| − | This league began to supplant baseball as America's most popular spectator sport in 1958, when the then-NFL Championship Game between the then-Baltimore Colts and the [[New York Giants]] was broadcast nationwide (though ironically not in New York City) and ended in a sudden-death overtime win by the Colts. Originally the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association and adopted its current name in 1922.<ref>Today the NFL is one of the four major sports leagues in the United States (the others being [[MLB]], [[NBA]], and [[NHL]], though the [[NFL]] has never had a franchise in Canada). </ref> Only two teams which were charter members of the league remain in operation today: the Chicago Cardinals (now the [[Arizona Cardinals]]) and the Decatur Staleys (now the [[Chicago Bears]]).<ref>Other teams currently in the league operated prior to 1920, either as independent clubs or in rival leagues. As an example, the [[Green Bay Packers]], considered one of the NFL's historic franchises, was not a charter member; it formed in 1919 and played its first two seasons as an independent club before joining the league in 1921.</ref> The Staleys coach (and owner) George Halas is credited with being the father of the league and is compared to [[George Washington]] by many enthusiasts of the game. | + | This league began to supplant baseball as [[America]]'s most popular spectator sport in 1958, when the then-NFL Championship Game between the then-Baltimore Colts and the [[New York Giants]] was broadcast nationwide (though ironically not in New York City) and ended in a sudden-death overtime win by the Colts. Originally, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association and adopted its current name in 1922.<ref>Today the NFL is one of the four major sports leagues in the United States (the others being [[MLB]], [[NBA]], and [[NHL]], though the [[NFL]] has never had a franchise in Canada). </ref> Only two teams that were charter members of the league remain in operation today: the Chicago Cardinals (now the [[Arizona Cardinals]]) and the Decatur Staleys (now the [[Chicago Bears]]).<ref>Other teams currently in the league operated prior to 1920, either as independent clubs or in rival leagues. As an example, the [[Green Bay Packers]], considered one of the NFL's historic franchises, was not a charter member; it formed in 1919 and played its first two seasons as an independent club before joining the league in 1921.</ref> The Staleys coach (and owner) George Halas is credited with being the father of the league and is compared to [[George Washington]] by many enthusiasts of the game. |
| | During its existence, it has merged with all or parts of three rival football leagues (unlike the NBA and NHL, the individual and team records of these franchises are recognized by the NFL): | | During its existence, it has merged with all or parts of three rival football leagues (unlike the NBA and NHL, the individual and team records of these franchises are recognized by the NFL): |