List of defunct NFL franchises

2025-09-30T23:06:43Z

2804:214:8614:302E:2D55:6BD5:A324:A2C4: From Providence Steamrollers to (the) Providence Steamroller. The name on its wikipedia page is listed as Providence Steam Roller, meaning it's a singular, not a plural

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
[[File:Akron pros 1920.jpg|thumb|350px|right|The [[Akron Pros]], the [[List of NFL champions (1920–1969)|first champions]] of the [[National Football League]], lost their franchise in {{nfly|1926}}.]]

[[File:DTvsNYG.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]], who played only the {{nfly|1952}} season, were the last franchise to go defunct. The remnants of the Texans' organization was absorbed by a [[History of the Baltimore Colts|new franchise]] that became the [[Indianapolis Colts|modern Colts]].]]

Membership in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) is certified by a [[Professional sports league organization#Structure of North American leagues (Franchise and minor league system)|franchise]]. 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. Franchises award member clubs the exclusive right to hold professional football games between league members within a 75-mile radius of their city as well as the exclusive rights to market games in their area.<ref name="NFL Bylaws, p. 6, 12-15">NFL Bylaws, p. 6, 12–15.</ref> There are currently 32 clubs in the league, and new members can only be approved with the support of 3/4s of current members.<ref name="NFL Bylaws, p. 3">NFL Bylaws, p. 3.</ref> In the case of egregious misbehavior, a club's franchise can be revoked or suspended by the league's [[National Football League#Corporate structure|commissioner]].<ref name="NFL Bylaws, p. 28-35">NFL Bylaws, p. 28-35.</ref>

The NFL has had a total of 49 franchises become defunct over its history;<ref>{{cite web |title=Pro Football teams that came and went |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27334792/pro-football-nfl-teams-came-went |website=[[ESPN]] |date=2019-08-14 |access-date=June 7, 2021}}</ref> this includes ten of the league's twelve founding members, with only the [[Chicago Bears]] and [[Arizona Cardinals]] surviving to the present day.<ref name="National Football League (NFL)">{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/404801/National-Football-League-NFL|title=National Football League (NFL)|publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=June 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620012240/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/404801/National-Football-League-NFL|archive-date=June 20, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> By 1926, the league had expanded to 22 franchises, but a league meeting in April 1927 led to the decision to revoke the franchises of the clubs in the weakest financial situations; 10 franchises were ultimately revoked.<ref name="History">{{cite web |title=NFL History by Decade: 1921–1930 |url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930 |website=[[National Football League]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410134638/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930 |archive-date=2016-04-10 |url-status=live |access-date=June 21, 2013}}</ref>

Five defunct NFL franchises (the [[Akron Pros|Akron Pros/Indians]], [[Canton Bulldogs]], [[Cleveland Bulldogs|Cleveland Bulldogs/Indians]], [[Frankford Yellow Jackets]], and [[Providence Steamrollers (NFL)|the Providence Steamroller]]) had previously won [[List of NFL champions (1920-1969)|NFL championships]]. The most recent franchise to become defunct was the [[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]], which folded in 1952 after one season in the league.<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />

