History of the NFL from the year you were born
Charles Aqua Viva // Getty Images
History of the NFL from the year you were born
The National Football League as we know it today was formed under another moniker in 1920 for a sport that looked much different from the game we are familiar with today.
More than a century ago, the sport did not include current mainstays like night games and televised broadcasts. Only two current franchises have survived throughout the NFL’s entire history—the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals—so there are lots of unfamiliar names in the league’s early days. Canton, Ohio, is often recognized today as the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame; but in the early 1920s, the Canton Bulldogs were one of the NFL’s premier clubs.
But not everything was unfamiliar 100 years ago: Names such as George Halas and Red Grange, stars of the NFL’s adolescence, still carry an air of reverence.
As the leather helmets and run-heavy trademarks of football gave way to gunslingers and $200 cleats, the NFL underwent a bevy of changes. Teams were spread around the continental U.S. and “Monday Night Football” became a staple of prime time television. Oh, and a little event called the Super Bowl, first played in 1967, has become a de facto national holiday for Americans.
Stacker looked at the most memorable pigskin (actually, footballs were historically made of cowhide) moments from 1920 to today, using information and data from authoritative football record-keepers like NFL.com and Pro Football Reference.
You may also like: Disparities in the racial makeup of players, coaches, and others in the NFL
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1920: NFL inaugural season
The American Professional Football Conference (also known as the American Professional Football Association) was formed on Aug. 20, 2022, with play beginning that October. This league became the forerunner of the modern-day National Football League.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1921: Green Bay Packers’ arrival
Coached by Curly Lambeau (who would later have a stadium named after him), the Green Bay Packers were born. John Clair of the Acme Packing Company was awarded the team, which lasted much longer than other expansion franchises that year such as the Minneapolis Marines or Louisville Brecks.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1922: APFA name change
The American Professional Football Association on June 24, 1922, changed its name to the National Football League. The league’s clubs met at the Hollenden Hotel in Cleveland and also voted to prohibit the use of college players.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1923: Canton repeat
For the second straight year, the Canton Bulldogs went undefeated. Posting an 11-0-1 record, the Bulldogs won their second—and last—league championship.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1924: Cleveland takeover
The Canton Bulldogs were purchased by a franchise in Cleveland, whose owner, Samuel Deutsch, effectively made the Canton team inactive and moved the club’s players to northern Ohio. The new Cleveland Bulldogs won the NFL title.
You may also like: The story behind every NFL team name
Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons
1925: Red rookie sensation
Harold “Red” Grange entered the NFL as a rookie with the Chicago Bears. Grange, fresh out of the University of Illinois in 1925, on Nov. 26 rushed for 36 yards in front of an estimated 36,000 fans at Wrigley Field. Grange became one of the NFL’s first stars, entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1926: Staving off an upstart
In an effort to gain a bigger contract for his client Red Grange, C. C. Pyle formed a new league—the American Football League—to scare the NFL. This was one of several leagues to take the AFL name. Grange played one season in the new league before returning to the NFL.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1927: Dropping extra weight
The NFL shrank from 22 to 12 teams in 1927. With the league now concentrated on the East Coast, major markets like New York began to play a larger role in the growth of American football.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1928: Red retires (for now)
Grange retired in 1928 following a serious knee injury the year prior. Although never again the same runner, Grange eventually returned to the gridiron, starring as a defensive back.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1929: Sunday Night Lights
In November of 1929, the NFL held its first game under the lights. The Providence Steamrollers brought in floodlights to Kinsley Park Stadium—the team’s temporary home—but lost to the Chicago Cardinals, 16-0.
You may also like: High school sports that cause the most concussions
The rakish fellow // Wikimedia Commons
1930: George Halas retires
Before George Halas became a Chicago Bears legend by coaching seven championship teams, he was a football player. In fact, Halas coached through most of his playing career—which ended after the 1928 season—and even played professional baseball with the New York Yankees. In 22 at-bats, Halas collected two hits.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1931: Green Bay three-peat
The Packers became the first team to win three consecutive titles. Posting a 12-2 record, Johnny Blood led the way with 14 touchdowns.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1932: First indoor game
Because of the bitter Chicago winter, the NFL played its first indoor game. The championship battle was held at Chicago Stadium, whose dimensions only allowed for an 80-yard field. The host Bears were successful, winning 9-0, although an important touchdown thrown from Bronko Nagurski allegedly violated rules that decreed forward passes had to be thrown from five yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1933: The forward pass is modernized
Because of Bronko Nagurski’s controversial pass, the NFL legalized forward passes from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage. Although the play was still rarely used at the time, it would eventually revolutionize the way football was played and make the game more exciting for the postwar television era.
