A Somewhat Interesting Fact For Each NFC Team
In an effort to pass the time between OTAs and the start of training camp, I decided to come up with a somewhat interesting fact for each NFL team. Today, it’s the NFC. Tomorrow, it’s the AFC.
Minnesota Vikings
This one’s tough as I find everything about the Vikings interesting. I’ll start at the beginning.
The Minnesota Vikings were originally aligned with the American Football League. They even took part in the AFL’s first draft. A nervous NFL pried the Vikings away about a month after the draft. The departure forced the AFL to add the Oakland Raiders. So, the Raiders were an original AFL team because the Vikings weren’t.
Green Bay Packers
If there’s anything interesting about the Packers, it’s probably their funky “public” ownership deal. It’s fun that fans can “own” a piece of the Packers. I’m no fan of the team but I own the Packers. That’s fun. It might be interesting as well.
Chicago Bears
In their long history, there have been three iterations of the Bears
Decatur Staleys
Chicago Staleys
Chicago Bears
They won an NFL title as the Chicago Staleys (1921).
Detroit Lions
The 1936 Lions team averaged an NFL record 240.4 rushing yards per game.
More recently, the Lions have more associated with disappointing football. The Lions were a beast in the 1930s and 1950s. They won an NFL title in 1935. They won three titles in the 1950s (1952, 53, 57).
New York Giants
The Giants won their first NFL title in their third year of existence (1927). They won their second in 1934 in the league’s second scheduled championship game. Losing 10-3 at the half to the Chicago Bears, the Giants switched to sneakers for better footing on the frozen turf of the Polo Grounds. Scoring 27 points in the fourth quarter, the Giants “easily” defeated the Bears in the Sneakers Game, 30-13.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles that we know today are actually the original Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1941, Art Rooney sold the Pittsburgh Steelers to Alexis Thompson. With that money, Rooney bought part ownership of the Philadelphia Eagles. At that point in his life, Eagles owner Bert Bell had everything but money. Being a city boy, Thompson was no fan of Pittsburgh. Bert Bell and Art Rooney are prominent in NFL history. Alexis Thompson is not. There’s a terrific reason for that. Rooney loved Pittsburgh. Bell loved football. Thompson loved the city lights. Rooney and Bell essentially traded cities with Thompson. Rooney and Bell took the Eagles to Pittsburgh to become the Steelers. Thompson took the Steelers to Philadelphia to become the Eagles. As a result, the Eagles team that we know today is the original Steelers team. The Steelers team that we know today is the original Eagles team.
Washington Commanders
This team would have a much less tragic history if someone had removed George Preston Marshall and taken ownership control when they were the Boston Braves. The NFL has a colorful, interesting history. Marshall is the worst part of that history.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys entered the league as an expansion team without the benefit of any sort of expansion draft. They didn’t even benefit from a regular draft. Their first season was in 1960. Their first draft was in 1961.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made it all the way to the 1996 NFC Championship game in their second year of existence.
Atlanta Falcons
It took the Falcons 32 years to make it to their first NFC Championship game.
New Orleans Saints
It took the Saints 40 years to make it to their first NFC Championship game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers started their NFL days in the AFC. They were in the AFC West as a rookie team. Then the league jammed the new Florida team into a comfortably northern NFC Central. The Buccaneers competed against the Vikings, Packers, Bears, and Lions until the league-wide realignment of 2002. They’ve been in the much more geographically appropriate NFC South ever since.
San Francisco 49ers
If they hadn’t been celebrating so heartedly at halftime, the 49ers might’ve been playing for their first NFL title in 1957 rather than 1981. The 49ers led the Lions 24-7 at halftime of the ‘57 playoff game. They assumed a win and started celebrating. The Lions could hear that celebration through the thin locker room walls of Kezar Stadium. Properly motivated, the Lions came back in the second half for a 31-27 win. The 49ers had even started printing tickets for the NFL Title game against the Cleveland Browns at halftime. One of the tickets to the 1957 NFL Championship game that never happened is on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks were initially placed in the NFC West in 1976. They moved to the AFC West in 1977 and remained there until 2001. They returned to the NFC West in 2002 and have remained there ever since.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have won NFL titles in each of the three cities that they have played.
