NFL Football Names Origin

Funny how I’ve been an NFL fan all my life yet it’s just now that I’ve research the story behind their name origins. I was fascinated by the stories and make me love NFL football more. Each NFL has a story behind its name. While the origin of some names is self-explanatory, others are more storied or obscure. Here are my favorite tales.

Chicago Bears - In 1921, the Decatur Staleys moved to Chicago, Illinois. Chicago already had a baseball team named the cubs. So owner George Halas chose "Bears" instead, as football is a much more rugged sport than baseball is.

Cleveland Browns - A man named Paul Brown served as the Browns' first head coach and general manager. The original Browns team later moved to Baltimore (1996), becoming the Baltimore Ravens. Three years later, a new Cleveland Browns emerged as an NFL expansion team.

Indianapolis Colts - The Miami Seahawks relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1946. A man named Charles Evans won a name-the-team contest, by choosing the name "Colts." Maryland is renowned for its racehorses, so why did Evans choose the term that refers to a young male horse? His argument was that the Baltimore football team would be the youngest team in the league. Furthermore, he noted that "Colts" was easy to say and include in the headlines of newspapers. When the team moved to Indianapolis in 1984, it kept the name.

Atlanta Falcons - The city of Atlanta, Georgia is not renowned for falcons. So, how was the team named after the regal bird? A teacher named Julia Elliot won a name-the-team contest for the new NFL team. Elliot noted that various adjectives accurately described the falcon: Courage, Deadly, Dignified, Proud and Sporting. Thus, the new Atlanta NFL team became the Falcons.

Green Bay Packers - The story behind the Packers' name is certainly one of the most fascinating ones in the NFL. George Calhoun and Earl "Curly" Lambeau once talked in passing about forming a new football team. Within time, the idea became a reality. The employer of Lambeau, the Indian Packing Company, agreed to sponsor the team. They provided jerseys, football equipment, and a practice field. Due to the company's contributions for launching the team, the name "Packers" was born.

Tennessee Titans - The Titans were figures in the mythology of ancient Greece, so how did they become linked to an NFL football team? After the team moved from Houston to Tennessee, the owner announced that the team would have a new nickname. He revealed that "Titans" was chosen because the Tennessee's city Nashville was nicknamed the "Athens of the South." During the 5th century B.C., Athens became ancient Greece's primary city.

No matter what NFL football team you are rooting for, it is always nice to know the origin of the team’s name and can provide you with a better appreciation for the team. Now the question is which name will prevail this NFL season and will be hail the super bowl champs? Let’s all hang on there as NFL unveils upon us.