Special Sub-Topic: NFL Franchises Click Here To Play: NFL Franchises

The 2008 St. Louis Rams were not always in St. Louis. Which city did their franchise start in?

Cleveland. The Rams franchise began in 1937 and played in Cleveland for eight seasons until 1945. It wasn't until their final season in Cleveland in 1945 that they made any playoffs for the first time. They won the NFL Championship with their 9-1 record in that season. The team moved to Los Angeles in 1946, and stayed their until 1995 before moving to St. Louis.

The NFL began it all in 1922. How many teams played in the inaugural season?

18. The Canton Bulldogs won the first NFL crown in 1922. They also were the first team to go undefeated with their 10-0-2 record. The other teams are listed in order of finish in the season. Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals, Toledo Maroons, Rock Island Independents, Racine Legion, Green Bay Packers, Dayton Triangles, Buffalo All-Americans, Akron Pros, Oorang Indians, Milwaukee Badgers, Louisville Brecks, Minneapolis Marines, Evansville Crimson Giants, Rochester Jeffersons, Columbus Panhandles, and Hammond Pros.

The Miami Dolphins began their franchise in 1966 in the AFL. They joined the NFL in 1970 under the helm of which head coach?

Don Shula. Shula coached the Baltimore Colts from 1963-1966 before being at the helm of the Dolphins in 1970. Miami made the playoffs in their first season in the NFL, but lost to the Raiders in the division championship.

The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise joined the NFL in 1933. Which team name did they play with in that season?

Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pittsburgh franchise were the Pirates from 1933-1940. They became the Steelers in 1941 and finished that season with a 1-9-1 record. It would not be until 1947 before they played in their first playoff game, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 21-0.

The Cleveland Browns franchise began in the AAFC in 1946. In which year did they win their first league championship?

1946. It was their first season of existence. The team went 12-2 under head coach Paul Brown. They shutout four opponents in the season, including the Miami Seahawks twice. The team was led by quarterback Otto Graham, and fullback Marion Motley who led the team in both rushing and receiving. The franchise joined the NFL in 1950, where the won the NFL Championship.

The New England Patriots began their franchise endeavors in 1960 in the AFL as the Boston Patriots. They later joined the NFL. How many seasons did they play in the NFL under the Boston Patriots name?

1. They joined the NFL in 1970, and this was their only season in the NFL under the name of Boston Patriots before using the name New England. They went 2-12 in the season. The New England Patriots first playoff appearance was in 1976, but lost to the Raiders in the division championship 24-21.

Which of these teams joined the NFL, and was welcomed to their first season by having no wins?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay joined the NFL in 1976 under head coach John McKay. The laughing welcome mat was laid out by all the other teams, leaving the Bucs with a 0-14 season. They were shutout five times in the season. The Bucs' first playoff appearance was in 1979 when they defeated the Eagles in the division championship, but then lost to the Rams in the conference championship. The 49ers joined the NFL in 1950 and went 3-9. The Panthers became a member of the NFL in 1995 and went 7-9. The Falcons joined the league in 1966 and went 3-11. In Atlanta, the fans also had the new arrival of the Atlanta Braves for Major League Baseball in 1966.

The Denver Broncos were in the AFL for 10 seasons before joining the NFL. Which quarterback led the franchise to their first Super Bowl victory?

John Elway. The Broncos would finish one game behind the AFC West winning Kansas City Chiefs in 1997 with their 12-4 record. They entered the postseason as a wildcard, and would go all the way to win it all. It took five Super Bowls before the Broncos would finally become victorious. It was Super Bowl XXXII that saw Denver defeat the Packers 31-24. John Elway threw for 3635 yards and 27 touchdowns in the season.

The Detroit Lions franchise joined the NFL in 1930. Which team name did they use in that season?

Portsmouth Spartans. The Portsmouth Spartans played in four seasons from 1930-1933. Their best season was 11-3 in 1931 under head coach Potsy Clark. In 1934, the NFL saw the new Detroit Lions under the same head coach, going 10-3 in the season. The Lions were NFL Champions in 1935 by defeating the New York Giants 26-7.

The Green Bay Packers began in the AFPA in 1921, then joined the NFL in 1922. Who was their head coach?

Curly Lambeau. Lambeau had the team for 29 seasons before stepping down in 1950. Lombardi would not take the helm of the Packers until 1959, and coached them for nine seasons.