Sport and Leisure/National Football League

Teams

AFC-North

Baltimore Ravens

Stadium – M&T Bank Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – won in 2001, 2013

The Ravens were established in 1996, when Art Modell, who was then the owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans to relocate the franchise from Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore. The team's name was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven

Ray Lewis played his entire career for the Baltimore Ravens. He was also the second linebacker to win the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award and the first linebacker to win the award on the winning Super Bowl team (2001)

Cincinnati Bengals

Stadium – Paul Brown Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 1982, 1989

The Bengals were founded in 1966 as a member of the AFL by former Cleveland Browns head coach Paul Brown. The Bengals lost Super Bowls XVI and XXIII to the San Francisco 49ers

Cleveland Browns

Stadium – FirstEnergy Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – none

The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1945 by businessman Arthur B. McBride and coach Paul Brown. In 1995, Art Modell, who had purchased the Browns in 1961, announced he was relocating the team to Baltimore. Modell was cleared to move his team (which became the Baltimore Ravens) but relinquished ownership of the Browns' name. The reconstituted team resumed play in 1999 after three years of suspended operations

In July 2012, owner Randy Lerner announced he planned to sell the Browns to businessman Jimmy Haslam

Pittsburgh Steelers

Stadium – Heinz Field

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 2006, 2009; lost in 1996, 2011

The Steelers were founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates in1933, by Art Rooney, taking its original name from the baseball team of the same name. The current owner is Art's son, Dan Rooney

During the 1943 season, they merged with the Philadelphia Eagles forming the "Phil-Pitt Eagles" and were known as the "Steagles". In 1944, they merged with the Chicago Cardinals and were known as Card-Pitt (or, mockingly, as the "Carpets"). This team finished 0–10, marking the only winless team in franchise history

The Steel Curtain is the nickname given to the front four of the defensive line of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers. This defense was the backbone of the Steelers dynasty, which won four Super Bowls in six years

Terry Bradshaw is a former quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In a six-year span, he won four Super Bowl titles with Pittsburgh

Hines Ward was a wide receiver who played 14 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ward was voted MVP of Super Bowl XL

AFC-South

Houston Texans

Stadium – NRG Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – none

The Texans first played in 2002 as an expansion team after Houston's previous franchise, the Houston Oilers, moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where they are now the Tennessee Titans. The team's majority owner is Bob McNair

Houston Texans are the only AFC team yet to play in a Championship Game

NRG Stadium was known as the Reliant Stadium from 2002 to 2013

Indianapolis Colts

Stadium – Lucas Oil Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1971, 2007; lost in 1969, 2010

The Colts have been a member club of the NFL since their founding in 1953 in Baltimore. They moved to Indianapolis in 1984

Won the Super Bowl once as Baltimore Colts, and once as Indianapolis Colts

Johnny Unitas, nicknamed ‘The Golden Arm’, was a player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the NFL's most valuable player in 1959, 1964 and 1967. His record of throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games (between 1956 and 1960) was broken by Drew Brees in 2012

Jacksonville Jaguars

Stadium – TIAA Bank Field

Super Bowl appearances – none

The Jaguars joined the NFL as an expansion team for the 1995 season. Since their inception, the Jaguars have won division championships in 1998 and 1999. Illinois businessman Shahid Khan purchased the Jaguars in 2012

In 2012, the Jaguars announced they had finalized a deal to play one regular season home game each year between 2013 and 2016 at Wembley Stadium as part of the NFL International Series

Tennessee Titans

Stadium – Nissan Stadium (Nashville)

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 2000

Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team relocated from Houston to Tennessee in 1997, and played in Memphis for one season. The club moved to Nashville in 1998. For those two years, the team was known as the Tennessee Oilers, and changed its name to Titans in 1999

Titans appeared in Super Bowl XXXIV, but lost to St. Louis Rams

Quarterback Warren Moon played for the Houston Oilers from 1984 to 1993. When he retired, he held the record for most pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards, and touchdowns, all of which have since been broken

AFC-East

Buffalo Bills

Stadium – Ralph Wilson Stadium (Orchard Park)

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994

The Bills are the only team to win four consecutive conference championships and are the only NFL team to play in four consecutive Super Bowls, although they lost in each game. They are the only team that has not appeared in the NFL playoffs so far in the 21st century

