February 20 marks Presidents Day, which is more than just a holiday where people can get a good deal on a mattress. The third Monday in February is a time in the United States to remember the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Government and all 46 individuals who have held that duly elected power.
The NFL has been around since 1920, which means the league has gone through many presidencies. While the only significant change to office during that time was the ratification of the 22nd Amendment, which provided for term limits, the NFL has undergone changes in how champions are determined.
First, the playoffs extend into the next calendar year and even passed the inaugural date of January 20 after the presidential election.
Second, from 1920 to 1932, winning percentage determined the champion, while from 1933 to 1969, an actual championship game was played. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the Super Bowl has been the definitive contest to crown a new champion, although AFL champions will be recognized here.
In order for a president to pin a league champion on his ledger, he must be in office when the champion was crowned, which will make champions after the 16-game season format even more appealing.
Here is a list of each presidency and the NFL champions who reigned during those administrations.
Woodrow Wilson, 1913-21
(Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
1920 – Akron Pro
Warren G. Harding, 1921-23
(AP photos, files)
1921 – Chicago Staleys (later known as the Chicago Bears)
1922 – Canton Bulldog
Calvin Coolidge, 1923-29
(AP photos, files)
1923 – Canton Bulldog (2)
1924 – Cleveland Bulldogs
1925 – Chicago Cardinals (later known as the Arizona Cardinals)
1926 – Frankford Yellow Jackets
1927 – New York Giants
1928 – Providence steam roller
Herbert Hoover, 1929-1933
(AP photos/files)
1929 – Green Bay Packers
1930 – Green Bay Packers (2)
1931 – Green Bay Packers (3)
1932 – Chicago Bears (2)
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933-1945
The story continues
(AP Photo/Henry Burroughs, Files)
1933 – Chicago Bears (3)
1934 – New York Giants (2)
1935 – Lions of Detroit
1936 – Green Bay Packers (4)
1937 – Washington
1938 – New York Giants (3)
1939 – Green Bay Packers (5)
1940 – Chicago Bears (4)
1941 – Chicago Bears (5)
1942 — Washington (2)
1943 – Chicago Bears (6)
1944 – Green Bay Packers (6)
Harry S. Truman, 1945-53
(AP photos/files)
[1945-ClevelandRams(laterknownasLosAngelesRams)[1945-ClevelandRams(inseguitonotocomeLosAngelesRams)1946 – Chicago Bears (7)
1947 – Chicago Cardinals (2)
1948 – Philadelphia Eagles
1949-Philadelphia Eagles (2)
1950 – Cleveland Browns
1951 – Los Angeles Rams (2)
1952 – Detroit Lions (2)
Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953-1961
(AP Photo/Henry Burroughs)
1953 – Detroit Lions (3)
1954 – Cleveland Browns (2)
1955 – Cleveland Browns (3)
1956 – New York Giants (4)
1957 – Detroit Lions (4)
1958 – Baltimore Colts (later known as the Indianapolis Colts)
1959 – Baltimore Colts (2)
1960—NFL: Philadelphia Eagles (3); AFL: Houston Oilers
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961-63
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
1961—NFL: Green Bay Packers (7); AFL: Houston Oilers (2)
1962—NFL: Green Bay Packers (8); AFL: Dallas Texans (later known as the Kansas City Chiefs)
Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-69
(AP photos, files)
1963—NFL: Chicago Bears (7); AFL: San Diego Chargers
1964—NFL: Cleveland Browns (4); AFL: Buffalo Bills
1965—NFL: Green Bay Packers (9); AFL: Buffalo Bills (2)
1966—NFL: Green Bay Packers (10); AFL: Kansas City Chiefs (2); Super Bowl I: Packers
1967—NFL: Green Bay Packers (11); AFL: Oakland Raiders; Super Bowl II: Packers
1968—NFL: Baltimore Colts (3); AFL: New York Jets; Super Bowl III: Jet
Richard Nixon, 1969-74
(AP photos, files)
1969—NFL: Minnesota Vikings; AFL: Kansas City Chiefs (3); Super Bowl IV: Chiefs
1970 – Baltimore Colts (4)
1971 – Dallas Cowboys
1972 – Dolphins of Miami
1973 – Dolphins of Miami (2)
Gerald Ford, 1974-77
(AP Photo/Staff/Green, File)
1974: Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 — Pittsburgh Steelers (2)
1976 – Oakland Raiders (2)
Jimmy Carter, 1977-81
Peter Monsees/NorthJersey.com-Imagn Content Services, LLC
1977 – Dallas Cowboys (2)
1978 – Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
1979 – Pittsburgh Steelers (4)
Ronald Reagan, 1981-89
(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
It should be emphasized that this is the first time the Super Bowl has been played since the inauguration, which is why Reagan can count the 1980 season champion and every president thereafter also counts his election year.
For continuity, the year in which the season was held will remain the same.
1980 – Los Angeles Raiders (3)
1981 – San Francisco 49ers
1982 — Washington (3)
1983 – Los Angeles Raiders (4)
1984 – San Francisco 49ers (2)
1985 – Chicago Bears (8)
1986 – New York Giants (5)
1987 — Washington (4)
George HW Bush, 1989-93
(Photo by DAVID AKE/AFP via Getty Images)
1988 – San Francisco 49ers (3)
1989 – San Francisco 49ers (4)
1990 – New York Giants (6)
1991 — Washington (5)
Bill Clinton, 1993-2001
(Photo by LUKE FRAZZA/AFP via Getty Images)
1992 – Dallas Cowboys (3)
1993 – Dallas Cowboys (4)
1994 – San Francisco 49ers (5)
1995 – Dallas Cowboys (5)
1996 – Green Bay Packers (12)
1997—Denver Broncos
1998 — Denver Broncos (2)
1999 – St.Louis Rams (3)
George W. Bush, 2001-2009
Tim Dillon/USA TODAY
2000 – Baltimore Ravens
2001 – New England Patriots
2002 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2003 – New England Patriots (2)
2004 – New England Patriots (3)
2005 — Pittsburgh Steelers (5)
2006 – Indianapolis Colts (5)
2007 – New York Giants (7)
Barack Obama, 2009-17
Robert Deutsch-Imagn Content Services, LLC
2008 — Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
2009 – Saints of New Orleans
2010 – Green Bay Packers (13)
2011 – New York Giants (8)
2012 – Baltimore Ravens (2)
2013 -Seattle Seahawks
2014 – New England Patriots (4)
2015 — Denver Broncos (3)
Donald Trump, 2017-21
(Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)
2016—New England Patriots (5)
2017 — Philadelphia Eagles (4)
2018 – New England Patriots (6)
2019 — Kansas City Chiefs (4)
Joe Biden, 2021-present
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
2020 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)
2021 — Los Angeles Rams (4)
2022 — Kansas City Chiefs (5)
The story originally appeared in Touchdown Wire
