High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! From 1955 to 1996, the United Press International gave two annual Rookie of the Year awards in American football. One was given to the rookie of the year in the old National Football League (NFL), most of whose teams in 1970 became the National Football Conference (NFC) of the new NFL. The other award was given to the rookie of the year in the old American Football League, whose teams in 1970 became the American Football Conference (AFC) of the new NFL.