Buffalo Bills played an annual game at the Rogers Center in Toronto as part of the Bills Toronto Series from 2008 to 2013

O.J. Simpson was a running back for the Bills from 1969 to 1977, was the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, a mark he set in 1973

Miami Dolphins

Stadium – Hard Rock Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1973, 1974; lost in 1972, 1983, 1985

The Dolphins made their first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl VI, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys. The following year, the Dolphins completed the NFL's only perfect season culminating in a Super Bowl win, winning all 14 of its regular-season games, both of its NFL playoff games, and also Super Bowl VII. The 1972 Dolphins were the third NFL team to accomplish a perfect regular season. The Dolphins also won Super Bowl VIII, becoming the first team to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls

For most of their early history, the Dolphins were coached by Don Shula, the most successful head coach in professional football history in terms of total games won

Dan Marino played for the Dolphins from 1983 to 1999. Despite never being on a Super Bowl-winning team, he is recognized as one of the greatest quarterbacks in American football history

In October 2007, the first NFL game to take place outside of North America was played at Wembley Stadium. The Dolphins played New York Giants, and the game counted as a home game for the Dolphins. The Giants won the game 13-10

New England Patriots

Stadium – Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachusetts)

Super Bowl appearances – won in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019; lost in 1986, 1997, 2008, 2012. 2018

Known as the Boston Patriots until 1971

The Patriots finished the 2007 regular season by winning all sixteen of their games, but lost the 2008 Super Bowl to the New York Giants

Since the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick in 2000, along with the emergence of quarterback Tom Brady, the Patriots have become one of the most successful teams in NFL history

The Patriots have compiled the longest winning streak consisting of regular season and playoff games in NFL history, a 21-game streak from October 2003 to October 2004

Adam Vinatieri made game-winning kicks in the final seconds of two Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII) for the Patriots

New York Jets

Stadium – MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1969

Jets have the longest Super Bowl appearance drought

The team was founded in 1959 as the Titans of New York. The current name was adopted in 1963 and the franchise was relocated to Shea Stadium in 1964 and then to the Meadowlands Sports Complex in 1984. The Jets advanced to the playoffs for the first time in 1968 and went on to compete in Super Bowl III where they defeated the Baltimore Colts

‘Broadway Joe’ Namath was a quarterback and an American Football League icon and played for that league's New York Jets for most of his professional career but finished his career with the NFL's Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985. Namath was quarterback for the Jets in their 1969 Super Bowl win

AFC-West

Denver Broncos

Stadium – Empower Field at Mile High

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1998, 1999, 2016; lost in 1978, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2014

Orange Crush Defense was the defense of the Denver Broncos during the late 1970s and early 1980s

John Elway played for the Broncos from 1983 to 1988. At the time of his retirement, Elway recorded the most victories by a starting quarterback and statistically was the second most prolific passer in NFL history. He played in five Super Bowls

The Drive refers to an offensive series of the AFC Championship Game played in 1987 between the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns. Elway led his team 98 yards in 15 plays to tie the game with 37 seconds left in regulation. Denver won the game in overtime

Broncos win in 1998 snapped a 13-game losing streak for AFC teams in the Super Bowl

Kansas City Chiefs

Stadium – Arrowhead Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1970, 2020; lost in 1967, 2021

The team was founded in 1960 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt. In 1963, the team relocated to Kansas City and assumed their current name

The Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV

Won the Super Bowl in 2020 beating the 49ers with quarterback Patrick Mahomes winning the MVP award

Las Vegas Raiders

Stadium – Allegiant Stadium, Paradise

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1977, 1981, 1984; lost in 1968, 2003

Oakland Raiders won two Super Bowls before relocating to Los Angeles in 1982. In 1984, they defeated the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII to capture a third championship. In 1995, the team returned to Oakland

During the Los Angeles years, the Raiders played in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The nickname Raider Nation refers to the fans of the team spread throughout the United States and the world

“The Heidi Game” was played in1968, between the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets. The game was notable for its finish, in which Oakland scored two touchdowns in the final minute to win the game 43–32, but was named for a decision by the game's broadcaster, NBC, to break away from its coverage of the game on the east coast to broadcast the television film Heidi, causing many viewers to miss the Raiders' comeback

