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The Beginning Of The NFL
The NFL was established on August 20, 1920 in Canton, Ohio. The NFL originally named "American Professional Football Conference"( until 1922). There were only four teams: Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Akron Pros, Dayton Triangles. All four are from Ohio. -
The Expansion
Just after a month of games played, the total number of teams are up to fourteen. The list includes the newest members:Buffalo, Chicago Tigers, Columbus Panhandles, Chicago Bears, Detroit Heralds, Hammond Pros, Muncie Flyers, Arizona Cardinals,Rochester Jeffersons, Rock Island Independents. -
Changing the name
The American Professional Football Association changed its name to the National Football League. The NFL fielded 18 teams -
Popularity
The NFL, decides to eliminate all but its most stable teams. The move cuts the number of franchises from 22 to 12, and permanently moves the league's center from small midwestern towns to large eastern cities. -
Segregation
From 1933 to 1945, the NFL segregated denying black football players to play in the league. This decision was by George Preston Marshall, who was the owner of the Boston Braves (now the Washington Redskins). -
The Draft
On February 8, 1936, Jay Berwanger was the first ever NFL pick in the first ever NFL draft and was also the first Heisman Trophy Winner. Unfortunately he decided to change careers, and never actually played in the NFL. -
First NFL draft
The NFL holds its first draft of college players. The first player selected, Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger, chooses to pursue a career in plastics manufacturing instead of pro football and never plays a down in the NFL. -
The First Televised Game
The Philadelphia Eagles and Brooklyn Dodgers play in the first ever televised NFL game. NBC broadcasted the game. Brooklyn defeated the Eagles 23-14. -
First Televised Game
An NFL game airs on television for the first time, with NBC producing a local broadcast of a game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Eagles. -
WW2
With many of the NFL's players and fans overseas in military service, the league struggles to survive through World War II. Pennsylvania rivals Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, both join to play one season as the Phil-Pitt Steagles. -
First Black Players
The Los Angeles Rams sign former UCLA stars Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, who will become the first African Americans to play in the NFL, ending 13 years of whites-only football in the league. -
AFL
Texas oilmen Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams, announce plans to form a new football league to rival the NFL. Their new league, called the American Football League , will begin play in 1960 with eight teams. -
The Merger
NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle announces that the NFL and AFL agreed to merge into a single league by 1970. In the meantime, the two leagues' champions will meet each January in a new AFL-NFL World Championship Game. That game quickly becomes known as the Super Bowl. -
First Super Bowl
The Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs to win the first Super Bowl. More than 32,000 tickets go unsold for the game, held in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but the game draws more television viewers than any previous sporting event. -
First Super Bowl
On January 15, 1967 The first Super Bowl took place between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, The Packers defeated the Chiefs 35-10. -
MNF Begins
On September 21, 1970, the NFL broadcasts a game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns. This made an impact on the number of viewers as more families would be home on a Monday night than a Sunday -
Start of Sport Ads
During the broadcast of Super Bowl XIII, Coca-Cola airs one of the most popular Super Bowl ads of all time, showing Pittsburgh linebacker "Mean" Joe Greene and a young fan "having a Coke and a smile" in a stadium tunnel after a game. -
On Strike
The NFL Players Association, the union representing pro football players goes out on strike, hoping to force the NFL into allowing free agency and guaranteeing players a higher proportion of league revenues. -
Super Bowl XL
The Pittsburgh Steelers become the third franchise in NFL history to win five Super Bowls, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 21–10 in Super Bowl XL. -
Super Bowl LI
Atlanta Falcons choke a 28-3 lead after halftime to the New England patriots, one of the biggest comebacks in sports history.
