The National Football League has used several different formats to determine their league champions since its founding in 1920. The National Football League (NFL) is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ...

1920-1932: The early years

When the league launched in 1920, the NFL did not institute a playoff system or a championship game. Rather, the champion was the team with the best record during the season. This was tricky to sort out, as teams played anywhere from eight to twenty games in a season. The 1920 NFL season was the 1st regular season of the National Football League. ...

But in 1932, Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied with the best regular season record. Thus, the league held their first ever playoff game to determine the NFL Champion, with Chicago winning 9-0. The game proved so popular that the league reorganized to make it a permanent feature. The 1932 NFL season was the 13th regular season of the National Football League. ... City Chicago, Illinois Team Colors Navy Blue, Orange, and White Head Coach Lovie Smith Fight song Bear Down, Chicago Bears Mascot Staley League/Conference affiliations Independent (1919) National Football League (1920-present) Western Division (1933-1949) National Conference (1950-1952) Western Conference (1953-1969) Central Division (1967-1969) National Football... City Detroit, Michigan Team Colors Honolulu Blue, Silver, and Black Head Coach Vacant Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Roary League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1930-present) Western Division (1933-1949) National Conference (1950-1952) Western Conference (1953-1969) Central Division (1967-1969) National Football Conference (1970-present) NFC Central (1970... The 1932 NFL Playoff Game was the first ever playoff game held by the National Football League (NFL), the major professional American football sports league in the United States. ...

1933-1966: The advent of the postseason

Starting in 1933, the NFL decided its champion through a single postseason playoff game, called the NFL Championship Game. During this period, the league divided its teams into two groupings, sometimes referred to as divisions and sometimes called conferences. At various times during this period, the two groupings were called Eastern Division and Western Division (1933-1949); American Conference and National Conference (1950-1952); and Eastern Conference and Western Conference (1953-1966). The 1933 NFL season was the 14th regular season of the National Football League. ... A division in sport consists of a group of teams who compete against one another for a divisional title, or other honour. ... The term conference can be used to describe any meeting of people that confer about a certain topic. ...

The home team for the NFL Championship Game was determined by a yearly rotation between the conferences, not by regular season records. If there was a tie for first place within the conference, an extra playoff game was played to determine which team would play in the NFL Championship Game. (This occurred nine times in these 34 seasons: 1941, 1943, 1947, 1950(both), 1952, 1957, 1958, & 1965.) The 1941 NFL season was the 22nd regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1943 NFL season was the 24th regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1947 NFL season was the 28th regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1950 NFL season was the 31st regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1952 NFL season was the 33rd regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1957 NFL season was the 38th regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1958 NFL season was the 39th regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League. ...

This last occurred during 1965 season, when the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts tied for first place in the Western Conference (10-3-1). Green Bay had won both games with Baltimore during the regular season, but because there was no set tie-breaker system in place, a conference playoff game was conducted on December 26 (the scheduled date for the NFL championship game). Cleveland, the Eastern champion (11-3-0), did not play this week. This pushed the 1965 championship game to January 2, 1966, the first time the NFL champion was crowned in January. Green Bay won both post-season games at home, beating the injury-riddled Colts (with third string QB Tom Matte) in overtime by a field goal; and taking the title 23-12 on a very muddy field (Jim Brown's final NFL game). The 1965 season was the last without a Super Bowl. The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League. ... Note: Basketball teams from Chicago and Anderson once used the name Packers as well. ... City Indianapolis, Indiana Team Colors Royal Blue and White Head Coach Tony Dungy Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Spike and Spirit League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1953-present) Western Conference (1953-1969) Coastal Division (1967-1969) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970-2001) AFC South (2002-present) Team... City Cleveland, Ohio Team Colors Brown, Orange, and White Head Coach Romeo Crennel Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot CB, Chomps, TD, and Trapper League/Conference affiliations All-America Football Conference (1946-1949) Western Division (1946-1948) National Football League (1950-present) American Conference (1950-1952) Eastern Conference (1953-1969) Century Division... The 1965 NFL playoffs determined the champion of the National Football League. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... Tom Matte (born 1939, near Pittsburgh) was an American football player who played running back in the NFL in the 1960s and 1970s and earned a Super Bowl Ring. ... Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours; these may be determined in several ways, by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), by practices of a given trade or profession, by legislation, or by agreement between employers and workers or their representatives. ... For the MPP, see Jim Brown (politician). ... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy In professional American football, the Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. ...

