Timeline
This timeline of the National Football League (NFL) tracks the history of each of the league's 32 current franchises from the early days of the league, through its merger with the American Football League (AFL). The history of franchises that began as independent teams, or as members of the Ohio League, New York Pro Football League, and other defunct leagues are shown as well.
The American Professional Football Association is formed on September 17, 1920, at Canton, Ohio, with Jim Thorpe elected president. [1] The fourteen teams were mainly drawn from the Ohio League, Chicago Circuit, New York Pro Football League and other teams from the lower midwest. A $100 membership fee was charged. The Chicago Tigers folded after the season. [2]
The Massillon Tigers were represented at the September 17 meeting by Ralph Hay, but they never played in the league. As such, they are considered a charter member on a technicality. [3]
| Team folded this season ^ |
The American Professional Football Association is reorganized at Akron, Ohio on April 30, 1921, with Joe F. Carr elected as new league president. [1] With the low entry barrier of a $100 membership fee, the number of teams balloons to 21. [1] Four of these franchises would last only one season, with Tonawanda Kardex only making it through a single game. Three other franchises folded mid-season.
| 1920 team name | 1921 team name |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Tigers | Cleveland Indians |
| Decatur Staleys | Chicago Staleys |
| Detroit Heralds | Detroit Tigers |
| First season in APFA * | Team folded this season ^ | Only season in the league *^ |
The APFA was renamed the National Football League on June 24, 1922. [4] Four new franchises were awarded.
| 1921 team name | 1922 team name |
|---|---|
| Chicago Staleys | Chicago Bears |
| First season in NFL * | Team folded this season ^ |
A new and distinct Cleveland Indians franchise was formed. Two other teams joined the NFL, the Duluth Kelleys and the St. Louis All Stars. The St. Louis team folded after one season.
| 1922 team name | 1923 team name |
|---|---|
| Columbus Panhandles | Columbus Tigers |
| First season in NFL * | Team folded this season ^ | Last season before hiatus, rejoined league later § | Only season in the league *^ |
Before the season, the owner of the Cleveland Indians bought the Canton Bulldogs and "mothballed" it, taking the team's nickname and players to Cleveland for the season. The Canton Bulldogs had won the NFL championship in 1923, and won it again as the Cleveland Bulldogs in 1924.
| 1923 team name | 1924 team name |
|---|---|
| Buffalo All-Americans | Buffalo Bisons |
| Cleveland Indians | Cleveland Bulldogs |
| First season in NFL * | Last season before hiatus, rejoined league later § | Only season in the league *^ |
The Canton Bulldogs were reactivated. Four other franchises were awarded, including most notably a New York City franchise awarded to Timothy J. Mara and Will Gibson for a $2,500 membership fee, the New York Giants. [1] This was the final season for the Rochester Jeffersons.
| 1924 team name | 1925 team name |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Blues | Kansas City Cowboys |
| First season in NFL * | Last active season ^ | Last season before hiatus, rejoined league later § |
| Team jumped to the AFL † | Rejoined the NFL ** |
The league grew to 22 teams, a figure that would not be equaled in professional football until 1961, adding the Brooklyn Lions, the Hartford Blues, the Los Angeles Buccaneers, and the Louisville Colonels, with Racine Tornadoes re-entering.
At a league meeting held February 7, 1926, each franchise's roster was limited to a maximum of 18 players, with a minimum of 15. [4]
| 1925 team name | 1926 team name |
|---|---|
| Akron Pros | Akron Indians |
| Buffalo Bisons | Buffalo Rangers |
| Duluth Kelleys | Duluth Eskimos |
| Racine Legion | Racine Tornadoes |
| Only season in the league *^ | Rejoined the NFL ** | Last active season ^ |
Prior to the season, the league decided to eliminate the financially weaker teams. As a result, the league dropped from 22 to 12 teams, and a majority of the remaining teams were centered around the East Coast instead of the Midwest, where the NFL had started. The New York Yankees were added from the American Football League (AFL I) and the Cleveland Bulldogs returned.
| 1926 team name | 1927 team name |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Rangers | Buffalo Bisons |
| Rejoined the NFL ** | Merged from AFL I * |
| Last active season ^ | Last season before hiatus, rejoined league later § |
The league drops to 10 teams, the Buffalo Bisons sat out the season and the Duluth Eskimos folded. The Cleveland Bulldogs moved and played as the Detroit Wolverines.
| 1927 team name | 1928 team name |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Bulldogs | Detroit Wolverines |
| Last active season ^ |
The league increased back to 12 teams with the addition of two franchises, the Staten Island Stapletons and the Orange Tornadoes. Two mothballed teams activated for the season. Minneapolis re-entered as the Red Jackets along with the re-entry of the Buffalo Bisons.
| 1928 team name | 1929 team name |
|---|---|
| Minneapolis Marines | Minneapolis Red Jackets |
| Pottsville Maroons | Boston Bulldogs |
| First season in NFL * | Rejoined the NFL ** | Last active season ^ |
Prior to the season, Brooklyn businessmen William B. Dwyer and John C. Depler bought the Dayton Triangles, moved it, and renamed it the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Orange Tornadoes relocated to Newark. The Portsmouth Spartans entered as a new team, bringing the total to 11 teams.