In January 2020 the Raiders moved to Las Vegas

Los Angeles Chargers

Stadium – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 1995

The Chargers faced the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX and lost 49–26

They moved from San Diego to Los Angeles for the 2017 season

The Chargers share SoFi Stadium with the Rams

NFC-North

Chicago Bears

Stadium – Soldier Field

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1986; lost in 2007

The Bears is one of only two remaining franchises from the NFL's founding (along with the Arizona Cardinals, which was originally also in Chicago). The team played home games at Wrigley Field until 1970

The Bears won Super Bowl XX with their revolutionary 46 defence including lineman William Perry who was known as “The Refrigerator”. They also reached Super Bowl XLI, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts

Detroit Lions

Stadium – Ford Field

Super Bowl appearances – none

Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and called the Portsmouth Spartans, the team formally joined the NFL in the 1930 season. The team was purchased and moved to Detroit for the 1934 season

The Lions have won four NFL championships, but are the only NFC team not to reach the Super Bowl

Green Bay Packers

Stadium – Lambeau Field

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1967, 1968, 1997, 2011; lost in 1998

The Packers have won 13 league championships, the most in NFL history, with nine NFL titles prior to the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowl victories

The Packers won the first two Super Bowls, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders following the 1966 and 1967 seasons, respectively. The Packers were led by quarterback Bart Starr, who was named the Most Valuable Player for both games, and coached by Vince Lombardi

Lambeau Field is named in memory of Packers founder, player, and long-time head coach, Curly Lambeau

The 1967 NFL Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys was dubbed by the sports media as "The Ice Bowl", as the game-time temperature at Lambeau Field was −26 °C

Minnesota Vikings

Stadium – U.S. Bank Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 1970, 1974, 1975, 1977

The Vikings played at the Metrodome from 1982 until its closure in 2013 and before that at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota from 1961 to 1981. During the 2014 and 2015 seasons, the Vikings played at TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota while the new stadium was being built

Purple People Eaters is a term for the defensive line of the Minnesota Vikings from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. The term is a reference to a popular song from 1958, the efficiency of the defense, and the color of their uniforms. The motto of the Purple People Eaters was "Meet at the quarterback"

NFC-South

Atlanta Falcons

Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 1999, 2017

Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened in August 2017 as a replacement for the Georgia Dome

The Falcons lost Super Bowl XXXIII to the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl LI to the New England Patriots

One of the earliest British-born players in NFL history, placekicker Mick Luckhurst played his entire professional career with the Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Stadium – Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 2004, 2016

The Panthers joined the NFL as an expansion team for the 1995 season

The Panthers lost Super Bowl XXXVIII to the New England Patriots and Super Bowl 50 to Denver Broncos

Quarterback Cam Newton was the NFL MVP for 2015

New Orleans Saints

Stadium – Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Super Bowl appearances – won in 2010

The Saints beat Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. Quarterback Drew Brees was the Super Bowl MVP

Bountygate was an incident in which several defensive players of New Orleans Saints were found to have operated a slush fund that paid out bonuses, or ‘bounties,’ for in-game performance in violation of NFL rules. The pool was in operation from 2009 to 2011. Players earned bonuses for deliberately knocking opposing players out of games

Due to the damage Hurricane Katrina caused to the Superdome, the Saints' scheduled 2005 home opener against the New York Giants was moved to Giants Stadium. The remainder of their 2005 home games were split between the Alamodome in San Antonio and LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stadium – Raymond James Stadium

Super Bowl appearances – won in 2003, 2021

The Buccaneers joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team

Raymond James Stadium was built to replace Tampa Stadium at the demand of new Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer. Named after the Raymond James Financial company

The Buccaneers won Super Bowl XXXVII, beating Oakland Raiders 48-21

Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowki moved from New England Patriots in April 2020. Gronkowski caught two of the three touchdown passes thrown by Brady in Tampa Bay's victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV giving Brady his record seventh Super Bowl win

NFC-East

Dallas Cowboys

Stadium – AT&T Stadium (Arlington)

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1972, 1978, 1993, 1994, 1996; lost in 1971, 1976, 1979

The Cowboys are the only NFL team to record 20 straight winning seasons (1966–85), in which they only missed the playoffs twice (1974 and 1984)

