The National Football League is the most powerful professional football organization on the planet. It generates billions in revenue and commands the attention of tens of millions of fans every Sunday. But its origins could not be more humble. The NFL was born in a cramped Ohio automobile showroom. A handful of team owners gathered there to solve very basic problems.
Understanding when the NFL began and who the original teams were helps explain why the league looks the way it does today. From the Super Bowl era to the modern 32-team structure, every thread traces back to a meeting in Canton, Ohio, more than a century ago.
This guide walks through the league’s founding, the 14 original franchises, the rocky early years, and the teams that still anchor American sports culture today.
When Was the NFL Founded?
The NFL traces its founding to September 17, 1920, in Canton, Ohio. On that night, team owners formally organized the American Professional Football Association (APFA). They renamed the league the National Football League two years later in 1922.
Professional football existed before 1920, but it was chaotic. Independent clubs across the Midwest poached players from one another. They inflated salaries and competed without any unified schedule or championship structure. Owners recognized a painful truth. Without organization, the sport might never outgrow its factory-town roots.
The Canton Meetings of 1920
Two meetings inside Ralph Hay’s Jordan and Hupmobile auto showroom in Canton, Ohio, laid the groundwork for the modern league.
The first gathering took place on August 20, 1920. It brought together representatives of four Ohio teams: the Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians (sometimes called the Tigers), and Dayton Triangles. They tentatively formed the American Professional Football Conference (APFC). Their goals were simple: raise the standards of professional football, end bidding wars for players, and cooperate on schedules.
Nearly a month later, on September 17, 1920, the group reconvened. This time, representatives from additional clubs across Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and New York joined in. That night, the owners renamed the organization the American Professional Football Association. They elected Olympic legend Jim Thorpe as its first president. The NFL officially came into existence.
For broader context on the sport’s development, see our American Football Ultimate Guide.
Who Were the Original NFL Teams in 1920?
One of the most common points of confusion online is the phrase “original NFL teams.” To historians, the original group refers to the 14 franchises that played in the APFA’s inaugural 1920 season.
The 14 Inaugural APFA Franchises
The 14 original teams that made up the league’s first season were the Akron Pros, Buffalo All Americans, Canton Bulldogs, Chicago Cardinals, Chicago Tigers, Cleveland Tigers/Indians, Columbus Panhandles, Dayton Triangles, Decatur Staleys, Detroit Heralds, Hammond Pros, Muncie Flyers, Rochester Jeffersons, and Rock Island Independents.
Geographically, the league clustered in the industrial Midwest. Ohio alone hosted four franchises. Illinois added another four. Indiana contributed two more. New York and Michigan rounded out the rest.
| Region | Teams |
|---|---|
| Ohio | Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Tigers/Indians, Columbus Panhandles, Dayton Triangles |
| Illinois | Decatur Staleys, Chicago Cardinals, Chicago Tigers, Rock Island Independents |
| Indiana | Hammond Pros, Muncie Flyers |
| New York | Buffalo All Americans, Rochester Jeffersons |
| Michigan | Detroit Heralds |
Representatives from 11 teams attended the September 17 meeting, including Massillon. Massillon withdrew before playing a single league game. Four additional clubs joined during the 1920 season, bringing the total to 14.
A Chaotic First Season
The 1920 APFA season looked almost nothing like modern NFL football. Teams scheduled their own opponents. They often mixed league games with contests against independent clubs and college teams. There was no set number of games, no official standings, and no playoffs.
Owners did not crown a champion until the following spring. On April 30, 1921, they voted the Akron Pros the 1920 champions. The Pros had finished unbeaten with eight wins and three ties. Their defense allowed only seven points all season.
The Pros received the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Cup for their title. No one has ever rediscovered the trophy. It remains one of the most intriguing lost artifacts in American sports history.
From APFA to NFL: The Early Years
The APFA name only lasted two seasons. As the league tried to grow beyond its regional roots, owners voted in 1922 to rename the association the National Football League. The rebrand did not instantly make pro football a powerhouse.
Throughout the 1920s, franchises folded, moved, or rebranded at a dizzying pace. League membership peaked at 22 teams but remained volatile. Most NFL games drew only a few thousand fans. Meanwhile, college football dominated the American sports landscape, regularly filling stadiums with crowds of 60,000 or more.
A critical turning point came in 1925. The Chicago Bears signed college superstar Red Grange. His box office appeal proved that professional football could attract elite talent and big crowds. By 1932, after more than a decade of contraction, the NFL had shrunk to just eight franchises. This leaner, more stable core would anchor the league’s next phase of growth.
Founding Teams vs. Oldest Current Franchises
Fans often confuse the “original NFL teams” with the “oldest teams still playing today.” These are related but distinct ideas.
