Did the NFL Start in 1920 or 1921?

The NFL officially started in 1920, but there were a few precursor leagues that date back to the late 1800s. So, when did the NFL really start?

The founding of the NFL

The National Football League was founded in 1920, but it didn’t start playing games until 1921. The NFL was created by 11 teams in order to establish a professional football league. The first game was played on October 3, 1921.

The birth of professional football

Professional football in the United States can trace its roots back to the late 19th century, when a number of small clubs started to pay players to compete on their behalf. This practice was controversial at the time, and led to a number of players being banned from the sport.

Despite this, the professional game continued to grow in popularity, and in 1920 a new league, the American Professional Football Association, was founded. This league would go on to become the National Football League (NFL).

The exact date of the NFL’s founding is a matter of some debate, as there is evidence that it was actually founded in 1921 rather than 1920. However, most sources agree that 1920 is the year that professional football truly began in the United States.

The first NFL teams

(Founding of the NFL)

The National Football League (NFL) was established in 1920, but its first official season was not until 1921. The league was originally formed as the American Professional Football Association (APFA), with eleven teams from four Midwest states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois. The APFA became the NFL two years later, when it absorbed another professional football league, the American Football League (AFL).

In its early years, the NFL consisted of many small, independent teams. It was not until 1936 that the league began to resemble the modern NFL, with only ten teams and a standardized set of rules. The NFL continued to grow in popularity throughout the twentieth century and is now one of the most popular sports leagues in America.

The first NFL season

The NFL season began in September of 1920, with the first regular season game being played between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles. The NFL was originally formed as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) in 1920. The league changed its name to the National Football League (NFL) in 1922.

The first NFL game

On November 11, 1920, the first American Professional Football Association game was played. The APFA was renamed the National Football League two years later. The Chicago Tigers and the Decatur Staleys (later the Chicago Bears) played in front of 10,000 fans at Tiger Park in Chicago.

The first NFL championship

The first NFL championship was held in 1920, when the Akron Pros defeated the Buffalo All-Americans, 7-3. The game was played on December 19th at Douglas Park in Chicago. Buffalo’s second-year head coach Ralph Hay led his team to a 9-1-1 record during the regular season, while Akron’s third-year head coach Fritz Pollard posted an 8-3 mark.

The All-Americans entered the game as heavy favorites, having outscored their opponents by a combined total of 189-34 during the regular season. The Pros, on the other hand, had only scored 145 points while giving up 98. Despite this, Akron was able to take control of the game from the start and never trailed. Buffalo did not score until late in the fourth quarter, when they mounted a brief rally that ultimately fell short.

With the win, the Akron Pros became the first NFL champions. They would go on to defend their title in 1921, before losing to the Green Bay Packers in 1922. The Packers would go on to win three straight championships (1929-1931), becoming the first team in NFL history to do so.

The NFL today

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA), with ten teams from four states, all of whom existed in some form as pre-existing organizations. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League.

The NFL today

The National Football League (NFL) is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League (AFL) in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season; the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL today is a billion-dollar business, generated by ticket sales, television contracts, merchandise sales, and licensing fees.

The NFL today

The National Football League (NFL) today is the highest level of professional American football in the world. It was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL today is composed of 32 teams from across the United States, divided equally into two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference is then further divided into four divisions, each containing four teams.