NFL By RickfromPawnStars Jan 1, 1920 NFL begins The NFL begins Oct 24, 1929 The Great Depression The Great Depression begins. This would hurt the NFL Jan 1, 1953 The AAFC is absorbed The NFL absorbs the AAFC Jan 1, 1970 NFL-AFL merger With the NFL-AFL merger, the NFL-AFL Game becomes the NFL's championship game, known as the Super Bowl.