 |
| New Orleans Saints | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 253 | 346 | .286 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 229 | 429 | .143 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1976 | Oakland Raiders | 24 | New England Patriots | 21 |
| 1976 | Baltimore Colts | 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 40 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1976 | Oakland Raiders | 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1976 | Minnesota Vikings | 35 | Washington Redskins | 20 |
| 1976 | Dallas Cowboys | 12 | Los Angeles Rams | 14 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1976 | Minnesota Vikings | 24 | Los Angeles Rams | 13 |
| Super Bowl XI | At Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Ca. | |||
| 1976 | Oakland Raiders (AFC) | 32 | Minnesota Vikings (NFC) | 14 |
NFL 1977
| NFL 1977 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Baltimore Colts (D) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 295 | 221 | .714 |
| Miami Dolphins | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 313 | 197 | .714 |
| New England Patriots | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 278 | 217 | .643 |
| New York Jets | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 191 | 300 | .214 |
| Buffalo Bills | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 160 | 313 | .214 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers (D) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 283 | 243 | .643 |
| Houston Oilers | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 299 | 230 | .571 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 238 | 235 | .571 |
| Cleveland Browns | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 269 | 267 | .429 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Denver Broncos (D) | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 274 | 148 | .857 |
| Oakland Raiders (P) | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 351 | 230 | .786 |
| San Diego Chargers | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 222 | 205 | .500 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 282 | 373 | .357 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 225 | 349 | .143 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Dallas Cowboys (D) | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 345 | 212 | .857 |
| Washington Redskins | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 196 | 189 | .643 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 272 | 287 | .500 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 220 | 207 | .357 |
| New York Giants | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 181 | 265 | .357 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Minnesota Vikings (D) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 231 | 227 | .643 |
| Chicago Bears (P) | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 255 | 253 | .643 |
| Detroit Lions | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 183 | 252 | .429 |
| Green Bay Packers | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 134 | 219 | .286 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 103 | 223 | .143 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| Los Angeles Rams (D) | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 302 | 146 | .714 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 179 | 129 | .500 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 220 | 260 | .357 |
| New Orleans Saints | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 232 | 336 | .214 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC Divisional playoff | ||||
| 1977 | Denver Broncos | 34 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21 |
| 1977 | Baltimore Colts | 31 | Oakland Raiders | 37 ot |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1977 | Denver Broncos | 20 | Oakland Raiders | 17 |
| NFC Divisional Playoff | ||||
| 1977 | Dallas Cowboys | 37 | Chicago Bears | 7 |
| 1977 | Los Angeles Rams | 7 | Minnesota Vikings | 14 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1977 | Dallas Cowboys | 23 | Minnesota Vikings | 6 |
| Super Bowl XII | At Superdome, New Orleans, La. | |||
| 1977 | Dallas Cowboys (NFC) | 27 | Denver Broncos (AFC) | 10 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the Buffalo Bills in 1977.
NFL 1978
| NFL 1978 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| New England Patriots (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 358 | 286 | .688 |
| Miami Dolphins (P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 372 | 254 | .688 |
| New York Jets | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 359 | 364 | .500 |
| Buffalo Bills | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 302 | 354 | .313 |
| Baltimore Colts | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 239 | 421 | .313 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers (D) | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 356 | 195 | .875 |
| Houston Oilers (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 283 | 298 | .625 |
| Cleveland Browns | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 334 | 356 | .500 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 252 | 284 | .250 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Denver Broncos (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 282 | 198 | .625 |
| Oakland Raiders | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 311 | 283 | .563 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 345 | 358 | .563 |
| San Diego Chargers | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 355 | 309 | .563 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 243 | 327 | .250 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Dallas Cowboys (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 384 | 208 | .750 |
| Philadelphia Eagles (P) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 270 | 250 | .563 |
| Washington Redskins | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 273 | 283 | .500 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 248 | 296 | .375 |
| New York Giants | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 264 | 298 | .375 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Minnesota Vikings (D) | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 294 | 306 | .531 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 249 | 269 | .531 |
| Detroit Lions | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 290 | 300 | .438 |
| Chicago Bears | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 253 | 274 | .438 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 241 | 259 | .313 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| Los Angeles Rams (C) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 316 | 245 | .750 |
| Atlanta Falcons (P) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 240 | 290 | .563 |
| New Orleans Saints | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 281 | 298 | .438 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 219 | 350 | .125 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1978 | Miami Dolphins | 9 | Houston Oilers | 17 |
| AFC Divisional playoff | ||||
| 1978 | New England Patriots | 14 | Houston Oilers | 31 |
| 1978 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 33 | Denver Broncos | 10 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1978 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 34 | Houston Oilers | 5 |
| NFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1978 | Atlanta Falcons | 14 | Philadelphia Eagles | 13 |
| NFC Divisional Playoff | ||||
| 1978 | Dallas Cowboys | 27 | Atlanta Falcons | 10 |
| 1978 | Los Angeles Rams | 34 | Minnesota Vikings | 10 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1978 | Los Angeles Rams | 0 | Dallas Cowboys | 28 |
| Super Bowl XIII | At Orange Bowl, Miami, Fla. | |||
| 1978 | Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) | 35 | Dallas Cowboys (NFC) | 31 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978.
