Team
NFL Teams
A complete guide to every franchise in the National Football League — home cities, stadiums, history, championships, and the rivalries that define Sundays in America.
The National Football League, better known as the NFL, is the premier professional American football league in the United States and the most-watched sports league in the country. Founded in 1920, the NFL has grown from a scrappy regional organization into a global sports and entertainment powerhouse, drawing tens of millions of viewers every Sunday during the season and culminating each year in the Super Bowl, one of the biggest single-day sporting events on the planet.
Today, the NFL is made up of 32 teams, each representing a city or metropolitan area across the United States. These teams are split into two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The two conferences trace their roots back to the 1970 merger between the original NFL and the rival American Football League (AFL), a move that reshaped professional football and set the stage for the modern league structure fans know today.
Each conference is further divided into four regional divisions — East, North, South, and West — with four teams apiece. This divisional format keeps rivalries local, travel manageable, and competition fierce, since every team plays its three division rivals twice a season. Division winners and top performers advance to the playoffs, where the AFC and NFC champions eventually meet in the Super Bowl to decide the league’s ultimate winner. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the sport, understanding how the conferences and divisions fit together is the first step to following the NFL like a pro.
AFC Teams
Division 01 of 08
AFC East
4 Teams
The AFC East has been dominated in recent decades by one of the greatest dynasties in league history, but the division has become increasingly competitive, with young, explosive rosters chasing the throne. Its four teams stretch from the Northeast corridor down to South Florida, giving the division a mix of cold-weather grit and warm-weather speed.
Buffalo Bills
One of the AFL’s original franchises, the Bills reached four straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s. Known for a passionate fan base and a high-octane offense, the team has become one of the AFC’s most consistent contenders in recent years.
Miami Dolphins
Home to the NFL’s only perfect season in 1972, the Dolphins own two Super Bowl titles. The franchise is known for fast, tempo-driven offenses built to match South Florida’s heat.
New England Patriots
The Patriots built the most successful dynasty of the salary-cap era, winning six Super Bowl titles between 2001 and 2019. Their run of sustained excellence remains a benchmark for the entire league.
New York Jets
The Jets’ Super Bowl III win in 1969 remains one of the most famous upsets in football history. The franchise has one of the most loyal fan bases in the league despite a long championship drought.
Division 02 of 08
AFC North
4 Teams
The AFC North is famous for its physical, hard-nosed brand of football and some of the most bitter rivalries in the sport. Based in the industrial Midwest and Rust Belt, these four franchises have built their identities around tough defense and blue-collar fan bases.
Baltimore Ravens
Formed in 1996, the Ravens have won two Super Bowl titles, both fueled by dominant, punishing defenses. The franchise has quickly become known for developing versatile, dynamic quarterback play.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have reached the Super Bowl three times without a win, but a young, explosive core has recently returned the franchise to the top of the conference. Known for their distinctive tiger-stripe uniforms.
Cleveland Browns
One of football’s most historic franchises, the Browns won multiple championships before the Super Bowl era began. The team is famous for its devoted “Dawg Pound” fan base.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Tied for the most Super Bowl titles in NFL history with six, the Steelers built their legacy on the “Steel Curtain” defense of the 1970s. The franchise is synonymous with stability and consistent winning.
Division 03 of 08
AFC South
4 Teams
The youngest division in the NFL, the AFC South was created in the 2002 realignment. It features a mix of expansion franchises and relocated teams, spanning warm-weather cities across the American South.
Houston Texans
The NFL’s newest franchise, founded in 2002, the Texans have built a young, ascending roster around dynamic offensive playmaking. The team has quickly become a fixture in the division race.
Indianapolis Colts
Originally the Baltimore Colts, the franchise relocated in 1984 and won a Super Bowl title in the 2006 season. Known historically for elite quarterback play and prolific passing offenses.
Jacksonville Jaguars
An expansion team since 1995, the Jaguars reached back-to-back AFC Championship games in their early years. The franchise has invested heavily in growing its international fan base through London games.
Tennessee Titans
Formerly the Houston Oilers, the franchise moved to Tennessee in 1997 and reached the Super Bowl in the 1999 season, famously falling one yard short in the closing seconds.
Division 04 of 08
AFC West
4 Teams
The AFC West is known for explosive offenses, high altitude games, and some of the most electric home-field atmospheres in football. All four franchises trace their roots back to the old AFL.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos have reached eight Super Bowls, winning three, including back-to-back titles in the late 1990s. Denver’s high altitude has long been considered a home-field advantage.
Kansas City Chiefs
One of the modern era’s premier dynasties, the Chiefs have captured multiple Super Bowl titles in recent seasons. Arrowhead Stadium is famous for holding the record for loudest outdoor stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders
Known historically for a rebellious, hard-hitting identity, the Raiders have won three Super Bowl titles. The franchise relocated from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020.