Unknown // Wikimedia Commons
1934: The “Sneakers Game”
Because of icy conditions in New York’s Polo Grounds, the New York Giants switched to basketball shoes in their championship game against the Chicago Bears. The Giants then scored 27 straight points, winning 30-13.
You may also like: Top NFL draft picks who made the postseason as a rookie
Sports Studio Photos // Getty Images
1935: The draft is born
Future NFL Commissioner Bert Bell introduced the idea of an annual college player draft on May 19, 1935. The following February, teams selected amateur players at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia. Clubs with the worst records from the prior season chose first, and the league champion selected last. Decades later, the draft became a massively televised event rotating between NFL cities and a highlight of the sports calendar.
Fordham University // Getty Images
1936: Equal scheduling begins
In the NFL’s first 16 seasons, schedules were not as meticulously crafted as they are today. But in 1936, each team began playing the same amount of games. The Packers, with a regular-season-best 10-1-1 record, won the NFL championship.
Harris & Ewing // Wikimedia Commons
1937: Sammy Baugh begins a storied career
Sammy Baugh made his NFL debut for the Washington Redskins, the quarterback earning First Team All-Pro honors with a league-leading 1,127 yards passing. Baugh, on his way to a Hall of Fame career, helped lead Washington to a title.
New York Daily News Archive // Getty Images
1938: First All-Star Game
Los Angeles Times sports editor Bill Henry was part of a group that introduced the concept of an NFL All-Star Game. In the format, the NFL champion took on a team of All-Pros from around the league. The maiden game was played at Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1939: First Football Game on TV
NBC broadcasted a Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Eagles matchup from Ebbets Field. Clouds meant that cameras did not have sufficient light to film, and the picture sent out was often too dark for audiences to see. About 1,000 fans tuned in.
You may also like: Can you solve these ‘Jeopardy!’ clues about the NFL?
Bettmann // Getty Images
1940: A Bears mauling
Using the newly invented “T-formation,” the Bears romped Washington in the NFL title game, 73-0. George Halas, coach of Chicago, sent a man in motion with the quarterback still under center, and the movement created a free-flowing offense Washington was not prepared to defend.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1941: Elmer Layden becomes first commissioner
Elmer Layden first made a name for himself as a member of Notre Dame’s legendary “Four Horsemen” backfield during the 1924 college football season. After a stellar collegiate career, Layden made more history when he was named the NFL’s first commissioner. Layden was given authority to settle all disputes between players and clubs and helped mend fragmentation that had splintered professional football in its early years.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1942: World War II impacts the NFL
As Americans dug in for the war effort, the NFL was not immune to losing employees to national service. Some teams even eventually suspended operations, while coaches also signed up to serve their country—George Halas left his coaching position with the Bears to join the U.S. Naval Reserve.
Temple University Libraries // Wikimedia Commons
1943: The formation of the “Steagles”
Because of the loss of players helping fight World War II, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers could not field full teams. So these two Pennsylvania rivals formed one squad, aptly named the “Steagles.” The team, which overcame early quarrels, went 5–4–1 but only lasted one wartime season.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1944: The Boston Yanks?
Ted Collins started a new Boston-area franchise and, after getting shut out of Yankee Stadium years earlier, decided to call his team the unfathomable name of the Yanks. Many baseball fans in Boston and New York might consider the Boston Yanks name sacrilege—particularly since they played their home games in Fenway Park, the home of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox. The following year, the Yanks combined forces with a team from Brooklyn.
You may also like: History of the NFL from the year you were born
Revmoran // Wikimedia Commons
1945: Mourning the loss of 21 alumni
As World War II drew to a close, many NFL players returned to the gridiron. However, 21 NFL alumni (current and former players, coaches, and executives) died serving their country in the war. Among the fallen was All-Pro tackle Al Blozis.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1946: Kenny Washington and Woody Strode make history
Before the 1946 season, the Los Angeles Rams signed Kenny Washington and Woody Strode, who became the first African American players in the modern NFL era. Washington played three seasons, scoring nine touchdowns, while Strode played one season, catching four passes.