In 2015, the Dallas Cowboys became the first sports team to be valued at $4 billion, making it the most valuable sports team in the world, according to Forbes

The Cowboys' streak of 190 consecutive sold-out regular and post-season games (home and away) began in 2002

Roger Staubach was the quarterback for the Cowboys when they won the Super Bowl in 1972 and 1978

The Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII

Emmitt Smith became the NFL's all-time rushing leader, breaking the record formerly held by his childhood hero, Walter Payton, and played for three Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys teams in the 1990s. Smith is one of only two non-kickers in NFL history to score more than 1,000 career points (the other being Jerry Rice)

The record attendance for an NFL game was set in 2009, with a crowd of 105,121 at the AT&T Stadium

New York Giants

Stadium – MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1987, 1991, 2008, 2012; lost in 2001

The team ranks third among all NFL franchises with eight NFL titles: four in the pre–Super Bowl era and four since the advent of the Super Bowl, along with more championship appearances than any other team, with 19 overall appearances. Their championship tally is surpassed only by the Green Bay Packers (13) and Chicago Bears (9)

To distinguish themselves from the professional baseball team of the same name, the football team was incorporated as the "New York National League Football Company, Inc." in 1929 and changed to "New York Football Giants, Inc." in 1937

Big Blue Wrecking Crew is a nickname used to refer to the defense for the New York Giants during the 1980s that won two Super Bowl Championships

Eli Manning led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI, defeating the New England Patriots in both games. Manning was also named Most Valuable Player in each Super Bowl. He is the younger brother of Peyton Manning

Philadelphia Eagles

Stadium – Lincoln Financial Field

Super Bowl appearances – won in 2018; lost in 1981, 2005

The club was established in 1933 as a replacement for the bankrupt Frankford Yellow Jackets

The team has an intense rivalry with the New York Giants

The Eagles lost to the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XV and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX

In Super Bowl LII, the Eagles defeated the defending champion Patriots 41–33 to gain their first win. Nick Foles won the MVP Award

Washington Football Team

Stadium – FedExField (Landover, Maryland)

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1983, 1988, 1992; lost in 1973, 1984

The team originated as the Boston Braves, in 1932. The following year the name was changed to Boston Redskins. The Redskins relocated to Washington, D.C. in 1937. They dropped the Redskins name in 2020

NFC-West

Arizona Cardinals

Stadium – State Farm Stadium (Glendale)

Super Bowl appearances – lost in 2009

The Cardinals are the oldest continuous professional American football club in the United States. The team was formed in 1898 as the Morgan Athletic Club in Chicago. The club moved to St. Louis in1960 and played in that city through 1987. Before the 1988 NFL season, the team moved to Tempe, Arizona, and played their home games for the next 18 seasons at Arizona State University's Sun Devil Stadium. In 2006, the club began playing all home games at the newly constructed University of Phoenix Stadium in the suburb of Glendale

The team logo is the northern cardinal, known colloquially as the redbird

The Cardinals currently hold the league's longest active championship drought, at 67 consecutive seasons. They reached Super Bowl XLIII, but lost to Pittsburgh Steelers

Pat Tillman played for the Arizona Cardinals. In 2002 Tillman turned down a contract offer of $3.6 million over three years from the Cardinals to enlist in the U.S. Army. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004

Los Angeles Rams

Stadium – SoFiStadium, Inglewood

Super Bowl appearances – won in 2000; lost in 1980, 2002, 2019

The franchise began as the Cleveland Rams in 1936

After the 1994 NFL season, the Rams left California and moved to St. Louis. Five seasons after relocating, the St. Louis Rams won Super Bowl XXXIV, beating Tennessee Titans. The Rams continued to play in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis until the end of the 2015 NFL season, when the team filed notice with the NFL of its intent to pursue relocation back to Los Angeles for the 2016 season

"The Greatest Show on Turf" was the nickname for the St. Louis Rams' record-breaking offense during the 1999, 2000, and 2001 NFL seasons

San Francisco 49ers

Stadium – Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara)

Super Bowl appearances – won in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1995; lost in 2013, 2020

The name "49ers" comes from the prospectors who arrived in Northern California in the 1849 Gold Rush. The team was founded in 1946

