FOOTBALL

The Origins of All 32 NFL Team Names

Here are the stories behind the nicknames of the NFL’s 32 teams—and what they were almost called. All photos via Getty Images.

Jim Kelly of the Houston Gamblers drops back to pass against the Tampa Bay Bandits during a 1985 USFL football game.

Fumbled: The Story of the United States Football League

The 1980s NFL alternative became so cash-strapped that athletes had to ride school buses to practice.

Arizona Teen Becomes First Female to Earn a College Football Scholarship

Becca Longo will be competing for the kicking job at Adams State University.

17 Super Facts About the Atlanta Falcons

From adventurous mascots to touchdown dance crazes, here’s a quick primer on everything you should know about the “Dirty Birds.”

11 Things You Might Not Know About Bill Belichick

He was once under FBI protection.

Theory Claims Super Bowl Winners Can Predict the Stock Market

Forget your Super Bowl boxes, the key to a big payday rests in this economic anomaly.

This Year's Puppy Bowl Will Feature Three Dogs With Disabilities

Get to know Lucky, Doobert, and Winston.

15 Things You Might Not Know About Pro Football

Television coverage of games can last hours, but the ball can actually be in play for as little as 11 minutes in a given game.

15 Facts About Football’s Early Days

Though what would become known as the NFL was formed on August 20, 1920, the roots of American-style football date back well over a century.

The Only Recording of Super Bowl I Is Collecting Dust in Storage

According to the owner, the NFL refuses to buy it.

Why Is Alabama's Mascot an Elephant?

There are no elephants in Alabama. What gives?

Where Do Heisman Winners Keep Their Trophies?

Spoiler: Some trophies end up in closets or at the homes of the players' parents.

Athletic Support: A History of Sports Agents

Professional football players once made $100 a game. When "Red" Grange's agent was done, Grange walked off with $100,000.

The Origin of the Sports Illustrated Football Phone

In the 1990s, the magazine industry was having some issues. 'People' suffered a five percent drop in circulation in the first half of 1990; 'Sports Illustrated' dropped by seven percent that same year.

50 Years of Monday Night Football's Memorable Theme Music

Are you ready for some football? How about a trip down musical memory lane to rediscover the many Monday Night Football theme songs?

The Humble Early Days of the NFL Draft

The NFL Draft wasn't always the overblown football bacchanal it is today.

A Deaf Football Team Invented the Huddle—Then Stopped Using It

In the 1890s, Paul D. Hubbard—the Deaf quarterback for Gallaudet University's football team—had his offense form a tight circle so that they could discuss plays without the other team seeing what they were signing

After Pearl Harbor, the Rose Bowl Relocated to North Carolina

In 1942, the Rose Bowl game between Oregon State and Duke was transferred from California to North Carolina in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Here’s a brief look back at one of the greatest upsets in Rose Bowl history.

Why Do Athletes Slap Each Others’ Butts?

Unfortunately, the first athlete to playfully slap a teammate on the butt didn’t record his reasoning for history, but it’s become common practice among professionals and amateurs alike, and many have their own take on it.

Root (or boot) all 32 NFL teams

Coming Thursday: Woody's Winners for Week 1! In the meantime, mental_floss has your football fix right here. Even if you're not an NFL fan, now that the new season is almost upon us, someone, somewhere will ask you your opinion about a team or two. We've