The American Football League ( AFL ) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference . The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence. It was more successful than earlier rivals to the NFL with the same name, the 1926 , 1936 and 1940 leagues, and the later All-America Football Conference (which existed between 1944 and 1950 but only played between 1946 and 1949).
162-661: The common draft was the selection of college football players in a combined draft from 1967 to 1969 by the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). This took place after the AFL-NFL merger agreement in 1966. From 1960 to 1966, the AFL and NFL drafts were separate and each league competed for players , a major factor in their merger. During the three years of
324-569: A pro football team of its own as well); given five other choices, Wilson negotiated with McGroder and brought the team that became the Bills to Buffalo. Buffalo was officially awarded its franchise on October 28. During a league meeting on November 22, a 10-man ownership group from Boston (led by Billy Sullivan ) was awarded the AFL's eighth team. On November 30, 1959, Joe Foss , a World War II Marine fighter ace and former governor of South Dakota ,
486-723: A "total commitment to winning". With White on board, the Packers made it to the second round of the playoffs during both the 1993 and 1994 seasons but lost their 2nd-round matches to their playoff rival, the Dallas Cowboys, playing in Dallas on both occasions. In 1995 , the Packers won the NFC Central Division championship for the first time since 1972. After a home playoff 37–20 win against Favre's former team,
648-623: A 12-game schedule since 1947, changed to a 14-game schedule in 1961, a year after the American Football League instituted it. The AFL also introduced the two-point conversion to professional football 34 years before the NFL instituted it in 1994 (college football had adopted the two-point conversion in the late 1950s). All of these innovations pioneered by the AFL, including its more exciting style of play and colorful uniforms, have essentially made today's professional football more like
810-404: A Favre touchdown pass to receiver Antonio Freeman . This play appeared to give Green Bay the victory. But San Francisco quarterback Steve Young led the 49ers on an improbable touchdown drive, which culminated when Terrell Owens caught Young's pass between several defenders to give the 49ers a lead with three seconds remaining. Afterward, the game was mired in controversy. Many argued that during
972-679: A Green Bay Packer with his final pass being an interception in overtime. Mike McCarthy coached the NFC team during the 2008 Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Al Harris and Aaron Kampman were also picked to play for the NFC Pro Bowl team as starters. Donald Driver was named as a third-string wideout on the Pro Bowl roster. Brett Favre was named the first-string quarterback for the NFC, but he declined to play in
1134-584: A championship-record 19 by Paul Hornung, on special "loan" from the Army (one touchdown, four extra points, and three field goals), powering the Packers to a 37–0 rout of the Giants, their first NFL Championship since 1944. It was in 1961 that Green Bay became known as "Titletown". The Packers stormed back in the 1962 season , jumping out to a 10–0 start on their way to a 13–1 season. This consistent level of success would lead to Lombardi's Packers becoming one of
1296-562: A city where a previous NFL franchise had failed in 1952 . While Hunt negotiated with the Bidwills, similar offers were made by Bud Adams , Bob Howsam , and Max Winter . When Hunt, Adams, and Howsam were unable to secure a controlling interest in the Cardinals, they approached NFL commissioner Bert Bell and proposed the addition of expansion teams . Bell, wary of expanding the 12-team league and risking its newfound success, rejected
1458-524: A flashier style of play (just like the ABA in basketball), compared to the more conservative game of the NFL. Long passes ("bombs") were commonplace in AFL offenses, led by such talented quarterbacks as John Hadl , Daryle Lamonica and Len Dawson . Despite having a national television contract, the AFL often found itself trying to gain a foothold, only to come up against roadblocks. For example, CBS, which broadcast NFL games, ignored and did not report scores from
1620-476: A head coach. Harlan hired the Seattle Seahawks' vice president of operations Ted Thompson as the new executive vice president, general manager, and director of football operations. The relationship between Thompson and Sherman appeared strained, as Thompson immediately began rebuilding Green Bay's roster. Following a dismal 4–12 season, Thompson fired Sherman. In 2006, Thompson hired Mike McCarthy ,
1782-525: A little better on the field but had their own financial troubles. Attendance was so low for home games that team owner Harry Wismer had fans move to seats closer to the field to give the illusion of a fuller stadium on television. Eventually Wismer could no longer afford to meet his payroll, and on November 8, 1962, the AFL took over operations of the team. The Titans were sold to a five-person ownership group headed by Sonny Werblin on March 28, 1963, and in April
