Relocation Series: The NFL
By Shawn Stewart
Over the years, there have been many franchises that have changed locations or even team names, and sometimes the reasons are unknown. For example, why did the Minneapolis Lakers move to Los Angeles where there are no lakes, or why did the New Orleans Jazz move to Salt Lake where they don't allow Jazz music? Some of these questions may be never answered, but it's always fun to explore the history behind the name. This really got me thinking about some of the biggest moves or name changes in the 4 major sports across the United States and Canada. This will be a 4 part series on the historic moves and name changes within the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL.
In part one, I will focus on the NFL and some of the major location moves and name changes that put particular franchises on the map. The Washington Redskins name started becoming a topic under mounting pressure from the outside to change the team name entering the 2020 season as part of a wave of racial name changes in the wake of the George Floyd protests. As NFL fans, we have known them as the Washington Redskins since 1937, and in 2020, with a new nickname still in the works, they are called the Washington Football Team, but in 2021, a new team name will be official. Washington would be the first NFL team this century to change names. More than a fourth of today's NFL teams changed their name or moved locations during their existence. Below are some of the biggest moves and name changes in the history of the NFL.
The Boston Braves official logo (SportsLogoHistory.com)
Boston Braves became Washington Redskins: Let's actually start with the team that motivated me to write this 4 part article, the Washington Redskins. After just one year as the Boston Braves, the franchise was renamed to the Boston Redskins in 1933, four years before the team moved from Boston to Washington, and became the Washington Redskins. The new head coach for Boston, at the time, Lone Star Dietz and several of his Native American players did not like the name Braves and asked for the team to change its name to the Redskins. The Redskins name stuck around until the end of the 2019 season. Here is a fun little fact about the Washington Redskins, they are the first NFL franchise with an official marching band and fight song. "Hail to the Redskins."
Cleveland Browns became Baltimore Ravens: Upon moving the franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1996, then-team owner Art Modell decided to hold a competition to settle on the franchise's new name. After narrowing down their options to three choices, the Ravens--an ode to the late poet Edgar Allen Poe--beat out the Americans and Marauders. The franchise not only changed its name but it also retired all of the franchise's old records from its time in Cleveland. I guess you could say they wanted a fresh start in Baltimore. Those records were actually transferred over to Cleveland's expansion team in 1999, which ironically called themselves the Browns, again.
The Dallas Texans official logo (ssportslogo.net)
Dallas Texans became Kansas City Chiefs: One of the AFL's first and oldest franchises, the Dallas Texans, who were led by Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram, won the league title in 1962. Even though the team was having on-field success, the Texans were struggling to draw large crowds, as the team was competing with the cross-town rivalry, Dallas Cowboys for fans. With the team struggling to make ends meet, team owner Lamar Hunt, (who the AFC Championship trophy is named after) decided to move the franchise to Kansas City, in 1963, and this is where the Chiefs franchise was born.
Decatur Staleys official logo (sportsteamhistory.com)
Decatur Staleys became the Chicago Bears: The Bears' original name was the Staleys, named after August Staley, the team's original owner and founder. After playing their inaugural season in Decatur, Illinois, Staley and head coach George Halas (who the NFC Championship trophy is named after) decided to have the team play their home games in Chicago to attract a bigger crowd, and they did so by securing a lease with Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. The Chicago Staleys were immediately successful in their new home, winning the franchise's first champion in 1921. The following season, in 1922, Halas followed Staley's departure from the organization, renamed the franchise the Bears, which has remained for the past 98 years. The name the Bears derived from the local baseball team name, the Chicago Cubs, like the Bears who were called "young cubs."
The Houston Oilers official logo (sportslogohistory.com)
Houston Oilers became Tennessee Titans: The AFL's first champion was the Houston Oilers, who won back-to-back titles before losing in the AFL Championship game to the Dallas Texans in 1962. The Oilers continued to dominate and made the playoffs 12 more times (including three trips to the conference championship game) before the franchise moved from Houston to Nashville in 1997. The franchise did keep its teams name until 1999 when the owner at the time, Bud Adams decided on the name Titans among a list of choices. The Titans enjoyed immediate success, advancing to the franchise's first Super Bowl, where they lost to Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams.
New York Titans became New York Jets: New York's AFL team was founded in 1960 and was originally named the Titans because the owner at the time, Harry Wismer believed that titans were greater than the Giants, the city's recognized pro football team. The Titans were anything but great, however, as the franchise continued to lose money while failing to post a winning season during its first three seasons. Things started looking up in 1963 when Sonny Werblin headed a group that bought the franchise. That year, Werblin changed the team colors to green and white to honor his birthday, which happened to fall on St. Patrick's Day. He also changed the team name to the Jets in honor of America's space age. Ironically, the same year Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the Jets became the first AFL team to win the Super Bowl, as Joe Namath as his teammates shocked the then Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
Philadelphia/Pittsburgh Steagles: Yes, you are reading this correctly, this was actually a combined team name during World War II, where the Eagles and Steelers combined teams for one season. The team went 5-4-1 during the 1943 season. The Eagles did return to their original form in 1944, while the Steelers merged with the Chicago Cardinals for a year before returning back out on their own in 1945.
The Portsmouth Spartans Official Logo
Portsmouth Spartans became Detroit Lions: Despite their on-field success, in 1932 the Spartans posted an 11-3 record in their second season, the franchise started to struggle financially after just four seasons. In 1934, a group that was headlined by radio executive George Richards bought the franchise for a measly $8,000. Richards then immediately relocated the franchise to Detroit where he renamed the team the Lions, an ode to the city's baseball team, the Tigers.
The Baltimore Colts official logo
Baltimore Colts became Indianapolis Colts: On March 28, 1984, Bob Irsay, owner of the once-powerful Baltimore Colts moved the team to Indianapolis, and he did this in the middle of the night without any sort of public announcement. I guess you could say the Baltimore fans were a little shocked and maybe even a little upset when they woke up the next day and found out their beloved Colts had moved the franchise. The team officially began to play as the Indianapolis Colts in 1984. This move had a lasting impact on the NFL and the city of Baltimore, which included another controversial relocation 12 years later that brought the Ravens to the city of Baltimore.
The Chicago Cardinals official logo (www.gamblingsites.org)
Chicago Cardinals became St. Louis Cardinals who then became the Phoenix Cardinals who then became the Arizona Cardinals: No other NFL franchise has relocated more than the Cardinals. The team originated in Chicago, Illinois, and played there from 1920-1959 before they were relocated to St. Louis, Missouri. , for the 1960 season, and played their home games in St. Louis until 1987, where the team again relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, and played as the Phoenix Cardinals from 1988-1993. Finally, before the beginning of the 1994 season, the team changed their name from the Phoenix Cardinals to the present team, Arizona Cardinals. Did you get all that?
There have been many NFL franchises that have moved locations or changed names due to many struggling owners trying to compete with other teams in the area or just because the owner could not afford to keep the franchise in a particular location, and for the most part the relocation has worked out well for a lot of teams. With the Redskins/Football Team changing their name before the 2021 season it could be an exciting turn of events since it has been a long time since a team name has been changed. In part 2 of this series, I will focus on the MLB teams that have moved locations and changed team names. Get ready, you are in for a wild ride!
Follow Shawn on Twitter @ShawnSportsNut
