Football History

Steelers Nation celebrates July 8 as it was on this day in 1933 that the franchise was awarded to Art Rooney Sr. by the NFL. The team was named the Pirates and less than a decade later, the Steelers name appeared.

Football history is rich with facts so please sit back and enjoy!

A semi-pro gridiron squad based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team was founded by Art Rooney, who is best known for being the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

Hope Harvey Predecessor

After a few years of playing as the Hope-Harvey eleven which included Art Rooney and his brothers on the roster, the team was sponsored by "Loeffler's Electronic Store", who renamed the team after one of its best-selling products, the Majestic Radio. Hence the team became known as the Majestic Radios. The team's affiliation with Loeffler's ended prior to the team's 1931 season. It was then they became the J.P. Rooneys, paying tribute to the candidacy of James Rooney, brother of Art, who was grinning for political office.

Art Rooney Sr., the iconic founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, didn't build a championship team overnight. His journey began with the Majestic Radios Football Team, a semi-professional squad that served as a crucial stepping stone to his NFL aspirations. This essay explores the connection between these early days and the eventual rise of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Early Hustle: Learning the Game from the Ground Up

The Majestic Radios, founded in the early 1920s, were more than just a team for Art Rooney. They were his classroom. Here, he wore several hats: player, coach, and even recruiter, scouring local neighborhoods and colleges for talent. This hands-on experience laid the groundwork for his future success. He learned the intricacies of the game, the importance of scouting and team building, and the financial realities of running a football organization.

A Winning Start and the Value of Community

The Majestic Radios enjoyed considerable success. This early taste of victory instilled in Rooney a hunger for sustained success. He also understood the importance of community support. The enthusiastic crowds drawn to their games at Exposition Park foreshadowed the passionate Steelers fanbase that would develop later.

The New York Jets have played a pivotal role in making the NFL what it is today. The glamour of high-profile players and coaches in America's largest city makes it hard to imagine the franchise's humble beginnings.

The franchise formed in 1959 as the New York Titans. Harry Wismer, a Big Apple sportscaster for Mutual Radio, attended the inaugural organizational meeting of the fourth edition of an NFL rival league named the American Football League. Wismer proclaimed that it was time for the large metropolis to field a second professional team that would compete with the long-established Giants.

Wismer stated that the team would be called the Titans because Titans were bigger and stronger in ancient lore than Giants. It was only a short time after the team nailed down a contract to call the vaunted Polo Grounds as their home field. The venue was falling apart due to age, and the fans needed to be more receptive to attending games or seeing the product put on the field. Thus, financial woes hit the franchise hard in its first three seasons, so much so that Wismer had to hand control over to the AFL to finish the season.

A business group of five bought the rights for a mere $1, saving the franchise from certain bankruptcy, and ran the squad for the 1963 season. The syndicate, headed by Sonny Werblin, wanted to distance themselves and the team from the failures of the first three seasons in the AFL. Werblin and company also took the team out of the dilapidated Polo Grounds to a new venue, Shea Stadium, which would be shared with another new New York team, the MLB NY Mets. The Mets were touted as a team for the younger generation from the old-school Yankees, and this appealed to Werblin's group to do the same with their competition with the Giants. The name Jets seemed very fitting to associate themselves closer with their new stadium roommates and honor their close location to Laguardia Airport.

The owners also transitioned to a new coaching staff by hiring a proven winner in Weeb Ewbank, who would be the team's Head Coach and General Manager. The moves were a positive strategy that would provide some success for future seasons.

May 23, 1967 - The Cincinnati Bengals franchise forms in the AFL. The team was founded by former Cleveland Browns head coach the legendary Paul Brown.

Coach Brown had been the head coach of the Cleveland Browns for nearly two decades prior, after successful stints as the coach at Ohio State, military teams, and Massillon High School. Coach Brown started then looking for a way to place a second football franchise in the state of Ohio, and the emergence of the AFL had given him and the rest of his group the vehicle to do so. Paul Brown was the head coach of this new franchise from it's inception all the way until 1975, when he was still owner of the team but retired from his coaching duties, when the Bengals were in the NFL.

The Bengals franchise has seen some highs and lows. The high points were probably their winning the AFC Championship game twice in the 1980's but lost to a powerful San Francisco 49ers squad twice in both Super Bowls XVI and XXIII. The Pro Football Hall of Fame declares that three former Bengal players, in addition to Coach Paul Brown, are enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Tackle Anthony Munoz, Ken Riley, along with transplanted wide receivers Charlie Joiner and Terrell Owens.

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This Football History Minute Video reflects on the Rams Franchise, their multiple home locations, and the NFL Titles the team has won.

On February 12, 1937, the Cleveland Rams franchise was officially approved to join the NFL. They abruptly disbanded for a year in 1943 because of the World War II workforce shortages.

