Quick jump:
* The Washington Redskins are poked and prodded by Mike Carlson in his latest Coast to Coast column * Mike Carlson looks back over his 2008 mock draft on nflukTV * Keith Webster compares the IPL with potential future developments in American football * Neil Reynolds examines the NFL's worst-to-first history * Mike Carlson looks at the Cleveland Browns - and all the draft news - in Coast to Coast * Keith Webster reviews the NFL Draft
About the Game
Know all about the NFL
Want to know more about the NFL and the sport of American football? It's all here in About the Game, from our quick-check guide on all 32 teams to a history of the world's biggest sports league.
Rules and A to Z sections will clear up any questions you might have about the NFL action, while you can also learn more about the Super Bowl.
Our official links page will take you to the heart of the NFL and offer fans in the UK speedy access to official NFL websites in the USA, as well as official sites for all 32 teams.
Finally, the Frequently Asked Questions section covers every aspect of the sport and if you still have a question, you can contact the NFL to get your query answered.
Want to know more about the NFL and the sport of American football? It's all here in About the Game, from our quick-check guide on all 32 teams to a history of the world's biggest sports league.
Rules and A to Z sections will clear up any questions you might have about the NFL action, while you can also learn more about the Super Bowl.
Our official links page will take you to the heart of the NFL and offer fans in the UK speedy access to official NFL websites in the USA, as well as official sites for all 32 teams.
Finally, the Frequently Asked Questions section covers every aspect of the sport and if you still have a question, you can contact the NFL to get your query answered.
History
History of the NFL
1920-1940 In the beginning
A group of businessmen holding a secret meeting under the cover of darkness in the showroom of a car dealership may have a decidedly dodgy ring to it, but out of that unlikely venue and humble beginning came the NFL - arguably the most successful sports organisation in the world today.
In September, 1920, representatives of 10 founding teams lounged around on car bonnets in Canton, Ohio, determining league rules, officials and a schedule for the inaugural season. Each team stumped up $100 to join what was then known as the American Professional Football Association and would later become the NFL.
Fourteen teams eventually participated in the 1920 season and the Akron Pros were crowned inaugural NFL champions after winning eight games and drawing three other matches.
The NFL went through a slow growing period in the 1920s and 1930s as professional football tried to establish a foothold in a sports market dominated by the more popular college game.
The sport's profile was raised in the 1930s by one of the game's earliest stars - Chicago Bears fullback Bronko Nagurski, who intimidated opponents with his physical style of play and led the Bears to NFL titles in 1932 and 1933.
1940-1960 War takes its toll
By the 1940s, the NFL was in a strong position but team rosters were decimated when the Second World War cost the lives of 400,000 Americans. Many players were called to join the armed forces and it wasn't until the 1950s that the NFL regained a position of strength on the sports scene.
Although NFL games were beginning to appear on television in the early 1950s, it was the 1958 NFL Championship Game - the first to be screened on national television - that put the NFL on the map.
The NFL arrives
The 1958 final between the Baltimore Colts - led by legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas - and the hometown New York Giants was a classic affair that was only decided in sudden-death overtime when the Colts scored a touchdown to secure a 23-17 victory.
1960-1990 A Super idea
The 1960s saw American football in the NFL become a much more specialised game with fewer players performing on offense and defence for an entire 60 minutes each weekend. The 1960s also saw an increase in televised NFL games and the stars of the sport were becoming household names across America.
The first Super Bowl took place in January, 1967, as the Green Bay Packers recorded a 35-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Los Angeles Coliseum. At that time, the Super Bowl was far from the extravaganza we know and love today, and the game was played with about 20,000 tickets remaining unsold.
Steelers dominate
In 1970, the NFL merged with the rival American Football League and took on more of the format still seen today with the advent of the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The 1970s were dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won four Super Bowls in that decade.
