2001 nfl pro bowl

The seed that sprouted the 32-team National Football League was planted Nov. 6, 1869, when Rutgers and Princeton played a college soccer game. The game used modified London Football Association rules. During the next seven years, rugby gained favor over soccer with the major eastern schools, and modern football began to develop from rugby.
From the official NFL Record & Fact Book, here is an abbreviated chronology of the league:
In 1876, the first rules for American football were written during the Massasoit convention. Walter Camp, who would become known as the father of American football, first became involved with the game.
The Pittsburgh Athletic Club signed one of its players (probably halfback Grant Dilbert) to the first known pro football contract in 1893. Three years later, the Allegheny Athletic Association team fielded the first completely professional team for its abbreviated two-game schedule.
In 1899, Chris O'Brien formed the Morgan Athletic Club on the south side of Chicago. The team later became known as the Normals, then the Racine Cardinals, the Chicago Cardinals, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phoenix Cardinals and, in 1994, the Arizona Cardinals. The team is the oldest continuing operation in pro football.
The Philadelphia Athletics and Philadelphia Phillies -- professional baseball teams -- joined the Pittsburgh Stars in the first attempt to form a pro football league: the National Football League. The Athletics defeated Kanaweoia AC 39-0 on Nov. 21, 1902, in the first night football game. In another first, New York and Syracuse played Dec. 28 at Madison Square Garden -- the first indoor football game.
In 1904, halfback Charles Follis signed a contract with the Shelby (Ohio) AC, making him the first known black football player.
The forward pass was legalized in 1906. George "Peggy" Parratt of Massillon completed the first authenticated pass to Dan "Bullet" Riley in a win against a combined Benwood-Moundsville team.
Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Calhoun organized the Green Bay Packers in 1919. Indian Packing Company -- Lambeau's employer -- provided $500 for equipment and allowed the team to use the company field for practices. The Packers went 10-1.