==Defunct franchises==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" border="1"
|+ Key
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; background-color:#cfecec;"|^
|Denotes the club had won an [[List of NFL champions (1920-1969)|NFL championship]] before folding<ref name="NFL Champions">{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/champions.aspx|title=NFL Champions|work=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]|access-date=January 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130107091539/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/champions.aspx|archive-date=January 7, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+List of defunct NFL franchises
!scope="col" |Club
!scope="col" |City
!scope="col" |Joined NFL
!scope="col" |Folded
!scope="col" class=unsortable|Ref(s)
|-
! scope="row" style="background-color:#cfecec;"|[[Akron Pros|Akron Pros/Indians]]^
|[[Akron, Ohio]]
|1920{{#tag:ref|Founding member of the league.<ref name="Original">{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1911-1920|title=NFL History by Decade: 1911–1920|work=[[NFL.com]]|access-date=June 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115043331/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1911-1920|archive-date=January 15, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>|group=upper-alpha|name=a}}
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories">{{cite web|title=National Football League Franchise Histories|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/stats/franchises.aspx|access-date=January 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102074644/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/stats/franchises.aspx|archive-date=January 2, 2013|url-status=dead|work=[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]}}</ref><ref name="NFL Champions" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Baltimore Colts (1947–1950)|Baltimore Colts]]
|[[Baltimore, Maryland]]
|1950{{#tag:ref|The [[Baltimore Colts (1947–50)|Baltimore Colts]] were originally members of the [[All-America Football Conference]] (AAFC), but the franchise was accepted into the NFL when the AAFC folded in 1949.<ref name="All-America Football Conference">{{cite journal|last=Grosshandler|first=Stan|title=All-America Football Conference|journal=The Coffin Corner|year=1980|volume=2|issue=7|pages=3, 9|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-07-035.pdf|access-date=January 22, 2014|publisher=[[Professional Football Researchers Association]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119163642/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-07-035.pdf|archive-date=January 19, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>|group=upper-alpha|name=b}}
|1950
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Boston Yanks]]
|[[Boston, Massachusetts]]
|1943
|1948
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers]]
|[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York]]
|1930
|1944
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Brooklyn Horsemen|Brooklyn Lions]]
|[[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York]]
|1926
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Buffalo (1920s NFL teams)|Buffalo All-Americans/Bisons/Rangers]]
|[[Buffalo, New York]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1929{{#tag:ref|The [[Buffalo (1920s NFL teams)|Buffalo Bisons]] franchise was inactive for the 1928 season.<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />|group=upper-alpha|name=c}}
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" style="background-color:#cfecec;"|[[Canton Bulldogs]]^
|[[Canton, Ohio]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1926{{#tag:ref|The [[Canton Bulldogs]] franchise was inactive for the 1924 season.<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />|group=upper-alpha|name=d}}
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" /><ref name="NFL Champions" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Chicago Tigers]]
|[[Chicago, Illinois]]
|1920
|1920
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Cincinnati Celts]]
|[[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]]
|1921
|1921
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|Cincinnati Reds]]
|[[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]]
|1933
|datasortvalue="1934.1"|1934{{#tag:ref|The [[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|Cincinnati Reds]] franchise was revoked with three games remaining in the 1934 season, and the [[St. Louis Gunners]] were temporarily enfranchised at that time to finish the Reds' schedule.|group=upper-alpha|name=reds}}
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Cleveland Tigers (NFL)|Cleveland Tigers/Indians]]
|[[Cleveland, Ohio]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1921
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" style="background-color:#cfecec;"|[[Cleveland Bulldogs|Cleveland Indians/Bulldogs]]^
|[[Cleveland, Ohio]]
|1923
|1927{{#tag:ref|The [[Cleveland Bulldogs]] franchise was inactive for the 1926 season.<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />|group=upper-alpha|name=e}}
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" /><ref name="NFL Champions" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Cleveland Indians (NFL 1931)|Cleveland Indians]]
|[[Cleveland, Ohio]]
|1931
|1931
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Columbus Panhandles/Tigers]]
|[[Columbus, Ohio]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Dallas Texans (NFL)|Dallas Texans]]
|[[Dallas, Texas]]
|1952
|1952
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Dayton Triangles]]
|[[Dayton, Ohio]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1929
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Detroit (1920s NFL teams)#Detroit Heralds.2FTigers|Detroit Heralds]]
|[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1920
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Detroit (1920s NFL teams)#Detroit Panthers|Detroit Panthers]]
