Playoff System in the NFL
In 1932, the NFL season ended with a tie between the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans for first place on the league table. To break the tie, the league arranged a playoff game between Portsmouth Spartans and Chicago Bears. The Bears defeated the Spartans in the playoff game and won the league title. From 1933 to 1946 the NFL did not allow any black athletes to participate in the league, the worst rule ever set by the NFL. In 1946, the league allowed black players to join the league due to public pressure.
Establishment of Divisions and Conferences in NFL
Over the years, the NFL has undergone various structural modifications. Initially, the NFL operated similarly to any other league, with teams competing against one another and being ranked on a single league table. The champion used to be the team with the most points.Following a contentious NFL season in 1933, the league was divided into two divisions: Western and Eastern, with a championship game played between the winners of each division to decide the league's champions. Learn more about NFL betting with the official website of https://nflpickwatch.com a great place to educate yourself on NFL betting options.
In the 1930s and 1940s, there were many other professional Football leagues besides the NFL. The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was the most popular rival league in the 1940s, but the AAFC, along with few other rival leagues, merged into the NFL in the 1950s. The NFL restructured its two divisions after the merger. The Eastern division became the American Conference, while the Western division became the National Conference.
NFL and AFL Merger in 1970
The American Football League (AFL) was founded in 1960 as a new professional football league. The league was a big success and received widespread acclaim throughout the country. After only six seasons of independent operation, the AFL announced a merger with the National Football League (NFL). In 1967, both leagues held a joint championship game between the NFL champion Green Bay Packers and the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs. The game was dubbed the "First Super Bowl."
When the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) fully amalgamated in 1970, the NFL revamped the league once more. There were two conferences, each with three divisions. The NFL now had 26 teams divided into two conferences: The National Football Conference (NFC), which included all pre-merged NFL teams, and the American Football Conference (AFC), which included all AFL teams as well as three pre-merged NFL teams.
Modern NFL Structure
The NFL now has 32 teams competing for the championship title. These 32 teams are divided into two conferences: The National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFC is then further divided into four geographic divisions including NFC North, NFC East, NFC South, and NFC West. Similarly, the AFC is also divided into four divisions including AFC North, AFC East, AFC South, and AFC West. Each division consists of four teams competing against one another.