At War's end in 1946, businessman Dan Reeves purchased the franchise, and the Cleveland Rams had a 15-14 victory over the Washington Redskins in the NFL championship game under the guidance of a sensational rookie quarterback from UCLA, Bob Waterfield, who was the league's Player of the Year.

Then, in shocking news just days after the Big win, Reeves announced he was moving the team to Los Angeles, California.

In 1995, the franchise moved to St. Louis, and in 1999, the Rams were transformed into Super Bowl champions. Guided by quarterback Kurt Warner and running back Marshall Faulk, the team beat Tennessee 23-16 in a thrilling Super Bowl XXXIV.

In 2016, the Rams moved to Los Angeles, where they won Super Bowl LVI with Cooper Cupp as the MVP in the home confines of SoFi Stadium. So far, they are the only franchise to win NFL titles, representing three different cities.

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Atlanta's love affair with professional football wasn't a love at first sight. Despite the city's fervent sports fandom, securing an NFL franchise proved elusive for years. Finally, in 1965, the league awarded Atlanta an expansion team, marking the birth of the Atlanta Falcons.

The early years were rough. The Falcons struggled to find their footing, posting losing records through most of the 1960s and 70s. However, a 1974 draft pick changed the team's trajectory. Enter Archie Manning, a talented young quarterback who injected hope and excitement into the city.

Manning's arrival ushered in a period of relative success. Though they never reached the Super Bowl, the Falcons became playoff regulars in the late 70s and early 80s, leaving their mark on the NFC West. Players like William Andrews and Gerald Riggs solidified the team's defensive prowess, earning the nickname "The Gritz Blitz."

August 11, 1919, is a crucial date in the history of the Green Bay Packers franchise. It set the stage and got things moving to organize the Gridiron Club.

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons is a cropped version of Curly Lambeau posing to throw a pass in 1919.

During the first of what would be two meetings in the editorial rooms of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, preliminary plans to organize a professional football team were laid. Essentially, the Green Bay Packers were partially founded by Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun. Ironically, the two had been high school rivals a few seasons earlier, but now, they are banded together for a higher cause.

To fund the project, Lambeau received $500 from his employer, the Indian Packing Company, on the condition that the team be named after their sponsor. The Packers have played in their original city longer than any other NFL team and are the only small market team community-owned in the U.S. that remains from the league's early beginnings. The Packers have won 13 league championships and 4 Super Bowls, the most Titles in NFL history per Yahoo.com. The group planned the second meeting just three days later at the Press-Gazette. At the August 14 organizational conference, over two dozen players were in attendance. Curly Lambeau was elected team captain, and George Whitney Calhoun was named manager.

For more on the Green Bay Packers and their players and origin story, visit our Packers Pages.

The Akron Pros were a foundational force in the early days of professional football. Emerging in 1908 as the Akron Indians, they transitioned to the Pros on August 20, 1920, becoming a charter member of the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the NFL.  

The team's most celebrated season was their inaugural year in the APFA. With a formidable defense that allowed a mere seven points all season, the Pros captured the league championship. Their roster included legendary figures like Fritz Pollard, who later became the NFL's first Black head coach.

While their dominance was short-lived, the Akron Pros left an enduring mark on the sport, contributing significantly to its evolution and laying the groundwork for the professional football league we know today.

The Duluth Eskimos, a name synonymous with grit and determination, hold a unique place in the annals of NFL history. Originating in the NFL as the Kelley Duluths on July 28, 1923, the team was the brainchild of M.C. Gebert, owner of the Kelley-Duluth Hardware Store. With Dewey Scanlon, a football enthusiast, at the helm, the team initially struggled due to the harsh Minnesota winters, limiting their home games.  

Despite the challenges, the Kelleys showed promise, culminating in a strong 1924 season. However, the loss of their namesake sponsor necessitated a rebranding. Enter Ernie Nevers, a football luminary. His signing led to the team’s rechristening as the Ernie Nevers' Eskimos. This marked a turning point. To maximize playing opportunities, the Eskimos embarked on an unprecedented odyssey, becoming a traveling team. They crisscrossed the nation, playing an astonishing number of games in a single season.  

The Eskimos' journey was as remarkable as their on-field exploits. Their nomadic existence, coupled with Nevers' star power, drew massive crowds wherever they played. While their financial success was undeniable, the physical and mental toll on the players was immense. Ultimately, the grueling schedule proved unsustainable. After the 1927 season, the Eskimos disbanded, leaving an indelible mark on the league.  

Though short-lived, the Duluth Eskimos’ impact on the NFL is profound. Their innovative approach to scheduling, their role in popularizing the sport, and the legendary status of Ernie Nevers cemented their legacy. While the team may have vanished, their spirit of adventure and resilience continues to inspire. The Eskimos were pioneers, paving the way for future generations of NFL players and franchises. Their story is a testament to the enduring allure of football and the indomitable human spirit.