The team began play at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco before moving to Candlestick Park in 1970 and then to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara in 2014. The 49ers won five Super Bowl championships, led by Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott, Steve Young, and coach Bill Walsh

Ronnie Lott played for the 49ers from 1981 to 1990 and is widely considered one of the best cornerbacks in NFL history

Steve Young was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1992 and 1994, and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXIX where he threw a Super Bowl-record six touchdown passes in a 49-26 win against San Diego Chargers

Bill Walsh joined the 49ers in 1979 as head coach. He popularized the West Coast offense and won three Super Bowls. He was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1981 and 1984

Coached by Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers reached Super Bowl XLVII, but lost to Baltimore Ravens, coached by Jim’s brother John Harbaugh

"The Catch" refers to the winning touchdown reception by Dwight Clark off a Joe Montana pass in the January 1982, NFC Championship Game between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. The Catch is widely regarded as one of the most memorable events in NFL history

Seattle Seahawks

Stadium – Lumen Field

Super Bowl appearances – won in 2014; lost in 2006, 2015

The Seahawks joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team. They are owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and are currently coached by Pete Carroll. Since 2002, the Seahawks have played their home games at CenturyLink Field (formerly Qwest Field)

Seattle Seahawks are the only franchise to make both the AFC and NFC Championship Games. In 2002, the Seahawks were returned to the NFC West as part of an NFL realignment plan that gave each conference four balanced divisions of four teams each. This was done after the Houston Texans were added as the thirty-second team

They have appeared in three Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XLVIII, where they defeated the Denver Broncos 43–8 to win their first NFL title

Seahawks fans have been referred to collectively as the "12th Man", "12th Fan", or "12s". The Seahawks' fans have twice set the Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd noise at a sporting event

Super Bowl statistics

Green Bay Packers won the first two Super Bowls, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders following the 1966 and 1967 seasons

Super Bowl I was played at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on 15 January 1967

Most appearances (11) – New England Patriots (won 6, lost 5), Pittsburgh Steelers (won 6, lost 2), Dallas Cowboys 8 (won 5, lost 3), Denver Broncos (won 3, lost 5)

Most wins – New England Patriots (6), Pittsburgh Steelers (6), San Francisco 49ers (5), Dallas Cowboys (5), Green Bay Packers (4), New York Giants (4)

Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only teams in the NFL to hold a perfect record in multiple Super Bowl appearances (2-0)

Most losses – Denver Broncos (5), New England Patriots (5) , Buffalo Bills (0-4), Minnesota Vikings (0-4)

Most consecutive games – Buffalo Bills (1991 to 1994)

Most points by a single team in a game – 55, San Francisco 49ers vs Denver Broncos, 1990

Most points by both teams in a game – 75, San Francisco 49ers vs San Diego Chargers, 1995

Most points (career) – 48, Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers)

Most touchdowns (career) – 8, Jerry Rice

Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, and Jacksonville Jaguars have never played in a Super Bowl

2014 Super Bowl was played at New Meadowlands Stadium, the first time it was held outdoors in a cold climate

The four most-watched broadcasts in U.S. television history are Super Bowls

Super Bowl is currently played on the first Sunday in February

Awards

Vince Lombardi Trophy

The winning team in the Super Bowl receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after the coach of the Green Bay Packers, who won the first two Super Bowl games and three of the five preceding NFL championships in 1961, 1962, and 1965. Following Lombardi's death in 1970, the trophy was named the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and was the first awarded as such to the Baltimore Colts following their win in Super Bowl V in Miami. It stands 22 inches tall, and depicts a football in a kicking position on a three concave sided stand, and is entirely made of sterling silver

Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award

The Super Bowl MVP (Pete Rozelle Trophy) is presented to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and broadcasters

Tom Brady is the only players to have won five Super Bowl MVP awards. Joe Montana has won three awards. Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Eli Manning have won the award twice. Starr and Bradshaw are the only ones to have won it in back-to-back years. The MVP has come from the winning team every year except 1971, when Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley won the award despite the Cowboys' loss in Super Bowl V to the Baltimore Colts

NFL Most Valuable Player Award

The NFL MVP award is voted upon by sportswriters at the end of the regular season, before the playoffs, though the results are not announced to the public until the day before the Super Bowl