Los Angeles Chargers
Originally an AFL charter franchise, the Chargers are known for prolific passing attacks and record-setting quarterback and receiver duos throughout their history.
NFC Teams
Division 05 of 08
NFC East
4 Teams
Arguably the league’s most storied division, the NFC East is home to four of the NFL’s most valuable and historically successful franchises, all located along the busy I-95 corridor of the East Coast.
Dallas Cowboys
Nicknamed “America’s Team,” the Cowboys have won five Super Bowl titles and remain one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world. Known for a passionate, nationwide fan base.
New York Giants
One of the NFL’s founding franchises, the Giants have captured four Super Bowl titles, including two famous upsets of previously unbeaten opponents.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have won multiple Super Bowl titles and are known for one of the most intense, dedicated fan bases in professional sports, packing the Linc every home game.
Washington Commanders
Formerly known by other names, the franchise has three Super Bowl titles to its name, primarily earned during a dominant run in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Division 06 of 08
NFC North
4 Teams
Once known as the “Black and Blue Division” for its brutal, cold-weather football, the NFC North features some of the league’s oldest and most tradition-rich franchises based around the Great Lakes.
Chicago Bears
One of the NFL’s two remaining founding franchises, the Bears have won a Super Bowl and multiple pre-Super Bowl era championships. Renowned historically for dominant, physical defense.
Detroit Lions
The Lions have won several NFL championships in franchise history and have recently built one of the league’s most competitive, high-scoring rosters, energizing a devoted fan base.
Green Bay Packers
A small-market franchise with the most championships in league history, the Packers are famously owned by their fans through a public shareholder structure unique in American sports.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have reached four Super Bowls without a win, but remain one of the NFC’s most competitive franchises, known for passionate fans and the iconic “Skol” chant.
Division 07 of 08
NFC South
4 Teams
Created in the 2002 realignment, the NFC South blends historic Southern franchises with expansion teams, producing some of the most unpredictable division races in the league year after year.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have reached two Super Bowls and play in one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in football, complete with a distinctive retractable roof.
Carolina Panthers
An expansion franchise since 1995, the Panthers have reached two Super Bowls, built around aggressive defenses and dynamic dual-threat quarterback play.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints captured their first Super Bowl title in the 2009 season, a win that carried special meaning for a city still rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers have won multiple Super Bowl titles, including a historic run to a home-stadium championship in the 2020 season.
Division 08 of 08
NFC West
4 Teams
The NFC West stretches along the Pacific Coast and features a mix of West Coast innovation and desert grit, with franchises known for shaping modern offensive football.
Arizona Cardinals
The NFL’s oldest continuously operating franchise, tracing back to 1898, the Cardinals reached a Super Bowl in the 2008 season behind a historic playoff run.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have won multiple Super Bowl titles, including a home-stadium championship in 2021, and are known for pioneering modern offensive and defensive schemes.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have won five Super Bowl titles, largely during a dynastic run in the 1980s and 1990s that helped popularize the West Coast offense.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks won their first Super Bowl title in the 2013 season behind a dominant “Legion of Boom” defense and remain famous for the deafening crowd noise at home games.
Most Popular NFL Teams
Popularity in the NFL is shaped by championship history, market size, star power, and decades of cultural presence. Here are ten of the league’s most followed and widely supported franchises.
Consistently the NFL’s most valuable and widely followed team, with a massive national fan base built over decades.
The publicly owned, community-rooted franchise draws support from fans across generations and geography.
A tradition of consistent winning has produced one of the most loyal, multi-generational fan bases in sports.
Two decades of dynasty-level success turned a regional team into a nationally followed brand.
A rich championship history and recent playoff success keep the Niners among the league’s most-watched teams.
Recent Super Bowl dominance and star quarterback play have rapidly expanded the Chiefs’ fan base nationwide.
Known for one of the most passionate fan bases in football, filling the Linc for every home game.
A founding NFL franchise with deep historical roots and a loyal Midwest following.
Consistent winning seasons and iconic Super Bowl runs have built a strong following across the Mountain West.
Famous for its “12th Man” crowd noise, Seattle has one of the most vocal and engaged fan bases in the NFL.
Teams With the Most Super Bowl Wins
Since Super Bowl I in 1967, a handful of franchises have separated themselves as the league’s most decorated. Here’s how the all-time leaders stack up.
| Team | Super Bowl Titles | Conference |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 | AFC |
| New England Patriots | 6 | AFC |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | NFC |
| Dallas Cowboys | 5 | NFC |
| Green Bay Packers | 4 | NFC |
| New York Giants | 4 | NFC |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4 | AFC |
| Denver Broncos | 3 | AFC |
| Washington Commanders | 3 | NFC |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 3 | AFC |
Oldest NFL Teams
Several current franchises trace their roots back to the earliest days of professional football, before the NFL even had its modern name.
