Defunct franchises

Historical NFL franchises

Franchises that played at least one NFL, APFA, AAFC, or AFL season but no longer exist as independent clubs. Includes APFA charter members, AAFC entries that did not survive the 1949 merger, and short-lived 1920s teams. Click any column header to sort, and the +/− to expand a franchise's season-by-season record.

Canton Bulldogs

Canton

APFA/NFL

1920

1926

0.635

19221923

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1920	APFA	Canton Bulldogs	4	3	1	0.563	7th
1921	APFA	Canton Bulldogs	5	2	3	0.650	4th
1922	NFL	Canton Bulldogs	10	0	2	0.917	1st	Champion
1923	NFL	Canton Bulldogs	11	0	1	0.958	1st	Champion
1925	NFL	Canton Bulldogs	4	4	0	0.500	11th
1926	NFL	Canton Bulldogs	1	9	3	0.192	19th

Akron Pros

Akron

APFA/NFL

1920

1926

0.492

1920

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1920	APFA	Akron Pros	6	0	3	0.833	1st	Champion
1921	APFA	Akron Pros	8	3	1	0.708	3rd
1922	NFL	Akron Pros	3	5	2	0.400	10th
1923	NFL	Akron Pros	1	6	0	0.143	17th
1924	NFL	Akron Pros	2	6	0	0.250	T-13th
1925	NFL	Akron Pros	4	2	2	0.625	6th
1926	NFL	Akron Indians	1	4	3	0.313	13th

Detroit Wolverines

Cleveland/Detroit

NFL

1923

1928

0.632

1924

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1923	NFL	Cleveland Indians	3	1	3	0.643	6th
1924	NFL	Cleveland Bulldogs	7	1	1	0.833	1st	Champion
1925	NFL	Cleveland Bulldogs	5	8	1	0.393	12th
1927	NFL	Cleveland Bulldogs	8	4	1	0.654	4th
1928	NFL	Detroit Wolverines	7	2	1	0.750	2nd

Frankford Yellow Jackets

Frankford

NFL

1924

1931

0.596

1926

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1924	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	11	2	1	0.821	3rd
1925	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	13	7	0	0.650	5th
1926	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	14	1	2	0.882	1st	Champion
1927	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	6	9	3	0.417	7th
1928	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	11	3	2	0.750	3rd
1929	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	10	4	5	0.658	3rd
1930	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	4	13	1	0.250	9th
1931	NFL	Frankford Yellow Jackets	1	6	1	0.188	9th

Providence Steam Roller

Providence

NFL

1925

1931

0.554

1928

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1925	NFL	Providence Steam Roller	6	5	1	0.542	10th
1926	NFL	Providence Steam Roller	5	7	1	0.423	11th
1927	NFL	Providence Steam Roller	8	5	1	0.607	5th
1928	NFL	Providence Steam Roller	8	1	2	0.818	1st	Champion
1929	NFL	Providence Steam Roller	4	6	2	0.417	7th
1930	NFL	Providence Steam Roller	6	4	1	0.591	5th
1931	NFL	Providence Steam Roller	4	4	3	0.500	6th

Pottsville Maroons

Pottsville/Boston

NFL

1925

1929

0.561

1925

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1925	NFL	Pottsville Maroons	10	2	0	0.833	1st
1926	NFL	Pottsville Maroons	10	2	2	0.786	3rd
1927	NFL	Pottsville Maroons	5	8	0	0.385	8th
1928	NFL	Pottsville Maroons	2	8	0	0.200	8th
1929	NFL	Boston Bulldogs	4	4	0	0.500	4th

Baltimore Colts (1950)

Baltimore

AAFC/NFL

1947

1950

0.221

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1947	AAFC	Baltimore Colts	2	11	1	0.179	4th
1948	AAFC	Baltimore Colts	7	7	0	0.500	2nd	Playoffs
1949	AAFC	Baltimore Colts	1	11	0	0.083	7th
1950	NFL	Baltimore Colts	1	11	0	0.083	7th