|[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
|1925
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Detroit (1920s NFL teams)#Detroit Heralds.2FTigers|Detroit Tigers]]
|[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
|1921
|1921
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Detroit (1920s NFL teams)#Detroit Wolverines|Detroit Wolverines]]
|[[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
|1928
|1928
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Duluth Kelleys/Eskimos]]
|[[Duluth, Minnesota]]
|1923
|1927
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Evansville Crimson Giants]]
|[[Evansville, Indiana]]
|1921
|1922
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" style="background-color:#cfecec;"|[[Frankford Yellow Jackets]]^
|[[Frankford, Philadelphia]]
|1924
|1931
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" /><ref name="NFL Champions" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Hammond Pros]]
|[[Hammond, Indiana]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Hartford Blues]]
|[[Hartford, Connecticut]]
|1926
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Kansas City Blues/Cowboys]]
|[[Kansas City, Missouri]]
|1924
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Kenosha Maroons]]
|[[Kenosha, Wisconsin]]
|1924
|1924
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Los Angeles Buccaneers]]
|[[Los Angeles, California]]
|1926
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Louisville Brecks/Colonels]]
|[[Louisville, Kentucky]]
|1921
|1926{{#tag:ref|The [[Louisville Brecks/Colonels|Louisville Brecks]] franchise was inactive for the 1924 and 1925 seasons.<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />|group=upper-alpha|name=f}}
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Milwaukee Badgers]]
|[[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]
|1922
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Minneapolis Marines/Red Jackets]]
|[[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
|1921
|1930{{#tag:ref|The Minneapolis Marines franchise was inactive from 1925 to 1928.<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />|group=upper-alpha|name=g}}
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Muncie Flyers]]
|[[Muncie, Indiana]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1921
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[New York Yanks|New York Bulldogs/Yanks]]
|[[New York City|New York, New York]]
|1949
|1951
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[New York Yankees (NFL)|New York Yankees]]
|[[New York City|New York, New York]]
|1927
|1928
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[New York Brickley Giants|New York Giants]]
|[[New York City|New York, New York]]
|1921
|1921
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Orange/Newark Tornadoes]]
|[[Orange, New Jersey]] (1929) [[Newark, New Jersey]] (1930)
|1929
|1930
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Oorang Indians]]
|[[LaRue, Ohio]]
|1922
|1923
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Pottsville Maroons|Pottsville Maroons/Boston Bulldogs]]
|[[Pottsville, Pennsylvania]] (1925–1928) [[Boston, Massachusetts]] (1929)
|1925
|1929
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" style="background-color:#cfecec;"|[[Providence Steamrollers (NFL)|Providence Steamrollers]]^
|[[Providence, Rhode Island]]
|1925
|1931
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" /><ref name="NFL Champions" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Racine Legion/Tornadoes]]
|[[Racine, Wisconsin]]
|1922
|1926
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Rochester Jeffersons]]
|[[Rochester, New York]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1925
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Rock Island Independents]]
|[[Rock Island, Illinois]]
|1920<ref group=upper-alpha name=a />
|1925
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[St. Louis All-Stars]]
|[[St. Louis, Missouri]]
|1923
|1923
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[St. Louis Gunners]]
|[[St. Louis, Missouri]]
|1934{{#tag:ref||group=upper-alpha|name=reds}}
|datasortvalue="1934.2"|1934
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Staten Island Stapletons|Staten Island Stapletons/Stapes]]
|[[Staten Island|Staten Island, New York]]
|1929
|1932
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Toledo Maroons]]
|[[Toledo, Ohio]]
|1922
|1923
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Tonawanda Kardex]]
|[[Tonawanda, New York]]
|1921
|1921
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|-
! scope="row" |[[Washington Senators (NFL)|Washington Senators]]
|[[Washington, D.C.]]
|1921
|1921
|<ref name="National Football League Franchise Histories" />
|}

==See also==
* [[NFL franchise moves and mergers]]
* [[Steagles]]
* [[Card-Pitt]]
* [[List of defunct and relocated Major League Baseball teams]]
* [[List of defunct NBA teams]]
* [[List of defunct and relocated National Hockey League teams]]
* [[Major League Soccer defunct clubs]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=upper-alpha}}

==References==
===General===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite web |url=http://static.nfl.com/static/content//public/static/html/careers/pdf/co_.pdf |title=Constitution and Bylaws of the National Football League |year=2006 |access-date=February 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307224527/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/static/html/careers/pdf/co_.pdf |archive-date=March 7, 2014 |website=[[NFL.com]] |url-status=dead }}
{{Refend}}

===Specific===
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.nfl.com/ National Football League]

{{Defunct NFL teams}}
{{National Football League}}
{{History of NFL teams}}

[[Category:Defunct NFL teams| ]]
[[Category:Lists of defunct sports clubs and teams in the United States|National Football League]]
[[Category:NFL lists|Defunct]]

Vero - Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

List of defunct NFL franchises