For the 1960 through 1969 seasons, the NFL also held an additional post-season game called the "Playoff Bowl" (aka the "Bert Bell Benefit Bowl" or the "Runner-up Bowl"). These games matched the second place teams from the two conferences; the CBS television network advertised them as "playoff games for third place in the NFL." All ten of these consolation games were played in the Orange Bowl in Miami in January, the week after the NFL championship game. The NFL now classifies these contests as exhibition games and does not include the records, participants, or results in the official league playoff statistics. The Playoff Bowl was mercifully discontinued after the completion of the AFL-NFL merger; the final edition was played in January 1970. 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... Playoff Bowl was the colloquial name for a postseason game for third place in the NFL, played following the 1960-1969 seasons. ... Bert Bell (1895-1959) was co-founder (with Lud Wray) of the Frankford Yellowjackets in 1924 (whose name was changed to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933), and commissioner of the National Football League from 1946 until his death. ... CBS (formerly an acronym for Columbia Broadcasting System) is a major television network and radio broadcaster in the United States. ... A television network is a distribution network for television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many television stations. ... The Orange Bowl can refer to: The Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami, Florida. ... Downtown Miami as seen from Watson Island The Magic City, The American Riviera, The Sixth Borough Location of Miami in Miami-Dade County in the state of Florida Founded 1896 County Miami-Dade County City Government Style Mayor-Council Mayor Manuel “Manny” Diaz (R) Area  - Total  - Water 55. ... The AFL-NFL Merger of 1970 involved the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States during the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

1966-1969: NFL vs. AFL - The beginning of the Super Bowl era

In 1966, the success of the rival American Football League (AFL), the spectre of the NFL's losing more stars to the AFL, and concern over a costly "bidding war" precipitated by the NFL's Giants' signing of Pete Gogolak, who was under contract to the AFL's Buffalo Bills, led the leagues to discuss a merger. Key to this was approval by Congress of a law (PL 89-800) that would waive anti-trust requirements for the merged leagues. The major point of the testimony given by the leagues to obtain the law was that if the merger were permitted, "Professional football operations will be preserved in the 23 cities and 25 stadiums where such operations are presently being conducted." The merger became effective in 1970, and since then, in spite of the testimony to the contrary, there have been a dozen franchise moves. AFL logo The American Football League (AFL) was a professional league of American football that operated from 1960 to 1969. ... {{NFL team | name = Buffalo Bills | logo = BuffaloBills_100. ... The AFL-NFL Merger of 1970 involved the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States during the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). ...

After expansion in 1967, the NFL split its teams two conferences with 2 divisions each: the Capitol and Century Divisions in the Eastern Conference, and the Coastal and Central Divisions in the Western Conference. Thus, the playoff format was expanded from a single game to a four-team tournament, with the four divisional champions participating. The two division winners in each conference met in the "Conference Championships" with the winners advancing to the NFL Championship Game. Again, the home team for each playoff game was determined based on a yearly divisional or conference rotation. The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. ...