NFL 1979
| NFL 1979 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Miami Dolphins (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 341 | 257 | .625 |
| New England Patriots | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 411 | 326 | .563 |
| New York Jets | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 337 | 383 | .500 |
| Buffalo Bills | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 268 | 279 | .438 |
| Baltimore Colts | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 271 | 351 | .313 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 416 | 262 | .750 |
| Houston Oilers (P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 362 | 331 | .688 |
| Cleveland Browns | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 359 | 352 | .563 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 337 | 421 | .250 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| San Diego Chargers (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 411 | 246 | .750 |
| Denver Broncos (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 289 | 262 | .625 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 378 | 372 | .563 |
| Oakland Raiders | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 365 | 337 | .563 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 238 | 262 | .438 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Dallas Cowboys (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 371 | 313 | .688 |
| Philadelphia Eagles (P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 339 | 282 | .688 |
| Washington Redskins | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 348 | 295 | .625 |
| New York Giants | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 237 | 323 | .375 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 307 | 358 | .313 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 273 | 237 | .625 |
| Chicago Bears (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 306 | 249 | .625 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 259 | 337 | .438 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 246 | 316 | .313 |
| Detroit Lions | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 219 | 365 | .125 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| Los Angeles Rams (D) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 323 | 309 | .563 |
| New Orleans Saints | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 370 | 360 | .500 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 300 | 388 | .375 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 308 | 416 | .125 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1979 | Houston Oilers | 13 | Denver Broncos | 7 |
| AFC Divisional playoff | ||||
| 1979 | San Diego Chargers | 14 | Houston Oilers | 17 |
| 1979 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 34 | Miami Dolphins | 14 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1979 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 27 | Houston Oilers | 13 |
| NFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1979 | Philadelphia Eagles | 27 | Chicago Bears | 17 |
| NFC Divisional Playoff | ||||
| 1979 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 24 | Philadelphia Eagles | 17 |
| 1979 | Dallas Cowboys | 19 | Los Angeles Rams | 21 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1979 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 | Los Angeles Rams | 9 |
| Super Bowl XIV | AT Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Ca. | |||
| 1979 | Pittsburgh Steelers (AFC) | 31 | Los Angeles Rams (NFC) | 19 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1979.
NFL 1980
| NFL 1980 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Buffalo Bills (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 320 | 260 | .688 |
| New England Patriots | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 441 | 325 | .625 |
| Miami Dolphins | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 266 | 305 | .500 |
| Baltimore Colts | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 355 | 387 | .438 |
| New York Jets | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 302 | 395 | .250 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Cleveland Browns (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 357 | 310 | .688 |
| Houston Oilers (P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 295 | 251 | .688 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 352 | 313 | .438 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 244 | 312 | .375 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| San Diego Chargers (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 418 | 327 | .688 |
| Oakland Raiders (P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 364 | 306 | .688 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 319 | 336 | .500 |
| Denver Broncos | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 310 | 323 | .500 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 291 | 408 | .250 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Philadelphia Eagles (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 384 | 222 | .750 |
| Dallas Cowboys (P) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 454 | 311 | .750 |
| Washington Redskins | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 261 | 293 | .375 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 299 | 350 | .313 |
| New York Giants | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 249 | 425 | .250 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Minnesota Vikings (D) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 317 | 308 | .563 |
| Detroit Lions | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 334 | 272 | .563 |
| Chicago Bears | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 304 | 264 | .438 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 271 | 341 | .344 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 231 | 371 | .344 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| Atlanta Falcons (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 405 | 272 | .750 |
| Los Angeles Rams (P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 424 | 289 | .688 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 320 | 415 | .375 |
| New Orleans Saints | 16 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 291 | 487 | .063 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1980 | Oakland Raiders | 27 | Houston Oilers | 7 |
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1980 | San Diego Chargers | 20 | Buffalo Bills | 14 |
| 1980 | Cleveland Browns | 12 | Oakland Raiders | 14 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1980 | San Diego Chargers | 27 | Oakland Raiders | 34 |
| NFC First Round Playoffs | ||||
| 1980 | Dallas Cowboys | 34 | Los Angeles Rams | 13 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1980 | Philadelphia Eagles | 31 | Minnesota Vikings | 16 |
| 1980 | Atlanta Falcons | 27 | Dallas Cowboys | 30 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1980 | Philadelphia Eagles | 20 | Dallas Cowboys | 7 |
| Super Bowl XV | At SuperDome, New Orleans | |||
| 1980 | Oakland Raiders (AFC) | 27 | Philadelphia Eagles (NFC) | 10 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980.
