List of defunct National Football League franchises


Membership in the National Football League is certified by a 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. There are currently 32 clubs in the league, and new members can only be approved with the support of 3/4s of current members. In the case of egregious misbehavior, a club's franchise can be revoked or suspended by the league's commissioner.
The NFL has had a total of 49 franchises become defunct over its history; this includes ten of the league's twelve founding members, with only the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals surviving to the present day. 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.
Five defunct NFL franchises had previously won NFL championships. The most recent franchise to become defunct was the Dallas Texans, which folded in 1952 after one season in the league.

Defunct franchises

ClubCityBegan playFoldedRef
Akron Pros/Indians^Akron, Ohio19201926
Baltimore ColtsBaltimore, Maryland19501950
Pottsville Maroons/Boston BulldogsPottsville, Pennsylvania
Boston, Massachusetts 		19251929
Boston YanksBoston, Massachusetts19431948
Brooklyn Dodgers/TigersBrooklyn, New York19301944
Brooklyn LionsBrooklyn, New York19261926
Buffalo All-Americans/Bisons/RangersBuffalo, New York19201929
Canton Bulldogs^Canton, Ohio19201926
Chicago TigersChicago, Illinois19201920
Cincinnati CeltsCincinnati, Ohio19211921
Cincinnati RedsCincinnati, Ohio19331934
Cleveland Tigers/IndiansCleveland, Ohio19201921
Cleveland Indians/Bulldogs^Cleveland, Ohio19231927
Cleveland IndiansCleveland, Ohio19311931
Columbus Panhandles/TigersColumbus, Ohio19201926
Dallas TexansDallas, Texas19521952
Dayton TrianglesDayton, Ohio19201929
Detroit HeraldsDetroit, Michigan19201920
Detroit PanthersDetroit, Michigan19251926
Detroit TigersDetroit, Michigan19211921
Detroit WolverinesDetroit, Michigan19281928
Duluth Kelleys/EskimosDuluth, Minnesota19231927
Evansville Crimson-GiantsEvansville, Indiana19211922
Frankford Yellow Jackets^Frankford, Philadelphia19241931
Hammond ProsHammond, Indiana19201926
Hartford BluesHartford, Connecticut19261926
Kansas City Blues/CowboysKansas City, Missouri19241926
Kenosha MaroonsKenosha, Wisconsin19241924
Los Angeles BuccaneersLos Angeles, California19261926
Louisville Brecks/ColonelsLouisville, Kentucky19211926
Milwaukee BadgersMilwaukee, Wisconsin19221926
Minneapolis Marines/Red JacketsMinneapolis, Minnesota19211930
Muncie FlyersMuncie, Indiana19201921
New York Bulldogs/YanksNew York, New York19491951
New York YankeesNew York, New York19271928
New York GiantsNew York, New York19211921
Orange/Newark TornadoesOrange, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey 		19291930
Oorang IndiansLaRue, Ohio19221923
Pottsville Maroons/Boston BulldogsPottsville, Pennsylvania
Boston, Massachusetts 		19251929
Providence Steam Roller^Providence, Rhode Island19251931
Racine Legion/TornadoesRacine, Wisconsin19221926
Rochester JeffersonsRochester, New York19201925
Rock Island IndependentsRock Island, Illinois19201925
St. Louis All-StarsSt. Louis Missouri19231923
St. Louis GunnersSt. Louis Missouri19341934
Staten Island Stapletons/StapesStaten Island, New York19291932
Toledo MaroonsToledo, Ohio19221923
Tonawanda KardexTonawanda, New York19211921
Washington SenatorsWashington, D.C.19211921

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