The NFL instituted a new "free agent" system for this season, Plan B, which allowed teams to have the first chance on re-signing 37 of their players.
Selecting third, the Detroit Lions drafted Barry Sanders, who would retire as the NFL's second all-time leading scorer (since broken).
In addition to replacing Silva, an extra 16th officiating crew was added to help handle the weekly workload of 14 games.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, in which the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills 31–6, was played on August 5, televised nationally by ABC and held at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio, the same city where the league was founded.
O. J. Simpson was named as the sole studio analyst for NBC's NFL Live!, joining host Bob Costas.