How Many NFL Teams Has St. Louis Had?
How many NFL teams has St. Louis had? The answer may surprise you.
The Cardinals
Many people are familiar with the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, but did you know that the city of St. Louis has also been home to several different NFL teams? The first professional football team in St. Louis was actually the aforementioned Cardinals, who were a founding member of the NFL in 1920. The team remained in St. Louis until 1959, when they moved to Phoenix, Arizona.
In 1960, another NFL team called the Dallas Cowboys was briefly based in St. Louis before moving to Dallas, Texas. Then, in 1962, the expansion Houston Oilers joined the NFL and played their home games in St. Louis for one season before relocating to Houston, Texas. Finally, in 1995, the city of St. Louis was awarded an expansion franchise that became known as the Rams. The Rams played in St. Louis from 1995 until 2015, when they moved back to Los Angeles, California.
The Rams
In 1946, the NFL awarded a franchise to the city of Los Angeles. In 1951, the team moved to Cleveland and became the Browns. The Rams moved to Los Angeles in 1946, where they played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In 1995, following the lead of several other teams, the Rams decided to build a new state-of-the-art stadium in St. Louis and move there. The move was approved by NFL owners on April 12, 1995, and the team began playing its home games at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis in 1998.
The Browns
In 2001, after the Cleveland Browns decided to move to Baltimore, the City of St. Louis was given an NFL expansion team. The St. Louis Rams played their first season in St. Louis in 1995.
The Steelers
St. Louis has been home to two NFL teams: the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams. The Cardinals were a founding member of the National Football League (NFL) and played in St. Louis from 1960 to 1987 before relocating to Arizona. The Rams played in St. Louis from 1995 to 2015, when they relocated back to Los Angeles.
The Chargers
The Chargers were a professional American football team that competed in the American Football League (AFL) from 1960 to 1970, after which they joined the National Football League (NFL), where they played until 2020. The franchise was originally based in Los Angeles, California, before moving to San Diego, California in 1961. The Chargers appeared in Super Bowl VIII, XXIX, and XLI.
The 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers were a charter member of the National Football League (NFL) in 1950. The team was founded by Tony Morabito, and they played their home games at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, California. The 49ers experienced success early on in their history, winning three NFL championships in the 1950s. However, the team struggled during the 1960s and 1970s, reaching the playoffs just once during that time period.
The 49ers’ fortunes began to change in the 1980s under head coach Bill Walsh. The team drafted players such as Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott, and they won Super Bowl XVI in 1981. The 49ers continued to be one of the most successful teams in the NFL during the 1990s and 2000s, winning five more Super Bowl titles. The team left San Francisco after the 2013 season and moved to Santa Clara, California.
The Seahawks
The Seahawks were one of the expansion teams that joined the NFL in 1976. They played their first season in 1977 and have been in the league ever since. They are currently one of the most successful teams in the NFL, winning Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.
The Raiders
When the Oakland Raiders made their move to Los Angeles in 1982, it left St. Louis without an NFL team. The void was filled in 1988 when the Cardinals moved from Phoenix to become the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1995, the Rams franchise moved from Anaheim to become the St. Louis Rams.
