February 20 marks Presidents Day, which is much more than a bank holiday where people can get a good deal on a mattress. The third Monday of February is a time in the United States to remember the chief executive officer of the federal government and all of the 46 individuals who have held that duly elected power.
The NFL has been around since 1920, which means the league has carried on through many presidencies. While the only significant change to the office in that span was the ratifying of the 22nd Amendment, which provided for term limits, the NFL has undergone changes in how champions are determined.
First, the playoffs extend well into the next calendar year, and have even gone past the inauguration date of Jan. 20 following a presidential election.
Second, from 1920-32, winning percentage determined the champion, while from 1933-69 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.
For a president to score a league champion on his ledger, he has to have been holding office when the championed was crowned — which will make the champions after the 16-game season format all the more interesting.
Here is a list of each presidency and the NFL champions who reigned during those administrations.
Woodrow Wilson, 1913-21
1920 — Akron Pros
Warren G. Harding, 1921-23
1921 — Chicago Staleys (later known as Chicago Bears)
1922 — Canton Bulldogs
Calvin Coolidge, 1923-29
1923 — Canton Bulldogs (2)
1924 — Cleveland Bulldogs
1925 — Chicago Cardinals (later known as Arizona Cardinals)
1926 — Frankford Yellow Jackets
1927 — New York Giants
1928 — Providence Steam Roller
Herbert Hoover, 1929-33
1929 — Green Bay Packers
1930 — Green Bay Packers (2)
1931 — Green Bay Packers (3)
1932 — Chicago Bears (2)
Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933-45
1933 — Chicago Bears (3)
1934 — New York Giants (2)
1935 — Detroit Lions
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
1945 — Cleveland Rams (later known as Los Angeles Rams)
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, 1953-61
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 Indianapolis Colts)
1959 — Baltimore Colts (2)
1960 — NFL: Philadelphia Eagles (3); AFL: Houston Oilers
John F. Kennedy, 1961-63
1961 — NFL: Green Bay Packers (7); AFL: Houston Oilers (2)
1962 — NFL: Green Bay Packers (8); AFL: Dallas Texans (later known as Kansas City Chiefs)
Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963-69
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: Jets
Richard Nixon, 1969-74
1969 — NFL: Minnesota Vikings; AFL: Kansas City Chiefs (3); Super Bowl IV: Chiefs
1970 — Baltimore Colts (4)
1971 — Dallas Cowboys
1972 — Miami Dolphins
1973 — Miami Dolphins (2)
Gerald Ford, 1974-77
1974 — Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 — Pittsburgh Steelers (2)
1976 — Oakland Raiders (2)
Jimmy Carter, 1977-81
1977 — Dallas Cowboys (2)
1978 — Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
1979 — Pittsburgh Steelers (4)
Ronald Reagan, 1981-89
It should be pointed out that this is the first time the Super Bowl is played after the inauguration, which is why Reagan gets to count the 1980 season champion and each president thereafter gets to count his election year as well.
For continuity’s sake, the year in which the season was played 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 H.W. Bush, 1989-93
1988 — San Francisco 49ers (3)
1989 — San Francisco 49ers (4)
1990 — New York Giants (6)
1991 — Washington (5)
Bill Clinton, 1993-2001
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, 2001-09
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
2008 — Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
2009 — New Orleans Saints
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
2016 — New England Patriots (5)
2017 — Philadelphia Eagles (4)
2018 — New England Patriots (6)
2019 — Kansas City Chiefs (4)
Joe Biden, 2021-present
2020 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)
2021 — Los Angeles Rams (4)
2022 — Kansas City Chiefs (5)
