The National Football League

By Dee Dee Smith

The National Football league was founded in 1922 and is a merger of two former leagues - the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL).  When the AFL merged with the NFL, they stuck with the NFL name.  The two conferences of the NFL) are named and divided by historical relationships.  Teams that were with the AFL are now part of the AFC, and teams that were with the old NFL now with the NFC. 

In 1991, the NFL expanded its market into Europe.  As with the Minor Leagues of Major League Baseball, NFL Europe or Europa, was more of a developmental league, meant to build and develop talent for the NFL in the United States.  NFL Europe was dissolved last year; however, the NFL still hopes to keep a presence in Europe by holding two regular season games overseas.  

Every NFL player dreams of making it to the Super Bowl.  The quest for the Super Bowl begins with the regular season in early September.  The regular season begins in early September and extends for 16 weeks.  At the close of the season, the team that is on top of its division is the Division Champion and advance to the playoffs. These four teams are then seeded one through four in the postseason.   Two wild card teams—teams with the highest win percentages that did not win their division—also advance.   These teams are seeded numbers five and six.  In the first round, called Wild Card Weekend, seeds three and six and seeds four and five compete for a shot at the Divisional Playoffs.  The winners of the Divisional Round advance to the Conference Championship.  The winner of this game represents their conference in the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl is also a winner take all competition.   With great half-time entertainment and funny and creative commercials, the Super Bowl is one of the most watched sporting events on television.  Winners of the Super Bowl are awarded the Vince Lombardi (named for head coach and Hall of Famer Vince Lombardi) or Super Bowl Trophy along with individual Super Bowl Rings. 

Although the Super Bowl is the ultimate win of the year, individuals and players in the NFL are recognized through various other awards.  Just a few of these awards include Coach of the Year, the NFL’s Most Valuable Player (past winners include Brett Favre, Dan Marino, Barry Sanders and Tom Brady), Rookie of the Year (past winners include Tony Dorsett and Jerome Bettis) and Defensive Player of the Year (past winners include Joe Greene and Reggie White).  Five years after a stand-out player retires, he becomes eligible for induction to the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.

The NFL all-star game is called the Pro Bowl and is held in Hawaii.  The game is a competition between the best players from the AFC and the best players from the NFC.  Players are selected by fellow teammates, coaches and fans. 

Did you mean:  NLF, National League of Football, National Fooball League, Natonal Football League?