Major League Football

American Football Leagues (AAA)

Ever since the birth of the National Football league in 1920 there have been attempts at creating a second Professional Football League to rival it, with only the American Football League of 1960-1969 being successful enough to force a merger (the NFL and AFL are now the NFC and AFC and the winners of each play in the Super Bowl).

There has been a number of eras of Major Leagues: The American Football Leagues Era (1926-1950), The Continental Football Leagues Era (1960-1983), and the XFL Football Leagues Era (1990-2020). In addition during the XFL Era there were two other Major League attempts: the Arena Football League (1985-2019) and the World Football Leagues (1991-2020).

Rival Leagues to the National Football League have existed since the 1920s, most of them from the 1920s to 1960s called themselves the American Football League, and since then there has been a variety of names and ideas, such as the Continental Football League (1965-1969), World Football League (1974-1975), Spring Leagues (United States Football League, 1983-1985), Indoor Football Leagues (Arena Football League 1986-2019), World Football Leagues (World League of American Football / NFL Europe 1991-2007, Elite Football League of India 2012, China AFL 2016-2019, & LFA Mexico 2016-present), Extreme Football Leagues & Leagues which failed to get off the ground (PSFL 1993, Spring League 2000, XFL 2001, United Football League 2009-2011, FXFL 2014-2015, North American Football League 2016, The Spring League 2017-Present, XFL 2020), More recently Minority Football Leagues have appeared such as the Alliance of American Football 2019 and the Freedom Football League 2020.

Only the American Football League of 1960-1969 has been successful long-term, leading to both the start of the Super Bowl between the AFL Winners and the NFL Winners in 1967 and the eventual merger of the two leagues (They are now the American & National Football Conferences in the NFL – the Super Bowl is still played between the winners of the two Conferences)

Major League Eras

Early Pro American Football (1892-1919) The first attempts at establishing the sport of Professional Football outside of the big Colleges.

American Football Leagues Era (1926-1950) The first Major League Rival Era, the AFL Era isso named because most leagues used the AFL name. Most were based in the South or West with teams also in the Mid-West and North East. At the time the NFL was solely based in the North East and Mid-West.

Continental Football Leagues Era (1960-1983) The second Major League Era featured leagues such as the Continental Football League (which placed teams in Canada and Mexico), the World Football League (which placed a team in Hawaii) and the United States Football League.

XFL Football Leagues Era (1992-2020) The most famous League of this Era is the XFL, which intended to bring back the hard-hitting working class Football which had been seen my some to have disappeared from the NFL.

Failed Pro Football Leagues (1917-Present) There has been a long list of Leagues which failed to get off the ground, which are not important except to obsessive fans.

Other Leagues

Canadian Football League (1958-Present) The Canadian Football League broke away from the Amateur Canadian Rugby Union in 1958 and established the first Pro Gridiron Football League outside of the United States. (see  CFL for more on Canadian Football)

Arena Football League (1985-2019) The most successful venture since the AFL of 1960-1969, Arena Football (also known as Indoor Football) is played on a converted Ice Rink, with a 50-yard Field and two 8-yard endzones. Teams have 8 players and 5 downs (attempts) in which to score or the ball is turned over. It has become massively popular in Mexico. (see  Arena Football for more on Reduced Numbers Football Leagues).

World Pro Football Leagues (1991-2020) The first venture by the NFL overseas was the World League of American Football (a development league) which placed teams in Europe and Canada as well as cities without NFL teams. It failed after 17 years in 2007, but Leagues have since been established in India, Canada, Australia and China by various American Leagues. A League in Mexico in 2016 – the Liga Football Americano Mexico looks set to be a third Major League having been recognised by the Canadian Football League. (See  World Football for more details on top-level World American Football Leagues)

Legends Football League (2004-Present) An attempt at starting a Womens Pro League respectively. (see  Womens Football for more details).

Irish-Born AAA Players & Coaches

Irish-Born AAA Football Players

A look at the record of Irish-born Professional & US College American Football Players.

Major Rival Football Leagues Standings 2020 2019

Irish-Born AAA American Football Players, Coaches & Personnel:

Tom Furlong Irish-Born NFL and Pro American Football Player 1965-1966 (Check this)

(New York Giants (NFL), Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Brooklyn Dodgers (CoFL))

Adrian Young Irish-Born NFL, Pro and College American Football Player 1964-1975

(USC Trojans (NCAA), Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), Detroit Lions (NFL), Chicago Bears (NFL) and The Hawaiians (WFL))

Emmett Waldron Irish-Born Pro & College American Football Player 1993-1999

(Rice Owls (NCAA), Scottish Claymores (WLAF-NFLE))

Linda Holland | Irish-Born Pro Legends-Arena American Football Player 2014 (Check This)

