If you had to cut the NFL in half, what teams would you cut?

[deluxe_247]

id add more before i cut any.

[SackMan]

Easy answer... the original 16 teams when the league expanded in 1967.

Capital
Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Redskins
New Orleans Saints

Century
Cleveland Browns
New York Giants
St. Louis Cardinals (Formerly Chicago, now Arizona)
Pittsburgh Steelers

Coastal
Los Angeles Rams (Formerly Los Angeles, now St. Louis)
Baltimore Colts (Now Indianapolis)
San Francisco 49ers
Atlanta Falcons

Central
Green Bay Packers
Chicago Bears
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings

Strong consideration to replace the Saints and Falcons:
1. Oakland Raiders: because of their history, Al Davis' involvement in the AFL-NFL merger, and the strong market they represent.
2. Miami Dolphins: because of their history, and the strong market they represent.

[TheDiplomats]

id add more before i cut any.

Agreed. What are the odds that we see a few more franchises pop up in the next decade? Wouldn't surprise me to see a few more teams created.

[doublej73]

I like your list. About the only change I'd make is I'd keep the Cleveland Browns and boot out either the Chiefs (small market, limited success/only one SB victory) or the Buffalo Bills. No SB championships, Scott Norwood, Rob Johnson not knowing the playbook!?! etc.

While the Browns have not even been to the Super Bowl during the SB era, they won many championships during the pre Super Bowl era, they have the history of Jim Brown, and most of all, they already had their team taken away once, you can't do that to the city of Cleveland again! Haven't they suffered enough already after the drive, the fumble, drafting Tim Couch etc.

[latsprewell20002000]

Sweet the Lions made the cut....

[grover99]

I would use team history, success, prestige, etc as factors. You can use whatever you want to determine which teams are worth keeping around. Obviously, this would never happen in reality as there is too much money to be made by having 32 teams, so this is purely hypothetical. To even the playing field a little, I'll only take into account teams/games in the Super Bowl era. So...teams 1-16 would remain in the NFL, and teams 17-32 would be cut. And remember, there is no difference between 1 and 16, only between 16 and 17.

MADE THE CUT (get to stay in the NFL)

1. Dallas Cowboys - 5 championships, Americas team
2. San Fransisco 49ers - 5 championships
3. Pittsburgh Steelers - again, cant argue with the team's success
4. Green Bay Packers - prestigious
5. New England Patriots - Dynasty of the 2000s, and made Super Bowl apperances in the 80s and 90s
6. New York Giants
7. Chicago Bears - only 1 championship, but the tradition is there
8. Washington Redskins
9. Oakland Raiders - 6 years of sucktitude doesnt outweigh 30 years of excellence
10. Denver Broncos - history of success
11. Minnesota Vikings
12. Indianapolis Colts
13. Miami Dolphins - having the only perfect season gets them over the hump
14. Philadelphia Eagles
15. Buffalo Bills - something has to be said for making 4 straight Super Bowls
16. Kansas City Chiefs

DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT

17. Cleveland Browns
18. New York Jets
19. Baltimore Ravens
20. Tampa Bay Bucs - one ring doesn't quite make up for decades of losing
21. St. Louis Rams
22. Tennessee Titans
23. San Diego Chargers - getting a little better
24. Atlanta Falcons
25. Seattle Seahawks
26. Cincinnati Bengals - at least they've been in a couple of Super Bowls
27. Carolina Panthers - a victim of being too new
28. Jacksonville Jaguars - see above
29. New Orleans Saints
30. Arizona Cardinals - the Clippers of the NFL
31. Houston Texans - again, too new
32. Detroit Lions - yuck

As a Jets/Giants fan, the 1st 6 teams to go would be the Pats, Dolphins, Bills, Cowboys, Eagles, & Redskins. Then I'd axe Indy & AZ because they both used to be in our divisions. Then I'd axe Houston, Jax, Car, & Balt because they're too new (like you said). Last 4 would be Detroit, NO, Tenn & Cleveland because they've never played in a SB.

Unless I am mistaken the Titans lost to the Rams in '99.

[dmacblue]

JETS have to be included simply for Namaths guarantee; one of the NFL's classic moments.

The Browns should be in, although an argument could be made that it IS/ISNT the original franchise...and I AINT going there.

Any hope the Bengals get in? Please?? Even though theyd struggle to make a Superbowl in an 'Ohio Only contest'

I'd punt out the Chiefs, asuming Cowboys being disbanded is not allowable?? Actually, Id be miserable every Sunday without having the Cowboys to hate on

Colts can go too.


I like the thread...good stuff

[Simulacrum]

I call myself a Cardinals fan and even I have to admit they don't deserve to exist. Cursed Bidwells...

[spodog]

id add more before i cut any.

Yeah. I'd agree with this. Maybe we can hijack this thread and turn it the other way.

Let's start adding . . .

33 expansion team in Los Angeles in 2010
. why? http://www.bizjournals.com/edit_special/36.html?page=1

34 expansion team in San Antonio in 2010

35 expansion team in Toronto in 2012

36 expansion team in Vancouver in 2012

37 expansion team in Orlando in 2014

38 expansion team in Orange County, CA in 2014

39 expansion team in Salt Lake City in 2016

40 expansion team in Oklahoma City in 2016

Then stop for a decade or so.

At 40 Teams, the AFC and NFC would both have 20 teams, comprised of 4 divisions of 5 teams each. Perfect.

[stomperrob]

I'm with deluxe and spodog - ya don't add by subtraction! We need more teams. Poor fans in LA been waiting for a team long enough.

And how 'bout awarding a frachise to Detroit - poor fans there have been without a pro football team for half a century!!!