Dallas Texans (1952)

Boston/New York/Dallas

NFL

1944

1952

0.262

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1944	NFL	Boston Yanks	2	8	0	0.200	4th
1945	NFL	Boston Yanks	3	6	1	0.350	T-3rd
1946	NFL	Boston Yanks	2	8	1	0.227	5th
1947	NFL	Boston Yanks	4	7	1	0.375	3rd
1948	NFL	Boston Yanks	3	9	0	0.250	5th
1949	NFL	New York Bulldogs	1	10	1	0.125	5th
1950	NFL	New York Yanks	7	5	0	0.583	3rd
1951	NFL	New York Yanks	1	9	2	0.167	6th
1952	NFL	Dallas Texans	1	11	0	0.083	6th

Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC)

Brooklyn

AAFC

1946

1948

0.214

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1946	AAFC	Brooklyn Dodgers	3	10	1	0.250	T-2nd
1947	AAFC	Brooklyn Dodgers	3	10	1	0.250	3rd
1948	AAFC	Brooklyn Dodgers	2	12	0	0.143	4th

Staten Island Stapletons

Brooklyn/New York/Staten Island

NFL

1926

1932

0.394

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1926	NFL	Brooklyn Lions	3	8	0	0.273	15th
1927	NFL	New York Yankees	7	8	1	0.469	6th
1928	NFL	New York Yankees	4	8	1	0.346	7th
1929	NFL	Staten Island Stapletons	3	4	3	0.450	6th
1930	NFL	Staten Island Stapletons	5	5	2	0.500	6th
1931	NFL	Staten Island Stapletons	4	6	1	0.409	7th
1932	NFL	Staten Island Stapletons	2	7	3	0.292	7th

Buffalo Bills (AAFC)

Buffalo

AAFC

1946

1949

0.472

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1946	AAFC	Buffalo Bisons	3	10	1	0.250	T-2nd
1947	AAFC	Buffalo Bills	8	4	2	0.643	2nd
1948	AAFC	Buffalo Bills	7	7	0	0.500	1st	Title game
1949	AAFC	Buffalo Bills	5	5	2	0.500	4th	Playoffs

Buffalo Bisons

Buffalo

APFA/NFL

1920

1929

0.488

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1920	APFA	Buffalo All-Americans	4	1	1	0.750	2nd
1921	APFA	Buffalo All-Americans	9	1	2	0.833	2nd
1922	NFL	Buffalo All-Americans	5	4	1	0.550	9th
1923	NFL	Buffalo All-Americans	5	4	3	0.542	9th
1924	NFL	Buffalo Bisons	6	5	0	0.545	9th
1925	NFL	Buffalo Bisons	1	6	2	0.222	14th
1926	NFL	Buffalo Rangers	4	4	2	0.500	9th
1927	NFL	Buffalo Bisons	0	5	0	0.000	12th
1929	NFL	Buffalo Bisons	1	7	1	0.167	10th

Chicago Hornets

Chicago

AAFC

1946

1949

0.232

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1946	AAFC	Chicago Rockets	5	6	3	0.464	4th
1947	AAFC	Chicago Rockets	1	13	0	0.071	4th
1948	AAFC	Chicago Rockets	1	13	0	0.071	4th
1949	AAFC	Chicago Hornets	4	8	0	0.333	T-5th

Chicago Tigers

Chicago

APFA

1920

0.214

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1920	APFA	Chicago Tigers	1	5	1	0.214	10th

Card-Pitt (1944)

Chicago-Pittsburgh

NFL

1944

0.000

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1944	NFL	Chi/Pitt Carpitts	0	10	0	0.000	5th

Cincinnati Celts

Cincinnati

APFA

1921

0.250

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1921	APFA	Cincinnati Celts	1	3	0	0.250	T-14th

Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati/St.Louis

NFL

1933

1934

0.214

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1933	NFL	Cincinnati Reds	3	6	1	0.350	4th
1934	NFL	Cincy/St.Louis Reds/Gunners	1	10	0	0.091	5th

Cleveland Tigers

Cleveland

APFA

1920

1921

0.333

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1920	APFA	Cleveland Tigers	1	4	2	0.286	8th
1921	APFA	Cleveland Indians	3	5	0	0.375	11th

Cleveland Indians (NFL)

Cleveland

NFL

1931

0.200

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1931	NFL	Cleveland Indians	2	8	0	0.200	8th

Columbus Panhandles

Columbus

APFA/NFL

1920

1926

0.205

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1920	APFA	Columbus Panhandles	0	5	0	0.000	14th
1921	APFA	Columbus Panhandles	1	8	0	0.111	17th
1922	NFL	Columbus Panhandles	0	8	0	0.000	18th
1923	NFL	Columbus Tigers	5	4	1	0.550	8th
1924	NFL	Columbus Tigers	4	4	0	0.500	11th
1925	NFL	Columbus Tigers	0	9	0	0.000	19th
1926	NFL	Columbus Tigers	1	6	0	0.143	20th

Dayton Triangles

Dayton/Brooklyn

APFA/NFL

1920

1944

151

0.349

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1920	APFA	Dayton Triangles	4	2	2	0.625	5th
1921	APFA	Dayton Triangles	4	4	1	0.500	10th
1922	NFL	Dayton Triangles	4	3	1	0.563	7th
1923	NFL	Dayton Triangles	1	6	1	0.188	16th
1924	NFL	Dayton Triangles	2	6	0	0.250	T-13th
1925	NFL	Dayton Triangles	0	7	1	0.063	17th
1926	NFL	Dayton Triangles	1	4	1	0.250	16th
1927	NFL	Dayton Triangles	1	6	1	0.188	10th
1928	NFL	Dayton Triangles	0	7	0	0.000	10th
1929	NFL	Dayton Triangles	0	6	0	0.000	12th
1930	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	7	4	1	0.625	4th
1931	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	2	12	0	0.143	10th
1932	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	3	9	0	0.250	8th
1933	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	5	4	1	0.550	2nd
1934	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	4	7	0	0.364	T-3rd
1935	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	5	6	1	0.458	2nd
1936	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	3	8	1	0.292	4th
1937	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	3	7	1	0.318	4th
1938	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	4	4	3	0.500	3rd
1939	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	4	6	1	0.409	3rd
1940	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	8	3	0	0.727	2nd
1941	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	7	4	0	0.636	2nd
1942	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	3	8	0	0.273	4th
1943	NFL	Brooklyn Dodgers	2	8	0	0.200	4th
1944	NFL	Brooklyn Tigers	0	10	0	0.000	5th

Detroit Panthers

Detroit

NFL

1925

1926

0.583

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1925	NFL	Detroit Panthers	8	2	2	0.750	3rd
1926	NFL	Detroit Panthers	4	6	2	0.417	12th

Detroit Heralds

Detroit

APFA

1920

1921

0.227

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1920	APFA	Detroit Heralds	1	3	0	0.250	9th
1921	APFA	Detroit Heralds	1	5	1	0.214	16th

Duluth Eskimos

Duluth/Orange/Newark

NFL

1923

1930

0.381

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1923	NFL	Duluth Kelleys	4	3	0	0.571	7th
1924	NFL	Duluth Kelleys	5	1	0	0.833	2nd
1925	NFL	Duluth Kelleys	0	3	0	0.000	20th
1926	NFL	Duluth Eskimos	6	5	3	0.536	8th
1927	NFL	Duluth Eskimos	1	8	0	0.111	11th
1929	NFL	Orange Tornadoes	3	5	4	0.417	8th
1930	NFL	Newark Tornadoes	1	10	1	0.125	11th