After the 1966 through 1969 seasons, the NFL champion played the American Football League champion in Super Bowls I through IV, the only true inter-league championship games of professional football. The first two were won by the Packers, the last two by the AFL's New York Jets and the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, leaving the leagues all even in World Championship competition. The 1966 NFL season was the 47th regular season of the National Football League. ... The 1969 NFL season was the 50th regular season of the National Football League, and the last one before the AFL-NFL Merger. ... AFL logo The American Football League (AFL) was a professional league of American football that operated from 1960 to 1969. ... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy In professional American football, the Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. ... AFL logo The American Football League (AFL) was a professional league of American football that operated from 1960 to 1969. ... City East Rutherford, New Jersey Team Colors Green and White Head Coach Herman Edwards Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot {{{mascot}}} League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Eastern Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970-present) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970-present) Team history New York Titans... AFL logo The American Football League (AFL) was a professional league of American football that operated from 1960 to 1969. ... City Kansas City, Missouri Team Colors Red, Gold, and White Head Coach Vacant Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot K.C. Wolf League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1960-1969) Western Division (1960-1969) National Football League (1970-present) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC West (1970-present) Team history Dallas Texans...

Post merger

After 1970, the AFL and NFL fully merged and underwent a realignment. Six divisions were allocated among two conferences (AFC & NFC). Three of the NFL teams moved into the AFC, leveling the conferences at 13 teams each. Since there was now only one league, the winner of the Super Bowl was the NFL champion. The 1970 NFL season was the 51st regular season of the National Football League, and the first one after the AFL-NFL Merger. ... The AFL-NFL Merger of 1970 involved the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States during the time: the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). ... The winning Super Bowl team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy In professional American football, the Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. ...

With only six division winners in the newly merged league, the NFL designed an eight-team playoff tournament, with four clubs from each conference qualifying. Along with the three division winners in each conference, one wild card team, the second place team with the best record from each conference, was added to the tournament. The first round was named the "Divisional Playoffs", with the winners advancing to the "Conference Championships" (AFC & NFC). Two week's later, the AFC & NFC champions met in the Super Bowl, now the league's championship game. Thus, Super Bowl V in January 1971 was the first Super Bowl played for the NFL title. In games using playing cards, a wild card is one that can be assigned any value its holder desires. ... Date January 17, 1971 Stadium Orange Bowl Stadium City Miami, Florida MVP Chuck Howley, Linebacker, Cowboys Favorite Cowboys by 2 National Anthem Tommy Loy (Trumpeter) Coin toss Game referee Halftime show Florida A&M Band Attendance 79,204 TV in the United States Network NBC Announcers Curt Gowdy and Kyle... 1971 (MCMLXXI) is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ...

With the introduction of the wild card, a rule was made that two teams from the same division (champion and wild card) could not meet in the first round (Divisional Playoffs). More significantly, the home teams in the playoffs were still decided based on a yearly divisional rotation, not on regular season records (excluding the wild card teams, who would always play on the road). This lack of "home-field advantage" was most evident in the 1972 playoffs, when the undefeated Miami Dolphins played the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. The Steelers had three regular season losses during the 1972 season. The NFL playoffs for the 1972-73 season led up to Super Bowl VII. // Divisional playoff round December 23, 1972 AFC: Pittsburgh Steelers 13, Oakland Raiders 7 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Steelers Running back Franco Harris scored the winning touchdown on what became known as the Immaculate Reception. ... City Miami, Florida Team Colors Aqua Green, Coral Orange, Blue, and White Head Coach Nick Saban Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot T D League/Conference affiliations American Football League (1966-1969) Eastern Division (1966-1969) National Football League (1970-present) American Football Conference (1970-present) AFC East (1970-present) Team history... AFC Championship Game is a football game played every year to determine the champion of the American Football Conference of the National Football League. ... City Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Team Colors Black and Gold Head Coach Bill Cowher Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot {{{mascot}}} League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1933-present) Eastern Division (1933-1943; 1945-1949) Western Division (1944) American Conference (1950-1952) Eastern Conference (1953-1969) Century Division (1967-1969) American Football Conference (1970... The Honus Wagner Statue outside Gate C Three Rivers Stadium (sometimes referred to simply as 3RS or TRS) was a multipurpose sports stadium and event facility located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The stadiums name was derived from the junction of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, where they formed the... Skyline of downtown Pittsburgh Pittsburgh is a city in Western Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. ... The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. ...

