All about the NFL and past champions

The NFL has a long history beyond the 1967 Super Bowl. It became the NFL in 1922. Even though there was no title game in 1920, Akron was named the champion since it went unbeaten. Scan the list below to view all of the NFL champions since the league’s founding.

1920–1929—The Chicago Bears Begin

The NFL held no championship games during this decade. An aging Jim Thorpe “moved from Canton to the (football) Cleveland Indians, but he was hurt early in the season and played very little,” noted NFL.com. Another famous football hero, George Halas, took over the Decatur Staleys as player-mentor and transferred them to Whelps Park in Chicago. They had a 9-1-1 record and won the association title in 1922. The group became the Chicago Bears that year.

1920 – Akron Pros
1921 – Chicago Staleys
1922 – Canton Bulldogs
1923 – Canton Bulldogs
1924 – Cleveland Bulldogs
1925 – Chicago Cardinals
1926 – Frankford Yellow Jackets
1927 – New York Giants
1928 – Providence Steam Roller
1929 – Green Bay Packers

1930–1939—The Bears Versus Packers

The fact of the matter is Green Bay would start off the first era of dominance taking the championship in 1929 and going on with two more during the early part of the decade. The 1933 Eastern Division champion Goliaths defeated 23-21 to the Chicago Bears at Wrigley Field in a championship game. Halas coached the Bears for a crucial decade.

1930 – Green Bay Packers
1931 – Green Bay Packers
1932 – Chicago Bears
1933 – Chicago Bears
1934 – New York Giants
1935 – Detroit Lions
1936 – Green Bay Packers
1937 – Washington Redskins
1938 – New York Giants
1939 – Green Bay Packers

1940–1949—The Bears Keep Winning

The Bears continued to dominate the decade, winning 50 per cent of the championship games during the period. Throughout the decade: “According to Wikipedia, the team adopted the University of Chicago’s discarded nickname ‘Monsters of the Midway ‘ and their now-famous helmet ‘C,’ along with a newly penned theme song, ‘The Pride and Joy of Illinois’.”

1940 – Chicago Bears
1941 – Chicago Bears
1942 – Washington Redskins
1943 – Chicago Bears
1944 – Green Bay Packers
1945 – Cleveland Rams
1946 – Chicago Bears
1947 – Chicago Cardinals
1948 – Philadelphia Eagles
1949 – Philadelphia Eagles

1950–1959—Era of the Browns

In ’58 and ’59, the Baltimore Colts won consecutive titles after the Cleveland Browns won three crowns this decade.

1950 – Cleveland Browns
1951 – Los Angeles Rams
1952 – Detroit Lions
1953 – Detroit Lions
1954 – Cleveland Browns
1955 – Cleveland Browns
1956 – New York Giants
1957 – Detroit Lions
1958 – Baltimore Colts
1959 – Baltimore Colts

1960–1969—The Super Bowl Begins

For players and spectators, the fledgling NFL moved with the NFL from 1960 to 1969. The first “Super Bowl” was played in 1967. Vince Lombardi’s Packers won the first two titles in 1967 and 1968. However, reckless young Jets quarterback Joe Namath, known as “Broadway Joe” for his appealing looks and business pitch, predicted a huge Super Bowl III win against the Baltimore Colts in 1968-1969.

1960 – Houston Oilers (AFL)
1960 – Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
1961 – Houston Oilers (AFL)
1961 – Green Bay Packers (NFL)
1962 – Dallas Texans (AFL)
1962 – Green Bay Packers (NFL)
1963 – San Diego Chargers (AFL)
1963 – Chicago Bears (NFL)
1964 – Buffalo Bills (AFL)
1964 – Cleveland Browns (NFL)
1965 – Buffalo Bills (AFL)
1965 – Green Bay Packers (NFL)
1966 – Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)
1966 – Green Bay Packers (NFL)
1967 – Green Bay Packers (NFL)
1968 – Green Bay Packers (NFL)
1969 – New York Jets (AFL)

1970–1979—The Leagues Merge

In 1970, the AFL renamed the AFC and the NFL the NFC. Super Bowl determined NFL winners annually. Louisiana-born Terry Bradshaw, spicy and cutthroat, and the “Steel Shade” front four of the Pittsburg Steelers guarded line led the team to four Super Bowl titles in ten years, the fourth in mid-1980 after the 1979 season, establishing the post-consolidation tradition.

1970 – Kansas City
1971 – Baltimore Colts
1972 – Dallas Cowboys
1973 – Miami Dolphins
1974 – Miami Dolphins
1975 – Pittsburgh Steelers
1976 – Pittsburgh Steelers
1977 – Oakland Raiders
1978 – Dallas Cowboys
1979 – Pittsburgh Steelers

1980–1989—The Rice-Montana Era

Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, the NFL’s best quarterback and wide receiver, made the 49ers the force of the 1980s. They won four Super Bowls, the fourth in mid-1990 following the 1989 season.

1980 – Pittsburgh Steelers
1981 – Oakland Raiders
1982 – San Francisco 49ers
1983 – Washington Redskins
1984 – Los Angeles Raiders
1985 – San Francisco 49ers
1986 – Chicago Bears
1987 – New York Giants
1988 – Washington Redskins
1989 – San Francisco 49ers

1990–1999—America’s Team

Troy Aikman’s Dallas Cowboys, known as America’s Group, won three Super Bowls in four years throughout the majority of his 10 years. Denver’s quarterback, John Elway, won two straight Super Bowls after being endowed with a superstar but lacking in title games.

1990 – San Francisco 49ers
1991 – New York Giants
1992 – Washington Redskins
1993 – Dallas Cowboys
1994 – Dallas Cowboys
1995 – San Francisco 49ers
1996 – Dallas Cowboys
1997 – Green Bay Packers
1998 – Denver Broncos
1999 – Denver Broncos

2000–2009—The Brady Era Begins

Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady would win five Super Bowls in seven appearances over two decades starting here. While behind 14 points, Brady and Belichick defeated quarterback Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams to start the streak.

2000 – St. Louis Rams
2001 – Baltimore Ravens
2002 – New England Patriots
2003 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2004 – New England Patriots
2005 – New England Patriots
2006 – Pittsburgh Steelers
2007 – Indianapolis Colts
2008 – New York Giants
2009- Pittsburgh Steelers

2000–2019—Goal-Line Stand and Historic Comeback

Seattle threw to Marshawn Lynch, the league’s finest rusher, who was poised to go into “Beast Mode” and score the final yard in Super Bowl XLIX with 20 seconds left. New Britain wins the title when undrafted rookie Malcolm Steward catches the pass. After trailing 25 points midway through the third quarter, Brady and the Patriots won Super Bowl 51 over the Falcons.

2010 – New Orleans Saints
2011 – Green Bay Packers
2012 – New York Giants
2013 – Baltimore Ravens
2014 – Seattle Seahawks
2015 – New England Patriots
2016 – Denver Broncos
2017 – New England Patriots
2018 – Philadelphia Eagles
2019 – New England Patriots

Conclusion

The NFL,  a behemoth of American sports with an interesting journey riddled with success and perils. Behind it is the background for many memorable moments, stars that have been born, and teams. As the champions keep the flame burning as they write their wins in the annals of football history. Equally, the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and multiple winners of the Super Bowl have made their impression felt. The NFL has been unwavering in changing over time with society, technology, fan fervor. On the field of play, off it, the league molding culture, bringing together disparate communities through sport – that is a powerful witness to its social significance. As we honor prior champions, we recognize that the NFL can unify fans like few other things. The NFL shaped American sports and united generations of supporters.