NFL Champions (1920-2006)
At the beginings of NFL history and from 1920-1931 the NFL championship was determined by a
team's won-loss percentage of each team. And is in 1932 that a playoff game was arranged following
the season to determine the NFL champion
This is a list of National Football League champions prior to the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger, that
is, all the franchises that have won the championship of the National Football League. From 1920
to 1932, the league champion was determined by a team's win-loss percentage, with ties omitted.
In 1932, due to a tie in the final standings, a playoff game was played to determine the
championship.
In 1933, the NFL was organized into two divisions (later called conferences). The winners of
each division played each other to determine the champion of the league. This format would
remain through the 1966 season.
In 1967, the now 16-team NFL split each conference into two divisions of 4 teams each. From
1967 to 1969, the division winners met in a conference championship game. The two conference
champions then played for the NFL championship. Starting with the 1966 season, the NFL champion
played the American Football League champion in what would become the Super Bowl.
Since the completion of the merger in 1970, the Super Bowl has served as the NFL championship
game. Unlike the Super Bowl, which is contested at a neutral site, NFL championship games from
1933 to 1969 took place at the home field of one of the competing teams.
Champions of the NFL
| Year |
Champion |
Year |
Champion |
Year |
Champion |
| 1920 |
Akron Pros |
1949 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
1978 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1921 |
Chicago Staleys |
1950 |
Cleveland Browns |
1979 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1922 |
Canton Bulldogs |
1951 |
Los Angeles Rams |
1980 |
Oakland Raiders |
| 1923 |
Canton Bulldogs |
1952 |
Detroit Lions |
1981 |
San Francisco 49ers |
| 1924 |
Cleveland Bulldogs |
1953 |
Detroit Lions |
1982 |
Washington Redskins |
| 1925 |
Chicago Cardinals |
1954 |
Cleveland Browns |
1983 |
Los Angeles Raiders |
| 1926 |
Frankford Yellow Jackets |
1955 |
Cleveland Browns |
1984 |
San Francisco 49ers |
| 1927 |
New York Giants |
1956 |
New York Giants |
1985 |
Chicago Bears |
| 1928 |
Providence Steam Roller |
1957 |
Detroit Lions |
1986 |
New York Giants |
| 1929 |
Green Bay Packers |
1958 |
Baltimore Colts |
1987 |
Washington Redskins |
| 1930 |
Green Bay Packers |
1959 |
Baltimore Colts |
1988 |
San Francisco 49ers |
| 1931 |
Green Bay Packers |
1960 |
Houston Oilers (AFL)
Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) |
1989 |
San Francisco 49ers |
| 1932 |
Chicago Bears |
1961 |
Houston Oilers (AFL)
Green Bay Packers (NFL) |
1990 |
New York Giants |
| 1933 |
Chicago Bears |
1962 |
Dallas Texans (AFL)
Green Bay Packers (NFL) |
1991 |
Washington Redskins |
| 1934 |
New York Giants |
1963 |
San Diego Chargers (AFL)
Chicago Bears (NFL) |
1992 |
Dallas Cowboys |
| 1935 |
Detroit Lions |
1964 |
Buffalo Bills (AFL)
Cleveland Browns (NFL) |
1993 |
Dallas Cowboys |
| 1936 |
Green Bay Packers |
1965 |
Buffalo Bills (AFL)
Green Bay Packers (NFL) |
1994 |
San Francisco 49ers |
| 1937 |
Washington Redskins |
1966 |
Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)
Green Bay Packers (NFL)* |
1995 |
Dallas Cowboys |
| 1938 |
New York Giants |
1967 |
Oakland Raiders (AFL)
Green Bay Packers (NFL)* |
1996 |
Green Bay Packers |
| 1939 |
Green Bay Packers |
1968 |
New York Jets (AFL)*
Baltimore Colts (NFL) |
1997 |
Denver Broncos |
| 1940 |
Chicago Bears |
1969 |
Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)*
Minnesota Vikings (NFL) |
1998 |
Denver Broncos |
| 1941 |
Chicago Bears |
1970 |
Baltimore Colts |
1999 |
St. Louis Rams |
| 1942 |
Washington Redskins |
1971 |
Dallas Cowboys |
2000 |
Baltimore Ravens |
| 1943 |
Chicago Bears |
1972 |
Miami Dolphins |
2001 |
New England Patriots |
| 1944 |
Green Bay Packers |
1973 |
Miami Dolphins |
2002 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1945 |
Cleveland Rams |
1974 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
2003 |
New England Patriots |
| 1946 |
Chicago Bears |
1975 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
2004 |
New England Patriots |
| 1947 |
Chicago Cardinals |
1976 |
Oakland Raiders |
2005 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1948 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
1977 |
Dallas Cowboys |
2006 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
* Winner of the Super Bowl that year.
NOTES:
- From 1920-1931 the NFL championship was determined by a team's won-loss percentage. In 1932,
a playoff game was arranged following the season to determine the championship.
- 1933 was the first year that the NFL played a championship game.
- The American Football League operated from 1960 through 1969.
- The AFL and NFL announced that the two leagues would merge in 1970. The Super Bowl started to
determine the world champions. The game featured the champion of each league.
- Beginning in 1970, the AFL and NFL played as one league with two conferences, the American
Football Conference and the National Football Conference. The two conference champions meet in
the Super Bowl to determine the champion.