John Sinnott, who was born in Wexford, was on the New York Giants Roster in 1980.
NFL 1981
| NFL 1981 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Miami Dolphins (D) | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 345 | 275 | .719 |
| New York Jets (P) | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 355 | 287 | .656 |
| Buffalo Bills (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 311 | 276 | .688 |
| Baltimore Colts | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 259 | 533 | .188 |
| New England Patriots | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 322 | 370 | .188 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Cincinnati Bengals (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 421 | 304 | .750 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 356 | 297 | .500 |
| Houston Oilers | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 281 | 355 | .438 |
| Cleveland Browns | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 276 | 375 | .313 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| San Diego Chargers (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 478 | 390 | .625 |
| Denver Broncos | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 321 | 289 | .625 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 343 | 290 | .563 |
| Oakland Raiders | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 273 | 343 | .438 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 322 | 388 | .375 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Dallas Cowboys (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 367 | 277 | .625 |
| Philadelphia Eagles (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 368 | 221 | .625 |
| New York Giants (P) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 295 | 257 | .563 |
| Washington Redskins | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 347 | 349 | .500 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 315 | 408 | .438 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (D) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 315 | 268 | .563 |
| Detroit Lions | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 397 | 322 | .500 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 324 | 361 | .500 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 325 | 369 | .438 |
| Chicago Bears | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 253 | 324 | .375 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 357 | 250 | .813 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 426 | 356 | .438 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 303 | 351 | .375 |
| New Orleans Saints | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 207 | 378 | .250 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 181 | New York Jets | 27 | Buffalo Bills | 31 |
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1981 | Miami Dolphins | 38 | San Diego Chargers | 41 ot |
| 1981 | Cincinnati Bengals | 28 | Buffalo Bills | 21 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1981 | Cincinnati Bengals | 27 | San Diego Chargers | 7 |
| NFC First Round Playoffs | ||||
| 1981 | Philadelphia Eagles | 21 | New York Giants | 27 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1981 | Dallas Cowboys | 38 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0 |
| 1981 | San Francisco 49ers | 38 | New York Giants | 24 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1981 | San Francisco 49ers | 28 | Dallas Cowboys | 27 |
| Super Bowl XVI | At Silverdome, Pontiac, Mich. | |||
| 1981 | San Francisco 49ers (NFC) | 26 | Cincinnati Bengals (AFC) | 21 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1981.
John Sinnott, who was born in Wexford, was on the New York Giants Roster in 1981.
NFL 1982
| NFL 1982 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| Los Angeles Raiders (P) | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 260 | 200 | .889 |
| Miami Dolphins (P) | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 198 | 131 | .778 |
| Cincinnati Bengals (P) | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 232 | 172 | .778 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers (P) | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 204 | 146 | .667 |
| San Diego Chargers (P) | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 288 | 221 | .667 |
| New York Jets (P) | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 245 | 166 | .667 |
| New England Patriots (P) | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 143 | 157 | .556 |
| Cleveland Browns (P) | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 140 | 182 | .444 |
| Buffalo Bills | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 150 | 154 | .444 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 127 | 147 | .444 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 178 | 184 | .333 |
| Denver Broncos | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 148 | 226 | .222 |
| Houston Oilers | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 136 | 245 | .111 |
| Baltimore Colts | 9 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 113 | 236 | .056 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| Washington Redskins (P) | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 190 | 128 | .889 |
| Dallas Cowboys (P) | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 226 | 145 | .667 |
| Green Bay Packers (P) | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 226 | 169 | .611 |
| Minnesota Vikings (P) | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 187 | 198 | .556 |
| Atlanta Falcons (P) | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 183 | 199 | .556 |
| St. Louis Cardinals (P) | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 135 | 170 | .556 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (P) | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 158 | 178 | .556 |
| Detroit Lions (P) | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 181 | 176 | .444 |
| New Orleans Saints | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 129 | 180 | .444 |
| New York Giants | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 164 | 160 | .444 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 209 | 208 | .333 |
| Chicago Bears | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 141 | 174 | .333 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 191 | 195 | .333 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 200 | 250 | .222 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1982 | Miami Dolphins | 28 | New England Patriots | 13 |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Raiders | 27 | Cleveland Browns | 10 |
| 1982 | Cincinnati Bengals | 10 | Los Angeles Raiders | 27 |
| 1982 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 28 | San Diego Chargers | 31 |
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1982 | Los Angeles Raiders | 14 | New York Jets | 17 |
| 1982 | Miami Dolphins | 34 | San Diego Chargers | 13 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1982 | Miami Dolphins | 14 | New York Jets | 0 |
| NFC First Round Playoffs | ||||
| 1982 | Washington Redskins | 31 | Detroit Lions | 7 |
| 1982 | Green Bay Packers | 41 | St. Louis Cardinals | 16 |
| 1982 | Minnesota Vikings | 30 | Atlanta Falcons | 24 |
| 1982 | Dallas Cowboys | 30 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 17 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1982 | Washington Redskins | 21 | Minnesota Vikings | 7 |
| 1982 | Dallas Cowboys | 37 | Green Bay Packers | 26 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1982 | Washington Redskins | 31 | Dallas Cowboys | 17 |
| Super Bowl XVII | At Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Ca. | |||
| 1982 | Washington Redskins (NFC) | 27 | Miami Dolphins (AFC) | 17 |
Note: Regular Season reduced from 16 games to 9 due to Players Strike.
