1981 NAFL season (Jayverse)

The 1981 NAFL season was the 62nd Regular Season of the North American Football League.

New Officials
Cal Lepore retired prior to the 1981 season. Tom Dooley, who was assigned the Super Bowl XV as line judge at the of end of 1981 season, was promoted to referee to replace Lepore.

The Draft
The 1981 NAFL Draft took place at the New York Sheraton Hotel in New York City, The Montreal Beavers made their first selection in the draft to South Carolina select RB George Rogers, However the Edmonton Elks followed to get RB Sean Kehoe from Alberta, Ottawa Canadians made their 3rd pick to select TE Ian Beckstead from Richmond, Dickinson State T Chris Walby was chosen as the 4th pick in the NAFL Draft in which he goes to his home city as a Member of the Winnipeg Bombers

Other Selections in the Draft

Saskatchewan Roughriders draft Vic Stevenson (T)

Houston Oilers draft Eric Herring (WR)

Philadelphia Eagles draft Leoanrd Mitchell (T)

Boston Patriots draft Brian Holloway (T)

San Francisco 49ers draft Ronnie Lott (FS)

Pittsburgh Steelers draft Anthony Washington (CB)

Buffalo Bills draft Chris Williams (FS)

Cleveland Browns draft Hanford Dixon (CB)

Baltimore Colts draft Randy McMillan (RB)

Chicago Bears draft Ketih Van Horne (T)

Denver Broncos draft Dennis Smith (FS)

Washington Redskins draft Mark May (G)

Detroit Lions draft Mark Nichols (WR)

Miami Dolphins draft Andra Franklin (RB)

Calgary Stampeders draft Scott MacArthur (DE)

St. Louis Gunners draft E.J. Junior (LB)

Los Angeles Rams draft Mel Owens (LB)

Toronto Huskies draft Tom Trifaux (T)

Cincinnati Chargers draft David Verser (WR)

Oakland Raiders draft Ted Watts (FS)

Dallas Texans draft Howard Richards (G)

Vancouver Lumberjacks draft Rob Smith (G)

Atlanta Falcons draft Bobby Butler (FS)

San Antonio Wings draft David Overstreet (RB)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft Hugh Green (LB)

New York Giants draft Lawrence Taylor (LB)

Minnesota Vikings draft Mardye McDole (WR)

New Orleans Saints draft Russell Gary (FS)

San Diego Destroyers draft James Brooks (RB)

Kansas City Kings draft Willie Scott (TE)

Green Bay Packers draft Rich Campbell (QB)

Birmingham Vulcans draft Curtis Green (DE)

Seattle Orcas draft Kenny Easley (CB)

New York Jets draft Freeman McNeil (RB)

Winnipeg Bombers draft Howie Long (DE)

San Francisco 49ers draft Eric Wright (CB)

Portland Storm draft Neil Lomax (QB)

Pittsburgh Steelers draft David Little (LB)

Chicago Bears draft Mike Singletary (LB)

Washington Sentinels draft Russ Grimm (G)

St. Louis Gunners draft James Wilder (RB)

Los Angeles Rams draft Jim Collins (LB)

Kentucky Bourbons draft Rickey Jackson (LB)

Cincinnati Chargers draft Cris Collinsworth (WR)

Oakland Raiders draft Deron Cherry (SS)

Dallas Texans draft Everson Walls (SS)

New York Giants draft Jim Burt (DT)

Minnesota VIkings draft Wade Wilson (QB)

New Orleans Saints draft Hoby Brenner (TE)

Kansas City Kings draft Joe Delaney (RB)

Seattle Orcas draft Rich Camarillo (P)

San Francisco 49ers draft Carlton Williamson (FS)

Chicago Bears draft Todd Bell (FS)

Washington Sentinels draft Dexter Manley (DE)

Kansas City Kings draft Lloyd Burruss (FS)

Chicago Bears draft Jay Hilgenberg (C)

Washington Sentinels draft Joe Jacoby (T)

Final Standings
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles (9-7), Toronto Huskies (9-7), Washington Sentinels (8-8), Baltimore Colts (7-9), Montrael Beavers (5-11), New York Giants (3-13)

NFC North: Indianapolis Racers (11-5), Milwaukee Mustangs (10-6), Green Bay Packers (9-7), St. Louis Gunners (9-7), Detroit Lions (6-10), Chicago Bears (5-11)

NFC South: Dallas Texans (9-7), Jacksonville Sharks (9-7), Mexico City Diablos (8-8), Kentucky Bourbons (8-8), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9), New Orleans Saints (6-10)

NFC West: Portland Storm (11-5), Sacramento Condors (11-5), Seattle Orcas (10-6), Las Vegas Gamblers (10-6), San Francisco 49ers (7-9), Los Angeles Rams (7-9), Denver Broncos (6-10)

AFC East: Brooklyn Barons (9-7), New York Jets (7-9), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-9), Buffalo Bills (7-9), Boston Patriots (6-10), Ottawa Canadians (1-15)

AFC North: Cincinnati Chargers (10-6), Minnesota Vikings (9-7), Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-8), Winnipeg Bombers (6-10), Pittsburgh Steelers (5-11), Cleveland Browns (4-12)

AFC South: Birmingham Vulcans (13-3), Memphis Steamers (12-4), San Antonio Wings (11-5), Atlanta Falcons (9-7), Houston Oilers (7-9), Miami Dolphins (5-11)

AFC West: Calgary Stampeders (11-5), Kansas City Kings (11-5), Southern California Sun (11-5), Vancouver Lumberjacks (9-7), Edmonton Elks (9-7), Oakland Raiders (8-8), San Diego Destroyers (5-11)

Playoffs
AFC Wildcard: San Antonio def. Cincinnati 37-31, Memphis def. Brooklyn 31-17

NFC Wildcard: Dallas def. Seattle 32-24, Philadelphia def. Sacramento 41-28

AFC Divisional: San Antonio def. Kansas City 30-27, Birmingham def. Memphis 38-17

NFC Divisional: Indianapolis def. Dallas 52-16, Portland def. Philadelphia 50-21

AFC Championhip: Birmingham def. San Antonio 36-31

NFC Championship: Indianapolis def. Portland 27-26

Super Bowl XVI (at The Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, MI): Birmingham def. Indianapolis 42-27

NAFL All-Star Game (at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, CA): NFC def. AFC 31-17

League Leaders
Passing Yards - Brian Sipe (Atlanta) 4,923

Passing TD's - Dan Fouts (Birmingham) 54

Passing Rating - Dan Fouts (Birmingham) 130.6

Rushing Yards - Archie Taylor (NY Giants) 1,393

Receiving Yards - James Lofton (Green Bay) 1,778

Total Points - Richard Shively (Seattle) 152

Tackles - Randy Gradishar (Denver) 134

Sacks - John Mathis (Memphis) & Ronald Robinson (Indianapolis) 18

Interceptions - Otis Cloutier (Ottawa), Micheal Cosgrove (NY Jets), Jon McGregor (Washington), Major Roney (Sacramento), Peter Smith (Dallas) & Justin Wicks (Edmonton) 7