Chiefs’ move is far from the NFL’s first. How did in-market moves go elsewhere?
Change is inevitable, especially in the NFL.
The Kansas City Chiefs announced that they would be moving out of Missouri in 2031. It’s a chapter that many storied franchises throughout the league have endured: Leaving a place where a team built up culture and created decades worth of memories.
Some teams have had multiple stadium and franchise moves in their history, while some are currently trying to find a new home.
These NFL teams are just a few examples of those who have moved around within their metro area, and how they have fared since then.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have played in Minneapolis since 1981. They played at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome before moving to U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016.
Prior to playing in the Twin Cities, the Vikings were in Bloomington, Minnesota, 14 miles away from Minneapolis. The Vikings’ home turf was originally at Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981. Other professional teams used the stadium, including Minnesota Twins of MLB, and the former professional soccer team, the Minnesota Kicks.
Metropolitan Stadium’s capacity capped out at 47,200, according to the Minnesota Vikings. There was a point in the 1970s where the Vikings grew tired of the Met, as it was clear the venue was designed more for baseball, according to the Society for American Baseball Research.
In 1982, the Twins and Vikings moved into the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis. While the stadium was beloved by fans, age and structure caught up to the Metrodome, which saw multiple roof collapses, including the infamous one in 2010.
The Twins made their way to Target Field in 2010. U.S. Bank Stadium was open for the Vikings in 2016, finally giving the two teams their own spaces. A fully indoor, climate controlled stadium, U.S. Bank has hosted a plethora of high profile events in its short history, including Super Bowl LII, the Final Four of the 2019 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, and concerts from high profile artists.
USA TODAY had U.S. Bank Stadium ranked as the sixth best NFL Stadium for 2025, while The Athletic said it was the “NFL’s best venue” in 2024.
Washington Commanders
Before moving to Maryland, the team now known as the Washington Commanders played in Washington, D.C., at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The teams was there from 1961 to 1996, before moving 8 miles away to NorthWest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, formerly known as FedEx Field.
NorthWest Stadium has not been the most liked stadium amongst NFL fans. Sports Illustrated and USA TODAY have previously ranked the venue as the worst NFL stadium. In the 2025 NFL Players Association team report cards, the Commanders got an F for its locker room.
In August, Commanders owner Josh Harris announced that the team would move back to D.C., as they are planning to build a new 65,000-seat stadium at the old RFK Stadium site. This stadium is set to open in 2030. The team will be heading back to a city where they won three Super Bowl titles and hosted five NFC Championship games.
Los Angeles Chargers/Los Angeles Rams
Two teams now share SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, but it took a while to get there.
The Rams moved to St. Louis from 1995 to 2015, after spending 48 years in LA. The Rams moved back to LA in 2016, citing owner Stan Kroenke’s desire to have the team back in the market. The team temporarily played in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 2016 to 2019 before SoFi Stadium was opened in 2020. The Inglewood stadium is roughly 30 minutes the Coliseum, which was in LA.
The Chargers were based in Los Angeles for exactly one season before they went 120 miles south to San Diego in 1961. The team would stay in San Diego for 55 years, before moving back to LA for the financial benefits and exposure. While SoFi was being built, the team was playing at Dignity Health Sports Park from 2017-2019 in Carson, California, which is about 30 minutes from LA.
Are any other NFL teams trying to find a new home?
The Chicago Bears are working to relocate from Soldier Field to a new stadium in Arlington Heights, Illinois, roughly 26 miles from the windy city. That plan has been under question, as Bears president Kevin Warren wrote a letter to fans on Dec. 17, saying that the team has also been looking at possible stadium locations in northwest Indiana.
The Cleveland Browns reached a deal this year to build a new domed stadium in Brook Park, which is around 14 miles from Cleveland.
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM.