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.
John Sinnott, who was born in Wexford, played for the Baltimore Colts in 1982.
NFL 1983
| NFL 1983 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Miami Dolphins (C) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 389 | 250 | .750 |
| New England Patriots | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 274 | 289 | .500 |
| Buffalo Bills | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 283 | 351 | .500 |
| Baltimore Colts | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 264 | 354 | .438 |
| New York Jets | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 313 | 331 | .438 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 355 | 303 | .625 |
| Cleveland Browns | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 356 | 342 | .563 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 346 | 302 | .438 |
| Houston Oilers | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 288 | 460 | .125 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Los Angeles Raiders (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 442 | 338 | .750 |
| Seattle Seahawks (P) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 403 | 397 | .563 |
| Denver Broncos (P) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 302 | 327 | .563 |
| San Diego Chargers | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 358 | 462 | .375 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 386 | 367 | .375 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Washington Redskins (D) | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 541 | 332 | .875 |
| Dallas Cowboys (P) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 479 | 360 | .750 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 374 | 428 | .531 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 233 | 322 | .313 |
| New York Giants | 16 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 267 | 347 | .219 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Detroit Lions (D) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 347 | 286 | .563 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 429 | 439 | .500 |
| Chicago Bears | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 311 | 301 | .500 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 316 | 348 | .500 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 241 | 360 | .125 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| San Francisco 49ers (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 432 | 293 | .625 |
| Los Angeles Rams (P) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 361 | 344 | .563 |
| New Orleans Saints | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 319 | 337 | .500 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 370 | 389 | .438 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1983 | Seattle Seahawks | 31 | Denver Broncos | 7 |
| AFC Divisional playoff | ||||
| 1983 | Miami Dolphins | 20 | Seattle Seahawks | 27 |
| 1983 | Los Angeles Raiders | 38 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1983 | Los Angeles Raiders | 30 | Seattle Seahawks | 14 |
| NFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1983 | Dallas Cowboys | 17 | Los Angeles Rams | 24 |
| NFC Divisional Playoff | ||||
| 1983 | San Francisco 49ers | 24 | Detroit Lions | 23 |
| 1983 | Washington Redskins | 51 | Los Angeles Rams | 7 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1983 | Washington Redskins | 24 | San Francisco 49ers | 21 |
| Super Bowl XVIII | At Tampa Stadium, Fla. | |||
| 1983 | Los Angeles Raiders (AFC) | 38 | Washington Redskins (NFC) | 9 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1983.
NFL 1984
| NFL 1984 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Miami Dolphins (D) | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 513 | 298 | .875 |
| New England Patriots | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 362 | 352 | .563 |
| New York Jets | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 332 | 364 | .438 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 239 | 414 | .250 |
| Buffalo Bills | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 250 | 454 | .125 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Pittsburgh Steelers (D) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 387 | 310 | .563 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 339 | 339 | .500 |
| Cleveland Browns | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 250 | 297 | .313 |
| Houston Oilers | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 240 | 437 | .188 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Denver Broncos (D) | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 353 | 241 | .813 |
| Seattle Seahawks (P) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 418 | 282 | .750 |
| Los Angeles Raiders (P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 368 | 278 | .688 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 314 | 324 | .500 |
| San Diego Chargers | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 394 | 413 | .438 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Washington Redskins (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 426 | 310 | .688 |
| New York Giants (P) | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 299 | 301 | .563 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 423 | 345 | .563 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 306 | 308 | .563 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 16 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 278 | 380 | .406 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Chicago Bears (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 325 | 246 | .625 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 390 | 309 | .500 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 335 | 380 | .375 |
| Detroit Lions | 16 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 283 | 408 | .281 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 276 | 484 | .188 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| San Francisco 49ers (D) | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 475 | 227 | .938 |
| Los Angeles Rams (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 346 | 315 | .625 |
| New Orleans Saints | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 298 | 361 | .438 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 281 | 382 | .250 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1984 | Seattle Seahawks | 13 | Los Angeles Raiders | 7 |
| AFC Divisional playoff | ||||
| 1984 | Miami Dolphins | 31 | Seattle Seahawks | 10 |
| 1984 | Denver Broncos | 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 24 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1984 | Miami Dophins | 45 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 28 |
| NFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1984 | Los Angeles Rams | 13 | New York Giants | 16 |
| NFC Divisional Playoff | ||||
| 1984 | San Francisco 49ers | 21 | New York Giants | 10 |
| 1984 | Washington Redskins | 19 | Chicago Bears | 23 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1984 | San Francisco 49ers | 38 | Chicago Bears | 0 |
| Super Bowl XIX | At Stanford Stadium, Ca. | |||
| 1984 | San Francisco 49ers (NFC) | 38 | Miami Dolphins (AFC) | 16 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1984.
