- Professional American football championship games
Below is a list of professional football championship games in the United States, involving:
*the Ohio Football League, the American Professional Football Association and theNational Football League , the first professional football league;* the
All-America Football Conference (AAFC, 1946-1949);
* theAmerican Football League (AFL, 1960-1969);
* theWorld Football League (WFL, 1974);
* theUnited States Football League (USFL, 1983-85); and
* theXFL (2001)From 1903 through 1919 the Ohio Football League existed and was un-officially recognized as the world champion of professional football. In 1920, the American Professional Football Association (APFA) started play and was later renamed the National Football League (NFL). The NFL conducted play for thirteen years before concocting a "championship game". From 1920 through 1932, league "champions" were determined by won-loss record, but the schedules and rules were so ill-defined that conflicts exist to this day over who the actual champions were. Some teams played more games than others; some played against college or semi-pro teams; some played "after" the season was over, some stopped play "before" a season was over. For example, in 1921, the
Buffalo All-Americans disputed theChicago Staleys ' title, and in 1925, thePottsville Maroons claimed the championship was theirs, not theChicago Cardinals '.The APFA had no championship games before it changed its name to the NFL in 1922. Boston/
Washington Redskins ownerGeorge Preston Marshall is credited with significant innovations by the NFL. In 1933, Marshall convinced the NFL to play a championship game between two division winners. Thus, 1933 was the year of the first professional football championship game in the United States. SeeNational Football League championships .*1903 (Ohio Football League) -
Massillon Tigers 8-1-0
*1904 (Ohio Football League) -Massillon Tigers 7-0-0
*1905 (Ohio Football League) -Massillon Tigers 10-0-0
*1906 (Ohio Football League) -Massillon Tigers 10-1-0
*1907 (Ohio Football League) -All-Massillons 7-0-1
*1908 (Ohio Football League) -Akron Indians 8-0-1
*1909 (Ohio Football League) -Akron Indians 9-0-0
*1910 (Ohio Football League) -Shelby Blues ?
*1911 (Ohio Football League) -Shelby Blues ?
*1912 (Ohio Football League) -Elyria Athletics 8-0-0
*1913 (Ohio Football League) -Akron Indians 8-1-2
*1914 (Ohio Football League) -Akron Indians 8-2-1
*1915 (Ohio Football League) -Canton Bulldogs (Co Champs) 5-2-0
*1915 (Ohio Football League) -Massillon Tigers (Co Champs) 5-2-0
*1916 (Ohio Football League) -Canton Bulldogs 9-0-1
*1917 (Ohio Football League) -Canton Bulldogs 9-1-0
*1918 (Ohio Football League) -Dayton Triangles 8-0-0
*1919 (Ohio Football League) -Canton Bulldogs 9-0-1
*1920 (APFA) -Akron Pros 8-0-3
*1921 (APFA) -Chicago Staleys 10-1-1
*1922 (NFL) -Canton Bulldogs 10-0-2
*1923 (NFL) -Canton Bulldogs 11-0-1
*1924 (NFL) -Cleveland Bulldogs 7-1-1
*1925 (NFL) -Chicago Cardinals 11-2-1
*1926 (NFL) -Frankford Yellow Jackets 14-1-1
*1927 (NFL) -New York Giants 11-1-1
*1928 (NFL) -Providence Steamrollers 8-1-2
*1929 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 12-0-1
*1930 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 10-3-1
*1931 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 12-2-0
*1932 (NFL) -Chicago Bears 7-1-6
*1933 (NFL) -Chicago Bears 23,New York Giants 21
*1934 (NFL) -New York Giants 30,Chicago Bears 13
*1935 (NFL) -Detroit Lions 26,New York Giants 7
*1936 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 21,Boston Redskins 6
*1937 (NFL) - Washington Redskins 28,Chicago Bears 21
*1938 (NFL) -New York Giants 23,Green Bay Packers 17
