The Washington Redskins defeated the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. This Super Bowl saw the first time in which a team that lost a Super Bowl to another team won the rematch. The Redskins lost to the Dolphins in Super Bowl VII. This game also marked the end of the strike-shortened 1982 season. Because only nine regular season games were able to be completed, the NFL expanded the playoff pool from 10 teams (5 in each conference) to 16 teams (8 in each conference). The playoffs were referred to as the "Super Bowl Tournament", and even though they were the top seed in the NFC, the Redskins became the first and only non-wild card team needing to win four playoff games to win the Super Bowl title. Washington running back John Riggins established Super Bowl records with 166 yards rushing on 38 attempts, and his record-setting 43-yard 4th quarter touchdown run on 4th-and-1 made him the obvious choice as the game's MVP.

For the first time in league history, a players' strike affected regular season games. The 57-day walkout, which began following the conclusion of Week 2 games, was focused on primarily on the percentage of gross revenues that the league gave to the players. When the players returned in November, the league decided to move Week 3 games to a mythical Week 17 on the schedule, and finished the regular season with just 9 games played per team.

The Miami Dolphins grabbed the #2 seed in the AFC playoff tournament on the strength of a 7-2 record. Their offense could be described as 'pedestrian' at best, as the strength of their club was their defense. Led by linebacker A.J. Duhe and a number of players with last names beginning with the letter "B", the swarming defense was nicknamed "The Killer Bees". They defeated New England, San Diego and the Jets to reach the Super Bowl.

The Redskins finished with a league best 8-1 record in the NFC. While the Dolphins had one nickname, the Redskins had several. The mammoth size of their offensive line allowed that group to be nicknamed "The Hogs"; the smallish receiving corps was dubbed both the "Smurfs" and the "Fun Bunch", in part due to a lavish high five ceremony after touchdowns (later banned by the league); and because of the effectiveness of Riggins (nicknamed "The Diesel") running the ball, their offense was often referred to as "Rigginomics", a play on the name of "Reaganomics", which was a term used to describe then President Ronald Reagan's economic policies. But at the end, the Redskins preferred the best nickname you can give a football player: world champion.