Founded in 1898, the Cardinals are the oldest continuously operating professional football franchise in the United States.
Established in 1919 and a founding member of the NFL in 1920, the Bears remain one of the league’s cornerstone franchises.
Founded in 1919, the Packers are the NFL’s only community-owned team and among its most storied original franchises.
Joining the NFL in 1925, the Giants are the oldest professional football franchise in the New York media market.
Newest NFL Teams
The NFL’s most recent expansion additions reflect the league’s growth into new, fast-developing markets across the country.
Founded in 2002, the Texans are the NFL’s newest franchise, added to bring professional football back to Houston.
Joining the league in 1995 as part of a two-team expansion, the Panthers quickly became competitive in the NFC.
Also added in 1995, the Jaguars have grown into a franchise with a strong international presence, especially in London.
NFL Team Rivalries
Few things define the NFL season like its rivalries — matchups shaped by geography, history, and decades of hard-fought battles.
Packers vs. Bears
The NFL’s oldest rivalry, dating back to 1921, rooted in decades of division battles between two founding franchises.
Cowboys vs. Eagles
An intense NFC East rivalry fueled by passionate fan bases and near-annual playoff implications.
Steelers vs. Ravens
Known for some of the most physical, hard-hitting football in the league, this AFC North clash rarely disappoints.
Patriots vs. Jets
A long-standing AFC East rivalry that intensified during New England’s dynasty years of the 2000s and 2010s.
49ers vs. Seahawks
A modern NFC West rivalry defined by hard hits, sideline tension, and playoff-caliber intensity.
Broncos vs. Raiders
A classic AFC West battle dating back to the AFL era, known for its physical and emotional matchups.
Giants vs. Cowboys
One of the NFL’s most-watched division rivalries, featuring two of the league’s most historic, high-value franchises.
Vikings vs. Packers
A fierce NFC North rivalry rooted in cold-weather football and passionate, tightly packed fan bases.
Chiefs vs. Raiders
An old AFC West rivalry that has taken on renewed national attention amid Kansas City’s recent dynasty run.
Bengals vs. Steelers
A gritty AFC North rivalry known for chippy, physical play and frequent late-game drama.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many NFL teams are there?
There are 32 NFL teams, split evenly into two conferences — the AFC and the NFC — with 16 teams in each, further divided into four divisions per conference.
Which NFL team has won the most Super Bowls?
The Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots are tied for the most Super Bowl titles, with six championships each.
Which is the newest NFL team?
The Houston Texans are the newest franchise in the league, joining as an expansion team in 2002.
What is the difference between AFC and NFC?
The AFC (American Football Conference) and NFC (National Football Conference) are the NFL’s two conferences, formed after the 1970 merger with the American Football League. Each has 16 teams across four divisions, and their champions meet each year in the Super Bowl.
Which NFL team has the largest fan base?
The Dallas Cowboys are widely regarded as having the largest and most valuable fan base in the NFL, supported by decades of national visibility and marketing reach.
What is the oldest NFL franchise?
The Arizona Cardinals are the oldest continuously operating professional football franchise in the country, with roots dating back to 1898.
How many teams make the NFL playoffs each year?
Fourteen teams qualify for the playoffs each season — seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC, including four division winners and three wild card teams per conference.
How are NFL divisions organized?
Each conference has four divisions — East, North, South, and West — with four teams in each division based largely on geography.
Which team plays at the largest NFL stadium?
MetLife Stadium, home to both the New York Giants and New York Jets, has one of the highest seating capacities in the league.
How many players are on an NFL team roster?
Each NFL team carries a 53-player active roster during the regular season, along with a practice squad of additional players.
Which two NFL teams share a stadium?
The New York Giants and New York Jets both play at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, while the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers both play at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
What is the NFL’s most historic rivalry?
The Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears rivalry is the oldest in the NFL, with the two teams first meeting in 1921.
How often do division rivals play each other?
Teams in the same division play each other twice every season — once at home and once away — which is a major reason division rivalries stay so intense.
Conclusion
The NFL’s 32 teams each carry their own story — decades of history, iconic stadiums, championship runs, and fan bases that turn entire cities into a sea of team colors every Sunday. From the founding franchises of the 1920s like the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers to newer additions like the Houston Texans, every team adds its own chapter to the league’s growing legacy.
Understanding how the AFC and NFC conferences are organized, how the eight divisions break down, and what makes each rivalry special gives fans a deeper appreciation for the game beyond just the final score. Whether you’re drawn to a team by geography, family tradition, or a favorite player, the NFL’s structure ensures there’s a rich history and a compelling storyline behind every franchise. As the league continues to grow, expect these rivalries, records, and traditions to keep shaping the sport for generations of fans to come.