In 1982, sports fans in the United Kingdom were given their first taste of NFL action via Channel 4. In January, 1983, the first live Super Bowl was aired in the UK as the Washington Redskins – led by John 'The Diesel' Riggins – recorded a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII.
The 1980s saw huge television audiences drawn to Channel 4’s coverage of the NFL as the likes of Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Walter Payton and William 'The Refrigerator' Perry became household names in the UK.
UK Boom
Throughout the 1980s, the San Francisco 49ers gained a huge following in the UK as they marched to four Super Bowl titles, earning the label 'Team of the 80s.'
The sport reached its pinnacle in the UK in January, 1986, when 4 million viewers tuned into Super Bowl XX to watch Payton, Perry, Jim McMahon and the rest of the Chicago Bears record a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots.
Later that same year, the first of eight consecutive NFL preseason games was played at Wembley Stadium as more than 86,000 screaming fans ignored torrential rain to witness the Chicago Bears defeat the Dallas Cowboys by a 17-6 scoreline. The highlight of the memorable evening came when the 25-stone Perry forced his way into the end zone for a touchdown.
In the seven American Bowls that followed, teams such as the Dolphins, Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills graced Wembley Stadium, regularly drawing crowds of 70,000-plus as NFL fans in the UK witnessed greats of the game such as Montana, Marino, John Elway, Marcus Allen and Barry Sanders in action.
With the introduction of Sky television to the United Kingdom, American football fans have been able to catch more live action than ever before. The 1990s belonged to the Dallas Cowboys as they won three Super Bowls in a decade that also saw the 49ers claim a record fifth Super Bowl win.
Channel 4 stopped showing NFL action in 1998 but more live games than ever before can now be seen on Channel 5 and Sky Sports, who in 2006 televised a total of 91 live games through the regular season and play-offs.
In February 2005, Super Bowl XXXIX was shown on ITV for the first time, and in total, 2 million tuned in to ITV1 and Sky Sports to watch the New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles to win their third title in four seasons.
The NFL takes their next step towards attracting more fans in the UK in 2007, when the new Wembley Stadium will host the historic first regular season game ever to take place outside of North America. On Sunday October 28th – Week Eight of the 2007 NFL season – the Miami Dolphins will host the New York Giants at Wembley.
The arrival of live NFL football on UK shores for the first time since 1994 looks set to be a new dawn for the sport in this country. The NFL has already discussed returning to the UK on a regular basis to play games, while long-term plans could include four regular-season games per year played in this market with the league adding a 17th week to the season to facilitate the international expansion of the sport.
For more on the history of the NFL, check out the official website of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (www.profootballhof.com)
History of the NFL1920-1940 In the beginning
A group of businessmen holding a secret meeting under the cover of darkness in the showroom of a car dealership may have a decidedly dodgy ring to it, but out of that unlikely venue and humble beginning came the NFL - arguably the most successful sports organisation in the world today.
In September, 1920, representatives of 10 founding teams lounged around on car bonnets in Canton, Ohio, determining league rules, officials and a schedule for the inaugural season. Each team stumped up $100 to join what was then known as the American Professional Football Association and would later become the NFL.
Fourteen teams eventually participated in the 1920 season and the Akron Pros were crowned inaugural NFL champions after winning eight games and drawing three other matches.
“ By in 1940s the NFL was in strong position but team rosters were decimated when Second World War cost the lives of 400,000 Americans. ”
Slow growth
The NFL went through a slow growing period in the 1920s and 1930s as professional football tried to establish a foothold in a sports market dominated by the more popular college game.
The sport's profile was raised in the 1930s by one of the game's earliest stars - Chicago Bears fullback Bronko Nagurski, who intimidated opponents with his physical style of play and led the Bears to NFL titles in 1932 and 1933.
1940-1960 War takes its toll
By the 1940s, the NFL was in a strong position but team rosters were decimated when the Second World War cost the lives of 400,000 Americans. Many players were called to join the armed forces and it wasn't until the 1950s that the NFL regained a position of strength on the sports scene.