The Two Surviving Charter Franchises
Out of the 14 teams that played in 1920, only two franchises still compete in the NFL today.
The Chicago Bears started as the Decatur Staleys in 1920. They were a corporate team sponsored by the A. E. Staley food starch company. Owner A. E. Staley transferred control to player-coach George Halas. Halas moved the franchise to Chicago in 1921 and rebranded it as the Bears in 1922.
The Arizona Cardinals have an even older lineage. The club began in Chicago in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club. It later became the Racine/Chicago Cardinals and joined the APFA as a charter member in 1920. The franchise relocated to St. Louis in 1960 and to Arizona in 1988.
These two clubs are the only continuous thread from the APFA’s first season to the modern NFL roster of teams.
The 1932 Survivor Eight
By 1932, the NFL had shrunk to just eight teams. These were the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Portsmouth Spartans (later the Detroit Lions), Boston Braves/Redskins (now the Washington Commanders), Staten Island Stapletons, and Brooklyn Dodgers.
Historians often treat these eight as the league’s “survivor” clubs of the early era. They stand distinct from the broader 1920 founders but remain critical to the NFL’s long-term stability.
Mini-Histories of the Key Early Franchises
Arizona Cardinals: The Oldest NFL Franchise
The Arizona Cardinals are the oldest continuously operating professional football team in the United States. Founded in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club in Chicago, the team adopted the Cardinals name in the early 1900s. They played at Normal Park on Racine Avenue. The club became a charter APFA member in 1920. It relocated to St. Louis in 1960, moved to Phoenix in 1988, and officially rebranded as the Arizona Cardinals in 1994.
Along with the Bears, they are one of only two surviving members of the 1920 class. They remain the only franchise whose origins predate the league itself by more than two decades.
Chicago Bears: From Decatur Staleys to Monsters of the Midway
The Bears began as a works team sponsored by the A. E. Staley food starch company in Decatur, Illinois. They played the 1920 APFA season as the Decatur Staleys before moving to Chicago in 1921 under George Halas. In 1922, Halas renamed the team the Chicago Bears. The name aligned with the Chicago Cubs baseball club and reflected the league’s rugged image.
The Bears became one of the league’s first true powerhouse brands. They won multiple pre-Super Bowl NFL championships and have played every season since 1920.
Green Bay Packers: The Small-Town Survivor
The Green Bay Packers are the only early “small town” team still thriving in the NFL. Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun founded the club in 1919 as a company-backed team in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers joined the APFA in 1921 and officially became part of the NFL in 1922.
The franchise evolved into a unique, publicly held, non-profit corporation. This structure has helped it stay competitive in a market far smaller than most NFL cities. Their survival and championship success make them a living link between early small-town football and the modern national league.
New York Giants: Big-City Credibility
The New York Giants gave the NFL a presence in the country’s largest media market. Tim Mara founded the team in 1925. He reportedly paid a $500 franchise fee for the right to operate in New York. The team quickly became one of the league’s flagship franchises.
The club’s legal name remains the New York Football Giants to this day. The wording distinguishes the team from Major League Baseball’s Giants.
Detroit Lions: From Portsmouth Spartans to Motor City
The Detroit Lions began life in a small Ohio river town. They formed in 1929 as the Portsmouth Spartans. The team joined the NFL in 1930 and became one of the league’s most competitive small-town franchises. In 1934, new ownership moved the club to Detroit and rebranded it as the Lions, aligning with the city’s baseball Tigers.
The Lions have endured long title droughts in the Super Bowl era. Still, they remain one of the league’s oldest franchises.
Washington Commanders: From Boston Braves to D.C.
Today’s Washington Commanders trace back to a Boston franchise founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves. The team took on the Boston Redskins name in 1933. It moved to Washington, D.C., in 1937 and won an NFL title in its first season in the capital. After a period as the Washington Football Team in the early 2020s, the club adopted the Commanders name.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Blue-Collar Roots
The Steelers joined the NFL in the middle of the Great Depression. Owner Art Rooney entered his franchise into the league in 1933 as the Pittsburgh Pirates, sharing a name with the city’s baseball team. The club rebranded as the Steelers in 1940 to better reflect Pittsburgh’s steel industry. The franchise struggled for decades before emerging as the dominant dynasty of the 1970s.
Philadelphia Eagles: Inheriting a Fallen Franchise
The Eagles emerged from the ashes of another early club. In 1933, the NFL awarded a Philadelphia franchise to Bert Bell and Lud Wray. The move followed the collapse of the Frankford Yellow Jackets, a successful but financially troubled team that folded in 1931. The Eagles went on to win three NFL championships in the pre-Super Bowl era (1948, 1949, and 1960). They claimed their first Super Bowl title at the conclusion of the 2017 season.