The league roster limit was expanded to a maximum of 20 players, with a minimum of 16 required. [4]
| 1929 team name | 1930 team name |
|---|---|
| Dayton Triangles | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| Orange Tornadoes | Newark Tornadoes |
| First season in NFL * | Last active season ^ |
The league decreased to 10 teams due to financial hardships caused by the Great Depression. While the Cleveland Indians joined as an expansion team, the league lost the Minneapolis Red Jackets and the Newark Tornadoes, and the Frankford Yellow Jackets folded midway through the season.
| Only season in the league *^ | Last active season ^ |
The Boston Braves enfranchised bringing the total to 8 teams.
| First season in NFL * | Team folded this season ^ |
| Boston Braves * |
| Brooklyn Dodgers |
| Chicago Bears |
| Chicago Cardinals |
| Green Bay Packers |
| New York Giants |
| Portsmouth Spartans |
| Staten Island Stapletons ^ |
The barrier to entry was raised again with the July 8 decision to increase the league membership fee to $10,000. [1] Despite the fee increase, three new teams were added — the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Eagles, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
| 1932 team name | 1933 team name |
|---|---|
| Boston Braves | Boston Redskins |
| First season in NFL * |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Boston Redskins | Chicago Bears |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | Chicago Cardinals |
| New York Giants | Cincinnati Reds * |
| Philadelphia Eagles * | Green Bay Packers |
| Pittsburgh Pirates * | Portsmouth Spartans |
| 1933 team name | 1934 team name |
|---|---|
| Portsmouth Spartans | Detroit Lions |
| Only season in the league *^ | Last active season ^ |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Boston Redskins | Chicago Bears |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | Chicago Cardinals |
| New York Giants | Cincinnati Reds ^ [5] |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Detroit Lions |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | Green Bay Packers |
| St. Louis Gunners*^ [6] |
The NFL raised its roster limit to 24 players effective with the 1935 season and again to 25 players for 1936. [7]
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Boston Redskins | Chicago Bears |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | Chicago Cardinals |
| New York Giants | Detroit Lions |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Green Bay Packers |
| Pittsburgh Pirates |
The league raised the roster limit to 30 players per team effective with the 1938 season. [4]
| 1936 team name | 1937 team name |
|---|---|
| Boston Redskins | Washington Redskins |
| 1937 is first season in NFL * |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Dodgers | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Chicago Cardinals |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Cleveland Rams * |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | Detroit Lions |
| Washington Redskins | Green Bay Packers |
The NFL raised the maximum number of players allowed on a league roster from 30 to 33 players effective with the 1940 season. [4]
| 1939 team name | 1940 team name |
|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Pirates | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Team mothballed after season, rejoined league 1944 § |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Dodgers | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Chicago Cardinals |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Cleveland Rams § |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Detroit Lions |
| Washington Redskins | Green Bay Packers |
As America became more deeply embroiled in World War II, the Cleveland Rams suspend operations for the 1943 season due to a major loss in players. The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers were able to work around the player shortage by merging to form the "Phil-Pitt Steagles."
The size of the active roster reduced from 33 to 28 players per team. [7] Intent of this reduction was to appease the Office of Defense Transportation by reducing the impact of travel by road teams. [8] Additionally, teams primarily used day coaches rather than sleeper cars, a more efficient albeit less comfortable mode of travel. [8] This continued through the 1944 season.