Peyton Manning has won the award five times, the most of any player. Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, and Brett Favre were named MVP three times. Brett Favre is the only player to win the award three consecutive years, and Tom Brady is the only player to ever be voted unanimously

NFL Coach of the Year Award

The NFL Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the NFL head coach who has done the most outstanding job. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the Associated Press (AP)

Don Shula has won the AP award four times. Bill Belichick has won the AP award three times

Ten leading players

Tom Brady

After playing college football for the University of Michigan, Tom Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 2000 NFL draft. In Brady's 19 seasons as a starter the Patriots earned nine trips to the Super Bowl (the most for any quarterback, ever), winning six. Brady has won four Super Bowl MVP and three league MVP awards, and has led the Patriots to more division titles than any other quarterback in NFL history. He has won more playoff games than any other quarterback, and appeared in more playoff games than any player at any position. Moved to Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and won Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP in first season

Jim Brown

Jim Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 1957 NFL draft. After only nine years as a fullback in the NFL, he departed as the NFL record holder for both single-season and career rushing, as well as the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns , and all-purpose yards. Every season he played, Brown was voted into the Pro Bowl. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News as the greatest professional football player ever. He went on to an acting career, notably playing Robert Jefferson in The Dirty Dozen

Brett Favre

Brett Favre played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons (1991), Green Bay Packers (1992–2007), New York Jets (2008), and Minnesota Vikings (2009–2010). Favre was the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 500 touchdowns, throw for over 70,000 yards, over 6,000 completions, and over 10,000 pass attempts. He is the only player to win the AP Most Valuable Player three consecutive times (1995–1997). His only win in the Super Bowl came in Super Bowl XXXI for the Green Bay Packers. His nickname is "The Gunslinger"

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning played for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 seasons between 1998 and 2011, before moving to Denver Broncos. He is a two-time Super Bowl winner (XLI and 50), and has also appeared in the game two other times, becoming the only quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two different franchises more than once each and the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises. His five NFL MVP awards are a league record. He is the elder brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning

Joe Montana

After winning a college national championship at Notre Dame, Joe Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with San Francisco, where he played for the next 14 seasons. Montana started and won four Super Bowls and was the first player ever to have been named Super Bowl MVP three times. Traded before the 1993 season, he spent his final two years in the league with the Kansas City Chiefs. Nicknamed "Joe Cool" and "The Comeback Kid". The 49ers retired the number 16, the jersey number Montana wore while with the team

Walter Payton

Walter Payton, nicknamed "Sweetness", was a running back who played for the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1987. He once held the league's record for most career rushing yards, touchdowns, carries, yards from scrimmage, all-purpose yards, and many other categories. Payton won two NFL MVP Awards and won Super Bowl XX with the Chicago Bears. He died aged 45, and his appeals for greater awareness of the need for organ donations are widely credited with bringing national attention to the problem

Jerry Rice

Jerry Rice played for San Francisco 49ers from 1985 to 2000, and is widely considered to be the greatest wide receiver in NFL history. He is the all-time leader in most major statistical categories for wide receivers, including receptions, touchdown receptions, and receiving yards. Rice won three Super Bowls with the 49ers, before moving to Oakland Raiders. His 48-yard touchdown catch in Super Bowl XXXVII made him the first player ever to catch a touchdown pass in four Super Bowls

Barry Sanders

Barry Sanders played for Detroit Lions as a running back from 1989 to 1998, and was one of the greatest players never to reach the Super Bowl. Averaging over 1,500 rushing yards per season, Sanders left the game just 1,457 yards short of being first place on the list for the NFL all-time rushing record at that time. Sanders shared the MVP Award with Brett Favre in 1997

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders played primarily at cornerback in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins and the Baltimore Ravens, winning the Super Bowl with both the 49ers and the Cowboys. He played baseball for the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants, and participated in the 1992 World Series with the Braves. Sanders is also the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series. Nicknamed "Prime Time"

Lawrence Taylor

Ranked as the greatest defensive player in league history, Lawrence Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants (1981 –1993). Taylor is one of only two defensive players in the history of the NFL to have ever won the NFL MVP award. He was a key member of the Giants' defense, nicknamed "The Big Blue Wrecking Crew”, which led New York to victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV. He was suspended several times for failing drug tests