NFL historians: Can you help me with a question about expansion?

Question

I am very much aware of all the team histories, when they were established, where they moved, what names they had, all that stuff. But I have always assumed that any team that became established in 1960 and later to be an expansion team, while all teams that have been established prior to 1960 to be an original franchise.

My question is where is the commonly accepted point of segregation?

Cardinals and (Decatur Staleys) Bears 1920,
Packers 1921,
Giants 1925,
(Portsmouth) Detroit 1930,
(Boston Braves) Redskins 1932,
Eagles and Pittsburgh 1933,
Rams 1936,
Browns 1946,
49ers 1946,
Colts 1953.

What is your call?

Answer 1

I would draw the line for original vs. expansion at the point of the NFL-AAFC "merger," which was the 1950 season. I would consider pre-1950 to be original, post-1950 to be expansion, meaning that the "old" Browns, 49ers, and Colts would be expansion, since they did not start in the NFL.

Answer 2

I think that all teams that were in the NFL before 1960 were considered original teams. There wasn't really expansion before that, because the NFL took teams from other leagues that had folded. The Browns, 49ers, and the original Baltimore Colts came from the AAFC. The Colts folded after one year, and replaced with the Dallas Texans in 1952. They had financial trouble, and were taken over by the league, and moved to Baltimore to become the "expansion" Colts. The expansion in 1960 was done to keep the AFL out of certain cities. In 1959, the AFL was formed, granting franchises in, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston, New York, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Buffalo. When the NFL heard this, they granted Minneapolis and Dallas franchises. The Minneapolis owner pulled out of the AFL when Pete Rozelle allowed him until 1961 to get his franchise together, which is why the Cowboys started playing in 1960, and the Vikings in 1961. The separation point is post AFL.

Answer 3

I go with the AFL merger. You ignore the big influx of the original AFL teams the Buffalo Bills, the Boston (New England) Patriots, the LA (SD) Chargers, the Dallas Texans (Kansas City Cheifs), etc. This also allows the early expansion teams, like the Dolphins, Bengals, and Saints a bit of respectability.

Your system allows teams from the merger with the AAFC but not with the AFL. Have you considered consistency?:)

Another way to look at is time. Do you think Tampa Bay and Seattle have the expansion team excuse available? The Panthers and Jags are well past it too. Heck, even the Texans probably should get to use it any more.

Answer 4

Any team that wasn't part of the merger is an expansion to me, yeah we drop the Expansion as Expansion team, meaning only the latest and only for like 4-5 years at most.

Answer 5

I agree. While there have been several expansions since then I think the first expansion happened after 1960. I don't know if they used the term expansion until the NFL and AFL combined.

Answer 6

You know too much. You must be old. Congradulations, I hope to have as much usefull information when I get up there with you. Hope this doesn't sound like I'm talking trash to you. If it does, then it's ok for you to call me a punk. I'm 26 and love the NFL and for me the expansion teams are Jaguars, Panthers, New Browns which arn't really expansion in my mind and Texans. Thanks for all your info on the Original teams.

Answer 7

Yes there was a 12 team leaguge. Then in 1960 more teams wanted to jion in so they evenually split into the NFL and the AFL then combining to make the NFL so yes those are the original teams