Teams
Current NFL teams
There are 32 NFL teams. Each club is allowed a maximum of 53 players on their roster, but they may only dress 45 to play each week during the regular season. Unlike Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League, the league has no full-time teams in Canada largely because of the historical existence of the Canadian Football League, although the Buffalo Bills will begin playing one game per year (outside of the CFL season) in Toronto, Ontario beginning in 2008. Most teams are in the Eastern United States.
Most major metropolitan areas in the United States have an NFL franchise. Los Angeles, the second-largest metropolitan area in the country, has not hosted an NFL team since 1994 (see list of TV markets and major sports teams). The Rams and the Raiders called Los Angeles home from 1946-1994 and 1982-1994 respectively. In 2005, some Saints games were played in San Antonio because of Hurricane Katrina. Also, there is talk of possibly bringing the NFL to Toronto, Ontario, the largest city of Canada. The most frequently mentioned team for such a move is the Buffalo Bills, who play 80 miles (130 km) south in Buffalo and will begin playing some of their games in Toronto's Rogers Centre in 2008.[38]
The Dallas Cowboys are the highest valued sports franchise in the world, valued at approximately $1.5 billion.[39]
Since the 2002 season, the teams have been aligned as follows:[40]
| American Football Conference | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | City/Area | Arena | Capacity | Founded | Colors |
| East Division | |||||
| Buffalo Bills | Orchard Park, NY (Buffalo area) Toronto, ON |
Ralph Wilson Stadium (primary) Rogers Centre1 (secondary) |
73,967 46,374 |
1959 | Dark Navy, Red, Royal Blue, Nickel, White |
| Miami Dolphins | Miami Gardens, FL (Miami area) |
Dolphin Stadium | 76,500 | 1966 | Aqua, Coral, Navy, White |
| New England Patriots | Foxborough, MA (Boston/Providence area) |
Gillette Stadium | 68,756 | 1959 | Nautical Blue, Red, New Century Silver, White |
| New York Jets | East Rutherford, NJ (New York area) |
Giants Stadium2 | 80,242 | 1960 | Hunter Green, White |
| North Division | |||||
| Baltimore Ravens | Baltimore, MD | M&T Bank Stadium | 71,008 | 1996 | Black, Purple, Metallic Gold, White |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Cincinnati, OH | Paul Brown Stadium | 65,790 | 1968 | Black, Orange, White |
| Cleveland Browns | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland Browns Stadium | 73,200 | 1946 | Brown, Orange, White |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Pittsburgh, PA | Heinz Field | 73,844 | 1933 | Black, Gold |
| South Division | |||||
| Houston Texans | Houston, TX | Reliant Stadium | 71,500 | 2002 | Deep Steel Blue, Battle Red, Liberty White |
| Indianapolis Colts | Indianapolis, IN | Lucas Oil Stadium | 63,000 | 1953 | Royal Blue, White |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | 67,164 | 1995 | Teal, Black, Gold, White |
| Tennessee Titans | Nashville, TN | LP Field | 68,798 | 1960 | Navy, Titans Blue, White, Red, Silver |
| West Division | |||||
| Denver Broncos | Denver, CO | INVESCO Field at Mile High | 76,125 | 1960 | Broncos Navy Blue, Orange, White |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Kansas City, MO | Arrowhead Stadium3 | 79,451 | 1960 | Red, White, Gold |
| Oakland Raiders | Oakland, CA | McAfee Coliseum | 63,026 | 1960 | Silver, Black |
| San Diego Chargers | San Diego, CA | Qualcomm Stadium | 71,294 | 1960 | Navy, Gold, Powder Blue, White |
| National Football Conference | |||||
| Team | City/Area | Arena | Capacity | Founded | Colors |
| East Division | |||||
| Dallas Cowboys | Irving, TX (Dallas/Fort Worth metro) | Texas Stadium4 | 65,675 | 1960 | Royal, Navy, Metallic Silver-Green, White |
| New York Giants | East Rutherford, NJ (New York area) |
Giants Stadium2 | 80,242 | 1925 | Blue, Red, White, Gray |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Philadelphia, PA | Lincoln Financial Field | 68,532 | 1933 | Green, Black, White, Silver |
| Washington Redskins | Landover, MD (Washington, D.C. area) |
FedExField | 91,704 | 1932 | Burgundy, Gold, White |
| North Division | |||||
| Chicago Bears | Chicago, IL | Soldier Field | 61,500 | 1919 | Navy Blue, Orange |
| Detroit Lions | Detroit, MI | Ford Field | 65,000 | 1929 | Honolulu Blue, Silver, Black, White |
| Green Bay Packers | Green Bay, WI | Lambeau Field | 72,928 | 1919 | Dark Green, Gold, White |
| Minnesota Vikings | Minneapolis, MN | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome5 | 64,111 | 1961 | Purple, Gold, White |
| South Division | |||||
| Atlanta Falcons | Atlanta, GA | Georgia Dome | 71,228 | 1966 | Black, Red, Silver, White |
| Carolina Panthers | Charlotte, NC | Bank of America Stadium | 73,504 | 1995 | Black, Panther Blue, Silver, White |
| New Orleans Saints | New Orleans, LA | Louisiana Superdome | 72,968 | 1967 | Old Gold, Black, White |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tampa, FL | Raymond James Stadium | 65,857 | 1976 | Buccaneer Red, Pewter, Black, Orange, White |
| West Division | |||||
| Arizona Cardinals | Glendale, AZ (Phoenix area) |
University of Phoenix Stadium | 63,400 | 1898 | Cardinal Red, Black, White |
| St. Louis Rams | St. Louis, MO | Edward Jones Dome | 66,000 | 1936 | Millennium Blue, New Century Gold |
| San Francisco 49ers | San Francisco, CA | Monster Park | 70,207 | 1946 | Cardinal Red, Metallic Gold |
| Seattle Seahawks | Seattle, WA | Qwest Field | 67,000 | 1976 | Seahawks Blue, Dark Navy, Bright Green, White |
- 1 The Buffalo Bills will play one regular game each year and one preseason game every two years in Toronto beginning in 2008.
- 2 The Jets and Giants will move into the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford by 2010.
- 3 The Kansas City Chiefs will renovate and expand Arrowhead Stadium by 2010.
- 4 The Dallas Cowboys will move into the New Cowboys Stadium in Arlington by 2009.
- 5 The State of Minnesota is currently reviewing plans for the construction of Vikings Stadium, a retractable roof venue to replace the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
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