Evansville Crimson Giants

Evansville

APFA/NFL

1921

1922

0.375

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1921	APFA	Evansville Crimson Giants	3	2	0	0.600	6th
1922	NFL	Evansville Crimson Giants	0	3	0	0.000	17th

Hammond Pros

Hammond

APFA/NFL

1920

1926

0.200

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1920	APFA	Hammond Pros	0	3	0	0.000	13th
1921	APFA	Hammond Pros	1	3	1	0.300	13th
1922	NFL	Hammond Pros	0	5	1	0.083	16th
1923	NFL	Hammond Pros	1	5	1	0.214	15th
1924	NFL	Hammond Pros	2	2	1	0.500	10th
1925	NFL	Hammond Pros	1	4	0	0.200	15th
1926	NFL	Hammond Pros	0	4	0	0.000	T-21st

Hartford Blues

Hartford

NFL

1926

0.300

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1926	NFL	Hartford Blues	3	7	0	0.300	14th

Kansas City Cowboys

Kansas City

NFL

1924

1926

0.446

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1924	NFL	Kansas City Blues	2	7	0	0.222	15th
1925	NFL	Kansas City Blues	2	5	1	0.313	13th
1926	NFL	Kansas City Cowboys	8	3	0	0.727	4th

Los Angeles Buccaneers

Los Angeles

NFL

1926

0.650

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1926	NFL	Los Angeles Buccaneers	6	3	1	0.650	7th

Los Angeles Dons (AAFC)

Los Angeles

AAFC

1946

1949

0.481

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1946	AAFC	Los Angeles Dons	7	5	2	0.571	3rd
1947	AAFC	Los Angeles Dons	7	7	0	0.500	3rd
1948	AAFC	Los Angeles Dons	7	7	0	0.500	3rd
1949	AAFC	Los Angeles Dons	4	8	0	0.333	T-5th

Louisville Colonels

Louisville

APFA/NFL

1921

1926

0.077

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	Win%	Finish
1921	APFA	Louisville Brecks	0	2	0.000	T-18th
1922	NFL	Louisville Brecks	1	3	0.250	T-13th
1923	NFL	Louisville Brecks	0	3	0.000	19th
1926	NFL	Louisville Colonels	0	4	0.000	T-21st

Miami Seahawks (AAFC)

Miami

AAFC

1946

0.214

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1946	AAFC	Miami Seahawks	3	11	0	0.214	4th

Milwaukee Badgers

Milwaukee

NFL

1922

1926

0.388

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1922	NFL	Milwaukee Badgers	2	4	3	0.389	11th
1923	NFL	Milwaukee Badgers	7	2	3	0.708	4th
1924	NFL	Milwaukee Badgers	5	8	0	0.385	12th
1925	NFL	Milwaukee Badgers	0	6	0	0.000	18th
1926	NFL	Milwaukee Badgers	2	7	0	0.222	17th

Minneapolis Red Jackets

Minneapolis

APFA/NFL

1921

1930

0.179

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1921	APFA	Minneapolis Marines	1	3	0	0.250	T-14th
1922	NFL	Minneapolis Marines	1	3	0	0.250	T-13th
1923	NFL	Minneapolis Marines	2	5	2	0.333	13th
1924	NFL	Minneapolis Marines	0	6	0	0.000	18th
1929	NFL	Minneapolis Redjackets	1	9	0	0.100	11th
1930	NFL	Minneapolis Redjackets	1	7	1	0.167	10th

Muncie Flyers

Muncie

APFA

1920

1921

0.000

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1920	APFA	Muncie Flyers	0	1	0	0.000	T-11th
1921	APFA	Muncie Flyers	0	2	0	0.000	T-18th

New York Brickley's Giants

New York

APFA

1921

0.000

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1921	APFA	New York Brickley's Giants	0	2	0	0.000	T-18th

New York Yankees (AAFC)

