The National Football League was founded in 1920, as the American Professional Football Association.  After beginning with 11 teams, the NFL grew to combine with the American Football League to become the top professional football league outright.

On this day, December 4th, in 1977, the National Football League played its 5,000th game.  The match took place between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs with the Bengals winning 27-7.

Since the 5,000th game, the NFL has only become more popular.  The league now includes 32 teams and is watched by millions on local and national broadcasts.  The Super Bowl, which determines the NFL’s season champion, is currently one of the most watched sporting events in the world.