The AFL–NFL Merger and Modern Expansion
The next major structural transformation came with the rise of the American Football League in 1960. AFL franchises such as the Bills, Chargers, Broncos, Chiefs (originally the Dallas Texans), Patriots, Jets (Titans), Raiders, and Oilers challenged the established NFL. They competed for players, fans, and television revenue.
In 1966, the two leagues agreed to a merger. The season-ending AFL–NFL World Championship Game soon took on the name Super Bowl. The merger took full effect in 1970 and created the modern AFC and NFC conference structure that fans recognize today. For more on the league’s full history, visit the official Pro Football Hall of Fame site.
Expanding to 32 Teams
Since 1970, the league has grown to 32 teams through multiple rounds of expansion and realignment. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks joined in 1976. The Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars were established in 1995. The Baltimore Ravens began play in 1996 after the original Cleveland Browns relocated. A reactivated Browns franchise returned in 1999. Finally, the Houston Texans joined in 2002 as the league’s 32nd team. The NFL then reorganized into eight four-team divisions.
All of these modern clubs stand on a foundation laid by the small, often short-lived franchises of 1920. Today’s structure also determines how the NFL playoffs work. The divisions and conferences trace directly back to the merger era.
Analysis: Why the 1920 Story Still Matters
The NFL’s founding story is more than historical trivia. It explains why certain franchises carry unique cultural weight. It also shows why the league adopted specific structures that persist today.
The push for cooperation and scheduling in 1920 established a key principle. Team owners would collectively govern the sport. This model shapes everything from the draft and salary cap to broadcasting deals. The early instability of franchises also reinforced the league’s emphasis on competitive balance. That emphasis still drives revenue sharing and parity mechanisms today.
The story also highlights how unlikely the NFL’s success was. In the 1920s, pro football was a regional curiosity. Baseball and college football overshadowed it. The decision to centralize governance, unify rules, and eventually embrace television changed everything. A loose association of industrial-league clubs grew into the dominant cultural force in American sports.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the NFL founded?
The NFL traces its founding to September 17, 1920, in Canton, Ohio. That night, team owners created the American Professional Football Association (APFA). They renamed the league the National Football League in 1922.
What was the NFL originally called?
The league was first organized as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) in 1920. An earlier August 20 meeting that same year established a short-lived predecessor called the American Professional Football Conference (APFC).
Who were the original NFL teams?
Fourteen clubs played in the APFA’s inaugural 1920 season. They were the Akron Pros, Buffalo All Americans, Canton Bulldogs, Chicago Cardinals, Chicago Tigers, Cleveland Tigers/Indians, Columbus Panhandles, Dayton Triangles, Decatur Staleys, Detroit Heralds, Hammond Pros, Muncie Flyers, Rochester Jeffersons, and Rock Island Independents.
Which original NFL teams still exist today?
Only two franchises from the 1920 season still play in the NFL. They are the Chicago Bears (originally the Decatur Staleys) and the Arizona Cardinals (originally the Chicago Cardinals).
Who was the first NFL president?
Olympic legend Jim Thorpe served as the first president of the APFA. Owners elected him at the September 17, 1920 meeting in Canton, Ohio. His appointment gave the new league instant credibility and name recognition.
Who won the first NFL championship?
The Akron Pros won the 1920 APFA title. Owners voted them champions on April 30, 1921, after their undefeated run of eight wins and three ties. Their defense allowed only seven points all season.
Who played in the first NFL game?
The first game involving an APFA/NFL member took place on September 26, 1920. The Rock Island Independents beat the St. Paul Ideals 48–0. The first head-to-head league contest came on October 3, 1920. The Dayton Triangles beat the Columbus Panhandles 14–0 at Triangle Park.
How many teams are in the NFL today?
The NFL currently has 32 teams. The league splits them evenly between the AFC and NFC conferences. Each conference is divided into four divisions, with four teams each.
Key Takeaways
Owners founded the NFL on September 17, 1920, in Canton, Ohio, as the American Professional Football Association. The league adopted the National Football League name in 1922. Fourteen franchises played the first season. Owners voted the Akron Pros champions after an unbeaten campaign.
Only two of those original teams still play today: the Chicago Bears (originally the Decatur Staleys) and the Arizona Cardinals (originally the Chicago Cardinals). Other foundational franchises such as the Packers, Giants, Lions, Commanders, Steelers, and Eagles joined during the 1920s and early 1930s. Together, they formed the core that carried the league through its unstable early decades.
Looking ahead, the NFL continues to evolve with international games, potential further expansion, and new media partnerships. Yet every Sunday kickoff still traces back to a handful of owners in a Canton car showroom. They decided professional football needed structure and gave American sports one of its greatest institutions in the process.