Vic Stein // Getty Images
1947: A win for Bidwell
On April 19, 1947, Charles Bidwell, owner of the Chicago Cardinals, died. Eight months later, his team won the NFL championship—its first ever. Twenty years later, Bidwell was enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Scott Halleran // Getty Images
1948: A helmet gets a new look
Fred Gehrke was more than a football player. An art major, Gehrke was quite the sketcher, and one day created a new look for his team’s helmets—he suggested adding horns to the Los Angeles Rams headwear, a look that would become iconic. The Rams, thanks to Gehrke’s work, became the first team to wear a decal on its helmets.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1949: One thousand times two
For the first time in NFL history, two rushers ran for at least 1,000 yards. Steve Van Buren picked up 1,146 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles, while Tony Canadeo of the Green Bay Packers registered 1,052 yards.
You may also like: Worst performing Heisman Trophy winners in NFL history
Doug Benc // Getty Images
1950: The introduction of the Pro Bowl
Because of World War II, the NFL ceased holding all-star games. But beginning with the 1950 season, the format was reintroduced with Los Angeles as the host site.
Vic Stein // Getty Images
1951: Nationwide TV coverage
The DuMont Network broadcasted the NFL Championship Game nationwide on December 23. The Network paid $75,000 to air the contest, culminating in a 24-17 victory for the Rams over the Browns.
Topical Press Agency // Getty Images
1952: End of the single-wing
During the NFL’s early years, the single-wing formation was all the rage. But by 1952, the formation had all but been abandoned, with the Steelers the last team to regularly employ it. Finally, the Steelers changed to the more modern T-formation, whereby three offensive players line up behind the quarterback.
PhotoQuest // Getty Images
1953: Jim Thorpe dies
Jim Thorpe, a Native American who was one of the country’s earliest sports heroes, died on March 28, 1953. Thorpe starred at the 1912 Summer Olympics, played baseball in the majors, and made the Hall of Fame as a football dynamo. In 1951, a Hollywood film about his legendary athletic exploits, “Jim Thorpe—All-American,” was released.
Mark Kauffman // Getty Images
1954: Joe Perry sets a record
While the NFL had seen two players rush for 1,000 yards in a season, never had one running back achieved 1,000 yards in consecutive years. That changed when Joe Perry of the San Francisco 49ers accumulated 1,049 yards in 1954, adding onto the 1,018 he tallied the season before. In both years, Perry was named an All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl.
You may also like: 25 athletes who retired in their prime
Agence France Presse // Getty Images
1955: Welcome to sudden death
“Sudden-death” overtime rules were introduced in a preseason game between the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams. The rule was instituted by the game’s promoter, Harry Glickman; if the game went to overtime, the first team to score would be deemed the winner. “I didn’t think there was a chance in a million it would be used,” Glickman said of the rule after the game.
Mark Wilson // Getty Images
1956: The NFL Players Association is formed
Creighton Miller, a general manager of the Cleveland Browns and a former college player and attorney, agreed to help Browns players organize a players association. Miller contacted players around the league to join his effort, and the first meeting of the NFL Players Association took place at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Since then, the NFLPA has negotiated the rights of players and even stood strong on their beliefs during work stoppages.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1957: The Jim Brown era begins
Making his debut in 1957, Jim Brown almost immediately dashed into the record books. During his second pro season, Brown set an NFL record with 1,527 rushing yards. The future Hall of Famer led the league in rushing in eight of his nine seasons. But he also became noted in life for his civil rights work and as an actor.
New York Daily News Archive // Getty Images
1958: The Colts and Giants stage a classic
Not only was the 1958 Championship tilt between the Colts and Giants the first official game to reach sudden-death overtime, but many football fans and historians consider it “The Greatest Game Every Played.” The contest had the extra drama of overtime but was also broadcast to a national audience. A last-second field goal sent the game to overtime, where Alan Ameche scored the game-winning touchdown in a 23-17 Colts victory.
Marvin E. Newman // Getty Images
1959: Green Bay hires Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi, a New York native and assistant coach with the Giants, was hired by the Green Bay Packers as head coach on Jan. 28, 1959. Lombardi, noted for his glasses and toothy smile, was a two-time Coach of the Year and Super Bowl champion; today, the Super Bowl trophy is named in his honor.
You may also like: 20 of the most memorable Super Bowl halftime shows
Charles Aqua Viva // Getty Images
1960: The launch of the AFL
American businessmen such as Lamar Hunt, Bud Adams, and others were unsuccessful in convincing the NFL to expand, so they launched the American Football League. Play began in 1960, with the Houston Oilers as the first AFL champion. Although the AFL folded in 1970, it revolutionized the NFL by introducing a more uptempo style of play and led to a merger that expanded the NFL’s footprint nationwide.