| Two teams merge for season † |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Dodgers | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Chicago Cardinals |
| Phil-Pitt Steagles † | Detroit Lions |
| Washington Redskins | Green Bay Packers |
| 1943 team name | 1944 team name |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Dodgers | Brooklyn Tigers |
| First season in NFL * | Rejoined the NFL ** | Two teams merge for season † |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Boston Yanks * | Chicago Bears |
| Brooklyn Tigers | Card-Pitt † |
| New York Giants | Cleveland Rams ** |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Detroit Lions |
| Washington Redskins | Green Bay Packers |
The Active player limit was returned to its pre-war size of 33 players. [7]
| Two teams merge for season † |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| The Yanks † | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Chicago Cardinals |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Cleveland Rams |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Detroit Lions |
| Washington Redskins | Green Bay Packers |
Effective with the 1948 season, the NFL again raised its roster limit for member teams, increasing the maximum from 33 to 35 players. [4]
| 1945 team name | 1946 team name |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Rams | Los Angeles Rams |
| Last active season was 1948 ^ |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Boston Yanks ^ | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Chicago Cardinals |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Detroit Lions |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Green Bay Packers |
| Washington Redskins | Los Angeles Rams |
The size of the active roster was reduced to 32 players. [7]
| First season in NFL * |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| New York Bulldogs * | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Chicago Cardinals |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Detroit Lions |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Green Bay Packers |
| Washington Redskins | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1949 team name | 1950 team name |
|---|---|
| New York Bulldogs | New York Yanks |
| Teams merge from AAFC ** | Last active season ^ |
| American Conference | National Conference |
|---|---|
| Chicago Cardinals | Baltimore Colts ** ^ |
| Cleveland Browns ** | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Detroit Lions |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Green Bay Packers |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Los Angeles Rams |
| Washington Redskins | New York Yanks |
| San Francisco 49ers ** |
The NFL increased the maximum size of team rosters from 32 to 33 players effective with the 1951 season. This would remain in effect through 1956. [7]
| Last active season ^ |
| American Conference | National Conference |
|---|---|
| Chicago Cardinals | Chicago Bears |
| Cleveland Browns | Detroit Lions |
| New York Giants | Green Bay Packers |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Los Angeles Rams |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | New York Yanks ^ |
| Washington Redskins | San Francisco 49ers |
| Only season in the league *^ |
| American Conference | National Conference |
|---|---|
| Chicago Cardinals | Chicago Bears |
| Cleveland Browns | Dallas Texans *^ |
| New York Giants | Detroit Lions |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Green Bay Packers |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Los Angeles Rams |
| Washington Redskins | San Francisco 49ers |
Effective with the 1957 season, the NFL raised its roster limit from 33 to 35 players per team. [4] The roster limit was raised again for the 1959 season, this time to 36 players per team. [9]
| 1953 is first season in NFL * |
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference |
|---|---|
| Chicago Cardinals | Baltimore Colts * |
| Cleveland Browns | Chicago Bears |
| New York Giants | Detroit Lions |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Green Bay Packers |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Los Angeles Rams |
| Washington Redskins | San Francisco 49ers |
The roster limit was raised to 38 players per team for the 1960 season. [9]
| 1959 team name | 1960 team name |
|---|---|
| Chicago Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals |
| First season in NFL * |
| Eastern Division | Western Division |
|---|---|
| Boston Patriots | Dallas Texans |
| Buffalo Bills | Denver Broncos |
| Houston Oilers | Los Angeles Chargers |
| Titans of New York | Oakland Raiders |
The league also reduced the roster limit from 38 back to 36 players during these two years. [7]
| 1960 team name | 1961 team name |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | San Diego Chargers |
| 1961 is first season in NFL * |
| Eastern | Western |
|---|---|
| Boston Patriots | Dallas Texans |
| Buffalo Bills | Denver Broncos |
| Houston Oilers | Oakland Raiders |
| Titans of New York | San Diego Chargers |
In the NFL, the roster limit was raised in 1963 to 37 players and in 1964 to 40 players — a number which remained constant until the end of the 1973 season. [7]
| 1962 team name | 1963 team name |
|---|---|
| Dallas Texans | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Titans of New York | New York Jets |
| Eastern | Western |
|---|---|
| Boston Patriots | Denver Broncos |
| Buffalo Bills | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Houston Oilers | Oakland Raiders |
| New York Jets | San Diego Chargers |
| First season in NFL * | First season in AFL ** |
| Eastern | Western |
|---|---|
| Boston Patriots | Denver Broncos |
| Buffalo Bills | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Houston Oilers | Oakland Raiders |
| Miami Dolphins ** | San Diego Chargers |
| New York Jets |
| First season in NFL * |
| Eastern | Western |
|---|---|
| Boston Patriots | Denver Broncos |
| Buffalo Bills | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Houston Oilers | Oakland Raiders |
| Miami Dolphins | San Diego Chargers |
| New York Jets |
| First season in AFL ** |
| Eastern | Western |
|---|---|
| Boston Patriots | Cincinnati Bengals ** |
| Buffalo Bills | Denver Broncos |
| Houston Oilers | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Miami Dolphins | Oakland Raiders |
| New York Jets | San Diego Chargers |
| Eastern | Western |
|---|---|
| Boston Patriots | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Buffalo Bills | Denver Broncos |
| Houston Oilers | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Miami Dolphins | Oakland Raiders |
| New York Jets | San Diego Chargers |
In 1974 the size of the active player roster was increased from 40 to 47 players before being lowered to 43 the following season. [7]
| First season in NFL * |
In 1978 the size of the active roster was increased from 43 to 45 players, where it would remain through the 1981 season. [7]
After the first two games of the 1982 season the size of the active roster was increased from 45 to 49 players, where it would remain through the end of the 1984 season. [7]
In 1985 size of the active roster was reduced again from 49 to 45 — where it would remain through the end of the 1990 season. [7]
In 1991 the league allowed teams to add a third "emergency" quarterback to their active 45 man rosters—a system that would remain in effect through the end of the 2010 season. [7]
| First season in NFL * |
| First season in NFL * |
In 2011 the active roster limit was shifted from 45 + 1 emergency quarterback to an undifferentiated 46 players. This would remain in effect through the end of the 2019 season. [7]
| 2002 is first season in NFL * |
The size of the active roster was increased to 47 players — 48 if there were 8 offensive linemen activated. [7]
In 2023 the 47 man active roster was expanded to allow a third "emergency" quarterback. [7]