PFRA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the history of professional football. Formed in 1979, PFRA members include many of the game's foremost historians and writers.
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https://mail.profootballresearchers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8138
1978 is one era, 1977 another.. that is probably the most clear divider ... I see 1945 to 1959 as well an era, maybe 1946 ...Oszuscik wrote: ↑Thu Aug 21, 2025 10:19 am Everyone here is a history buff when it comes to the NFL. I'm curious how you look back on the history of the NFL and if you have your own eras that you divide the league up into, such as the 14-game era, the pre-free agency era, etc. Thought it'd be interesting to hear how different researchers view the league through the lens of time.
78 rule changes definitely separate an era given the defensive performances in the decade before vs years after.JohnTurney wrote: ↑Thu Aug 21, 2025 6:17 pm1978 is one era, 1977 another.. that is probably the most clear divider ... I see 1945 to 1959 as well an era, maybe 1946 ...Oszuscik wrote: ↑Thu Aug 21, 2025 10:19 am Everyone here is a history buff when it comes to the NFL. I'm curious how you look back on the history of the NFL and if you have your own eras that you divide the league up into, such as the 14-game era, the pre-free agency era, etc. Thought it'd be interesting to hear how different researchers view the league through the lens of time.
then there are overlapping ... COmmon draft ... is divider for me
I basically agree with that, though if I had to tighten it I'd just vote for 1960-69.
That's a pretty solid summary!Ten Minute Ticker wrote: ↑Sun Aug 24, 2025 12:04 pm In my own head, not necessarily for historic purposes, I have it as follows.
1978-81: NFL as I experienced it first-hand as a kid. No franchise moves, just one stadium change (Rams to Anaheim).
What I didn’t understand at the time was the rule change that helped define the era.
Reasonable parity with nearly every team having a playoff or .500 season mixed in.
1982-92: A time of turmoil. Two season-altering strikes and a somewhat diluted league roughly between the two strikes due to the USFL. Quite honestly, the period from 1983-85, maybe through to 1986, should be looked upon with more scrutiny than it is due to many proven or future stars playing in the USFL. It changed the gulf in roster talent disparity. It was a weaker league easier for the good teams to dominate.
Franchise moves - actual or threatened - dominate this period so it doesn’t feel as stable.
Towards the end of this period, you get half-assed free agency (Plan B!) and the looming reality that real free agency was coming.
Revenue sharing was under threat too and this period exposes franchises/owners who don’t have independent revenue streams or who are purely incompetent or both.
1993-98: The effect of free agency is felt - some of the first free agent-built champions, like the ‘96 Packers, emerge, but there’s still an old school sense of teams sticking together. Offensive lines stayed intact, etc. The established power teams more or less stayed powerful.
Our experience as fans change with Fox entering the picture, breaking up the long-established CBS-NBC ways. Cable is becoming more prominent.
Expansion comes into the mix to shake up the near 20-year 28-team NFL, further diluting the talent.
1999-2001: The power teams fall off and a new set of title aspirants come to the fore. Still feels like the post-‘78 NFL
with six divisions, but this part of the period of stadium chamge, etc. NFL starts to get away from fan-accommodated notions like late-season night games at warm locales, etc.
2002-2009-ish: Eight divisions and a schedule that rotates more evenly as far as non-divisional games are concerned. Game on the field is still recognizable to long-time fans, though many long-held X and O, strategic and clock management dogmas begin to be challenged.
2010-present: NFL innovation on the field changes the game. Running back are managed differently. Defenses become more fluid in terms of positional roles, etc. Coaches are less risk-averse, going for it on fourth down more often being just one example.
Player safety measures begin to affect the game. Fewer kick and punt returns. A major deemphasis of the big hit culture, etc.
Our experience continues to evolve with more off-Sunday games, more uniform changes, more games overseas, etc. I would say this period feels far more corporate - in good and bad ways.
The once-a-week nature of the NFL gives it an advantage in the media landscape as it is largely immune to cord-cutting compared to other leagues. Gives the impression that NFL is even more dominant than ever over the other major leagues. There’s a truth to it.
On the other hand, social media and the fragmentation of our collective experiences dilutes our knowledge of all but the biggest stars. Players, even good ones, seem to come and go without much notice.
That’s my own impressions based on my own experience.