David Maxwell // Getty Images
1961: The Hall of Fame gets a home
On April 27, Canton, Ohio, was named the site for the future Pro Football Hall of Fame building. The location made sense, as the NFL formed in Canton back in 1920. Each summer, the annual preseason Hall of Fame Game and enshrinement ceremony unofficially kicks off the NFL season.
John Loengard // Getty Images
1962: The NFL wins a major court case
The upstart AFL took the NFL to court, claiming the older league held a monopoly over the sport. But a U.S. District Court in Baltimore ruled against the AFL’s antitrust case. Relations between the two leagues would remain contentious throughout the decade.
Bettmann // Getty Images
1963: Gambling suspensions levied
Paul Hornung, a future Hall of Famer and Most Valuable Player of the 1961 season, was suspended by the NFL for gambling on football games. Six members of the Detroit Lions were also suspended or fined. Hornung was reinstated one year later and won multiple NFL championships.
Otto Greule Jr. // Getty Images
1964: NFL Films created
Ed Sabol was a small-time filmmaker who occasionally shot NFL games. In 1964, the NFL purchased his studio and NFL Films was created. For nearly 50 years, Sabol’s work and that of his son, Steve, were instrumental in documenting the history of the league with never-before-seen, mic’d up players and coaches footage.
You may also like: 12 times taxpayers footed big bills for new stadiums and arenas
George Rose // Getty Images
1965: The addition of southern flavor
The cities of Atlanta and Miami were awarded expansion franchises, moving professional football into the Southeastern U.S.–a region long dominated by the college game. The Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins would begin play in 1966, and both teams’ stadiums would play huge roles in the future of hosting Super Bowls.
Art Rickerby // Getty Images
1966: The AFL-NFL relationship grows
What began with a few secret meetings eventually blossomed into one of the most important moments in professional sports history. In 1966, heads from the AFL and NFL agreed to merge leagues and host a World Championship Game beginning in 1967–the Super Bowl was conceived.
Focus On Sport // Getty Images
1967: Super Bowl I
After the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFL championship and the Green Bay Packers took home the NFL title, the two clubs met in the first Super Bowl. Played in Los Angeles on January 15, the Packers dominated the Chiefs, 35-10. Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr was named the game’s MVP, and he and his teammates took home $15,000 each–enough money in those days to buy a nice car or a small house–for their victory.
B Bennett // Getty Images
1968: The ‘Heidi Bowl’
Today, satellite TV and streaming packages negate the worry of NFL fans ever missing a second of the action. But in 1968, football on television still had its bumps, made evident by the November 17 game between the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets. With the Jets ahead but the game running long, NBC decided to switch off the football broadcast to air the film “Heidi.” Millions missed out on watching a stunning Oakland comeback, and scores of fans bombarded the network with complaints.
New York Daily News Archive // Getty Images
1969: The AFL earns legitimacy
The Jets avenged their loss in the “Heidi Bowl” by defeating the Raiders in the playoffs. After winning the AFL championship, New York would take on the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Despite entering as 19-point underdogs, Jets quarterback Joe Namath guaranteed his team would win—and win they did, 16-7. The victory was the AFL’s first in the Super Bowl and legitimized the merged league amongst its NFL brethren.
You may also like: 50 largest college football stadiums
ABC Photo Archives // Getty Images
1970: Monday Night Football debuts
ABC acquired rights to broadcast NFL games on Monday nights, events that became among the most viewed on television. The defending champion Jets took on the Cleveland Browns in the first matchup, and for the next five decades, Monday nights became synonymous with football. Calling the action were legendary voices like Keith Jackson and Howard Cosell.
Focus On Sport // Getty Images
1971: Super Bowl V nailbiter
Jim O’Brien successfully converted a field-goal attempt with five seconds remaining in Super Bowl V, clinching a title for the Baltimore Colts. The Colts’ 16-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys made up for their surprising defeat in Super Bowl III, but it was the last time that the franchise reached an NFL title game while located in Baltimore. In a rarity, Chuck Howley, a Dallas linebacker, was named the game’s MVP, despite coming out on the losing side.
Heinz Kluetmeier // Getty Images
1972: The ‘Immaculate Reception’
Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception” is often considered one of the most iconic plays in NFL history.
