National Footbal League Franchise Histories

From the birth of the National Football League with its 14 members in 1920 to the current 32 teams today,  here's a rundown of every franchise that has belonged to the NFL over the years.

For more on the histories of the current 32 teams, please visit the team area of our History section.

Team	Franchise Date	Years of Operation
Akron Pros/Indians	8/20/20	1920-22/1923-26
Arizona Cardinals	(see Chicago Cardinals)
Atlanta Falcons	6/30/65	1966-present
Baltimore Colts	12/28/46 (AAFC)	1947-49 (AAFC), 1950 (NFL)
Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts	1/23/53	1953-1983/1984-present
moved to Indianapolis, 3/28/84
Baltimore Ravens	2/9/96	1996-present
Boston Braves/Redskins/ Washington Redskins	7/9/32	1932/1933-36/1937-present
Boston Bulldogs	(see Pottsville Maroons)
Boston/New England Patriots	11/22/59 (AFL)	1960-69 (AFL), 1970 (NFL)/1971-present (NFL)
Boston Yanks	6/19/43	1944-48
Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers	7/12/30 (purchased Dayton Triangles franchise)	1930-1943/1944
merged with Boston Yanks, 1945
Brooklyn Lions	7/10/26	1926
Buffalo All-Americans/Bisons/Rangers/Bisons	8/20/20	1920-23/1924-25/1926/ 1927, 1929
Buffalo Bills	10/28/59 (AFL)	1960-69 (AFL), 1970-present (NFL)
Canton Bulldogs	8/20/20	1920-23, 1925-26
Carolina Panthers	10/26/93	1995-present
Chicago Bears	(see Decatur Staleys)
Chicago Cardinals/St. Louis/ Phoenix/Arizona	9/17/20	1920-1959/1960-1987/1988-1993/1994-present
Chicago Tigers	1920	1920
Cincinnati Bengals	5/23/67 (AFL)	1968-69 (AFL), 1970-present (NFL)
Cincinnati Celts	1921	1921
Cincinnati Reds	7/8/33	1933-34
merged w/ St. Louis Gunners for the last half of 1934
Cleveland Browns	6/4/44 (AAFC)	1946-49 (AAFC), 1950-present (NFL)
Inactive, 1996-1998
Cleveland Tigers/Indians	8/20/20	1920/1921
Cleveland Indians/Bulldogs	7/8/23	1923/1924-25, 1927
Cleveland Indians	7/12/31	1931
Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams	2/12/37	1937-42, 1944-45/1946-1994/ 1995-present
Columbus Panhandles/Tigers	1920	1920-22/1923-26
Dallas Cowboys	1/28/60	1960-present
Dallas Texans	1/24/52	1952
franchise was awarded after Dallas purchased assets of NY Yanks from the NFL
Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs	8/14/59 (AFL)	1960-62/1963-69 (AFL), 1970-present (NFL)
Dayton Triangles	8/20/20	1920-29
1930 Brooklyn purchased Dayton franchise
Denver Broncos	8/14/59 (AFL)	1960-69 (AFL), 1970-present (NFL)
Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/Chicago Bears	9/17/20	1920/1921/1922-present
Detroit Heralds	1920	1920
Detroit Lions	(see Portsmouth Spartans)
Detroit Panthers	8/1/25	1925-26
Detroit Tigers	6/18/21	1921
Detroit Wolverines	8/17/28	1928
Duluth Kelleys/Eskimos	7/28/23	1923-25/1926-27
7/27/29 - Duluth franchise was transferred to Orange
Evansville Crimson-Giants	8/27/21	1921-22
Frankford Yellowjackets	7/25/24	1924-31
Green Bay Packers	8/27/21	1921-present
Hammond Pros	8/20/20	1920-26
Hartford Blues	7/10/26	1926
Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans	8/14/59 (AFL)	1960-69 (AFL), 1970-1996 (NFL)/1997-1998/1999-present
Houston Texans	10/6/99	2002-present
Indianapolis Colts	(see Baltimore Colts)
Jacksonville Jaguars	11/30/93	1995-present
Kansas City Blues/Cowboys	1/27/24	1924/1925-26
Kansas City Chiefs	(see Dallas Texans)
Kenosha Maroons	1924	1924
Los Angeles Buccaneers	7/11/26	1926
Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers	8/14/59 (AFL)	1960/1961-69 (AFL), 1970-present (NFL)
Los Angeles Raiders	(see Oakland Raiders)
Los Angeles Rams	(see Cleveland Rams)
Louisville Brecks/Colonels	1921	1921-23/1926
Miami Dolphins	8/16/65 (AFL)	1966-69 (AFL), 1970-present (NFL)
Milwaukee Badgers	6/24/22	1922-26
Minneapolis Marines/Redjackets	8/27/21	1921-24/1929-30
Minnesota Vikings	1/28/60	1961-present
Muncie Flyers	9/17/20	1920-21
New England Patriots	(see Boston Patriots)
Newark Tornadoes	(see Orange Tornadoes)
New Orleans Saints	11/1/66	1967-present
New York Bulldogs/Yanks	1/21/49	1949/1950-51
New York Giants	1921	1921
New York Giants	8/1/25	1925-present
New York Jets	(see New York Titans)
New York Yankees	9/4/27	1927-28
New York Titans/Jets	8/14/59 (AFL)	1960-62/1963-69 (AFL), 1970-present
Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders	1/30/60 (AFL)	1960-69 (AFL), 1970-1981/1982-1994/1995- Present (NFL)
Oorang Indians	6/24/22	1922-23
Orange/Newark Tornadoes	7/27/29	1929/1930
the Duluth franchise sold and transferred to Orange and one year later to Newark
Philadelphia Eagles	7/8/33	1933-present
Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers	7/8/33	1933-39/1940-present
Portsmouth Spartans/Detroit Lions	7/12/30	1930-33/1934-present
6/30/34 - the Portsmouth franchise was sold and moved to Detroit
Pottsville Maroons/Boston Bulldogs	8/1/25	1925-28/1929
7/28/29 - the Pottsville team relocated to Boston
Providence Steam Roller	8/1/25	1925-31
Racine Legion/Tornadoes	6/24/22	1922-24/1926
Rochester Jeffersons	8/20/20	1920-25
Rock Island Independents	9/17/20	1920-25
St. Louis All-Stars	7/28/23	1923
St. Louis Cardinals	(see Chicago Cardinals)
St. Louis Gunners	11/6/34	1934 (partial season)
purchased Cincinnati franchise
St. Louis Rams	(see Cleveland Rams)
San Diego Chargers	(see Los Angeles Chargers)
San Francisco 49ers	6/4/44 (AAFC)	1946-49 (AAFC), 1950-present (NFL)
Seattle Seahawks	6/4/74	1976-present
Staten Island Stapletons/Stapes	7/27/29	1929-30/1931-32
the Brooklyn franchise was transferred to Staten Island
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4/24/74	1976-present
Tennessee Oilers	(see Houston Oilers)
Tennessee Titans	(see Houston Oilers)
Toledo Maroons	8/20/22	1922-23
Tonawanda Kardex	8/27/21	1921
Washington Senators	1921	1921
Washington Redskins	(see Boston Braves)