The NFL was founded in 1920 and became a successfully established nationwide presence after several decades of failed attempts. The league was initially known as the American Professional Football Association (APFA), with ten teams from four states.
Interestingly, the Chicago Cardinals (now Arizona Cardinals) are the oldest franchise in the history of the league. While the franchise has been based out of Arizona since 1988, the Cardinals trace their history back to 1898, decades before the NFL was founded.
The team was founded by Chris O’Brien and was initially called the Morgan Athletic Club. However, a few years after the team purchased the used jerseys from the University of Chicago, O'Brien referred to the faded shirt color as “Cardinal red.”
Moreover, the Cardinals had to challenge a team named the Tigers for territorial rights in Chicago before joining the big league. The Cardinals won the game 6-0 and the Tigers were forced to leave the city.
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However, since joining the league, the Cardinals have called three different cities home: Chicago, St. Louis, and Phoenix.
Currently, only two of the founding teams continue to play in the league. Along with the Cardinals, the Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears) are still in the league as of 2023.
Which NFL franchise has the most Super Bowl titles?
Since the start of the NFL, the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers have won the most number of Super Bowl titles. They have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy for a joint record six times each.
The Patriots won their first title in 2002 and then capitalized on dominating the league with Tom Brady as their quarterback. New England also won the Super Bowl in 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, and 2019.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers won their first Super Bowl in 1975. They also managed to clinch the title in 1976, 1979, 1980, 2006, and most recently in 2009.
Cardinals Nation! You can check out the latest Arizona Cardinals Schedule and dive into the latest Cardinals Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.