In a tightly contested playoff game between the Steelers and Raiders, Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass that deflected off an Oakland player and into the hands of Harris just before the ball hit the ground. Harris scampered in for the go-ahead touchdown and the Steelers advanced to the AFC Championship Game.
Focus On Sport // Getty Images
1973: Miami’s perfect run
By winning Super Bowl VII, the Miami Dolphins became the first—and only—team to win the Super Bowl with a perfect record. Going 14-0 in the regular season, the Dolphins won 11 contests by more than one touchdown, then cruised through three playoff games for their unmatched 17-0 mark.
TOM KURTZ // Getty Images
1974: Goalposts pushed back
In a drastic change, the NFL decided to move the goalposts from the front of the end zone to the back lines. This added approximately 10 extra yards to field-goal and extra-point attempts, but also removed an unnecessary physical impediment and safety hazard to plays near the goal line. The move resulted in 208 fewer made field goals from the year before.
You may also like: Major sports headlines from the year you were born
George Rose // Getty Images
1975: Refs get mic’d up
With television playing a growing role in football’s popularity, the details of referees’ decisions became more important. Beginning in 1975, refs on the field began wearing wireless mics so fans at home and in the stands could clearly hear penalties being dished out.
Getty Images
1976: NFL’s worldwide footprint grows
On August 16, the first NFL game held outside of North America took place in Tokyo’s Korakuen Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals topped the San Diego Chargers, 20-10, in front of 38,000 fans in Japan. Some players suffered from food poisoning and the standard jet lag, but the preseason game was a success, and the first of many trips to countries outside of North America for the NFL.
Mike Powell // Getty Images
1977: Walter Payton sets single-game record
Walter Payton, while battling the flu, rushed 40 times for 275 yards against the Minnesota Vikings on November 20, setting a single-game NFL record. Payton, a future Hall of Famer and Super Bowl champion, would hold the record until 2000, when it was broken by Corey Dillon.
Focus On Sport // Getty Images
1978: Schedule expands to 16 games
The NFL changed the regular-season schedule from 14 to 16 games. This standard remained intact from1978 until 2021 when the league added another game to make it 17 regular season games while reducing the number of preseason contests.
George Gojkovich // Getty Images
1979: Steelers decade of dominance
The Steelers wrapped up the 1970s with another Super Bowl championship. The 35-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys was Pittsburgh’s third of the decade—their success would carry over to 1980 when they won a then-unprecedented fourth Super Bowl.
You may also like: 30 famous athletes who received lifetime bans
Getty Images
1980: The Raiders sue the league
The Raiders, in an attempt to move from Oakland to Los Angeles, were blocked by the NFL. As a result, the Raiders and the Los Angeles Coliseum, their proposed new home, filed an antitrust suit. The Raiders eventually won the case and began play in Los Angeles in 1982. The event would not be the first time the future Las Vegas Raiders relocated, or their ownership sued the league.
George Rose // Getty Images
1981: The 49ers begin their Team of the ’80s dynasty
After opening the season 1-2, the 49ers won 12 of the last 13 games, and took the NFC West by six games. San Francisco eventually swept through the playoffs and the team won its first of four 1980s Super Bowls. Quarterback Joe Montana was named to his first of eight Pro Bowls, after throwing for 3,565 yards.
George Rose // Getty Images
1982: Strike stops play
A 57-day players’ strike led to a shortened nine-game season. Seeking more lucrative salaries, the players received higher minimum pay and increased benefits.
Getty Images
1983: Temporary playoff expansion
Because of the strike, the NFL implemented a special 16-team postseason tournament. When the dust settled, Washington topped Miami, 27-17, in Super Bowl XVII. John Riggins earned MVP honors.
Tony Duffy // Getty Images
1984: The Colts leave Baltimore
After about a month of negotiations, the Colts left Baltimore for Indianapolis. A fleet of moving vans quietly cleaned out the team’s facility in suburban Maryland and headed west, leaving behind 31 years of history. The Colts were also considering Phoenix as a destination.
You may also like: Undrafted NFL players who made the Hall of Fame
Mike Powell // Getty Images
1985: The Super Bowl Shuffle
Behind a dominating defense, the 1985 Chicago Bears danced over their competition. En route to an eventual Super Bowl title, the Monsters of the Midway filmed a music video for “The Super Bowl Shuffle.” Replete with cheesy moves and even cheesier lyrics, the video is an homage to the Bears’ bravado, which culminated with a 46-10 shellacking of the New England Patriots.