(Western Australia Angels (LFL Australia))

Ian Jones Irish-Born GAA Football, Rugby Union and NFL American Football Coach 2010-Present (Check This)

(South Carolina Gamecocks (NCAA Football), Penn State Nittany Lions (NCAA Football), Cleveland Browns (NFL) Houston Texans (NFL), Salt Lake Stallions (AAF)

Picture Credit: ARLINGTON, USA – SEP 15, 2015: Interior view of the AT&T Stadium, formerly known as Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Texas, United States By David J Maldonado [Shutterstock]

XFL’s (2019-2020)

UFL 2009-2011; XFL 2001; 2020; AAF 2019; FXFL 2014-2015;

From the early 1990s to 2020 Leagues have sprung up that have attempted to be the AFL / WFL / USFL of the Era. Some of these Leagues, such as the XFL of 2001 and 2020 have had quite an impact on the American Football scene, with big budgets, and Major TV contracts.

XFL (Seasons):  2020

Alliance of American Football (Seasons):  2019

XFL (Seasons): 2001

Regional Football League (Seasons): 1999

Picture Credit: XFL- 2/9/20-MetLife Stadium East Rutherford,NJ- The Guardians host the Vipers on opening day of the XFL. By Christopher Lyzcen [Shutterstock]

Spring Leagues (2009-2021)

Spring Football League 2000; UFL 2009-2011; Stars Football League 2011-2013; FXFL 2014-2015; The Spring League 2017-2021

Another set of leagues has played a limited schedule – 2 to 6 games per team per season, often due to fans not showing up at the gates, or sometimes due to repositioning themselves as leagues confined to one area – ie. South Florida (Stars Football League) or New York / New England (FXFL)

The Spring League 2017-Present

FXFL Fall Experimental Football League 2014-2015

Stars Football League 2011-2013

United Football League 2009-2011

The Spring League (Fall Seasons): 2020 (Check this)

The Spring League (Seasons): 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017

FXFL Fall Experimental Football League (Seasons): 2015 2014

Stars Football League (Seasons):   2013 2012 2011

United Football League (Seasons): 2011 2010 2009

Spring Football League (Seasons): 2000

Picture Credit: [4] United Football League | Internet Archive (2012) UFL Shield [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20121029043349im_/http://ufl-football.com.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/Logos/UFL_Shield.png[Accessed 13 August 2019]

Continental Football Leagues Era (1960-1985)

USFL 1983-1985; AFA 1977-1983; WFL 1974-1975; SWPFL 1972-1973; CoFL 1965-1969; UFL 1961-1964

After a break in the 1950s when the National Football League started playing International games in Canada and against Canadian opposition, and the Canadian Football League provided a AAA Alternative to the NFL, new AAA Leagues started up again in the 1960s. The United Football League (1961-1964) was the first of these, and then from 1965-1969 the Continental Football League was the first to put teams in both Canada and Mexico.

The Southwestern Football League of 1972-1973 was the precursor to the World Football League (1974-1975) which aimed to bring the sport to the World, although Hawaii was as far as it got. The American Football association of 1977-1983 was another attempt at a AAA League although it was put out of business by the United States Football League (1983-1985) which was the first Major Spring League.  It featured High Profile Owners, such as the later US President Donald Trump, but was itself put out of business by the NFL’s collusion with the Major TV Networks to keep it off the air, as was proved in a later anti-trust trial.

Most of these Leagues, in particular the WFL & USFL tried, and failed to become another American Football League of 1960-1969 which was so successful it forced a merger with the NFL, with the winners of the two Leagues (now conferences since the merger in 1970) playing each other in the Super Bowl. (see  National Football League)

United States Football Leagues Era Championship Games

United States Football Leagues Era AAA Championship Games 1961-1985

United States Football Leagues Era Overviews:

United States Football League 1983-1985

American Football Association 1977-1983

World Football League 1974-1975 (Irish Players)

Southwestern Football League 1972-1973

Continental Football League 1965-1969

United Football League 1961-1964 (Check This)

Southwestern Football League (Seasons): 1973

Picture Credit: Football field view on 50 yard line with spectator stands By pics721 [Shutterstock]

American Football Leagues Era (1920-1950)

AAFC 1946-1949; Pacific Pro Football League 1940-1948; AFLs 1926-1944;

The first Major rival to the NFL to use the American Football League name was the AFL of 1926, and from then until 1950 Leagues using this name came and went, usually lasting only one or two seasons. Theses Leagues, however, are notable for the genesis of teams such as the Cleveland (Now Los Angeles) Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore (now Indianapolis) Colts, which later joined the NFL. The AFL of 1960 also reused the names of some of these teams (Buffalo Bills & Cincinnati Bengals), teams which are now also in the NFL.

