The Cardinals were christened as the Arizona Cardinals in March 1994. But the franchise has existed long before then.
The National Football League was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association. The league adopted its current name in 1922. Only two of the founding teams -- the Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears) and the Racine Street (Chicago) Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) -- are still in the league.
The Cardinals, founded in 1898, are the oldest established team in the NFL. They were established as an independent team and then joined the NFL in its founding year of 1920. Here's a look at all the franchises in NFL history -- past and present:
Active franchises
Arizona Cardinals (1994-present)
Phoenix Cardinals (1988-93)
St. Louis Cardinals (1960-87)
Chicago Cardinals (1945-59)
Card-Pitt (1944)
Chicago Cardinals (1920-43)
Note: The Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers merged during the 1944 season after both teams lost too many players to military service during World War II.
Atlanta Falcons (1966-present)
Baltimore Ravens (1996-present)
Buffalo Bills (1960-present)
Carolina Panthers (1995-present)
Chicago Bears (1922-present)
Chicago Staleys (1921)
Decatur Staleys (1920)
Cincinnati Bengals (1968-present)
Cleveland Browns (1946-present)
Dallas Cowboys (1960-present)
Denver Broncos (1960-present)
Detroit Lions (1934-present)
Portsmouth Spartans (1930-33)
Green Bay Packers (1921-present)
Houston Texans (2002-present)
Indianapolis Colts (1984-present)
Baltimore Colts (1953-83)
Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-present)
Kansas City Chiefs (1963-present)
Dallas Texans (1960-62)
Las Vegas Raiders (2020-present)
Oakland Raiders (1995-2019)
Los Angeles Raiders (1982-94)
Oakland Raiders (1960-81)
Los Angeles Chargers (2017-present)
San Diego Chargers (1961-2016)
Los Angeles Chargers (1960)
Los Angeles Rams (2016-present)
St. Louis Rams (1995-2015)
Los Angeles Rams (1946-94)
Cleveland Rams (1937-45)
Miami Dolphins (1966-present)
Minnesota Vikings (1961-present)
New England Patriots (1971-present)
Boston Patriots (1960-70)
New Orleans Saints (1967-present)
New York Giants (1925-present)
New York Jets (1963-present)
New York Titans (1960-62)
Philadelphia Eagles (1944-present)
Phil-Pitt Combine (1943)
Philadelphia Eagles (1933-42)
Note: The Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers merged during the 1943 season after both teams lost too many players to military service during World War II.
Pittsburgh Steelers (1945-present)
Card-Pitt (1944)
Phil-Pitt Combine (1943)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1940-42)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1933-39)
San Francisco 49ers (1946-present)
Seattle Seahawks (1976-present)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1976-present)
Tennessee Oilers (1997-1998)
Tennessee Titans (1999-present)
Tennessee Oilers (1997-98)
Houston Oilers (1960-96)
Washington Commanders (2022-present)
Washington Football Team (2020-21)
Washington Redskins (1937-19)
Boston Redskins (1933-36)
Boston Braves (1932)
Defunct franchises
Akron Indians (1926)
Akron Pros (1920-25)
Baltimore Colts (1947-50)
Boston Bulldogs (1929)
Pottsville Maroons
Boston Yanks (1946-48)
Yanks (1945)
Boston Yanks (1944)
Note: The Boston Yanks and Brooklyn Tigers merged in 1945 after both teams lost too many players to military service during World War II.
Brooklyn Dodgers (1946-48)
Brooklyn Lions (1946)
Brooklyn Tigers (1944)
Brooklyn Dodgers (1930-43)
Buffalo Bills (1947-49)
Buffalo Bisons (1946)
Buffalo Bisons (1927-29)
Buffalo Rangers (1926)
Buffalo Bisons (1924-25)
Buffalo All-Americans (1920-23)
Canton Bulldogs (1920-1926)
Chicago Hornets (1949)
Chicago Rockets (1946-48)
Chicago Tigers (1920)
Cincinnati Celts (1921)
Cincinnati Reds (1933-1934)
Cleveland Bulldogs (1924-27)
Cleveland Indians (1923)
Cleveland Indians (1931)
Cleveland Indians (1921)
Cleveland Tigers (1920)
Columbus Tigers (1923-26)
Columbus Panhandles (1920-22)
Dallas Texans (1952)
Dayton Triangles (1920-29)
Detroit Heralds (1920)
Detroit Panthers (1925-26)
Detroit Tigers (1921)
Detroit Wolverines (1928)
Duluth Eskimos (1926-27)
Duluth Kellys (1923-25)
Evansville Crimson Giants (1921-22)
Frankford Yellow Jackets (1924-31)
Hammond Pros (1920-26)
Hartford Blues (1926)
Kansas City Cowboys (1925-26)
Kansas City Blues (1924)
Kenosha Maroons (1924)
Los Angeles Buccaneers (1926)
Los Angeles Dons (1946-49)
Louisville Colonels (1926)
Louisville Brecks (1921-23)
Miami Seahawks (1946)
Milwaukee Badgers (1922-26)
Minneapolis Red Jackets (1929-30)
Minneapolis Marines
Muncie Flyers (1920-21)
New York Brickley Giants (1921)
New York Yankees (1946-49)
New York Yankees (1927-28)
New York Yanks (1950-51)
New York Bulldogs (1949)
Newark Tornadoes (1930)
Orange Tornadoes (1929)
Oorang Indians (1922-23)
Providence Steam Roller (1925-31)
Racine Tornadoes (1926)
Racine Legion (1922-24)
Rochester Jeffersons (1920-25)
Rock Island Independents (1920-25)
St. Louis All-Stars (1923)
St. Louis Gunners (1934)
Staten Island Stapletons (1929-32)
Toledo Maroons (1922-23)
Tonawanda Kardex (1921)
Washington Senators (1921)
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