American football[]
- Cotton Bowl (1959 season):
- The Syracuse Orangemen won 23-17 over the Texas Longhorns to win the college football national championship
- National Football League names Pete Rozelle commissioner of the league. The league expands to Dallas for the 1960 season and Minneapolis-St.Paul for the 1961 season. The Chicago Cardinals relocates to St. Louis.
- December 26-NFL Championship – Philadelphia Eagles won 17-13 over the Green Bay Packers
- The American Football League (AFL) played its first season
- First black pro football placekicker: Gene Mingo (Denver Broncos, AFL)
- First Hispanic pro football quarterback: Tom Flores (Oakland Raiders, AFL)
- AFL Championship: Houston Oilers won 24-16 over the Los Angeles Chargers