| 1996 Green Bay Packers season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Green Bay Packers, Inc. |
| General manager | Ron Wolf |
| President | Bob Harlan |
| Head coach | Mike Holmgren |
| Home field | Lambeau Field |
| Results | |
| Record | 13–3 |
| Division place | 1st NFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. 49ers) 35–14 Won NFC Championship (vs. Panthers) 30–13 Won Super Bowl XXXI (vs. Patriots) 35–21 |
| Pro Bowlers | 5 |
| AP All-Pros | 3
|
The 1996 season was the Green Bay Packers' 76th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 78th overall and their fifth under head coach Mike Holmgren. The franchise won its third Super Bowl and league-record 12th NFL Championship. The Packers posted a league-best 13–3 regular season win-loss record, going 8–0 at home and 5–3 on the road. It was the first time since 1962 that the team went undefeated at home.[1] Additionally, the Packers had the NFL's highest-scoring offense (456) and allowed the fewest points on defense (210). Green Bay was the first team to accomplish both feats in the same season since the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. They finished the season with the number one ranked offense, defense, and special teams. They also set a then NFL record for the fewest touchdowns allowed in a 16-game season, with 19. The Packers also allowed the fewest yards in the NFL and set a record for punt return yardage. Brett Favre won his second straight MVP award while also throwing for a career-high and league-leading 39 touchdown passes.
In the postseason, the Packers defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round and the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship Game. Green Bay beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI to win their third Super Bowl and twelfth NFL Championship.[2]
In 2007, the 1996 Packers were ranked as the 16th greatest Super Bowl champions on the NFL Network's documentary series America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions, with team commentary from Brett Favre, Mike Holmgren, and Desmond Howard, and narrated by Kevin Bacon. The 1996 Packers were ranked 6th-greatest Super Bowl team of all time by a similar panel done by ESPN and released in 2007. Later, they ranked #20 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.[3][4] As of 2023, the Packers are the only team since the implementation of the salary cap to score the most points and allow the fewest in the regular season.