More NFL News

Brock Purdy’s Former Backup Breaks Down Plays That Prove He’s Worth His $55M 49ers Contract

Brock Purdy has been performing very well after his return from the injury and his former backup QB breaks down the reasons behind it.
NFL: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals

Steelers Legend Urges Mike Tomlin to Fire His Staff Amid Ongoing Arthur Smith Problems

Steelers legend calls on Mike Tomlin to make some major changes internally as Arthur Smith’s offensive struggles continue to hurt his team.
Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith

NFL Week 18: Five Biggest Matchups That Will Shake Up the Playoff Picture

There aren't a whole lot of matchups to be excited about this week, but these five will shake up the NFL playoff picture.
NFL: AFC Wild Card Round-Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

Cowboys Presenter Confirms Locker Room Stance on Trevon Diggs Cut as 14 NFL Teams Receive Six-Figure News

The Cowboys may not have touched every reason that went into the decision to cut Trevon Diggs, the locker room gave a more fuller story.
ATLANTA, GA Ð NOVEMBER 03: Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) warms up prior to the start of the NFL, American Football

NFL Playoff Scenarios: Here’s Where Every Team Can End Up After Week 18

Here is every single seeding scenario for every NFL team still alive in the playoff hunt heading into Week 18.
NFL: New England Patriots at New York Jets

Travis Kelce Has Strong Words For Chris Oladokun as Chiefs Eye 2 Patrick Mahomes Replacements

While his best friend continues his rehab, TE Travis Kelce expressed his confidence in third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun.
NFL 2025: Commanders Vs Chiefs OCT 27

Julian Edelman Shares Patriots’ Strict Suspension Policy for Family Access on Road Trips

Julian Edelman reveals how strict the Patriots were on road trips, including suspensions and lost pay for family access violations.
LA: Super Bowl LIX – Fox News Media Day

Alex Smith Makes Striking Claim on Travis Kelce’s Career Amid Retirement Speculation

Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith shares a bold take on the Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s future as retirement rumors heat up.
NFL 2025: Raiders Vs Chiefs OCT 19

Jets’ Biggest Roster Needs: Mock Draft Has Aaron Glenn Prioritizing Safety & WR Over QB in Round 1

As the 2025 NFL season nears its end soon, check out the biggest roster needs for the Jets here and who they should draft next in 2026.
NFL: NOV 30 Falcons at Jets

Amid Cardi B’s Public Outburst, Stefon Diggs’ Apparent Proposal Rehearsal To $80 Million Rich Rapper Goes Viral

Stefon Diggs rehearses his proposal to Cardi B at Met Life Stadium after the rapper calls out her fans for criticizing her relationship.
Stefon Diggs and Cardi B

Exclusive: Director Ken Rodgers Opens Up About John Elway Netflix Documentary

EssentiallySports spoke with director Ken Rodgers about directing the Netflix Elway documentary about Denver Broncos legend John Elway.
John Elway and Ken Rodgers

Exclusive: Ed McCaffrey Talks Broncos, Christian McCaffrey, Protein Bites & Much More

Denver Broncos legend and three-time Super Bowl champion Ed McCaffrey spoke with Essentially Sports about several NFL topics.
Ed McCaffrey

About NFL

NFL

History

In August 1920, representatives from four states: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, and Dayton, held a meeting and formed the American Professional Football Conference (APFC) to improve footballing standards in the country. A month later, they formed the American Professional Football Association (APFA) and played a league with 14 teams. In 1922, they changed the name to the National Football League (NFL).

In 1960, a new professional league, the American Football League (AFL) started as a competition against the NFL. After six years, in 1966, the two leagues announced a merger that would take effect in 1970. During the four years between the announcement and the actual merger, the leagues started playing a Championship game which was called The Super Bowl. Since then, the two leagues have been recognized as two separate conferences within the same league, the NFL.

Participating teams

There are 32 teams in the NFL divided equally into two conferences: National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). Each conference is further divided into 4 divisions: East, North, South, and West, with each division containing four teams.

American Football Conference (AFC)

East

NorthSouthWestNational Football Conference (NFC)NorthSouthWest