*1939 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 27,New York Giants 0
*1940 (NFL) -Chicago Bears 73,Washington Redskins 0
*1941 (NFL) -Chicago Bears 37,New York Giants 9
*1942 (NFL) -Washington Redskins 14,Chicago Bears 6
*1943 (NFL) -Chicago Bears 41,Washington Redskins 21
*1944 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 14,New York Giants 7
*1945 (NFL) -Cleveland Rams 15,Washington Redskins 14
*1946 (AAFC) -Cleveland Browns 14 New York Yankees 9
*1946 (NFL) -Chicago Bears 24,New York Giants 14
*1947 (AAFC) -Cleveland Browns 14 New York Yankees 3
*1947 (NFL) -Chicago Cardinals 28,Philadelphia Eagles 21
*1948 (AAFC) -Cleveland Browns 49 Buffalo Bills 7
*1948 (NFL) -Philadelphia Eagles 7,Chicago Cardinals 0
*1949 (AAFC) -Cleveland Browns 21San Francisco 49ers 7
*1949 (NFL) -Philadelphia Eagles 14,Los Angeles Rams 0
*1950 (NFL) -Cleveland Browns 30,Los Angeles Rams 28
*1951 (NFL) -Los Angeles Rams 24,Cleveland Browns 17
*1952 (NFL) -Detroit Lions 17,Cleveland Browns 7
*1953 (NFL) -Detroit Lions 17,Cleveland Browns 16
*1954 (NFL) -Cleveland Browns 56,Detroit Lions 10
*1955 (NFL) -Cleveland Browns 38,Los Angeles Rams 14
*1956 (NFL) -New York Giants 47,Chicago Bears 7
*1957 (NFL) -Detroit Lions 59,Cleveland Browns 14
*1958 (NFL) - Baltimore Colts 23,New York Giants 17 (OT)
*1959 (NFL) - Baltimore Colts 31,New York Giants 16
*1960 (AFL) -Houston Oilers 24,Los Angeles Chargers 16
*1960 (NFL) -Philadelphia Eagles 17,Green Bay Packers 13
*1961 (AFL) -Houston Oilers 10,San Diego Chargers 3
*1961 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 37,New York Giants 0
*1962 (AFL) - Dallas Texans 20,Houston Oilers 17 (double OT)
*1962 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 16,New York Giants 7
*1963 (AFL) -San Diego Chargers 51,Boston Patriots 10
*1963 (NFL) -Chicago Bears 14,New York Giants 10
*1964 (AFL) -Buffalo Bills 20,San Diego Chargers 7
*1964 (NFL) -Cleveland Browns 27, Baltimore Colts 0
*1965 (AFL) -Buffalo Bills 23,San Diego Chargers 0
*1965 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 23,Cleveland Browns 12
*1966 (AFL) -Kansas City Chiefs 31,Buffalo Bills 7
*1966 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 34,Dallas Cowboys 27
*1966 1st World Championship (Super Bowl I ) - 1/15/67 NFLGreen Bay Packers 35, AFLKansas City Chiefs 10
*1967 (AFL) -Oakland Raiders 40,Houston Oilers 7
*1967 (NFL) -Green Bay Packers 21,Dallas Cowboys 17
*1967 2nd World Championship (Super Bowl II ) - 1/14/68 NFLGreen Bay Packers 33, AFLOakland Raiders 14
*1968 (AFL) -New York Jets 27,Oakland Raiders 23
*1968 (NFL) - Baltimore Colts 34,Cleveland Browns 0
*1968 3rd World Championship (Super Bowl III ) - 1/12/69 AFLNew York Jets 16, NFL Baltimore Colts 7
*1969 (AFL) -Kansas City Chiefs 17,Oakland Raiders 7
*1969 (NFL) -Minnesota Vikings 27,Cleveland Browns 7
*1969 4th World Championship (Super Bowl IV ) - 1/11/70 AFLKansas City Chiefs 23, NFLMinnesota Vikings 7
*1970 (NFL) -Super Bowl V - 1/17/71 AFC Baltimore Colts 16, NFCDallas Cowboys 13
*1971 (NFL) -Super Bowl VI - 1/16/72 NFCDallas Cowboys 24, AFCMiami Dolphins 3
*1972 (NFL) -Super Bowl VII - 1/14/73 AFCMiami Dolphins 14, NFCWashington Redskins 7
*1973 (NFL) -Super Bowl VIII - 1/13/74 AFCMiami Dolphins 24, NFCMinnesota Vikings 7
*1974 (WFL) - World Bowl - 12/5/74Birmingham Americans 22,Florida Blazers 21
*1974 (NFL) -Super Bowl IX - 1/12/75 AFCPittsburgh Steelers 16, NFCMinnesota Vikings 6
*1975 (NFL) -Super Bowl X - 1/18/76 AFCPittsburgh Steelers 21, NFCDallas Cowboys 17
*1976 (NFL) -Super Bowl XI - 1/09/77 AFCOakland Raiders 32, NFCMinnesota Vikings 14
*1977 (NFL) -Super Bowl XII - 1/15/78 NFCDallas Cowboys 27, AFCDenver Broncos 10
*1978 (NFL) -Super Bowl XIII - 1/21/79 AFCPittsburgh Steelers 35, NFCDallas Cowboys 31
