- MENU
- HOME
- SITE
- JOBS
- VIDEOS
- WORLD
- MAIN
- AFRICA
- ASIA
- BALKANS
- EUROPE
- LATIN AMERICA
- MIDDLE EAST
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Benelux
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- USA
- BUSINESS
- WEALTH
- STOCKS
- TECH
- HEALTH
- LIFESTYLE
- ENTERTAINMENT
- SPORTS
- RSS
- iHaveNet.com: NFL Football
Tex Schramm, Pete Rozelle and Lamar Hunt announcing the merger of the AFL and NFL in 1966
Major historical dates and anniversaries in the NFL
Year | Milestone |
---|---|
Source: NFL | |
1896 | The Allegheny Athletic Association fields the first completely professional team (1896). |
1906 | The first authenticated forward pass completion is recorded as George (Peggy) Parratt of Massillon throws a completion to Dan (Bullet) Riley (10/25/1906). |
1921 | A.E. Staley turns the Decatur Staleys over to player-coach George Halas, who moves the team to Cubs Park in Chicago (1921). |
1921 | Fritz Pollard of the Akron Pros becomes the first black head coach (1921). |
1936 | The Eagles make University of Chicago HB and Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger the first player ever selected in the NFL Draft (2/8/1936). |
1941 | The official NFL Record Manual is published for the first time by the league (1941). |
1946 | The Cleveland Rams move to Los Angeles (1946). |
1946 | Kenny Washington (March 21) and Woody Strode (May 7) sign with the Los Angeles Rams to become the first African-Americans to play in the NFL in the modern era (1946). |
1946 | Bill Willis (August 6) and Marion Motley (August 9) join the Cleveland Browns, becoming the first African-Americans to play in the All-America Football Conference (1946). |
1946 | The Cleveland Browns, coached by Paul Brown, win the All-America Football Conference's first championship (1946). |
1951 | The NFL Championship Game is televised coast-to-coast for the first time on the DuMont Network. The Los Angeles Rams defeat the Cleveland Browns 24-17 (12/23/1951). |
1956 | CBS becomes the first network to broadcast NFL regular-season games to selected television markets across the nation (1956). |
1966 | A series of meetings regarding a possible AFL-NFL merger takes place in the spring between Lamar Hunt of Kansas City and Tex Schramm of Dallas. On June 8, Commissioner Pete Rozelle announces the merger of the AFL and NFL (1966). |
1966 | New Orleans is awarded an NFL franchise to begin play in 1967 (11/1/1966). |
1971 | The Miami Dolphins defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in sudden-death overtime in an AFC Divisional Playoff Game. The contest lasts 82 minutes, 40 seconds, making it the longest game in NFL history (12/25/1971). |
1976 | The first NFL game outside of North America is played before 38,000 fans at Korakuen Stadium in Tokyo, Japan as St. Louis defeats San Diego 20-10 in a preseason contest (8/16/1976). |
1991 | The NFL launches the World League of American Football, the first sports league to operate on a weekly basis on two separate continents (3/23/1991). |
2001 | NFL owners unanimously approve a realignment plan and new scheduling format for the league starting in 2002. Seven clubs change divisions and the Seattle Seahawks switch conferences (5/22/2001). |
2006 | Roger Goodell becomes the eighth chief executive of the NFL when he is chosen to succeed Paul Tagliabue as commissioner by a unanimous vote of the clubs at a three-day meeting in Chicago (8/8/2006). |
2006 | The NFL Network broadcasts its first-ever regular-season game as the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Denver Broncos 19-10 at Arrowhead Stadium on Thanksgiving night (11/23/2006). |
2011 | The NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee announced a new standardized sideline concussion assessment protocol for team medical personnel. The new protocol includes a symptom checklist, limited neurologic examination and balance assessment (2/25/2011). |
Owner Milestones
Many NFL owners will be celebrating notable milestones in 2016, including Chicago's VIRGINIA H. MC CASKEY, whose family has reached the 95th anniversary of when her father, GEORGE HALAS, purchased the team when they were known as the Decatur Staleys.
Here are the major owner milestones:
Team | Year Acquired | |
---|---|---|
Source: NFL | ||
Chicago Bears | Virginia H. McCaskey (Daughter of George Halas) | 1921 |
Arizona Cardinals | William V. Bidwill (Son of Charles W. Bidwill) | 1932 |
Cincinnati Bengals | Mike Brown (Son of Paul Brown) | 1967 |
Indianapolis Colts | James Irsay (Son of Robert Irsay) | 1972 |
San Francisco 49ers | Denise DeBartolo York (Daughter of Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr.) | 1977 |
New York Giants | Steve and Jonathan Tisch (Sons of Preston Robert Tisch) | 1991 |
Seattle Seahawks | Paul Allen | 1997 |
Atlanta Falcons | Arthur M. Blank | 2002 |
Jacksonville Jaguars | Shahid Khan | 2011 |
Cleveland Browns | Jimmy Haslam | 2012 |
Receive our NFL News & Analysis by email by subscribing here
NFL Super Bowl History
NFL Super Bowl History, Scores, Summaries & Super Bowl MVP Articles
NFL Football: "NFL 2016: NFL Anniversaries and Milestones"