How did the American Professional Football Association become the NFL?

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Jalen Hurts, wearing number 1 for the Philadelphia Eagles, winds up to throw a football during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII against the Kansas City Chiefs. — American football Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during Super Bowl LVII, 2023; the team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The American Professional Football Association (APFA) was founded in 1920 in Canton, Ohio, as a league consisting of 14 teams, primarily based in the Midwest. The organization officially changed its name to the National Football League (NFL) in 1922.12

Following this transition, the league underwent significant structural changes to improve its stability and appeal. Under the leadership of president Joe Carr, the NFL reorganized in 1933 into two five-team divisions consisting largely of big-city clubs, establishing a championship game to determine the league title. These efforts helped the NFL evolve from a collection of small-town teams into the dominant professional American football organization in the United States.21