*1979 (NFL) -Super Bowl XIV - 1/20/80 AFCPittsburgh Steelers 31, NFC Los Angeles Rams19
*1980 (NFL) -Super Bowl XV - 1/25/81 AFCOakland Raiders 27, NFCPhiladelphia Eagles 10
*1981 (NFL) -Super Bowl XVI - 1/24/82 NFCSan Francisco 49ers 26, AFCCincinnati Bengals 21
*1982 (NFL) -Super Bowl XVII - 1/30/83 NFCWashington Redskins 27, AFCMiami Dolphins 17
*1983 (USFL) -Michigan Panthers 24, Philadelphia Stars 22
*1983 (NFL) -Super Bowl XVIII - 1/22/84 AFC Los Angeles Raiders 38, NFCWashington Redskins 9
*1984 (USFL)- Philadelphia Stars 23, Arizona Wranglers 3
*1984 (NFL) -Super Bowl XIX - 1/20/85 NFCSan Francisco 49ers 38, AFCMiami Dolphins 16
*1985 (USFL) - Baltimore Stars 28, Oakland Invaders 24
*1985 (NFL) -Super Bowl XX - 1/26/86 NFCChicago Bears 46, AFCNew England Patriots 10
*1986 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXI - 1/25/87 NFCNew York Giants 39, AFCDenver Broncos 20
*1987 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXII - 1/31/88 NFCWashington Redskins 42, AFCDenver Broncos 10
*1988 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXIII - 1/22/89 NFCSan Francisco 49ers 20, AFCCincinnati Bengals 16
*1989 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXIV - 1/28/90 NFCSan Francisco 49ers 55, AFCDenver Broncos 10
*1990 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXV - 1/27/91 NFCNew York Giants 20, AFCBuffalo Bills 19
*1991 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXVI - 1/26/92 NFCWashington Redskins 37, AFCBuffalo Bills 24
*1992 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXVII - 1/31/93 NFCDallas Cowboys 52, AFCBuffalo Bills 17
*1993 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXVIII - 1/30/94 NFCDallas Cowboys 30, AFCBuffalo Bills 13
*1994 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXIX - 1/29/95 NFCSan Francisco 49ers 49, AFCSan Diego Chargers 26
*1995 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXX - 1/28/96 NFCDallas Cowboys 27, AFCPittsburgh Steelers 17
*1996 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXI - 1/26/97 NFCGreen Bay Packers 35, AFCNew England Patriots 21
*1997 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXII - 1/25/98 AFCDenver Broncos 31, NFCGreen Bay Packers 24
*1998 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXIII - 1/31/99 AFCDenver Broncos 34, NFCAtlanta Falcons 19
*1999 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXIV - 1/30/00 NFCSt. Louis Rams 23, AFCTennessee Titans 16
*2000 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXV - 1/28/01 AFCBaltimore Ravens 34, NFCNew York Giants 7
*2001 (XFL) -Million Dollar Game - 4/21/01Los Angeles Xtreme 38,San Francisco Demons 6
*2001 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXVI - 2/03/02 AFCNew England Patriots 20, NFCSt. Louis Rams 17
*2002 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXVII - 1/26/03 NFCTampa Bay Buccaneers 48, AFCOakland Raiders 21
*2003 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXVIII - 2/1/04 AFCNew England Patriots 32, NFCCarolina Panthers 29
*2004 (NFL) -Super Bowl XXXIX - 2/6/05 AFCNew England Patriots 24, NFCPhiladelphia Eagles 21
*2005 (NFL) -Super Bowl XL - 2/5/06 AFCPittsburgh Steelers 21, NFCSeattle Seahawks 10
*2006 (NFL) -Super Bowl XLI - 2/4/07 AFCIndianapolis Colts 29, NFCChicago Bears 17
*2007 (NFL) -Super Bowl XLII - 2/3/08 NFCNew York Giants 17, AFCNew England Patriots 14External links
* [http://aflfootball.tripod.com/championship/1960.html American Football League Championship Game summaries on Robert Phillips' site]
* [http://www.footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=worldbowl Story of World Bowl I from the Professional Football Researchers Association]
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