Tony Duffy // Getty Images
1986: Instant replay infancy
Limited usage of instant replay was approved by NFL owners for the 1986 season. Officials were the only ones authorized to initiate a review, and the cameras often missed certain angles. By 1992, the system was canceled, but it returned with improved technology and parameters in 1999.
Mike Powell // Getty Images
1987: Another NFL labor battle
A 24-day players’ strike once again interrupted NFL operations. One game was taken off the schedule before teams began using replacement players. A few non-replacements crossed the picket lines, but the three weeks without a majority of NFL regulars often drew sparse crowds. The players eventually gave in, but continued to work hard and ultimately won a free-agent system with a salary cap.
Brian Bahr // Getty Images
1988: Johnny Grier makes history
On September 4, Johnny Grier made his officiating debut and became the NFL’s first African American referee. He would later officiate Super Bowl XXII, which saw Washington quarterback Doug Williams become the first African American quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl.
Rick Stewart // Getty Images
1989: A Super Bowl classic
Super Bowl XXIII was a rematch between the 49ers and Bengals, who played a tight game in Super Bowl XVI, won by San Francisco, 26-21. Cincinnati led Super Bowl XXIII with just over three minutes remaining, before Joe Montana led the 49ers on a game-winning drive, hitting John Taylor in the end zone with 34 seconds left.
You may also like: Black sports history from the year you were born
Rick Stewart // Getty Images
1990: Hello, bye weeks
For football fans, it’s the one week per year that many dread—the bye week. Beginning in 1990, each team was given one week off between playing 16 regular-season games. One of the reasons behind the move was that football on television had become so lucrative, so expanding the season could further fill the league’s coffers.
Rick Stewart // Getty Images
1991: NY Giants win a classic
Super Bowl XXV began with Whitney Houston’s rousing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” (the game was played in the midst of the Persian Gulf War) and ended with one of the tensest moments in Super Bowl history. Trailing 20-19, the Buffalo Bills attempted a 47-yard field goal, but Scott Norwood’s kick sailed wide right. With the missed kick, the New York Giants won their second Super Bowl.
Otto Greule Jr. // Getty Images
1992: Instant replay dissolved
By a vote of 17-11, NFL owners stopped the use of instant replay. The system was first used in 1986, but because of inconsistencies, instant replay did not provide the desired improvement in officiating. However, after many controversial missed calls, the system returned in 1999.
Doug Pensinger // Getty Images
1993: Carolina and Jacksonville enter the NFL
The NFL welcomed two new franchises: the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars. Both expansion teams would begin play in 1995, pushing the league to 30 clubs.
George Rose // Getty Images
1994: The Bills go 0-for-4
For the fourth straight year, the Buffalo Bills reached the Super Bowl. And for the fourth straight year, the Buffalo Bills lost a Super Bowl. Despite touting a stout offense featuring Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, and Andre Reed, these Bills live on as perpetual bridesmaids.
You may also like: 15 American women athletes who broke barriers
George Rose // Getty Images
1995: Leaving Los Angeles
On July 22, the Los Angeles Raiders moved back to Oakland, where they previously played from 1960 to 1981. The City of Angels would not see professional football again until 2017 when the San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Rams relocated to Los Angeles (the Raiders were in discussions to come back to Southern California, but ultimately chose Las Vegas as their new home for 2020).
Doug Pensinger // Getty Images
1996: Baltimore welcomes back football
In the NFL’s continuous game of musical chairs, the city of Baltimore welcomed back professional football. The Browns left Cleveland and were renamed the Ravens, who over the years became recognized by their tenacious defenses. Since their inception, the Ravens have won two Super Bowls.
Andy Lyons // Getty Images
1997: Houston Oilers relocate to Tennessee
The Oilers completed the move from Houston to Memphis and became the Tennessee Oilers. In two years, after having moved to Nashville, they would change to the Titans and make their first—and only—Super Bowl.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY // Getty Images
1998: John Elway finally wins the big one
John Elway lost three Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos before reaching the big game again in 1998. Taking on Brett Favre and the defending Super Bowl XXXI champion Green Bay Packers, Elway would not be denied a fourth time. Tied 24-24, the Broncos, led by Elway, drove down the field late in the fourth quarter and scored to pull ahead for good with just under two minutes remaining.