Cleveland: 1945
Los Angeles: 1951 and 2021
St. Louis: 1999
Arizona Cardinals
With a history easily traced to the 1890s, the Cardinals are the league’s oldest team.
Minnesota Vikings
This one’s tough as I find everything about the Vikings interesting. I’ll start at the beginning.
The Minnesota Vikings were originally aligned with the American Football League. They even took part in the AFL’s first draft. A nervous NFL pried the Vikings away about a month after the draft. The departure forced the AFL to add the Oakland Raiders. So, the Raiders were an original AFL team because the Vikings weren’t.
Green Bay Packers
If there’s anything interesting about the Packers, it’s probably their funky “public” ownership deal. It’s fun that fans can “own” a piece of the Packers. I’m no fan of the team but I own the Packers. That’s fun. It might be interesting as well.
Chicago Bears
In their long history, there have been three iterations of the Bears
Decatur Staleys
Chicago Staleys
Chicago Bears
They won an NFL title as the Chicago Staleys (1921).
Detroit Lions
The 1936 Lions team averaged an NFL record 240.4 rushing yards per game.
More recently, the Lions have more associated with disappointing football. The Lions were a beast in the 1930s and 1950s. They won an NFL title in 1935. They won three titles in the 1950s (1952, 53, 57).
New York Giants
The Giants won their first NFL title in their third year of existence (1927). They won their second in 1934 in the league’s second scheduled championship game. Losing 10-3 at the half to the Chicago Bears, the Giants switched to sneakers for better footing on the frozen turf of the Polo Grounds. Scoring 27 points in the fourth quarter, the Giants “easily” defeated the Bears in the Sneakers Game, 30-13.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles that we know today are actually the original Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1941, Art Rooney sold the Pittsburgh Steelers to Alexis Thompson. With that money, Rooney bought part ownership of the Philadelphia Eagles. At that point in his life, Eagles owner Bert Bell had everything but money. Being a city boy, Thompson was no fan of Pittsburgh. Bert Bell and Art Rooney are prominent in NFL history. Alexis Thompson is not. There’s a terrific reason for that. Rooney loved Pittsburgh. Bell loved football. Thompson loved the city lights. Rooney and Bell essentially traded cities with Thompson. Rooney and Bell took the Eagles to Pittsburgh to become the Steelers. Thompson took the Steelers to Philadelphia to become the Eagles. As a result, the Eagles team that we know today is the original Steelers team. The Steelers team that we know today is the original Eagles team.
Washington Commanders
This team would have a much less tragic history if someone had removed George Preston Marshall and taken ownership control when they were the Boston Braves. The NFL has a colorful, interesting history. Marshall is the worst part of that history.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys entered the league as an expansion team without the benefit of any sort of expansion draft. They didn’t even benefit from a regular draft. Their first season was in 1960. Their first draft was in 1961.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made it all the way to the 1996 NFC Championship game in their second year of existence.
Atlanta Falcons
It took the Falcons 32 years to make it to their first NFC Championship game.
New Orleans Saints
It took the Saints 40 years to make it to their first NFC Championship game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers started their NFL days in the AFC. They were in the AFC West as a rookie team. Then the league jammed the new Florida team into a comfortably northern NFC Central. The Buccaneers competed against the Vikings, Packers, Bears, and Lions until the league-wide realignment of 2002. They’ve been in the much more geographically appropriate NFC South ever since.
San Francisco 49ers
If they hadn’t been celebrating so heartedly at halftime, the 49ers might’ve been playing for their first NFL title in 1957 rather than 1981. The 49ers led the Lions 24-7 at halftime of the ‘57 playoff game. They assumed a win and started celebrating. The Lions could hear that celebration through the thin locker room walls of Kezar Stadium. Properly motivated, the Lions came back in the second half for a 31-27 win. The 49ers had even started printing tickets for the NFL Title game against the Cleveland Browns at halftime. One of the tickets to the 1957 NFL Championship game that never happened is on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks were initially placed in the NFC West in 1976. They moved to the AFC West in 1977 and remained there until 2001. They returned to the NFC West in 2002 and have remained there ever since.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have won NFL titles in each of the three cities that they have played.
Cleveland: 1945
Los Angeles: 1951 and 2021
St. Louis: 1999
Arizona Cardinals
With a history easily traced to the 1890s, the Cardinals are the league’s oldest team.
