Who are the five oldest NFL teams?

Written by Editorial Team | Last Updated: August 2026

The five oldest continuously operating franchises in the National Football League include the Arizona Cardinals (tracing back to 1898), the Chicago Bears (founded as the Decatur Staleys in 1919 and joining the league in 1920), the Green Bay Packers (founded in 1919 and joining the NFL in 1921), the New York Giants (established in 1925), and the Detroit Lions (originally founded as the Portsmouth Spartans in 1929 before moving to Michigan). These historic organizations laid the bedrock foundation for professional football in America.

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