National Football League (USA) Champions 1920-1932

National Football League Logo [Ref: 2]

Champions 1920-1932

YearPWLTPct
1920 +Akron Pros118031.000
1921Chicago Staleys11911.900
1922Canton Bulldogs1210021.000
1923Canton Bulldogs1211011.000
1924Cleveland Bulldogs9711.875
1925Chicago Cardinals141121.846
1926Frankford Yellow Jackets171412.933
1927New York Giants131111.917
1928Providence Steam Roller11812.889
1929Green Bay Packers1312011.000
1930Green Bay Packers141031.769
1931Green Bay Packers141220.857
1932 *Chicago Bears14716.875
National Football League Champions 1920-1932 [Ref: 1]

Note: + No Official Standings kept in 1920. * Chicago Bears won Playoff against Portsmouth Spartans 9-0 after both teams finished tied at the top with 6 wins and 1 loss.

Note 2: Chicago Staleys are considered the same team as the Chicago Bears by the NFL. The Bears owner bought out the Decatur Staleys franchise in 1921 and moved them to Chicago, but the owner of the Staleys paid the new owner to keep the name Staleys for one year, after which they became the Chicago Bears.

Note 3: Ties were discounted in calculating W-L Winning Percentages at the time.

Report

The American Professional Football association was formed in late 1919 by the leading teams in the Ohio League (then the most pre-eminent Pro Football League in the USA) in order to provide a common set of rules and prevent players jumping from team to team in search of the biggest pay packet. The four original franchises (Canton Bulldogs, Akro Pros, Rock Island Independents and Dayton Triangles) invited the top teams from the New York Pro Football Circuit (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse), Pennsylvania and New York City / New Jersey Circuits to join them in forming the first true National Football League.

The League changed its name to the National Football League from APFA in 1922, and in 1932 after the League finished in a tie the first Championship Game was arranged after the season ended. Chicago Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans 9-0 to win the Championship. After this the decision was made to split the League into two divisions (Eastern and Western) with a pre-arranged Championship Game between the Division Winners.

The Champions of the APFA / NFL during these years were Akron Pros (1920), Chicago Staleys (1921), Canton Bulldogs (1922, 1923), Cleveland Bulldogs (1924), Chicago Cardinals (1925), Frankford Yellow Jackets (Philadelphia suburb) (1926), New York Giants (1927), Providence Steam Roller (1928), Green Bay Packers (1929-1931) and Chicago Bears (1932).

References

Websites/ Bibliography

[1] National Football League (2019) 2019 NFL Record & Factbook Past Standings p. 398 (see also Chronology p. 351-370) [Internet] Available from: https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/f60ftapcsbynqgymw72q.pdf [Accessed 5 July 2020]

Images

[2] National Football League (2019) NFL Logo [Internet] Available from: data:image/png;base64,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 [Accessed 17 September 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 5 July 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

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