American Football League
the American Football League was founded in 1960 as an alternative to the NFL. The two leagues were rivals until 1969, when they merged.
Fast Facts
- Established: 1959
- First season: 1960
- First commissioner: Joe Foss
- First president: Lamar Hunt
- Number Of Teams: 8 (1960-1965), 9 (1966-1967), 10 (1968-1969)
- Merger announced: June 8, 1966
- Last season: 1969
The First Eight Teams
Relocation And New Teams
The Chargers relocated to San Diego and in 1963, the Texans relocated to Kansas City. By 1966, the American Football League tried to recruit NFL players. In 1966, the Miami Dolphins joined the league and in 1967, the first ever championship was played between the NFL and AFL. In the first two Super Bowls, the Green Bay Packers of the NFL defeated the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders of the AFL.
The Last Seasons
Following the 1967 season, the Cincinnati Bengals joined the league. Joe Namath of the Jets guaranteed a victory in Super Bowl III against the Baltimore Colts, and the Jets won, 16-7.1 The following season the Chiefs defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the Super Bowl.2 The final game of the league was the AFL All-Star Game on January 17, 1970.3
League Champions
Related Mahalo Pages
National Football League | Al Davis | Oakland Raiders | San Diego Chargers | Kansas City Chiefs | New York Jets | Joe Namath | Cincinnati Bengals | Miami Dolphins | Buffalo Bills | New England Patriots | Tennessee Titans | Denver Broncos
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