The merger and subsequent realignment are a topic of fascination for me. Let’s consider how things would look had the NFL pushed 3 of the 4 expansion teams over to the AFC:

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, BAL
NFC Central: PIT, CLE, DET, CHI, GB
NFC West: MIN, STL, LA, SF

AFC East: NE, NYJ, BUF, MIA, CIN
AFC Central: ATL, NO, HOU, DAL
AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD

Interesting idea

I think it made sense to switch Baltimore tonthe AFC because the NFC already had older teams in Philly and Washington.

Switching Pittsburgh made sense because that way Penn. would get 1 team each in NFC and AFC.

Switching Cleveland, Dallas and St Louis did not sense because rhe AFC already had a team in the same state.

Switching the giants, Rams and 49ers does not make sense because the AFC already had a team in the same metro area.

So that leaves these potential candidates to switch to the AFC
Minn, GB, CHi, Det, NO, Atl

Chicago - too much history in NFL and NFC would not want to give up that TV market even though tv was shared equally.

GB - too much history in NFL

Det - maybe. Its kinda between Cleveland and Chicago

Minn - maybe. Was an expansion team around same time as Dallas

Atlanta - South east already has AFC team in Miami.

New Orleans - kinda close to Houston

So the 3 teams I would have switched were Balt, Pitt and Minn

NFC east : NYG, Philly, Wash, Atl
NFC central : GB, Chi, Det, Cle
NFC west: LAR, SF, Dal, StL, NO

AFC east : NYJ, NE, Buf, Mia, Balt
AFC central: Pitt, Cincy, Hou, Minn
AFC west: SD, Oak, Den, KC

(09-07-2026 04:35 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The merger and subsequent realignment are a topic of fascination for me. Let’s consider how things would look had the NFL pushed 3 of the 4 expansion teams over to the AFC:

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, BAL
NFC Central: PIT, CLE, DET, CHI, GB
NFC West: MIN, STL, LA, SF

AFC East: NE, NYJ, BUF, MIA, CIN
AFC Central: ATL, NO, HOU, DAL
AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD

Not a bad idea. Although I would switch Minnesota instead of Dallas. Minn came in as an exoansion team about the same time as Dallas.

Put Dallas in NFC West. Put Minn in AFC West. Put Cincy in AFC Central.

Well its notable that they moved 2 of the 3 teams with roots in the AAFC, the Browns and the Colts. San Francisco they left in the NFL. Atlanta might have made sense instead of Pittsburg.

(09-08-2026 03:10 PM)bullet Wrote:  Well its notable that they moved 2 of the 3 teams with roots in the AAFC, the Browns and the Colts. San Francisco they left in the NFL. Atlanta might have made sense instead of Pittsburg.

Although the Colts franchise that moved from the old AAFC actually folded in the early 50's. The current Colts franchise started as an NFL expansion team in Baltimore later in the 50's. Well, technically it was a new franchise anyway. In reality it took over the roster and uniform colors of the old NFL Dallas Texans franchise that officially folded in the 50's.

(09-08-2026 06:22 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 03:10 PM)bullet Wrote:  Well its notable that they moved 2 of the 3 teams with roots in the AAFC, the Browns and the Colts. San Francisco they left in the NFL. Atlanta might have made sense instead of Pittsburg.

Although the Colts franchise that moved from the old AAFC actually folded in the early 50's. The current Colts franchise started as an NFL expansion team in Baltimore later in the 50's. Well, technically it was a new franchise anyway. In reality it took over the roster and uniform colors of the old NFL Dallas Texans franchise that officially folded in the 50's.

I believe that Dallas team that became the Colts bounced from Boston to New York prior to that.

Most people don’t realize this but the AAFC Colts actually wore green

(09-08-2026 01:04 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 04:35 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The merger and subsequent realignment are a topic of fascination for me. Let’s consider how things would look had the NFL pushed 3 of the 4 expansion teams over to the AFC:

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, BAL
NFC Central: PIT, CLE, DET, CHI, GB
NFC West: MIN, STL, LA, SF

AFC East: NE, NYJ, BUF, MIA, CIN
AFC Central: ATL, NO, HOU, DAL
AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD

Not a bad idea. Although I would switch Minnesota instead of Dallas. Minn came in as an exoansion team about the same time as Dallas.

