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Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals began in Chicago in 1898 and moved to St. Louis in 1960 and Arizona in 1988. In 1901, Chris O'Brien purchased used uniforms from the University of Chicago. The color of his team's jerseys were called "cardinal red," beginning the Cardinal's long term mascot.
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Atlanta Falcons: A local radio station sponsored a contest for the new football team's name. Many people gave the idea of a Falcon as a mascot. However, a school teacher named Julia Elliott was the winner for giving a great reason why the falcon made a great mascot. she stated that the falcon was "dignified" and had a "great sporting tradition."
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Baltimore Ravens: The mascot for the Ravens is a reference to Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem, "The Raven." It was in honor to Poe because he died in Baltimore. There were over 33,000 votes given to the "Baltimore Sun" and 21,000 chose Ravens because it had such a historical significance on the city.
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Buffalo Bills: The Bills mascot was suggested to rename the previous bison mascot during a fan contest in 1947. "Bills" referenced the frontiersman Buffalo Bill Cody, who was one of the most colorful figures in the American Old West.
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Carolina Panthers: The Panther's Team president chose the "Panthers" because they were "powerful, sleek and strong." However, the combination of the name "Panthers" and one of the team colors being black sparked a controversy. Many people thought it would appeal to street gangs and cause the NFL to have a negative image.
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Chicago Bears: Used to be called the Decatur Staleys, and was a member of the American Professional Football association. They moved to Chicago in 1921 and purchased by George Halas in 1922. Chicago shared their games at Wrigley Field with the Chicago Cubs, so Halas decided to rename the Decatur Staleys the Bears.
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Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals name was chosen over the more popular Buckeyes name because Paul Brown, the head coach, wanted to honor the Cincinnati Bengals that played through 1937-1942. He said it would "provide a link with past professional football."
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Cleveland Browns: Paul Brown, the team's first head coach and general manager, wanted to name them the Cleveland Panthers. However, a local businessman already owned that name so he agreed to use his name.
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Dallas Cowboys: Began in the NFL in 1960 originally named the steers. To avoid ridicule, the Texas E. Schramm renamed the team the Rangers. However many people were confused by the idea of having two teams in Dallas named the Rangers, so they renamed it again to the Cowboys.
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Denver Broncos: The name was submitted by Ward M. Vining. It was in honor of the Denver Broncos Midwest baseball team in 1921.
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Detroit Lions: Originally named the Portsmouth Spartans, but George A. Richards bought the team and moved it to Detroit. He renamed the team the lions after the Denver baseball team, the Tigers. He hoped that the power of the lion would influence the power of his team.
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Green Bay Packers: Was sponsored by the Indian Packing Company and provided a field and equipment. The was named after its sponsor and the name stuck. It is the oldest NFL team name still in use in the league today.
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Houston Texans: The newest football team in the NFL. The name "Texans" has been used throughout the NFL in the past and Bob McNair believed that the name evoked "power, independence, courage and persistence."
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Indianapolis Colts: Originated in Baltimore as the Colts in honor of the region's horse breeding history. It was aslo a part of the All-American Football Conference from 1947-1950. The team moved to Indianapolis in 1984 and the name stuck with them.
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Jacksonville Jaguars: The nickname was selected in a fan contest in 1991 even though Jaguars aren't native to Jacksonville. People Chose the name Jaguars because the oldest living Jaguar in America lived in the Jacksonville Zoo.
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Kansas City Chiefs: They began in the AFL as the Dallas Texans in 1960 until it was moved to Kansas city in 1963.Its owner, Lamar Hunt, changed the name to Chiefs because Native Americans once lived in the area and the city's mayor, H. Roe Bartle, was nicknamed "the chief." H. Roe Bartle was significant in bringing the team to Kansas City.
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Miami Dolphins: 600 people suggested the name Dolphins in a contest. The team owner, Joe Robbie, loved the name because they were the "fastest and smartest in the sea."
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Minnesota Vikings: Bert Rose, Minnesota's general manager in 1961, supported the name because he believed it "represented an aggressive person with the will to win and the Nordic tradition in the Northern Midwest." It was the first pro sports team to use its state name rather than a city.
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New England Patriots: In a contest where thousands of people voted in 1960, 74 people voted for "Boston Patriots." Shortly after the artist Phil Bissell developed the "Pat Patriot" logo.
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New Orleans Saints: New Orleans was allowed an NFL franchise on All Saints' Day, November 1, 1966. The team owner, John Mecom, chose the nickname because it reflected the city's jazz age and it was taken from a popular song called "When the Saints Go Marching In."
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New York Giants: They were named after the New York Giants Baseball team. They distinguished themselves from the baseball team with the name "New York Football Giants" which they still use today as a corporate name. It's one of the oldest football teams in the NFL.
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New York Jets: Originally named the Titans until it went bankrupt and bought out by Sonny Werblin for a million dollars. He renamed the team the Jets in 1963. They were named the jets because the team would play at Shea Stadium, close to an airport. They wanted it to reflect the team's "modern approach."
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Oakland Raiders: Originally named the Senors from a name contest, but they decided to change it to Raiders which was one of the finalists. They changed it because the large amount of ridicule they got from it.
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Philadelphia Eagles: The Frankford Yellowjackets went bankrupt as a result of the Great Depression. Bert Bell and Lud Wray purchased it in 1933 and renamed it the Eagles. They named it the Eagles to honor the NRA Eagle which was part of the New Deal.
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Pittsburgh Steelers: Originally named the Pirates from 1933-1940 until the owner, Art Rooney, held a "rename-the-team" contest before 1940. Joe Santoni, a person who worked in a mill for Pittsburgh Steel, was one of many who submitted the idea to name the team the Steelers.
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San Diego Chargers: The name was given by Gerald Courtney in a name contest. Apparently the team owner loved the name so much that he didn't even open any more letters after he saw it because his mind was set.
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San Francisco 49ers: Named in honor of the early settlers in San Francisco in 1849. The California Gold Rush brought many people to the west and people there wanted to represent them.
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Seattle Seahawks: This name was suggested by 150 people in a name contest. It was a reference to past Seattle sports teams. The owner liked the name because it symbolized their "aggressiveness, soaring northwest heritage, and uniqueness."
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St. Louis Rams: Originated in Cleveland in 1936 and spent 1946-1994 in the Los Angeles area. General Manager Damon Wetzel chose the name because his favorite football team had been the Fordham Rams, who were amazing at the time and he wanted his team to be just like them.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A name the team contest was held in Tampa bay and the name Buccaneers was popular. It was chosen as a reference to the pirates who raided Florida coasts in the 1600's.
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Tennessee Titans: Relocated from Houston in 1995 and played for two seasons in Tennessee as the Oilers. The owner, Bud Adams, had a name the team contest and chose to name them the Titans. He wanted a name to reflect strength and leadership.
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Washington Redskins: After a year of being known as the Boston Braves, the owner changed the name to the Redskins. He wanted to honor his head coach William Henry Dietz, who was a Native American. They kept the name when they moved to Washington , DC, in 1937, this action sparked a huge controversy that has intensified over the past couple of years.