American Football League (1926)
| Sport | American football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1926 |
| First season | 1926 |
| Ceased | 1926 |
| Claim to fame | first competitor of the National Football League (NFL) |
| No. of teams | 9 |
| Country | United States |
| Last champion(s) | Philadelphia Quakers |
The first American Football League (AFL), sometimes called AFL I, AFLG, or the Grange League, was a professional American football league that operated in 1926. It was the first major competitor to the National Football League (NFL). Founded by Charles "C.C." Pyle, with General Charles X. Zimmerman as vice president and starring Hall of Fame halfback Harold Edward "Red" Grange, the short-lived nine-team league struggled to attract fans and players from the more established – then six-year-old – NFL. While Pyle's and Grange's New York Yankees team and the already established Philadelphia Quakers became reliable draws, the lack of star power and the uncertain financial conditions of the other seven teams led to the league's dissolution after one season.