9781422283097

three of its teams—the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts, and San Francisco 49ers—joined the NFL. Eleven years later, the American Football League (AFL) began play—and that league was dead set on turning the NFL on its head. AFL teams made every effort to lure top-notch college football stars to play for them instead of the established NFL. From the time the AFL kicked off in 1960, its teams played a wide-open style of football that caught the attention of the American football-watching public. Players such as Joe Namath of the New York Jets and Lance Alworth of the San Diego Chargers became national stars. The AFL secured its own TV contract, with NBC, in 1965. Both leagues began try‑ ing to steal players away from one another. And that was the last straw. Neither league wanted to escalate a bidding war for players. So on June 8, 1966, the AFL and NFL agreed to merge. Beginning with the 1966 sea‑ son, the champions of each league would meet in what would be called… drum roll, please … The AFL-NFL World Championship Game.

The American Football League

began play in 1960 with eight teams.

14