Throughout its history, the National Football League (NFL) and other rival American football leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champions, including a period of inter-league matchups determining a true world champion.
Following its founding in 1920, the NFL first determined champions through end-of-season standings, but switched to a playoff system in 1933. The rival American Football League (AFL) began play in 1960 and used a playoff system to determine its champion. In 1970 the AFL merged with the NFL.
From 1966–1969 prior to the merger in 1970, the NFL and the AFL agreed to hold an ultimate championship game, first called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game and later renamed the Super Bowl after 1968. Following the merger in 1970, the Super Bowl name continued as the game to determine the NFL champion.
Which team has won the most NFL Championships?
The Green Bay Packers have won the most championships with 13 total (9 NFL championships pre-merger, four (4) Super Bowl championships). The Packers are also the only team to win three consecutive championships, having done so twice (1929–1931, 1965–1967). The Chicago Bears have won the second most overall championships with nine (9) (eight NFL championships, one Super Bowl championship).
| Franchise | Championships | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Packers | 13 | 1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1996, 2010 |
| Chicago Bears | 9 | 1921, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963, 1985 |
| New York Giants | 8 | 1927, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1986, 1990, 2007, 2011 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 6 | 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2005, 2008 |
| Washington Redskins | 5 | 1937, 1942, 1982, 1987, 1991 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 5 | 1981, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 5 | 1971, 1977, 1992, 1993, 1995 |
| New England Patriots | 5 | 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016 |
| Detroit Lions | 4 | 1935, 1952, 1953, 1957 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | 1948, 1949, 1960, 2017 |
| Cleveland Browns | 4 | 1950, 1954, 1955, 1964 |
| Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts | 4 | 1958, 1959, 1970, 2006 |
| Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders | 3 | 1976, 1980, 1983 |
| Denver Broncos | 3 | 1997, 1998, 2015 |
| Cleveland/St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams | 3 | 1945, 1951, 1999 |
| Canton Bulldogs | 2 | 1922, 1923 |
| Chicago/Arizona Cardinals | 2 | 1925, 1947 |
| Miami Dolphins | 2 | 1972, 1973 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2 | 2000, 2012 |
| Akron Pros | 1 | 1920 |
| Cleveland Bulldogs | 1 | 1924 |
| Frankford Yellow Jackets | 1 | 1926 |
| Providence Steam Rollers | 1 | 1928 |
| New York Jets | 1 | 1968 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1 | 1969 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 | 2002 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1 | 2009 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 1 | 2013 |