Chicago Cardinals

1904

The team traces its history to an amateur Chicago Morgan Athletic Club. They had a storied history becoming the Racine Normals, then the Racine Cardinals, and finally the Chicago Cardinals

In 1920 they joined the newly created NFL and along with the Chicago Bears are the only two charter members of the NFL still in existence. In 1947 they beat the Chicago Rockets of the upstart AAFL for the rights to Hall of Fame halfback Charley Trippi. This signing is generally acknowledged as the final piece to a championship. The next season saw the Cardinals finish 11-1 and play a championship game losing to the Eagles 0-7.

This was the first NFL championship to be televised.