The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants are two of the oldest franchises in the NFL. On “Monday Night Football,” the Steelers will host the Giants in a historical battle involving two of the longest-tenured owners in the league today.
While both teams appear to be heading in different directions in 2024, they share a unique bond in having had the same family lead ownership since each franchise’s inception. Let’s take a closer look at the longest-tenured owners around the NFL.
Which Team Has the Longest-Tenured Ownership in the NFL?
Chicago Bears: Virginia Halas McCaskey (1920)
Virginia Halas McCaskey is the daughter of George Halas, who founded the Chicago Bears. McCaskey inherited the franchise following her father’s death in 1983. During her tenure as the Bears’ owner, the team has made two appearances in the Super Bowl.
In 1986, Chicago’s fearsome defense powered the Bears to a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 20. It remains the only Super Bowl victory in franchise history, as the Bears fell short against the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 41.
Green Bay Packers: Green Bay Packers, Inc. (1923)
The Green Bay Packers have been a publicly owned, non-profit corporation since Aug. 18, 1923. The corporation currently has around 537,460 stockholders who collectively own an estimated 5.2 million shares of stock following the sixth stock sale in franchise history that took place in 2021.
Green Bay’s ownership structure is truly unique and unlike any other NFL franchise. During the team’s most recent stock sale, shares were available for $300.
New York Giants: John Mara and Steve Tisch (1925)
The Mara family has owned the New York Giants since the franchise was founded in 1925. Current co-owner, John Mara, is the grandson of the team’s original founder, Tim Mara.
In 1991, Preston Robert Tisch purchased 50% of the ownership stake in the Giants. Following his death in 2005, Steve Tisch inherited the family’s share of the franchise. John Mara and Steve Tisch have led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories during their ownership tenure.
Arizona Cardinals: Michael Bidwill (1932)
Charles Bidwill purchased the Arizona Cardinals for $50,000 in 1932. The Bidwill family has owned the franchise for nearly a century, as the Cardinals have been passed on from generation to generation.
Charles left the franchise to his son, Bill Bidwill, who then left it to his son and current owner, Michael Bidwill. Despite being moved to several different cities throughout the franchise’s history, the Bidwill family has remained in control of the Cardinals all along.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Art Rooney II and the Rooney Family (1933)
In 1933, Art Rooney paid a $2,500 franchise fee to create a team based in the city of Pittsburgh. Rooney laid down their family roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the 1880s and eventually poured the foundation of a football franchise over 50 years later.
The Steelers have remained in the Rooney family all along, as the team has been passed down several generations throughout the years. Pittsburgh has won six Super Bowls, tied for the most in NFL history, while only having had 16 different head coaches throughout franchise history.
Which Team Has the Shortest-Tenured Ownership in the NFL?
Washington Commanders: Josh Harris (2023)
The Washington Commanders were a franchise seemingly spiraling out of control under previous owner Daniel Snyder. Despite already owning the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, Josh Harris purchased the Commanders in 2023.
After years of being one of the most embarrassing franchises in the NFL, the Commanders are truly turning things around under Harris. Thanks to the arrival of rising star quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders appear to be in good hands moving forward.
Denver Broncos: Rob Walton (2022)
Rob Walton led an ownership group to purchase the Denver Broncos for a whopping $4.65 billion in 2022. After two underwhelming seasons to begin his tenure as owner in Denver, the Broncos have seemingly turned things around in 2024.
They went all-in on Sean Payton as the franchise’s new leader and head coach in 2023. While Payton’s first season in Denver didn’t go according to plan, the Broncos are off to a surprising start in 2024 and appear to be heading in the right direction.
Carolina Panthers: David Tepper (2018)
Prior to purchasing the Carolina Panthers in 2018, David Tepper owned a 5% share in the Steelers since 2009. Tepper was forced to sell his shares in Pittsburgh to buy the Panthers, yet it doesn’t appear that his tenure with the Steelers taught him much.
Since Tepper’s arrival in Carolina, the Panthers have become the laughingstock of the NFL. During his tenure as owner, Tepper has hired six different head coaches, which highlights how inept the organization has truly been under his watch.
Buffalo Bills: Kim and Terry Pegula (2014)
Kim and Terry Pegula first purchased the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL in 2011. Then they placed the winning bid to purchase the Buffalo Bills in 2014. According to multiple reports, the Pegulas placed a $1.4 billion bid for the franchise — all in cash.
While the Bills have failed to win a Super Bowl during the Pegulas’ ownership tenure, they have enjoyed quite a bit of postseason success. Star quarterback Josh Allen is one of the best players in the NFL, and the franchise is in a great position moving forward.
Cleveland Browns: Dee and Jimmy Haslam (2012)
Similar to Tepper, Jimmy Haslam owned a minority stake in the Steelers before purchasing his own NFL franchise. Once Haslam agreed to purchase the Cleveland Browns in 2012, he was forced to sell his interest in Pittsburgh.
Unfortunately, Haslam hasn’t enjoyed much success as owner of the Browns. They didn’t have a winning season during his tenure as owner until 2020. Cleveland’s decision to trade for Deshaun Watson in 2022 will likely plague the franchise for years.
Complete List of NFL Owners by Length of Tenure
- Chicago Bears: Virginia Halas McCaskey (1920)
- Green Bay Packers: Green Bay Packers, Inc. (1923)
- New York Giants: John Mara and Steve Tisch (1925)
- Arizona Cardinals: Michael Bidwill (owned since 1932)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Art Rooney II and the Rooney family (1933)
- Tennessee Titans: Amy Adams Strunk (1959)
- Kansas City Chiefs: Clark Hunt (1960)
- Detroit Lions: Sheila Ford Hamp (1963)
- Las Vegas Raiders: Carol and Mark Davis (1971)
- Indianapolis Colts: Jim Irsay (1972)
- San Francisco 49ers: Denise Debartolo York and John York (1977)
- Los Angeles Chargers: Dean Spanos (1984)
- New Orleans Saints: Gayle Benson (1985)
- Dallas Cowboys: Jerry Jones (1989)
- Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Brown (1991)
- New England Patriots: Robert Kraft (1994)
- Philadelphia Eagles: Jeffrey Lurie (1994)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bryan Glazer and the Glazer Family (1995)
- Seattle Seahawks: Jody Allen (1997)
- Houston Texans: Janice McNair (1999)
- New York Jets: Christopher and Woody Johnson (2000)
- Atlanta Falcons: Arthur Blank (2002)
- Baltimore Ravens: Steve Bisciotti (2004)
- Minnesota Vikings: Zygi Wilf (2005)
- Miami Dolphins: Stephen Ross (2008)
- Los Angeles Rams: Stan Kroenke (2010)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Shahid Khan (2012)
- Cleveland Browns: Dee and Jimmy Haslam (2012)
- Buffalo Bills: Kim and Terry Pegula (2014)
- Carolina Panthers: David Tepper (2018)
- Denver Broncos: Rob Walton (2022)
- Washington Commanders: Josh Harris (2023)