American Football Leagues Era Champions:

American Football Leagues Era AAA Champions 1926-1949

American Football Leagues (Overviews):

All-American Football Conference 1946-1949

Pacific Coast Pro Football League 1940-1948

American Football League 1944

American Football League 1940-1941 (Check this)

American Football League 1938-1939

American Football League 1936-1937

American Football League 1934

Memphis Tigers AAA Independent American Football 1929-1933

California Winter League 1927-1928

American Football League 1926

Anthracite Football League 1923-1924

Fort Wayne Friars Independent AAA Football 1920 (check this)

California Winter League (Seasons):  1928 1927

All-America Football Conference (seasons): 1949

PIcture Credit: A worn and aged vintage old style American football helmet. Authentic and game-worn 1950s style football face mask and helmet By Brocreative [Shutterstock]

Early Pro American Football (1890-1919)

Ohio League; Pennsylvania Pro Football Circuit; World Series of Pro Football;

The first Pro american Football League was the Western Pennsylvania Pro Football Circuit in the Pittsburgh and surrounding Coal-Mining areas. The Leagues were unofficial, and the players paid under the counter. The first Word series was held in 1901, actually a five-team tournament, and that lasted two seasons. In 1903 the Ohio League became the first League to Officially pay players and when that League saw players salaries spiral due to competition from other teams for their services, four Ohio League teams joined forces with teams from Pennsylvania and Upstate New York to form the American Professional Football Association in 1920, which in 1922 changed its name to the National Football League, the Major League we know today. Canton is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the NFL Preseason opens there with the latest induction of Hall of Fame players in honour of the Canton Bulldogs, prime players in the Ohio League and formation of the NFL.

World Series of Pro Football:

World Series of Pro Football 1902-1903

World Series of Football (Seasons): 1903 (Check This) 1902

Pennsylvania League

Western Penn Pro Football Circuit (Seasons): 1895 1896 (check These)

National Football League (Seasons): 1902 (Check This)

Ohio League

Ohio League Champions 1903-1919

Ohio League 1915-1919 (Irish Players) (Check this)

Ohio League (Seasons): 1904 1905 (Check These)

Picture Credit: 1920s football action. Thousands of spectators watch from double decker stadium seats. By Everett Collection[Shutterstock]

Failed Major Leagues (1917-Present)

Failed Major Leagues

Most of these Leagues, however, have failed to even start their first season, have defrauded investors, or just suffered from a lack of mainstream publicity in the Internet Era with so much Football and other sports available to view online

X-League Extreme Football 2021

X-League Extreme Football League 2020

Pacific Pro Football 2020

Major League Football 2020

Freedom Football League 2020 (check this)

American Patriot League 2018-2020

Trinity Professional Spring Football League 2018 (check this)

North American Football League 2016

Fan Ownership League 2001

International Football Federation 2000

Professional Spring Football League 1993

International League of American Football 1990

World Indoor Football League 1988 (Check This)

Intercontinental Football League 1974-1975

Pro Football League 1917 (check This)

PIcture Credit:

American Football Timelines

These Timelines are a record of teams from the first to last that have played in each Major or AAA Professional American Football League, or Irish American Football League.

American Football League Timelines

XFL; USFL; WFL; CoFL; AFL; NFL

Major Football Leagues Timelines:

Major American Football Leagues Timeline 1909-2020 (Leagues) (Check this)

Major League American Football Teams Timeline 1873-Present (Check this)

Major & AAA Football Leagues Timelines:

Canadian Football League Timeline 1869-present

American Football Leagues Era Timeline 1920-1959

National Football League International Era Timeline 1950-Present

Continental Football Leagues Era Timeline 1960-1985

Arena Indoor Football Leagues Era Timeline 1985-2019 (Check this)

XFL and World Football League Timelines 1988-2019

National Football League Assorted Timelines:

National Football League Major League Teams Timeline 1920-present

National Football League Expansion 1920-present

National Football League Expansion in America – A Look at AAA Football League Teams 1974-2020 (Check This)

National Football League v XFL v World Football League (Check This)

European American Football Leagues Timelines

European American Football World Wars Era Timeline 1918-1993 (Check this)

European American Football NFL Europe Era Timeline 1972-Present

Irish American Football Leagues Timelines

Irish American Football League Expansion 1984-present (Check this)

Irish American Football League | Timeline 1986-2018 (check This)

Irish American Football Youth Kitted Timeline (Check This)

Picture Credit: [30] Sports Logos History (2018) USFL Logo 1983-1985 [Internet] Available from: https://sportslogohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/united_states_football_league.png [Accessed 31 December 2019]