The Oilers played the 1996 season as a lame-duck club in front of sparse crowds, prompting the departure from Houston one year earlier than initially planned. Which 11 current NFL teams changed their names? A franchise is awarded by the league to each member club and serves as the league's authorization to operate as a professional football club in their city. However, the real change comes in 1943 when the team merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers during World War II and was known as the "Steagles" for that year. What happened: When he couldn’t procure funding for a new stadium, Browns owner Art Modell struck a secret deal with the city of Baltimore. Bullets/Wizards owner Abe Pollin decided to change his team's name in 1995 after his team's name had become associated with violent overtones and the rising crime in Washington DC at the time. A renewed look at social justice and racial sensitivity, coupled with pressure from sponsors, compelled team owner Dan Snyder to retire the former name. New York Giants. BY Scott Allen. That leaves primarily the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago … TWEET. At the same time, the NFL’s upstart Dallas Cowboys were trying to gain traction in the marketplace. What happened: The Chiefs spent their first three seasons playing as the Dallas Texans in the American Football League. Which 11 current NFL teams changed their names? However, during the 1920s it is hard to tell if some teams changed nicknames from year to year or if each nickname represented a new franchise. Watch Queue Queue MORRIS: The Cleveland Indians have launched a formal name review. No NFL franchise has folded since 1952. The franchise was renamed the Bears in 1922. The Eagles were built from the leftover assets of the defunct Frankford Yellow Jackets, which could constitute a team name change. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. 1920: The Arizona Cardinals were the Chicago Cardinals from 1920 until 1959, then they moved to and played in St. Louis until 1987. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Guess I … One day after the Maryland state legislature began the process of trying to claim the Colts as part of eminent domain, Irsay quickly hired 14 Mayflower trucks to haul his team’s property to Indianapolis in the middle of the night. Take Your Shot at $1,000,000 Compete to win the $1,000,000 jackpot & more cash prizes on Sunday. What happened: Oilers owner Bud Adams, who had threatened to move his team in the past without public funding for stadium renovations, finally pulled the trigger and reached agreement with Nashville city officials when Houston’s mayor wouldn’t support building a new facility to replace the aging Astrodome. The Cowboys eventually gained the upper hand in popularity despite the Texans winning the AFL title in 1962, which prompted team owner Lamar Hunt to seek another home. This video is unavailable. FOX Sports Senior NFL Writer Alex Marvez looks back at the history of the current 11 franchises that are now based in a different city from where they initially started. NFL Teams by the Year They Were Established . The 2020 NFL free agency had a chance to be quite the blockbuster as the league’s new year began—ultra-boosted by the currently canceled sports-scape—and teams have not disappointed. Find out by taking our latest quiz. #NFLTeams #TeamChallenge #CanYouNameIf you're new, Subscribe! There are 32 NFL teams, and football enjoys the greatest yearly revenues of any American sport. Davis then returned to the Bay Area after being given a sweetheart stadium deal by Alameda County officials. Watch Queue Queue. The University changed the mascot and name to Cardinal after meeting with Native American students who called the name an insult to their culture and heritage. July 15, 2020 10:54 am. The Houston Oilers and Kansas City Chiefs changed names when they moved to new places. Do you remember the former team names of some of sports' most famous franchises? What happened: After his attempt to relocate the Raiders to Los Angeles was vetoed by the NFL, owner Al Davis successfully sued to circumvent the league’s decision and bolted from Oakland. Inside access. Note that the list represents NFL franchises that no longer exist, not franchises/teams that relocated. Here's a look at the notable NFL team name changes … After just one year as the Braves, the franchise was renamed to the Redskins in 1933, four years before the team moved from Boston to Washington. Permanently suspended operations in 1927. 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