Put Dallas in NFC West. Put Minn in AFC West. Put Cincy in AFC Central.

I toyed with the idea—the pool to pick from was literally just DAL, MIN, NO, and ATL. Ultimately I picked Dallas over Minnesota because it would have given the St Louis Rams a 2nd Midwestern team in NFC West.

Moving Dallas over also paired them with Houston and I think that could have become one of the NFL’s biggest rivalries.

When SEA and TB enter the league, SEA works in either Conference’s West Division, but TB is a much better fit in the AFC Central with southern teams so they go there and SEA goes to the NFC West.

The Baltimore Colts’ move to IND doesn’t jeopardize divisions, nor does the St Louis Cardinals’ to ARZ.

1995 gets a little tricky—the NFC East and AFC West are the 2 divisions that only have members and to me, that makes it very unlikely that both CAR and JAX get teams. Instead, I see CAR (NFC-E) and STL (AFC-W) getting expansion teams. The LA Rams instead move into San Antonio’s Alamo Bowl.

The Browns and Oilers still undergo the same relocations and when the Houston Texans debut as the 32nd team the league reorganization looks like this:

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, CAR
NFC Central: PIT, CLE, BAL, IND
NFC North: MIN, DET, CHI, GB
NFC West: ARZ, SA, SF, SEA

AFC East: NE, NYJ, BUF, CIN
AFC Central: NO, HOU, DAL, STL,
AFC South: MIA, TB, ATL, TEN
AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD

(09-09-2026 06:30 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  When SEA and TB enter the league, SEA works in either Conference’s West Division, but TB is a much better fit in the AFC Central with southern teams so they go there and SEA goes to the NFC West.

The Baltimore Colts’ move to IND doesn’t jeopardize divisions, nor does the St Louis Cardinals’ to ARZ.

1995 gets a little tricky—the NFC East and AFC West are the 2 divisions that only have members and to me, that makes it very unlikely that both CAR and JAX get teams. Instead, I see CAR (NFC-E) and STL (AFC-W) getting expansion teams. The LA Rams instead move into San Antonio’s Alamo Bowl.

The Browns and Oilers still undergo the same relocations and when the Houston Texans debut as the 32nd team the league reorganization looks like this:

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, CAR
NFC Central: PIT, CLE, BAL, IND
NFC North: MIN, DET, CHI, GB
NFC West: ARZ, SA, SF, SEA

AFC East: NE, NYJ, BUF, CIN
AFC Central: NO, HOU, DAL, STL,
AFC South: MIA, TB, ATL, TEN
AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD

Interesting. I guess SoFi stadium never gets built in LA. Do you really think the Chargers would stick around in San Diego? Would the Raiders stick around in Oakland? One of them probably still ends up in Vegas.

(09-08-2026 06:22 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 03:10 PM)bullet Wrote:  Well its notable that they moved 2 of the 3 teams with roots in the AAFC, the Browns and the Colts. San Francisco they left in the NFL. Atlanta might have made sense instead of Pittsburg.

Although the Colts franchise that moved from the old AAFC actually folded in the early 50's. The current Colts franchise started as an NFL expansion team in Baltimore later in the 50's. Well, technically it was a new franchise anyway. In reality it took over the roster and uniform colors of the old NFL Dallas Texans franchise that officially folded in the 50's.

Which had roots in the original Baltimore AAFC franchise, so its considered from the original.
A lot closer ties to the original Baltimore franchise than the current Cleveland Browns have to the AAFC Cleveland Browns.

(09-09-2026 12:40 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 06:30 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  When SEA and TB enter the league, SEA works in either Conference’s West Division, but TB is a much better fit in the AFC Central with southern teams so they go there and SEA goes to the NFC West.

The Baltimore Colts’ move to IND doesn’t jeopardize divisions, nor does the St Louis Cardinals’ to ARZ.

