Why Are There 17 Games in the NFL?

A quick primer on why there are only 17 weeks in the NFL season.

The NFL’s History

The National Football League was founded in 1920, and originally had 10 teams. The league expanded to 12 teams in 1921, 14 teams in 1961, and then finally to its current state of 32 teams in 2002. Why did the NFL stop at 32 teams? The answer has to do with both history and geography.

The first NFL game

On October 3, 1920, the very first NFL game was played. The teams were the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals. The Staleys won the game 7-6. That same year, another important event happened that would shape the NFL as we know it today. The American Professional Football Association (APFA) was formed. The APFA would eventually change its name to the National Football League (NFL) in 1922.

The first NFL season

The NFL 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 participants of regional championships. The Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) joined the league in 1921, and by 1922 the league was up to 22 teams.

In its inaugural season, the APFA was mainly concerned with establishing a quality product on the field and ensuring that its teams were stable financially. Travelling was difficult and expensive at the time, so the decision was made to have each team play two games against every other team, one at home and one away. This resulted in a schedule of 18 games.

However, this proved to be too much of a financial strain on several of the weaker teams, so in 1923 the league reverted back to a more traditional model where each team played only half of the league’s teams. In response to competitive concerns, they also increased the number of regular season games from 12 to 14. This 14-game schedule would remain unchanged for almost 50 years.

The NFL’s Expansion

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams. The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season.

The AFL-NFL merger

In 1966, the NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League (AFL). The first Super Bowl was played in 1967. In 1970, the NFL expanded to include the AFC, and the first AFC-NFC championship game was played. In 1978, the NFL further expanded to include a fourth division, the NFC West.

Today, there are 32 teams in the NFL: 16 in the AFC and 16 in the NFC. Each team plays 16 regular season games and has one bye week. The regular season runs from September to December. At the end of the regular season, six teams from each conference (three division winners and three wild card teams) qualify for the playoffs. The playoffs are a single elimination tournament that culminates with the Super Bowl, which is played between the AFC and NFC champions.

The NFL’s expansion teams

The NFL’s expansion teams are the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers, who began play in the 1995 season. The Jaguars and the Panthers were originally intended to be part of the 1993 season, but their entry into the league was delayed until 1995 due to difficulties in securing stadium financing.

The most recent expansion team is the Houston Texans, who began play in the 2002 season. The Texans replaced the Houston Oilers, who moved to Tennessee and became the Tennessee Titans.

The NFL has also had several teams relocate since its inception. The most recent relocation was when the St. Louis Rams moved back to Los Angeles in 2016.

The NFL’s Schedule

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 regular season

The NFL’s regular season is 17 weeks long, with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week. The bye week is usually scheduled for Week 9, although it can vary depending on the team’s location and division.

The NFL season typically starts the week after Labor Day and ends the week after Thanksgiving. The playoffs start in early January, with the Super Bowl usually being played in February.

The playoffs

The NFL playoff system is a single-elimination tournament held after the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league’s two conferences qualify for the playoffs. A tie-breaking procedure exists if required. The number one seed from each conference receives a bye to the divisional round, which is played on the weekend of January 11-12. The divisional round consists of the four remaining teams in each conference, who play each other in rotation. On January 18-19, these two rounds are followed by conference championship games, in which the winners compete for the Vince Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champions. The Super Bowl is usually held on the first Sunday in February and features elaborate pre-game and half-time ceremonies and entertainment.

The NFL’s Popularity

Football is one of America’s favorite past times. Families and friends gather around the television every Sunday to watch their favorite teams battle it out on the field. But why are there only 17 games in the NFL season? Let’s take a look.

The NFL’s television ratings

The NFL’s television ratings have been declining in recent years, but the league is still far and away the most popular sports league in the United States. In 2019, the NFL averaged 17.6 million viewers per game, which was down 5% from 2018 and down 11% from 2015. However, that still easily topped the second-most popular sport, Major League Baseball, which averaged just over 10 million viewers per game in 2019.

The NFL’s popularity worldwide

The National Football League (NFL) is the most popular professional American football league in the world. It was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC).

The NFL’s popularity is due to a number of factors, including its long history, exciting game play, and loyal fans. The league has been able to maintain its popularity despite a number of challenges in recent years, including accusations of domestic violence and concussions.