Kusukela esigabeni esinikeziwe, khipha ukwanda kwenani lemidlalo ngesizini ye-NFL.
Context:Kusukela ngo-1920 kuya ku-1934, i-NFL yayingenayo inombolo ebekiwe yemidlalo yamaqembu okufanele ayidlale, esikhundleni salokho ibeka ubuncane. I-league yanquma ukuthi iqembu ngalinye lidlale imidlalo eyishumi nambili ngesikhathi sesizini kusukela ngo-1935, kamuva yanciphisa lokhu kwaba yimidlalo eyishumi nanye ngo-1937 nemidlalo eyishumi ngo-1943, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yeMpi Yezwe II. Ngemva kokuphela kwempi, inani lemidlalo laphindela emidlalweni eyishumi nanye ngo-1946, futhi kamuva laphindela kwayishumi nambili ngo-1947. I-NFL yathuthela esimisweni semidlalo engu-14 ngo-1961, eyasigcina kwaze kwaba yilapho ishintshela esimisweni semidlalo engu-16 ngo-1978. NgoMashi 2021, i-NFL yamukela ngokusemthethweni uhlelo lwemidlalo eyi-17 ngemuva kokuthola isivumelwano seNational Football League Players Association (NFLPA).
Eminyakeni yokuqala ye-NFL leligi yavele yamisa ubuncane bemidlalo eyi-12 edlalwe isizini ngayinye kusuka ngo-1920-1934. Ngo-1937 amaqembu adlala imidlalo engu-11. Ngo-1943 amaqembu adlala imidlalo eyi-10 ngenxa yeMpi Yezwe II. Ngo-1947 amaqembu ayedlala imidlalo engu-12 ngesizini. Kusukela ngo-1961 kuya ku-1978 amaqembu adlala imidlalo engu-14 ngesizini ngaphambi kokudlala imidlalo engu-16 ngesizini kuze kube ngu-2021. Iqembu ngalinye le-NFL lidlala imidlalo engu-17 ngesizini namuhla.