New York/Brk-New York

AAFC

1946

1949

0.667

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1946	AAFC	New York Yankees	10	3	1	0.750	1st	Title game
1947	AAFC	New York Yankees	11	2	1	0.821	1st	Title game
1948	AAFC	New York Yankees	6	8	0	0.429	3rd
1949	AAFC	Brk/New York Yankees	8	4	0	0.667	3rd	Playoffs

Oorang Indians

Oorang

NFL

1922

1923

0.200

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1922	NFL	Oorang Indians	3	6	0	0.333	12th
1923	NFL	Oorang Indians	1	10	0	0.091	18th

Phil-Pitt Steagles

Philadelphia-Pittsburgh

NFL

1943

0.550

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1943	NFL	Phila-Pit Steagles	5	4	1	0.550	3rd

Racine Tornadoes

Racine

NFL

1922

1926

0.500

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1922	NFL	Racine Legion	6	4	1	0.591	6th
1923	NFL	Racine Legion	4	4	2	0.500	11th
1924	NFL	Racine Legion	4	3	3	0.550	8th
1926	NFL	Racine Tornadoes	1	4	0	0.200	18th

Rochester Jeffersons

Rochester

APFA/NFL

1920

1925

0.103

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1920	APFA	Rochester Jeffersons	0	1	0	0.000	T-11th
1921	APFA	Rochester Jeffersons	2	3	0	0.400	12th
1922	NFL	Rochester Jeffersons	0	4	1	0.100	15th
1923	NFL	Rochester Jeffersons	0	4	0	0.000	20th
1924	NFL	Rochester Jeffersons	0	7	0	0.000	17th
1925	NFL	Rochester Jeffersons	0	6	1	0.071	16th

Rock Island Independents

Rock Island

APFA/NFL

1920

1925

0.602

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1920	APFA	Rock Island Independents	4	2	1	0.643	4th
1921	APFA	Rock Island Independents	4	2	1	0.643	5th
1922	NFL	Rock Island Independents	4	2	1	0.643	5th
1923	NFL	Rock Island Independents	2	3	3	0.438	12th
1924	NFL	Rock Island Independents	5	2	2	0.667	5th
1925	NFL	Rock Island Independents	5	3	3	0.591	9th

St. Louis All-Stars

St. Louis

NFL

1923

0.286

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1923	NFL	St. Louis All-Stars	1	4	2	0.286	14th

Toledo Maroons

Toledo/Kenosha

NFL

1922

1924

0.477

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish
1922	NFL	Toledo Maroons	5	2	2	0.667	4th
1923	NFL	Toledo Maroons	3	3	2	0.500	10th
1924	NFL	Kenosha Maroons	0	4	1	0.100	16th

Tonawanda Kardex

Tonawanda

APFA

1921

0.000

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1921	APFA	Tonawanda Kardex	0	1	0	0.000	21st

Washington Senators (NFL)

Washington

APFA

1921

0.333

—

Year	League	Team	W	L	T	Win%	Finish	Notes
1921	APFA	Washington Senators	1	2	0	0.333	8th

The 1925 Pottsville asterisk (Bulldogs (Boston) lineage)

The Pottsville Maroons (1925-28) and the Boston Bulldogs (1929) are one franchise in the NFL ledger, listed here under the canonical Bulldogs (Boston). The separate Maroons franchise played in Toledo and Kenosha (1922-24) and folded before Pottsville existed. In 1925 Pottsville finished 10-2 and beat the 9-1-1 Chicago Cardinals 21-7 in the de facto championship game on December 6. Six days later they played a Notre Dame All-Stars exhibition at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, inside the Frankford Yellow Jackets' protected territory. League President Joseph Carr suspended the franchise. The Cardinals, who hastily scheduled two games against the dissolved Milwaukee Badgers and Hammond Pros to pad their record, were awarded the title. Pete Rozelle reviewed the case in 1963 and again in 1972, declining to restore Pottsville. NFL owners voted 30-2 in 2003 to leave the title with the Cardinals. The asterisk stands.

Active 32: /teams/nfl. Source: NFL_all workbook, last refreshed 2026-05-12.