Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Question: Which early professional football teams met in Canton in 1920 to form the NFL?

Answer: The teams that gathered to form the then-American Professional Football Association were the Canton Bulldogs, Decatur Staleys, Chicago Cardinals, Akron Pros, Cleveland Indians, Dayton Triangles, Massillon Tigers (which withdrew from the 1920 season), Hammond Pros, Muncie Flyers, Rock Island Independents, and Rochester Jeffersons.

Two of the franchises remain active today: the Decatur Staleys became the Chicago Bears in 1921, and the Chicago Cardinals became the Arizona Cardinals.