11 NFL Teams who changed their names

The NFL has not only been about the legacy, records, and iconic players, but also the evolution of the teams. Several teams have gone through major rebranding and name-changing processes due to multiple reasons.

Surbhi Khera
September 17, 2025
4 min read

11 NFL Teams who changed their names — © Denny Medley-Imagn Images

There are multiple reasons behind the name changes and the rebranding of NFL franchises, ranging from relocations to new ownership. Often, these changes are seen as a way to give the team a fresh identity, and several NFL teams have followed this path over the years.

11. Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions were formerly called the Portsmouth Spartans in 1930. In 1934, when the franchise was relocated to Detroit, it was rebranded as the Detroit Lions to show the strong and unbeatable nature of the players.

10. Las Vegas Raiders

The Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders were originally called the Oakland Raiders when they were founded in 1960. Due to the constant relocation patterns, it came to be known as the Los Angeles Raiders, Oakland Raiders, and finally became the Las Vegas Raiders.

9. Los Angeles Rams

In 1936, Homer Marshman founded the Cleveland Rams. Later in 1946, the team moved to California and gained a new identity-Los Angeles Rams. In 1955, it was relocated and got the name St. Louis Rams before returning to its former identity in 2016.

8. Los Angeles Chargers

It was founded in the AFL as the Los Angeles Chargers and played one season. Later in 1961, it was relocated to San Diego and got the name San Diego Chargers. For 56 years, the franchise continued to flourish and gain a fan base before returning to its original identity in 2017.

7. Arizona Cardinals

The franchise, the Arizona Cardinals, was originally founded as the Morgan Athletic Club in 1898 in Chicago and has a long history. Later, it became the Racine Normals and then the Racine Cardinals. In 1960 and 1988, it came to be known as the Chicago Cardinals and St. Louis Cardinals because of relocation. Finally, in 1994, it was rebranded as the Arizona Cardinals.

6. Indianapolis Colts

Originally called the Miami Seahawks until the team moved to Baltimore and was renamed the Baltimore Colts. In 1984, the team relocated to Indianapolis and gained the name Indianapolis Colts. The term Colts was not dropped, as it reflected the rich tradition of horse racing and breeding of Baltimore.

5. Tennessee Titans

In 1960, the franchise was originally called the Houston Oilers and was based in Houston, Texas. Due to stadium disputes, the owner decided to move the team from Houston to Tennessee in 1997. The team played as the Tennessee Oilers for two seasons and was finally rebranded as the Tennessee Titans in 1999.

4. Kansas City Chiefs

One of the most popular franchises, the Kansas City Chiefs, was founded as the Dallas Texans in 1960. In 1963, it relocated to Kansas City, and a new identity was required; thus, the owner, Lamar Hunt, decided to add a fresh touch to the franchise. It was renamed the Kansas City Chiefs. The word ‘Chief’ honored the city’s mayor, Harold Roe Bartle, because he convinced the owner to move it to Kansas City.

3. New York Jets

The New York Jets have an interesting name-changing history. The team was founded in 1960 as the New York Titans in the American Football League. Later in 1963, it was renamed the New York Jets because the team was supposed to play near an airport, and a similarly named team, the New York Mets, shared the stadium, which helped in branding and added a modern touch.

2. Washington Commanders

In 1932, the Washington Commanders started as the Boston Braves but changed their name the next year and were renamed the Boston Redskins. The team came to be known as the Washington Redskin when they moved to Washington. In 2020, the franchise decided to drop the word Redskins from the name due to its negative connotation, and the team got the temporary name- Washington Football Team. Finally, in 2022, the team was rebranded and underwent a makeover as the Washington Commanders.

1. Chicago Bears

One of the two original NFL franchises that is still active, the Chicago Bears were founded in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys in Decatur, Illinois. Later, it moved to Chicago and thus gained a fresh identity and the name Chicago Staleys. In 1922, the NFL team got the name Chicago Bears, inspired by the baseball team Chicago Cubs, with the reasoning that football players are bigger and tougher.