NFL 1985
| NFL 1985 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Miami Dolphins (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 428 | 320 | .750 |
| New York Jets(P) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 393 | 264 | .688 |
| New England Patriots | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 362 | 290 | .688 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 320 | 386 | .313 |
| Buffalo Bills | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 200 | 381 | .125 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Cleveland Browns (D) | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 287 | 294 | .500 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 441 | 437 | .438 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 379 | 355 | .438 |
| Houston Oilers | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 284 | 412 | .313 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Los Angeles Raiders (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 354 | 308 | .750 |
| Denver Broncos | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 380 | 329 | .688 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 349 | 303 | .500 |
| San Diego Chargers | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 467 | 435 | .500 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 317 | 360 | .375 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Dallas Cowboys (D) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 357 | 333 | .625 |
| New York Giants (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 399 | 283 | .625 |
| Washington Redskins | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 297 | 312 | .625 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 286 | 310 | .438 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 278 | 414 | .313 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Chicago Bears | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 456 | 198 | .938 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 337 | 355 | .500 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 346 | 359 | .438 |
| Detroit Lions | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 307 | 366 | .438 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 294 | 448 | .125 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| Los Angeles Rams (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 340 | 277 | .688 |
| San Francisco 49ers (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 411 | 263 | .625 |
| New Orleans Saints | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 294 | 401 | .313 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 282 | 452 | .250 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1985 | New York Jets | 14 | New England Patriots | 26 |
| AFC Divisional playoff | ||||
| 1985 | Miami Dolphins | 24 | Cleveland Browns | 21 |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Raiders | 20 | New England Patriots | 27 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1985 | Miami Dolphins | 14 | New England Patriots | 21 |
| NFC First Round Playoff | ||||
| 1985 | New York Giants | 17 | San Francisco 49ers | 3 |
| NFC Divisional Playoff | ||||
| 1985 | Los Angeles Rams | 20 | Dallas Cowboys | 0 |
| 1985 | Chicago Bears | 24 | Los Angeles Rams | 0 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1985 | Chicago Bears | 24 | Los Angeles Rams | 0 |
| Super Bowl XII | At Superdome, New Orleans, La. | |||
| 1985 | Chicago Bears (NFC) | 46 | New England Patriots (AFC) | 10 |
Neil O’Donoghue who was born in Dublin played Kicker for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.
