11 NFL Teams That Almost Happened: A History of Missed Opportunities

Despite the NFL's continuous expansion, there have been several cities that never got the opportunity to host a team.

In the history of the NFL, 11 expansion teams were planned but failed to materialize due to various reasons.

Teams like the Arizona Firebirds, Seattle Sea Lions, and Union Quakers of Philadelphia were all expected to join the league at some point.

The cities of Memphis and St. Louis were left without teams after the Rams and Cardinals relocated to other cities.

Despite the missed opportunities, some cities eventually got their NFL teams through other means, like the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans.

Which cities were supposed to get NFL expansion teams?

—Some of the cities that were supposed to get NFL expansion teams include Arizona, Seattle, Memphis, and St. Louis.

Why didn't these expansion teams happen?

—There were various reasons why these expansion teams didn't happen, including ownership changes, relocation of existing teams, and failed financing.

What happened to the Arizona Firebirds and Seattle Sea Lions?

—The Arizona Firebirds never joined the NFL due to the relocation of the Cardinals, and the Seattle Sea Lions also failed to materialize as the Seahawks were granted an expansion franchise instead.

Why did the Baltimore Colts and St. Louis Cardinals move?

—The Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis due to ownership issues, and the St. Louis Cardinals relocated to Phoenix for financial reasons.

Did any of these cities eventually get NFL teams?

—Yes, some of these cities eventually got NFL teams through other means. Baltimore got the Ravens, and St. Louis got the Rams (although they later moved to Los Angeles).

00:00This video explores the history of 11 NFL expansion teams that were planning to join the league but never did.

01:14Some of the cities that were supposed to get these expansion teams include Arizona, Seattle, Memphis, and St. Louis.

04:46The Arizona Firebirds and Seattle Sea Lions were expected to join the league but were replaced by the Cardinals and Seahawks, respectively.

07:10The Baltimore Colts and St. Louis Cardinals moved to other cities due to ownership and financial issues.

09:18Despite the missed opportunities, some of these cities eventually got NFL teams through other means, such as the Baltimore Ravens and St. Louis Rams (now in Los Angeles).