The league was known as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) during the 1920 and 1921 seasons
z: best record, c: conference winner, y: division winner, w: wildcard, x: clinched playoff spot
The 1921 Cincinnati Celts, coached by Mel Doherty, missed the postseason after finishing the NFL regular season in 15th place with a 1-3 record. The team's finances were also troubling. Game attendance for the Celts never reached above 2,500 spectators. As a result of this and other financial issues, the Celts were unable to pay the nominal league fees. The Celts continued as an amateur team until 1923.