List of defunct NFL franchises

Membership in the National Football League (NFL) is certified by a franchise.

Franchises award member clubs the exclusive right to hold professional football games between league members within a 75-mile radius of their city as well as the exclusive rights to market games in their area.

[2] In the case of egregious misbehavior, a club's franchise can be revoked or suspended by the league's commissioner.

[3] The NFL has had a total of 49 franchises become defunct over its history;[4] this includes ten of the league's twelve founding members, with only the Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals surviving to the present day.

The most recent franchise to become defunct was the Dallas Texans, which folded in 1952 after one season in the league.

The Akron Pros , the first champions of the National Football League , lost their franchise in 1926 .
The Dallas Texans , who played only the 1952 season, were the last franchise to go defunct. The remnants of the Texans' organization was absorbed by a new franchise that became the modern Colts .