Tom Pidgeon // Getty Images
1999: Cleveland gets the Browns back
After watching their beloved team taken away and reincarnated as the Ravens in Baltimore, Clevelanders started anew in 1999, as the Browns began operations again in the NFL. The team retained its previous history, logos, and colors—it was like they (almost) never left.
You may also like: Biggest underdogs in Super Bowl history
Tom Hauck // Getty Images
2000: Cinderella QB Kurt Warner Directs the Greatest Show on Turf
The St. Louis Rams took the NFL by storm with a high-powered offense nicknamed “The Greatest Show on Turf.”
Kurt Warner, a former Arena League quarterback, led the attack, aided by the brilliance of Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. In Super Bowl XXXIV, it was the Rams defense, though, that made the game’s crucial play, stopping the Tennessee Titans offense one yard short of a game-tying touchdown.
Al Bello // Getty Images
2001: 9/11 halts the season
The Week 2 games of the 2011 season were postponed due to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. Members of the New York Giants and Jets volunteered in the tragedy’s wake, and the Jets played in one of the first major sporting events back in the New York area on Monday Night Football, on October 1, against the 49ers.
Ronald Martinez // Getty Images
2002: The Houston Texans are born
The Houston Texans, the NFL’s 32nd franchise, began play in the former home of the Oilers. It wouldn’t be until 2011 that the team made the playoffs, but Houston has won five division titles this decade.
Al Bello // Getty Images
2003: Tampa Bay wins its first Super Bowl
The Buccaneers were long a franchise associated with losing. But in 2003, under John Gruden and led by a talented defense that featured Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp, the Bucs captured their first Super Bowl title. Because Gruden formerly coached the Raiders, the AFC champion that season, the game was often called the “Gruden Bowl.”
Jonathan Daniel // Getty Images
2004: Ohio State’s Maurice Clarett challenges the rulebook
At Ohio State, running back Maurice Clarett was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and had many NFL scouts salivating. But a dismissal from school put his future in jeopardy, and in 2004 Clarett challenged an NFL rule that stated college players must be three years removed from graduating high school to enter the Draft. Clarett lost his case, but was eventually selected in the 2005 Draft; however, he never played in the league.
You may also like: Biggest upsets in NFL Playoff history
Ronald Martinez // Getty Images
2005: Hurricane Katrina displaces the Saints
The destruction that Hurricane Katrina caused on the Gulf Coast also forced the NFL’s Saints to temporarily move from New Orleans. The Saints’ home stadium, the Louisiana Superdome, was converted into a shelter for displaced residents, while the team played games in San Antonio.
Tom Berg // Getty Images
2006: The ‘No Fun League’
Players like Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens, and goalpost cellphone user Joe Horn became noted for flamboyant touchdown celebrations, sometimes using props on the field (or even procuring ones off the field) to celebrate a score. But in 2006, the NFL created stricter rules against celebrations, stating props would be disallowed, as would performing an act while on the ground. As a result, some sportswriters began calling the NFL the “No Fun League.”
Elsa // Getty Images
2007: The Patriots run through the regular season
For the first time in NFL history, a team won all 16 of their regular-season games. The New England Patriots looked to be unstoppable, thanks to the brilliance of Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Their closest regular-season game came in Week 17, a 38-35 win against the stingy New York Giants defense. A little over a month later, the underdog Giants would get their revenge, upsetting New England in Super Bowl XLII.
Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
2008: The Lions flop through the regular season
While the Patriots displayed excellence during the 2007 regular season, the Detroit Lions displayed the antithesis of excellence in 2008. The Lions lost all16 of their games, becoming the first NFL team to go 0-16 (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 0-14 in 1976).
Andy Lyons // Getty Images
2009: The Saints’ and Colts’ collision course
The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts began the 2009 season a combined 27-0. This led many to predict a Super Bowl showdown for February 2010, which took place in Miami at Super Bowl XLIV. The Saints, behind Drew Brees, topped Peyton Manning and the Colts, in one of the most anticipated matchups in recent memory.
You may also like: 30 examples of sports bringing the world together
Matt Sullivan // Getty Images
2010: Making Week 17 more meaningful
Beginning in 2010, Week 17 of the NFL season only featured divisional matchups to add drama to playoff races, a scheme that has also been used in Major League Baseball.
Leon Halip // Getty Images
2011: The year of the quarterback
Three quarterbacks (Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Matthew Stafford) each torched defenses and delighted fantasy football owners, throwing for over 5,000 yards.
Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers posted a 122.5 quarterback rating, the highest in any single season. This year was clearly one for the quarterbacks, as the NFL solidified itself as a pass-happy league.
Christian Petersen // Getty Images
2012: New overtime rules
Sudden-death overtime became no more. Now, if a game was tied after four quarters, each team would get a chance to score, unless the team who received the kickoff scored a touchdown on its first drive. If both teams connected on field goals on their first drive, the team that scored next was the winner.
Dilip Vishwanat // Getty Images
2013: Super Bowl blackout
Early in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVII, the Superdome lost partial power and play was suspended. The blackout led to a 34-minute delay; when play resumed, the San Francisco 49ers stormed back from a 28-6 deficit but ultimately fell, 34-31, to the Baltimore Ravens. John and Jim Harbaugh became the first brothers to coach against each other in a Super Bowl.
Rob Carr // Getty Images
2014: A cold-weather Super Bowl
For the first time in NFL history, the Super Bowl was played outdoors in a cold-weather climate. Hosted in MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Super Bowl XLVIII didn’t encounter any snow—just a blizzard of offense from the Seattle Seahawks, who took down the Denver Broncos, 43-8, to win their first championship.
You may also like: Most popular game day food in every state
Harry How // Getty Images
2015: Pete Carroll’s controversial call
Trailing 28-24, Seattle was on New England’s 1-yard line. Instead of punching in the ball with bruising back Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll called a pass play, which was intercepted by Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler. New England ran out the clock to further cement the Belichick-Brady dynasty, and Carroll’s controversial play call went down in history.
Ezra Shaw // Getty Images
2016: Peyton Manning rides off into the sunset
Two years after losing in the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning quarterbacked the Broncos back to the title game. Denver won the 50th Super Bowl largely thanks to defense, though, and linebacker Von Miller was named the game’s MVP. Manning finished his Hall of Famer career with two Super Bowl rings, five MVP awards, and 14 Pro Bowl appearances.
Mike Ehrmann // Getty Images
2017: A Falcons Super Bowl flop
The Atlanta Falcons appeared to be in control en route to their first Super Bowl title, with a 28-3 lead on the Patriots. But New England, behind Tom Brady, methodically staged a comeback in Super Bowl LI and won, 34-28, in overtime. This Super Bowl was the first to reach an overtime period.
Steve Dykes // Getty Images
2018: A new stance on the national anthem
After Colin Kaepernick and other players began kneeling during the national anthem, the league’s owners created a new policy. The rule said players must stand while on the sideline but do not have to leave the locker room for the anthem. Despite the mandate, football players are still willing to use their platform to voice their criticism and opinions on a variety of social issues.
Kevin C. Cox // Getty Images
2019: Replaying pass interference
The Rams eliminated the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs following a controversial non-call that appeared to be pass interference, leading the league to discuss a possible change. Previously, coaches could not ask for a replay on a pass interference or no-call; that rule eventually changed. Fans of the Saints are likely not satisfied.
You may also like: Iconic moments in sports that defined the ’60s
Andy Lyons // Getty Images
2020: COVID-19 shakes up the game
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic touched all aspects of life, and the NFL was no exception. The draft was held remotely and preseason games were canceled. Players could decide to “opt out” of play for medical or personal reasons without affecting their contracts (66 chose to do so). And the roars of crowds packed into stadiums were replaced with cardboard cutouts in seats and fake cheers, bringing an eerie quiet to the games for viewers watching and listening to the thump of a kickoff from home.
Still, the season proceeded normally enough, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeating the Kansas City Chiefs at a Super Bowl that was technically the least-attended Super Bowl in the history of the NFL, with 22,000 fans socially distanced in seating throughout the stadium.
Quinn Harris // Getty Images
2021: Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers drama
Despite earning his third MVP career award in 2021, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers twice insinuated his future with the team was undetermined. ESPN broke the news just ahead of the NFL draft that the reason for the murkiness was Rodgers’ dissatisfaction with Packers management, leading to feverish buzz that the star might be traded to another team, with the QB needy Broncos leading the pack (Denver eventually traded for Seattle’s Russell Wilson instead).
After all the back and forth, Rodgers came back to the fold for July training camp—but used his first press conference to vent his grievances. Just a few months later, Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19, lied about his vaccination status, and set off renewed gossip and controversy. Ultimately, he missed just one game and went on to break Brett Favre’s career touchdown pass record.
You may also like: Can you solve these ‘Jeopardy!’ clues about college football?
