ABOUT THE NFL

Ingrained within the very fabric of America's vastly woven quilt of cultural relevance, American football (not to be confused with the other "football" a.k.a. soccer) stands today as the most popular sport in the country with rebelliously entangled roots that run nearly parallel with the United States history of defiant independence towards European influence. Originally conceived as a hybrid cross between rugby and soccer, football struggled to tread waters of relevance during its early years as fan interest flocked to the more established American sport at the time - baseball. The reasons for this were many highlighted by the lack of a governing body to legitimize the sport in the same way that baseball had decades prior. Though steps had been attempted to remedy this before 1920, the rising cost of players coupled with individuals switching teams without restraint necessitated the formation of the APFA (American Professional Football Association) which was renamed into the National Football League only 2 years later. For its first 3 decades of existence, the NFL operated as the apex football league effectively ousting any attempt at questioning its mantle until 1959 when a group of investors who had been shut out of NFL ownership banned together to form the AFL (American Football League) which was a moniker used for several separate league iterations that had come during the early years of this administrative obscurity. Armed with a strong financial backing and a major dislike for the NFL's current football monopoly, the AFL rose to prominence as the biggest threat to the current regime successfully undermining the former mainly through economic instability (salaries had risen to new highs with leagues competing for players). Seeing murky waters ahead without a compromise to this issue, owners from both leagues worked together to form a "merger" which would blend the 2 leagues into 1 bringing resolution to college player eligibility through a draft system as well as ultimate championship supremacy through a "Super Bowl" which would determine the grand football champion over both leagues. In 1966, the first vestiges that evolved into the league as we know it today were sewn as the official merger was struck while the NFL/AFL reformed into what is now known as the NFC/AFC while also ratifying football doctrine into a new Genesis so that this new era of championships was given the context that it deserves (pre-merger records were retained for historical relevancy though their overall value towards todays metric remains questionable). All of this was brought under the single banner of the NFL for circumstantial relevancy and the league has operated under this guise ever since making subtle changes throughout the years as new aspects are realized.

• Founded: 1920 (NFL: 1920/AFL: 1959)
• Merged: 1966
• Regular season length: 17 games

Playoff format: 

POSITION KEY

QB = Quarterback
The leader, pace-setter and liaison between the coaching staff and his on-field teammates, Quarterbacks are the single most important players on any football field directing their squad's playbook via coaching strategy/defensive alignments while executing throws with as much pinpoint precision as possible to their offensive counterparts

RB = Running Back
Lining up behind the quarterback pre-snap in either a "half-back" or "full-back" position, Running Backs are primarily responsible for receiving the ball via handoff in order to gain yards up the field by holding on to the ball and charging with it towards their endzone but they can also be employed as extra blockers or receivers whenever necessary

WR = Wide Receiver 
Acting as eligible targets for their team's passing attack, Wide Receivers mainly operate by running down the field and giving their quarterback a teammate to pass to via aerial exchange which is typically riskier than running but more rewarding if successful

TE = Tight End
Most often starting plays pre-snap in formation with the offensive line, Tight Ends utilize versatility like a Swiss-Army Knife as blockers and receivers throwing the defense off balance as to what their intentions are marking them as key offensive cogs especially near the endzone  

OL = Offensive Lineman
Consisting of 5 players lined up in front of the quarterback pre-snap, Offensive Linemen are tasked with protecting their team's signal-caller from defensive players in addition to creating running lanes for their backs to burst through 

DL = Defensive Lineman
Positioned along the line of scrimmage opposite of the offensive line, Defensive Linemen are primarily responsible with meeting the opposing ball carrier head-on at the point of attack driving them backwards through any means possible 

LB = Linebacker
Anchoring a key position between the defensive line and the secondary, Linebackers can be deployed to be both point-of-attack defenders as well as pass disruptors typically utilizing more on-the-fly flexibility than their more defined squadmates

DB = Defensive Back
Made up of receiver blanket cornerbacks and last line safeties, Defensive Backs are tasked mainly with defending against the opposing team's aerial attack repelling passes in any way they can

K = Kicker
Responsible for all of his team's place-kicking duties, Kickers are able to score points via field goal or extra point and are also the catalyst to a new drive by booting the ball off of a tee to the opposing team 

P = Punter
Used mainly for the purpose of foregoing possession to the opposing team, Punters kick the ball from a standing position and attempt to pin their adversaries as far back as they possibly can in order to force more space between their defending goal and the opposition's next offensive series

AWARDS GLOSSARY

AP NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year

Awarded annually to the most outstanding first-year offensive player in the National Football League as voted by the Associated Press 

AP NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Year

Awarded annually to the most outstanding first-year defensive player in the National Football League as voted by the Associated Press

AP NFL Offensive Player Of The Year

Awarded annually to the most outstanding overall offensive player in the National Football League as voted by the Associated Press

AP NFL Defensive Player Of The Year

Awarded annually to the most outstanding overall defensive player in the National Football League as voted by the Associated Press

AP NFL Most Valuable Player Of The Year

Awarded annually to the most valuable overall player in the National Football League as voted by the Associated Press

Vince Lombardi Trophy

Awarded annually to the team that wins the Super Bowl championship at the end of the season

Super Bowl MVP

Awarded annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl as voted by a combination of 16 NFL officials and fans voting electronically

TEAM PROFILES

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