NFL 1986
| NFL 1986 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| New England Patriots (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 412 | 307 | .688 |
| New York Jets (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 364 | 386 | .625 |
| Miami Dolphins | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 430 | 405 | .500 |
| Buffalo Bils | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 287 | 348 | .250 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 229 | 400 | .188 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Cleveland Browns (D) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 391 | 310 | .750 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 409 | 394 | .625 |
| P:ittsburgh Steelers | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 307 | 336 | .375 |
| Houston Oilers | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 274 | 329 | .313 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Denver Broncos (D) | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 378 | 327 | .688 |
| Kansas City Chiefs (P) | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 358 | 326 | .625 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 366 | 293 | .625 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 323 | 346 | .500 |
| San Diego Chargers | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 335 | 396 | .250 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| New York Giants (D) | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 371 | 236 | .875 |
| Washington Redskins (P) | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 368 | 296 | .750 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 346 | 337 | .438 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 16 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 256 | 312 | .344 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 16 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 218 | 351 | .281 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Chicago Bears (D) | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 352 | 187 | .875 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 398 | 273 | .563 |
| Detroit Lions | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 277 | 326 | .313 |
| Green Bay Packers | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 254 | 418 | .250 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 239 | 473 | .125 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| San Francisco 49ers | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 374 | 247 | .656 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 309 | 267 | .625 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 16 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 280 | 280 | .469 |
| New Orleands Saints | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 288 | 287 | .438 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC Wild-Card Playoff | ||||
| 1986 | New York Jets | 35 | Kansas City Chiefs | 15 |
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1986 | Cleveland Browns | 23 | New York Jets | 20 ot |
| 1986 | Denver Broncos | 22 | New England Patriots | 17 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1986 | Cleveland Browns | 20 | Denver Broncos | 23 ot |
| NFC Wild-Card Playoff | ||||
| 1986 | Washington Redskins | 19 | Los Angees Rams | 7 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1986 | Chicago Bears | 13 | Washington Redskins | 27 |
| 1986 | New York Giants | 49 | San Francisco 49ers | 3 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1986 | New York Giants | 17 | Washington Redskins | 0 |
| Super Bowl XXI | At Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Ca. | |||
| 1986 | New York Giants (NFC) | 39 | Denver Broncos (AFC) | 20 |
NFL 1987
| NFL 1987 | P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct |
| AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| AFC East | |||||||
| Indianapolis Colts (D) | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 300 | 238 | .600 |
| New England Patriots | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 320 | 293 | .533 |
| Miami Dolphins | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 362 | 335 | .533 |
| Bufalo Bills | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 270 | 305 | .467 |
| New York Jets | 15 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 3334 | 360 | .400 |
| AFC Central | |||||||
| Ceveland Browns (D) | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 390 | 239 | .667 |
| Houston Oilers (P) | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 345 | 349 | .600 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 285 | 299 | .533 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 15 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 285 | 370 | .267 |
| AFC West | |||||||
| Denver Broncos (D) | 15 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 379 | 288 | .700 |
| Seattle Seahawks (P) | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 371 | 314 | .600 |
| San Diego Chargers | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 253 | 317 | .533 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 301 | 289 | .333 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 15 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 273 | 388 | .267 |
| NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE | |||||||
| NFC East | |||||||
| Washington Redskins (D) | 15 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 379 | 285 | .733 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 340 | 348 | .467 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 362 | 368 | .467 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 337 | 380 | .467 |
| New York Giants | 15 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 280 | 312 | .400 |
| NFC Central | |||||||
| Chicago Bears (D) | 15 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 356 | 282 | .733 |
| Minnesota Vikings (P) | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 336 | 335 | .533 |
| Green Bay Packers | 15 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 255 | 300 | .367 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 15 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 286 | 360 | .267 |
| Detroit Lions | 15 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 269 | 384 | .267 |
| NFC West | |||||||
| San Francisco 49ers (D) | 15 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 459 | 253 | .867 |
| New Orleans Saints (P) | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 422 | 283 | .800 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 15 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 317 | 361 | .400 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 15 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 205 | 436 | .200 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| AFC Wild-Card Playoff | ||||
| 1987 | Houston Oilers | 23 | Seattle Seahawks | 20 ot |
| AFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1987 | Cleveland Browns | 38 | Indianapolis Colts | 21 |
| 1987 | Denver Broncos | 34 | Houston Oilers | 10 |
| AFC Championship | ||||
| 1987 | Denver Broncos | 38 | Cleveland Browns | 33 |
| NFC Wild-Card Playoff | ||||
| 1987 | New Orleans Saints | 10 | Minnesota Vikings | 44 |
| NFC Divisional Playoffs | ||||
| 1987 | San Francisco 49ers | 24 | Minnesota Vikings | 36 |
| 1987 | Chicago Bears | 17 | Washington Redskins | 21 |
| NFC Championship | ||||
| 1987 | Washington Redskins | 17 | Minnesota Vikings | 10 |
| Super Bowl XXI | At Jack Murphy Stm, San Diego, Ca, | |||
| 1987 | Washington Redskins (NFC) | 42 | Denver Broncos (AFC) | 10 |
Note: Regular Season reduced from 16 games to 15 due to Players Strike.
Neil O’Donoghue (Buffalo Bills 1977; Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1978-1979; St. Louis Cardinals 1980-1985)
Factfile
O’Donoghue, Cornelius Joseph Dennis
Height: 6’6″ Weight: 210lb
Born: 18 June 1953, Dublin, Ireland
High School:
National Amateur: Dublin Minors [GAA Football][1970]
Semi-Pro: Shamrock Rovers[Soccer][1971-72][1972-73][1973-74]
College: St. Bernard College, Auburn [Soccer 1974] Auburn Tigers [1975][1976]
Pro Football: Buffalo Bills [1977] Tampa Bay Buccaneers [1978][[1979] St. Louis Cardinals [1980][1981][1982][1983][1984][1985]
Draft: 5th Round (127th Overall) 1977 Buffalo Bills
Honours: All-American (Auburn 1976).
