Moments in NFL History: Expansion triggers 2002 realignment
An earlier installment of this series identified the reintegration of professional football in 1946 as one of the significant events that changed the landscape of the National Football League.
Sometimes overlooked, another pivotal moment occurred on this date in 2001, when the NFL announced its realignment plan that would be implemented starting in the 2002 season.
The catalyst of this change? The addition of the expansion Houston Texans. The franchise, which was awarded to the city and Houston entrepreneur Bob McNair in October 1999, became the 32nd NFL franchise after the Browns returned to Cleveland that same year, evening out the entirety of the league.
This set off a realignment chain-reaction unlike any other previously seen, even the famous AFL-NFL merger of 1966-1970.
First, the Indianapolis Colts (AFC East), Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC Central) and Tennessee Titans (AFC Central) and the Texans became part of the newly created AFC South.
The Atlanta Falcons (NFC West), Carolina Panthers (NFC West), New Orleans Saints (NFC West) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC Central) shifted to the newly created NFC South.
The remaining teams from the previous AFC and NFC Central (AFC: Steelers, Browns, Ravens and Bengals; NFC: Bears, Lions, Packers and Vikings) stayed in their respective conferences in the renamed AFC North and NFC North.
Other changes included the Arizona Cardinals moving from the NFC East to the NFC West and the Seattle Seahawks switching conferences entirely – moving from the AFC West back to the NFC West. This was the first team since 1977 to change conferences and the second time Seattle did it.
The shakeup also altered the regular season and playoff structures, with many of the changes still elements in today’s iteration of the game.
The NFL introduced a schedule rotation that ensured every team plays every other team in the League at least once every four years. In the postseason, the change reverted the playoff system last had been used in 1990: four conference champions and two wild-card teams. This playoff setup lasted until 2020, when the number of playoff teams expanded by adding one more wild-card team per conference.
The definition “league altering” can apply to many different moments, but few changed the structure of the NFL to the degree that realignment did on this date, May 22, in 2001.
This article from the Hall of Fame Communications Team is part of recurring series celebrating memorable moments in NFL history.
