teams
DEFUNCT TEAMS
1920s
| Akron Pros | (1920-26) |
| Brooklyn Lions | (1926) |
| Buffalo All-Americans / Bisons / Rangers | (1920-27, 1929) |
| Canton Bulldogs | (1920-23, 1925-26) |
| Chicago Tigers | (1920) |
| Cincinnati Celts | (1921) |
| Cleveland Tigers/Indians | (1920-21) |
| Cleveland Indians/Bulldogs | (1923-25, 1927) |
| Columbus Panhandles/Tigers | (1920-26) |
| Dayton Triangles | (1920-29) |
| Detroit Tigers | (1921) |
| Detroit Panthers | (1925-26) |
| Detroit Wolverines | (1928) |
| Duluth Kelleys/Eskimos | (1923-27) |
| Evansville Crimson Giants | (1921-22) |
| Frankford Yellow Jackets | (1924-31) |
| Hammond Pros | (1920-26) |
| Hartford Blues | (1926) |
| Kansas City Blues/NFL_Cowboys_logo | (1924-26) |
| Kenosha Maroons | (1924) |
| Los Angeles Buccaneers | (1926) |
| Louisville Breckenridges (a.k.a. "Brecks") | (1921-23) |
| Louisville Colonels | (1926) |
| Massillon Tigers | (1920) |
| Milwaukee Badgers | (1922-26) |
| Minneapolis Marines | (1921-24) |
| Minneapolis Red Jackets | (1929-30) |
| Muncie Flyers | (1920-21) |
| New York Brickley Giants | (1921) |
| New York Yankees | (1926 1st AFL/1927-28 NFL) |
| Newark Tornadoes | (1930) |
| Oorang Indians | (1922-23) |
| Orange Tornadoes | (1929) |
| Pottsville Maroons/Boston Bulldogs | (1925-29) |
| Providence Steam Roller | (1925-31) |
| Racine Legion | (1922-24) |
| Racine Tornadoes | (1926) |
| Rochester Jeffersons | (1920-25) |
| Rock Island Independents | (1920-25) |
| Staten Island Stapletons | (1929-32) |
| St. Louis All Stars | (1923) |
| Toledo Maroons | (1922-23) |
| Tonawanda Kardex | (1921) |
| Washington Senators | (1921) |
1930s
| Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers | (1930-44) |
| Cincinnati Reds | (1933-1934) |
| Cleveland Indians | (1931) |
| St. Louis Gunners | (1934) |
1940s-1950s
| Baltimore Colts | (1947-50) |
| Boston Yanks/New York Bulldogs/New York Yanks/Dallas Texans | (1944-1948/1949/1950-1951/1952) |
Rejected franchises
| Massillon Tigers | (1920) |
| Syracuse Pros | (1921) |
| Union Quakers of Philadelphia | (1922) |
| Youngstown Patricians | (1922) |
| Los Angeles Bulldogs Replaced by Cleveland Rams due to travel concerns. Rams would move to Los Angeles in 1946. | (1936) |
| Pennsylvania Keystoners Proposed merger of the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Pirates. A temporary merger happened in 1943, Steagles, due to player shortages as a result of World War II. | (1940) |
| Buffalo Bills (AAFC) Four NFL owners blocked the team's entry into the NFL. The current Buffalo Bills is unrelated. | (1950) |
| Seattle Sea Lions and Seattle Kings Two related early proposals for a team in Seattle. A Seattle team would either be via a relocation of the Buffalo Bills or by expansion. Seattle Seahawks were chosen instead. | (1971-1972) |
| Orlando Suns One of the bidders for the NFL's Central Florida team. NFL chose the Tampa Bay Buccaneers instead. | (1974) |
| Memphis Grizzlies Members of the World Football League. Unsuccessfully sued NFL to attempt to force admission (see: Mid-South Grizzlies v. NFL). | (1975) |
| New Jersey Generals Members of the United States Football League. Generals' owner, Donald Trump, wanted a USFL/NFL merger but this failed. | (1986) |
| Baltimore Bombers Proposed 1995 expansion team. Both Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars were awarded. |
(1993) |
| Memphis Hound Dogs Proposed 1995 expansion team. Later played as Memphis Mad Dogs in CFL USA in 1995. Both Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars were awarded. | (1993) |
| St. Louis Stallions Proposed 1995 expansion team. Also as a potential relocation of the New England Patriots. | (1993) |