Biography
Neil O’Donoghue was born in Dublin in 1953 and grew up in Clondalkin, where at the age of 12 he started playing Gaelic Football (GAA) where he excelled, being selected for the Dublin Minor Team which reached the All Ireland Final in 1970, losing to Cork. He switched codes to Soccer, scoring on his debut for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland when he was 18. He played 16 games for Rovers, scoring two goals, and gaining a soccer Scholarship to St. Bernard’s College, in Alabama, the first Irishman ever to gain a Soccer Scholarship to the USA.
After the College Soccer Programme closed down he transfered to Auburn University, winning the starting Kicker position for the Tigers. In 1976 he won All-American Honours for Auburn, who play in the SEC (South Eastern Conference – traditionally the best in US College Football). He was drafted to the NFL (National Football League) in 1977 by the Buffalo Bills, playing five games before being cut from the roster and picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played two year, turning around a 2-26 record in the first two years of the expansion franchise to a 15-17 record.
He then signed for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980, where he managed to set the record for points scored in a season for the team which stood for 21 years, but will probably be best remembered by the Cardinals (now Arizona Cardinals) fans for lacking clutch kicking skills, most notably missing three Field Goals in a Playoff match against the New York Giants in 1983, including a 19-yard attempt in overtime which would have won the game for St. Louis. On the last day of the season in 1984 he missed what would have been a game-winning Field Goal in the dying seconds which would have secured a Playoff place. After the 1985 season he retired. He continued to play Senior Football Championship Football for Round Towers GAA in Clondalkin during the NFL off-season.
Video
General Statistics
| Year | Team (League) | No. | Pos | GP | GS | PGS |
| 1970 | Dublin Minors & Round Towers (GAA Football) | |||||
| 1971-72 | Shamrock Rovers (League of Ireland Soccer) | |||||
| 1972-73 | Shamrock Rovers (League of Ireland Soccer) | |||||
| 1973-74 | Shamrock Rovers (League of Ireland Soccer) | |||||
| 1974 | St. Bernard (NCAA Soccer) | |||||
| 1975 | Auburn Tigers (NCAAF SEC) | |||||
| 1976 | Auburn Tigers (NCAAF SEC) | |||||
| 1977 | Buffalo Bills (NFL) | 8 | K | 5 | 0 | 10 |
| 1978 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) | 6 | P-K | 15 | 0 | 64 |
| 1979 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) | 6 | K | 16 | 0 | 63 |
| 1980 | St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) | 11 | K | 10 | 0 | 51 |
| 1981 | St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) | 11 | K | 16 | 0 | 93 |
| 1982 | St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) | 11 | K | 8 | 0 | 39 |
| 1983 | St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) | 11 | K | 16 | 0 | 90 |
| 1984 | St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) | 11 | K | 16 | 0 | 117 |
| 1985 | St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) | 11 | K | 8 | 0 | 49 |
| 3 Years | League of Ireland | 16 | 2 | |||
| 9 Years | NFL | 110 | 0 | 576 |
Legend: No = Jersey Number, Pos = Position, GP = Games Played, GS = Games Started. K = Kicker, P = Punter. PGS= Points (NFL) or Goals (LoI) Scored.
John Sinnott (New York Giants 1980-1981; Baltimore Colts 1982)
Factfile
Sinnott, John Desmond
Height: 6-4 Weight: 279
Born: 18/04/1958 Wexford, Ireland
High School: Dedham (MA)
College: Brown [1976, 1977, 1978, 1979]
Professional: New York Giants NFL [1980, 1981] Baltimore Colts NFL [1982]
Draft: 3rd Round (60th Overall) 1980 St. Louis Cardinals.
Biography
John Sinnott was born in Wexford, Ireland in 1958, and played High School Football in Denham, Massachusetts, where he was recruited for Brown University Bears of the Ivy League in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). His High School Football Coach told hm that he might get injured in his first few weeks playing Football, so he should not concentrate on just Football, as his College Academic Achievement was as important, something which is not all that common these days. [Reference: 2] While at Brown, he played in the most successful Brown University Football Team in 50 years, in 1976 emulating the Iron Men of 1926 in winning their first Ivy League Chamoionship in half a century. [Reference: 8]
After College he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, where he was cut from the roster during training camp. John was subsequently picked up by the New York Giants, and after two years on the squad, he was traded to the Baltimore Colts. There he played in 9 games in 1982, before injuring his back, an injury which still bothers him to this day, and retired from Football. [Reference: 11-12]
Career Statistics
General
| Year | Team | No | Pos | GP | GS |
| 1976 | Brown University Bears (NCAA) | ||||
| 1977 | Brown University Bears (NCAA) | ||||
| 1978 | Brown University Bears (NCAA) | ||||
| 1979 | Brown University Bears (NCAA) | ||||
| 1980 | New York Giants (NFL) | ||||
| 1981 | New York Giants (NFL) | ||||
| 1982 | Baltimore Colts (NFL) | 79 | LOT | 9 | 7 |
Legend: No = Jersey Number, Pos = Position, GP = Games Played, GS = Games Started. LOT = Left Offensive Tackle.
