2015 NFL season
The 2015 NFL season was the 96th season in the history of the National Football League (NFL), and the 50th in the Super Bowl era. To celebrate the 50th season of the Super Bowl, a gold-plated NFL logo and other various gold-themed promotions were used throughout the season. It began on Thursday, September 10, 2015, with the annual kickoff game featuring the defending Super Bowl XLIX champion New England Patriots defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers. The season concluded with Super Bowl 50, the league's championship game, on Sunday, February 7, 2016, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with the Denver Broncos defeating the Carolina Panthers.
For the 2015 season, a gold-plated NFL logo was used across all league properties in anticipation of the 50th Super Bowl game. | |
| Regular season | |
|---|---|
| Duration | September 10, 2015 – January 3, 2016 |
| Playoffs | |
| Start date | January 9, 2016 |
| AFC Champions | Denver Broncos |
| NFC Champions | Carolina Panthers |
| Super Bowl 50 | |
| Date | February 7, 2016 |
| Site | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California |
| Champions | Denver Broncos |
| Pro Bowl | |
| Date | January 31, 2016 |
| Site | Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii |
During the 2015 season, the Oakland Raiders, the St. Louis Rams, and the San Diego Chargers announced their intentions to relocate back to Los Angeles in the ensuing off-season (all three teams had previously resided in the city at various points in their history). NFL owners eventually only approved the relocation of the Rams, by a vote of 30–2 on January 12, 2016. Thus, 2015 ended up being the Rams' last season in St. Louis.