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Dutiful fans cheer on their favorite teams every week, but not everyone knows the story behind what they're chanting at the top of their lungs. Luckily, Stacker recently dived into the story behind every NFL football team's name to give fans a little bit of insight.
There are 32 teams in the National Football League (NFL), and each one has a unique story as to how they got their name. Some were chosen by fans, while others have ties to former professional sports teams and beloved athletes.
The Detroit Lions, previously known as the Portsmouth Spartans, were founded in 1930. Here's the story behind how the team got their name:
"According to the book The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr, Detroit's NFL team came to be known as the Lions as a counterpart to the existing baseball team in the city, the Tigers. A team spokesman later said, 'The lion is monarch of the jungle and we hope to be the monarch of the league.' The Lions won four NFL championships pre-AFL/NFL merger, but have never reached a Super Bowl."
Curious about how the rest of the teams in the NFL got their names? Check out their stories on Stacker.