Although NFL games were beginning to appear on television in the early 1950s, it was the 1958 NFL Championship Game - the first to be screened on national television - that put the NFL on the map.
The NFL arrives
The 1958 final between the Baltimore Colts - led by legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas - and the hometown New York Giants was a classic affair that was only decided in sudden-death overtime when the Colts scored a touchdown to secure a 23-17 victory.
1960-1990 A Super idea
The 1960s saw American football in the NFL become a much more specialised game with fewer players performing on offense and defence for an entire 60 minutes each weekend. The 1960s also saw an increase in televised NFL games and the stars of the sport were becoming household names across America.
The first Super Bowl took place in January, 1967, as the Green Bay Packers recorded a 35-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Los Angeles Coliseum. At that time, the Super Bowl was far from the extravaganza we know and love today, and the game was played with about 20,000 tickets remaining unsold.
Steelers dominate
In 1970, the NFL merged with the rival American Football League and took on more of the format still seen today with the advent of the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The 1970s were dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won four Super Bowls in that decade.
In 1982, sports fans in the United Kingdom were given their first taste of NFL action via Channel 4. In January, 1983, the first live Super Bowl was aired in the UK as the Washington Redskins – led by John 'The Diesel' Riggins – recorded a 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII.
The 1980s saw huge television audiences drawn to Channel 4’s coverage of the NFL as the likes of Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Walter Payton and William 'The Refrigerator' Perry became household names in the UK.
UK Boom
Throughout the 1980s, the San Francisco 49ers gained a huge following in the UK as they marched to four Super Bowl titles, earning the label 'Team of the 80s.'
The sport reached its pinnacle in the UK in January, 1986, when 4 million viewers tuned into Super Bowl XX to watch Payton, Perry, Jim McMahon and the rest of the Chicago Bears record a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots.
“ With the introduction of Sky television to the United Kingdom, American football fans have been able to catch more live action than ever before. ”
1990 to present London calling
Later that same year, the first of eight consecutive NFL preseason games was played at Wembley Stadium as more than 86,000 screaming fans ignored torrential rain to witness the Chicago Bears defeat the Dallas Cowboys by a 17-6 scoreline. The highlight of the memorable evening came when the 25-stone Perry forced his way into the end zone for a touchdown.
In the seven American Bowls that followed, teams such as the Dolphins, Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills graced Wembley Stadium, regularly drawing crowds of 70,000-plus as NFL fans in the UK witnessed greats of the game such as Montana, Marino, John Elway, Marcus Allen and Barry Sanders in action.
With the introduction of Sky television to the United Kingdom, American football fans have been able to catch more live action than ever before. The 1990s belonged to the Dallas Cowboys as they won three Super Bowls in a decade that also saw the 49ers claim a record fifth Super Bowl win.
Channel 4 stopped showing NFL action in 1998 but more live games than ever before can now be seen on Channel 5 and Sky Sports, who in 2006 televised a total of 91 live games through the regular season and play-offs.
In February 2005, Super Bowl XXXIX was shown on ITV for the first time, and in total, 2 million tuned in to ITV1 and Sky Sports to watch the New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles to win their third title in four seasons.
The NFL takes their next step towards attracting more fans in the UK in 2007, when the new Wembley Stadium will host the historic first regular season game ever to take place outside of North America. On Sunday October 28th – Week Eight of the 2007 NFL season – the Miami Dolphins will host the New York Giants at Wembley.
The arrival of live NFL football on UK shores for the first time since 1994 looks set to be a new dawn for the sport in this country. The NFL has already discussed returning to the UK on a regular basis to play games, while long-term plans could include four regular-season games per year played in this market with the league adding a 17th week to the season to facilitate the international expansion of the sport.
For more on the history of the NFL, check out the official website of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (www.profootballhof.com)