When Did the NFL Start?
Contents
The National Football League (NFL) began in 1920 with eleven teams. The NFL was the first professional football league.
The Early Years
The National Football League was formed in 1920, when eleven teams from four states met in Canton, Ohio for the American Professional Football Association (APFA) inaugural meeting. At that meeting, they renamed themselves the National Football League. The NFL has come a long way since those early years.
The First Professional Football Game
The first professional football game was played on November 12, 1892, between the Allegheny Athletic Association and the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Tickets for the game sold for $1 each, and approximately 3,000 people showed up to watch the game. The game ended in a scoreless tie.
The Allegheny Athletic Association was founded in 1890, making it one of the first professional football teams. The team was led by quarterback Pudge Heffelfinger, who is considered by many to be the first professional football player.
The Pittsburgh Athletic Club was also founded in 1890 and had several players who went on to have careers in both professional football and Major League Baseball. One of these players was Charles Wiedman, who played both catcher and quarterback for the team.
While there are records of other “professional” games being played before this one, this is generally considered to be the first true professional football game.
The American Professional Football Association
In August 1920 a pro football league was formed. It was called the American Professional Football Association (APFA). The APFA had 14 teams. Each team paid a $100 entry fee. The first APFA season began on September 26, 1920.
The Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears) and the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) were two of the APFA teams. The Cardinals were founded in 1898 and are, therefore, the oldest continuously run professional football team in America.
The APFA became the National Football League (NFL) in 1922.
The National Football League
The National Football League, or NFL, is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from across the United States. The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The NFL is the highest level of professional football in the United States, and is considered to be the top tier of American football.
The First NFL Game
On November 22, 1920, the first NFL game was played. The teams were the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals. The Staleys won 7-6. Two more teams joined the league later that year, and by 1922 there were eleven teams. Today, there are thirty-two teams in the NFL.
The NFL Today
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major North American professional sports leagues, the highest professional level of American football in the world, the wealthiest professional sport league by revenue, and the sport league with the most valuable teams. The NFL’s 17-week regular season runs from early September to late December, with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, seven teams from each conference advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl, which is usually held on the first Sunday in February and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC. The league was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself as National Football League for 1922.
The NFL agreement with television networks runs through2022. Stay tuned for updates on what comes next!
The Super Bowl
The National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) with ten teams from four states. Jim Thorpe was elected the APFA’s first president. Thorpe, the legendary all-around athlete, played baseball and football, and was also a member of the 1912 U.S. Olympic team.
The First Super Bowl
On January 15, 1967, the first Super Bowl was played. It was originally called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game and was between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Packers won by a score of 35-10.
The Super Bowl Today
The Super Bowl is the biggest, most watched annual sporting event in the United States. It is the climax of a regular season that begins in September, and it pits the best team from the National Football League’s American Football Conference against the best team from its National Football Conference. The game is usually played on the first Sunday in February, and it is rotated among a number of different cities across the country. The first Super Bowl was played on January 15, 1967.
