The Eastern and Western Divisions of the National Football League, renamed the American and National Conferences in 1950 and then back to the Eastern and Western Conferences in 1953, were organized as a result of the NFL championship of 1932. NFL owners agreed that henceforth there would be an annual championship game, to be played between the teams with the best records from two divisions, Eastern and Western. The two-division/conference structure remained essentially stable for over 35 years, including the absorption of former All-America Football Conference teams in 1950, and the early expansion teams added in the 1960s in response to the American Football League. With the 1970 AFL–NFL merger the new, larger league was reorganized.

Teams

1933–1949

Eastern DivisionWestern Division
Boston Redskins (Washington from 1937)Chicago Bears
Brooklyn Dodgers (Tigers 1944, defunct)Chicago Cardinals
New York GiantsCincinnati Reds (1933–34, defunct)
Philadelphia EaglesGreen Bay Packers
Pittsburgh Pirates (Steelers from 1940, merged with Philadelphia (Steagles) in 1943, and Chicago Cardinals (Card-Pitt) in 1944, resuming in 1945)Portsmouth Spartans (Detroit Lions from 1934)
Boston Yanks (1944–1948, New York Bulldogs 1949)St. Louis Gunners (1934, defunct)
Cleveland Rams (1937, suspended operations for one year in 1943, Los Angeles from 1946)

1950–1966

American Conference 1950–1952 Eastern Conference 1953–1966National Conference 1950–1952 Western Conference 1953–1966
Chicago Cardinals (St. Louis from 1960)Baltimore Colts (I) (ex-AAFC, 1950, defunct)
Cleveland Browns (ex-AAFC, from 1950)Chicago Bears
New York GiantsDetroit Lions
Philadelphia EaglesGreen Bay Packers
Pittsburgh SteelersLos Angeles Rams
Washington RedskinsNew York Yanks (1950–51, ex-Bulldogs, Dallas Texans (I) 1952, defunct)
San Francisco 49ers (ex-AAFC, from 1950)
Baltimore Colts (II) (from 1953)
Dallas Cowboys (from 1961)Dallas Cowboys (1960 only)
Atlanta Falcons (1966 only)Minnesota Vikings (from 1961)

1967–1969

Eastern ConferenceWestern Conference
Capitol DivisionCentury DivisionCentral DivisionCoastal Division
Dallas CowboysCleveland BrownsChicago BearsAtlanta Falcons
New Orleans Saints (1967 & 1969)New York Giants (1967 & 1969)Detroit LionsBaltimore Colts (II)
Philadelphia EaglesPittsburgh SteelersGreen Bay PackersLos Angeles Rams
Washington RedskinsSt. Louis CardinalsMinnesota VikingsSan Francisco 49ers
New York Giants (1968 only)New Orleans Saints (1968 only)

Champions

1933–1966

SeasonEastern DivisionRecordWestern DivisionRecord
1933New York Giants11–3Chicago Bears10–2–1
1934New York Giants8–5Chicago Bears13–0
1935New York Giants9–3Detroit Lions7–3–2
1936Boston Redskins7–5Green Bay Packers10–1–1
1937Washington Redskins8–3Chicago Bears9–1–1
1938New York Giants8–2–1Green Bay Packers8–3
1939New York Giants9–1–1Green Bay Packers9–2
1940Washington Redskins9–2Chicago Bears8–3
1941New York Giants8–3Chicago Bears10–1
1942Washington Redskins10–1Chicago Bears11–0
1943Washington Redskins6–3–1Chicago Bears8–1–1
1944New York Giants8–1–1Green Bay Packers8–2
1945Washington Redskins8–2Cleveland Rams9–1
1946New York Giants7–3–1Chicago Bears8–2–1
1947Philadelphia Eagles8–4Chicago Cardinals9–3
1948Philadelphia Eagles9–2–1Chicago Cardinals11–1
1949Philadelphia Eagles11–1Los Angeles Rams8–2–2
SeasonAmerican ConferenceRecordNational ConferenceRecord
1950Cleveland Browns10–2Los Angeles Rams9–3
1951Cleveland Browns11–1Los Angeles Rams8–4
1952Cleveland Browns8–4Detroit Lions9–3
SeasonEastern ConferenceRecordWestern ConferenceRecord
1953Cleveland Browns11–1Detroit Lions10–2
1954Cleveland Browns9–3Detroit Lions9–2–1
1955Cleveland Browns9–2–1Los Angeles Rams8–3–1
1956New York Giants8–3–1Chicago Bears9–2–1
1957Cleveland Browns9–2–1Detroit Lions8–4
1958New York Giants9–3Baltimore Colts9–3
1959New York Giants10–2Baltimore Colts9–3
1960Philadelphia Eagles10–2Green Bay Packers8–4
1961New York Giants10–3–1Green Bay Packers11–3
1962New York Giants12–2Green Bay Packers13–1
1963New York Giants11–3Chicago Bears11–1–2
1964Cleveland Browns10–3–1Baltimore Colts12–2
1965Cleveland Browns11–3Green Bay Packers10–3–1
1966Dallas Cowboys10–3–1Green Bay Packers12–2

1967–1969

Eastern ConferenceWestern Conference
SeasonCapitol DivisionRecordCentury DivisionRecordCoastal DivisionRecordCentral DivisionRecord
1967Dallas Cowboys9–5Cleveland Browns9–5Los Angeles Rams11–1–2Green Bay Packers9–4–1
1968Dallas Cowboys12–2Cleveland Browns10–4Baltimore Colts13–1Minnesota Vikings8–6
1969Dallas Cowboys11–2–1Cleveland Browns10–3–1Los Angeles Rams11–3Minnesota Vikings12–2