The institution of "Home field advantage"

In 1975, the league modified its 1970 playoff format by instituting a seeding system for the first time. Thus, the surviving clubs with the higher seeds were made the home teams for each playoff round. The three division champions in each conference were seeded 1 through 3 based on their regular season won-lost-tied record, and the wild card qualifier in each conference became the 4 seed. The 1975 NFL season was the 56th regular season of the National Football League. ... In team sports, a team representing a city or a region is to be that areas home team. ...

Teams that earn the 1 seed become known as clinching "home-field advantage" throughout the playoffs since they will play all of their playoff games (except for the Super Bowl, which is played at a predetermined, neutral site) at their home stadium. In team sports, a team representing a city or a region is to be that areas home team. ...

However, the league continued to prohibit meetings between two teams from the same division in the Divisional Playoffs. Thus, there would be times when the pairing in that round would be the 1 seed vs. the 3 seed and 2 vs. 4. This is identical to the playoff system currently in use by Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in the world. ...

Further playoff expansion

The league expanded the playoffs to 10 teams in 1978, adding a second wild card team (a fifth seed) from each conference. The two wild card teams from each conference (the 4 and 5 seeds) would play each other in the first round, called the "Wild Card Playoffs". The division winners (seeds 1, 2, and 3) would then receive a bye and automatically advance to the Divisional Playoffs, which became the second round of the playoffs. The 1978 NFL season was the 59th regular season of the National Football League. ... In the sport of cricket, a bye is a run scored by the batting team when the ball has not been hit by the batsman and the ball has not hit the batsmans body. ...

A players' strike shortened the 1982 regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for that year. The top eight teams from each conference qualified. The playoffs would then revert back to the 1978 format during the following year. The 1982 NFL season was the 63th regular season of the National Football League. ...

In 1990, The NFL expanded the playoffs to 12 teams by adding a third wild card team (a sixth seed) from each conference. This time, the restrictions on intra-division playoff games during the Divisional Playoffs were removed. However, only the top two division winners in each conference (the 1 and 2 seeds) received byes and automatically advanced to the Divisional Playoffs. The 3 seed, the division winner with the worst regular season record in each conference, would then host the 6 seed in the Wild Card Playoffs. The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. ...

In 2002, the NFL realigned into eight divisions, four per conference, to accommodate a 32nd team, the Houston Texans. The playoffs remained a 12-team tournament, with four division winners (the 1, 2, 3, and 4 seeds) and two wild cards (the 5 and 6 seeds) from each conference advancing to the playoffs. But only the two division winners with the best win-loss-tie records in each conference would automatically advance to the Divisional Playoffs, while everybody else had to play in the Wild Card round. Furthermore, the league still maintains the names "Wild Card Playoffs", "Divisional Playoffs", and "Conference Championships" for the first, second, and third rounds of the playoffs, respectively. The 2002 NFL season was the 83rd regular season of the National Football League. ... City Houston, Texas Team Colors Deep Steel Blue, Battle Red, and Liberty White Head Coach Dom Capers Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Toro League/Conference affiliations National Football League (2002-present) American Football Conference (2002-present) AFC South (2002-present) Team history Houston Texans (2002-present) League titles League Championships (0...

A proposal to expand the playoffs to 14 teams by adding a third wild card team (a seventh seed) from each conference, and only giving the 1 seeds the bye in the first round, was tabled by the league owners in 2003 [1].

Trivia

• After the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and the emergence of the Super Bowl, all AFL and NFL league championship games prior to merger are listed along with the AFC and NFC conference championship games, respectively, in the NFL's official records.

List of NFL champions

• APFA-NFL standings champions
  • For a list of APFA-NFL standings champions prior to 1933, see List of NFL champions.

• NFL Championship Games
  • For a list of NFL Championship Games, see List of NFL champions.

• AFL-NFL Super Bowl Championship games (I-IV)
  • For a list of AFL-NFL Super Bowl Championship games, see List of Super Bowl champions.

• Super Bowls NFL Championship games
  • For a complete list of Super Bowl winners, see List of Super Bowl champions.