Fumbles
| Year | Team | No | Lost | Own | Opp | Rec | Yds | TD | |
| 1982 | Baltimore Colts (NFL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career | NFL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Legend: No = Number of Fumbles, Lost = Fumbles Lost, Own = Own Fumbles, Opp = Opposition Fumbles, Rec = Fumbles Recovered, Yds = Yards, TD = Fumbles Returned for a Touchdown.
References
Bibliography
[1] NFL (1987) “Past Standings” 1987 NFL Record & Factbook . pg. 226-228. Workman Publishing Company, New York.
Websites
[2] NFL Ireland (2011) Irish Players – Neil O’Donoghue – Kicker (1978-1985) [Internet] Available from: nfl-ireland.com/irish-players/70-irish-players-neil-odonoghue-kicker-1978-1985 [Accessed 25 February 2018][Broken Link – Available Online At the Wayback Machine Internet Archive at: https://web.archive.org/web/20130124024113/http://nfl-ireland.com/irish-players/70-irish-players-neil-odonoghue-kicker-1978-1985/[Accessed 30 December 2020]
[3] Round Towers GAA / Andrew Cronin (2012) The Last Irishman to Play in the NFL was a Towers man ! [Internet] Available from: http://roundtower.ie/news-2/last-irishman-play-nfl-was-towers-man-1797/ [Accessed 7 May 2018]
[4] Pro Football Archives (2020) Neil O’Donoghue [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/playero/odon01000.html [Accessed 2 April 2020]
[5] Sports Reference (2020) College Football Standings 1975 [Internet] Available from: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1975-standings.html [Accessed 30 December 2020]
[6] Sports Reference (2020) College Football Standings 1976 [Internet] Available from: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html [Accessed 30 December 2020]
Newspapers
[7] Anon. (1972) “Soccer Summary” Irish Independent. Monday, April 17, 1972. [pg. 14 Irish Newspaper Archive: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]
[8] Anon. (1973) “Soccer Summary” Irish Independent. Monday, April 16, 1973. [pg. 12-13 Irish Newspaper Archive: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]
[9] Anon. (1974) “Soccer Summary” Irish Independent. Monday, April 15, 1974. [pg. 10 Irish Newspaper Archive: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]
Videos
[10] You Tube Highlight MaekR Channel (2018) October 1, 2018 Neil O’Donoghue – Tallest Kicker in NFL History [Internet] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEqIIkS-sgc [Accessed 30 December 2020]
Websites
[11] The 42.ie / Steve O’Rourke (2016) One of the last Irish-born NFL players says we’re ‘not too far away’ from another [Internet] Available from: https://www.the42.ie/john-sinnott-wexford-irish-nfl-player-3058766-Nov2016/ [Accessed 7 August 2018]
[12] Pro Football Archives (2020) John Sinnott [Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballarchives.com/players/sinn00400.html [Accessed 2 April 2020]
[13] Sports Reference (2020) College Football Standings 1976 [Internet] Available from: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html [Accessed 30 December 2020]
[14] Sports Reference (2020) College Football Standings 1977 [Internet] Available from: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1977-standings.html [Accessed 30 December 2020]
[15] Sports Reference (2020) College Football Standings 1978 [Internet] Available from: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1978-standings.html [Accessed 30 December 2020]
[16] Sports Reference (2020) College Football Standings 1979 [Internet] Available from: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1979-standings.html [Accessed 30 December 2020]
[17] Brown University Athletics (2020) Brown Bears 1976 [Internet] Available from: https://brownbears.com/sports/2018/5/8/ivy-league-championships-1976-football [Accessed 30 December 2020]
[18] Brown University Athletics (2020) image_handler [Internet] Available from: https://brownbears.com/common/controls/image_handler.aspx?thumb_id=0&image_path=/images/2018/5/8/viox1eg8koyhw2ms.jpg [Accessed 30 December 2020]
Logos
[1] Photo Credit: Enda Mulcahy: NFL Super Bowl XXII 1988 Official Match Programme Washington Redskins v Denver Broncos Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego – Author’s Personal Collection
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Kevin Smyth, John Malone, Tony Meenaghan, Jim Naughton, Robert Gorby, Brian Bird, Paul Hynes.
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 30 December 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.