1995 gets a little tricky—the NFC East and AFC West are the 2 divisions that only have members and to me, that makes it very unlikely that both CAR and JAX get teams. Instead, I see CAR (NFC-E) and STL (AFC-W) getting expansion teams. The LA Rams instead move into San Antonio’s Alamo Bowl.

The Browns and Oilers still undergo the same relocations and when the Houston Texans debut as the 32nd team the league reorganization looks like this:

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, CAR
NFC Central: PIT, CLE, BAL, IND
NFC North: MIN, DET, CHI, GB
NFC West: ARZ, SA, SF, SEA

AFC East: NE, NYJ, BUF, CIN
AFC Central: NO, HOU, DAL, STL,
AFC South: MIA, TB, ATL, TEN
AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD

Interesting. I guess SoFi stadium never gets built in LA. Do you really think the Chargers would stick around in San Diego? Would the Raiders stick around in Oakland? One of them probably still ends up in Vegas.

Raiders needed a new stadium. They won't stay in Oakland.

NY and LA are the only metros big enough to justify more than one franchise. Both have 2 or more in NFL, NBA, NHL and NFL. Only Chicago also has two-in MLB. St. Louis (Browns/Orioles), Boston (Braves), Philadelphia (Athletics) all lost their 2nd baseball franchise.

At one time MLB was NY Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers/NY Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies/Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Braves/Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals/St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs/Chicago White Sox for 11 of the 16 in just 5 metros. Those plus the Cincinnati Reds/Cleveland Indians, Pittsburg Pirates/Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators (AL).

(09-09-2026 12:40 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(09-09-2026 06:30 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  When SEA and TB enter the league, SEA works in either Conference’s West Division, but TB is a much better fit in the AFC Central with southern teams so they go there and SEA goes to the NFC West.

The Baltimore Colts’ move to IND doesn’t jeopardize divisions, nor does the St Louis Cardinals’ to ARZ.

1995 gets a little tricky—the NFC East and AFC West are the 2 divisions that only have members and to me, that makes it very unlikely that both CAR and JAX get teams. Instead, I see CAR (NFC-E) and STL (AFC-W) getting expansion teams. The LA Rams instead move into San Antonio’s Alamo Bowl.

The Browns and Oilers still undergo the same relocations and when the Houston Texans debut as the 32nd team the league reorganization looks like this:

NFC East: NYG, PHI, WAS, CAR
NFC Central: PIT, CLE, BAL, IND
NFC North: MIN, DET, CHI, GB
NFC West: ARZ, SA, SF, SEA

AFC East: NE, NYJ, BUF, CIN
AFC Central: NO, HOU, DAL, STL,
AFC South: MIA, TB, ATL, TEN
AFC West: KC, DEN, OAK, SD

Interesting. I guess SoFi stadium never gets built in LA. Do you really think the Chargers would stick around in San Diego? Would the Raiders stick around in Oakland? One of them probably still ends up in Vegas.

I stopped at 2002, when the league went to 32 teams. I’m guessing that we still get an NFL stadium in LA in the 2010s—I’m just not positive who it ends up being but the Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, San Antonio Rams, and St Louis Stallions would probably be in the running. I wouldn’t be shocked if one of those teams didn’t land in Las Vegas.

(09-09-2026 07:21 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 06:22 PM)goofus Wrote:  

(09-08-2026 03:10 PM)bullet Wrote:  Well its notable that they moved 2 of the 3 teams with roots in the AAFC, the Browns and the Colts. San Francisco they left in the NFL. Atlanta might have made sense instead of Pittsburg.

Although the Colts franchise that moved from the old AAFC actually folded in the early 50's. The current Colts franchise started as an NFL expansion team in Baltimore later in the 50's. Well, technically it was a new franchise anyway. In reality it took over the roster and uniform colors of the old NFL Dallas Texans franchise that officially folded in the 50's.

Which had roots in the original Baltimore AAFC franchise, so its considered from the original.
A lot closer ties to the original Baltimore franchise than the current Cleveland Browns have to the AAFC Cleveland Browns.

The original AAFC Baltimore Colts folded outright in 1950 after 1 season in the NFL. The Boston/NY/Dallas team whose players the 2nd Colts team inherited, was a totally separate NFL team founded in the early 1940s.