When Was the NFL Invented?

The National Football League was invented in 1920. The first NFL game was played on October 3, 1920.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920, making it one of the oldest professional sports leagues in the United States. The NFL is made up of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is the most popular professional sport in the United States, with an estimated audience of 170 million people.

The first professional football game was played on November 12, 1892, between Allegheny Athletic Association and Pittsburgh Athletic Club. However, it was not until 1920 that the NFL was officially founded. The league has undergone several changes since its inception, including a merger with the American Football League (AFL) in 1966. Today, the NFL is comprised of 32 teams and is the most popular professional sport in the United States.

The Early Years of Football

In the early years of football, there were no set rules and the game was very violent. Players often sustained serious injuries, including broken bones and concussions. In 1892, President Theodore Roosevelt demanded that colleges adopt rules to make the game safer. As a result, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association (IAA) was formed and the first standardized rules were created.

In 1898, representatives from Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia met to create even more standardized rules. These rules resulted in the formation of the Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA), which is considered the predecessor to the NFL. The IFA included rules such as allowing only seven players on each side and using a leather ball that was less likely to cause serious injuries.

The first professional football game was played in 1892 between the Allegheny Athletic Association and the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. However, it was not until 1920 that professional football truly took off with the creation of the American Professional Football Association, which is now known as the NFL.

The First Professional Football League

The first professional football league was the National Football League (NFL), which was established in 1920. The NFL began as a college football conference, and only six teams were part of the inaugural season. The NFL quickly grew in popularity, and by 1922, it had 14 teams. In 1960, another professional football league was established—the American Football League (AFL). The AFL was initially viewed as a rival to the NFL, but the two leagues merged in 1970 to form the National Football League we know today.

The National Football League is Formed

1922- The American Professional Football Association is formed on August 20th. This league would be renamed the National Football League two years later.

Conclusion

NFL was officially founded on August 20, 1920, when eleven teams from four states – Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois – met in Canton, Ohio for the American Professional Football Association (APFA) meeting. At that meeting, they renamed themselves the National Football League.