Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Every so often, I see the Cardinals referred to as the NFL's oldest franchise.

But isn't the Bears' franchise just as old. Yes, of course they started as the Decatur Staleys, but was there any discontinuity in the franchise during or after the move to Chicago?

As both the Bears and the Cardinals were in the league since it's inception they've both been in the APFA/NFL the same amount of time.
However, the Cardinals go back to 1898 and were "born" as the Morgan Athletic Club while the Bears, as The Decatur Staley Starchmakers, started out in "only" 1919.
Hence, to my understanding, the Cards are the oldest football team in the NFL but both the Bears and Cardinals have the same franchise date (1920).

I am sure someone here will correct me if that is in error....

JuggernautJ wrote:As both the Bears and the Cardinals were in the league since it's inception they've both been in the APFA/NFL the same amount of time.
However, the Cardinals go back to 1898 and were "born" as the Morgan Athletic Club while the Bears, as The Decatur Staley Starchmakers, started out in "only" 1919.
Hence, to my understanding, the Cards are the oldest football team in the NFL but both the Bears and Cardinals have the same franchise date (1920).

I am sure someone here will correct me if that is in error....

You are correct.

I suppose I could phrase it this way: The Cardinals are the oldest continually operating professional football team. This year is the team's 125th season of football. That's a lot of football to win a grand total of one legitimate championship.

Here is a video that lists all of the defunct teams that played at least one season in the league and in what year that particular club originated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_CT8UV4kdY


Some notable ones to mention.

Columbus Panhandles date back to 1901.

Frankford Yellow Jackets date back to 1899.

Louisville Breckenridges date back to 1899.

Newark/Orange Tornadoes date back to 1887 (they actually operated for over fifty years).

Do any of you notice anything that this video may have gotten wrong? If everything in this video is correct the Newark/Orange Tornadoes very well may have been one of the very first professional teams put together. Colleges were playing the game prior to that but the professional game didn't really start becoming common until about the 1890's.

Thank you, Cat.

Terry Baldshaw wrote:...The Cardinals are the oldest continually operating professional football team...

I don't know if that's true... (I also don't know that it is not).
I limited my reply to the (current) NFL (as that was what the OP was about) but I was wondering if there were older (and perhaps continuous) pro or semi-pro teams than the Cards.
It would seem likely there might be... anyone?

I know the league doesn't see it this way, but if you take into account all their twists and turns (starting in Dayton in 1913), would the Colts be second-oldest?

lastcat3 wrote: Newark/Orange Tornadoes date back to 1887 (they actually operated for over fifty years).

Do any of you notice anything that this video may have gotten wrong? If everything in this video is correct the Newark/Orange Tornadoes very well may have been one of the very first professional teams put together. Colleges were playing the game prior to that but the professional game didn't really start becoming common until about the 1890's.

Of the documentation that we have, Allegheny AA was fully pro in 1896 and Latrobe AA in 1897. Not sure if Newark/Orange was fully pro before then or just part of the team was paid. I am not going to get into the semantics of pro vs. semi-pro.

Thanks for all the answers.
As I suspected, the claim that the Cardinals are the oldest NFL franchise is incorrect. They're tied with the Bears.

lastcat3 wrote:Here is a video that lists all of the defunct teams that played at least one season in the league and in what year that particular club originated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_CT8UV4kdY


Some notable ones to mention.

Columbus Panhandles date back to 1901.

Frankford Yellow Jackets date back to 1899.

Louisville Breckenridges date back to 1899.

Newark/Orange Tornadoes date back to 1887 (they actually operated for over fifty years).

Do any of you notice anything that this video may have gotten wrong? If everything in this video is correct the Newark/Orange Tornadoes very well may have been one of the very first professional teams put together. Colleges were playing the game prior to that but the professional game didn't really start becoming common until about the 1890's.

Rochester jeffersons go back to 1898 ... lasted in the NFL until 1925 ...