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#17327918219921944-469: A lucrative $ 36 million television contract with NBC (beginning in the 1965 season), which gave the league money it needed to compete with the NFL for players. Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney was quoted as saying to NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle after receiving the news of the AFL's new TV deal that, "They don't have to call us 'Mister' anymore". A single-game attendance record was set on November 8, 1964, when 61,929 fans packed Shea Stadium to watch
2106-458: A mix of AFL and CFL rules. While the Oilers found instant success in the AFL, other teams did not fare as well. The Oakland Raiders and New York Titans struggled on and off the field during their first few seasons in the league. Oakland's eight-man ownership group was reduced to just three in 1961, after heavy financial losses in their first season. Attendance for home games was poor, partly due to
2268-403: A new professional football league to California and New York , but introduced the sport to Colorado , restored it to Texas and later to fast-growing Florida , as well as bringing it to Greater Boston for the first time in 12 years. Buffalo, having lost its original NFL franchise in 1929 and turned down by the NFL at least twice (1940 and 1950 ) for a replacement, returned to the NFL with
2430-487: A players-only meeting, the team found some stability on the offensive line with the return of right tackle Mark Tauscher bringing a minor halt to sacks to Rodgers and opening the running game to Ryan Grant and the other running backs. Green Bay finished the season strongly, winning 7 out of their last 8 games, including winning their 16th regular-season finale in the past 17 seasons, and earning an NFC wild-card playoff bid with an 11–5 regular-season record. The Packers defense
2592-668: A professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin . The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. They are the third-oldest franchise in the NFL, established in 1919, and are the only non-profit , community-owned major league professional sports team based in the United States. Since 1957, home games have been played at Lambeau Field . They hold
2754-579: A regional rivalry would be critical for the success of the new league, convinced Adams to join and found his team in Houston . Hunt next secured an agreement from Howsam to bring a team to Denver . After Winter and Boyer agreed to start a team in Minneapolis-Saint Paul , the new league had its first four teams. Hunt then approached Willard Rhodes, who hoped to bring pro football to Seattle . However, not wanting to undermine its own brand,
2916-465: A shakeup, with Ron Wolf hired as general manager and given full control of the team's football operations to start the 1991 season. In 1992, Wolf hired San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren as the Packers' new head coach. Soon afterward, Wolf acquired quarterback Brett Favre from the Atlanta Falcons for a first-round pick. Favre got the Packers their first win of
3078-484: A similar result. The Oakland Raiders—who had easily beaten the Houston Oilers to win their first AFL championship—were overmatched by the Packers, 33–14. The more experienced Packers capitalized on a number of Raiders miscues and never trailed. Green Bay defensive tackle Henry Jordan offered a compliment to Oakland and the AFL, when he said, "... the AFL is becoming much more sophisticated on offense. I think
3240-503: A team to Miami. League expansion was approved at a meeting held on June 7, and on August 16 the AFL's ninth franchise was officially awarded to Robbie and entertainer Danny Thomas . The Miami Dolphins joined the league for a fee of $ 7.5 million and started play in the AFL's Eastern Division in 1966 . The AFL also planned to add two more teams by 1967. In 1966, the rivalry between the AFL and NFL reached an all-time peak. On April 7, Joe Foss resigned as AFL commissioner. His successor
3402-533: A very skilled wide receiver group, finished second in the NFC, behind the Dallas Cowboys, and third overall in the league. Running back Ryan Grant , acquired for a sixth-round draft pick from the New York Giants, became the featured back in Green Bay and rushed for 956 yards and 8 touchdowns in the final 10 games of the regular season. In the divisional playoff round, in a heavy snowstorm, the Packers beat
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#17327918219923564-474: The 1941 NFL Championship Game ). McCarthy's Packers won 21–14 to move on to Super Bowl XLV , having secured a 3–0 record in the postseason. On the evening before the Super Bowl, McCarthy had each player fitted for a championship ring. Aware of the motivational tactic, team president Mark Murphy instructed his organization to begin designing the ring. The following day on February 6, 2011, they defeated
3726-550: The 1968 NFL season with a 13–1 record, and won the NFL title with a convincing 34–0 win over the Cleveland Browns. Led by their stalwart defense—which allowed a record-low 144 points—the 1968 Colts were considered one of the best-ever NFL teams. By contrast, the Jets had allowed 280 points, the highest total for any division winner in the two leagues. They had also only narrowly beaten the favored Oakland Raiders 27–23 in
3888-653: The AFL–NFL merger . After Lombardi retired, the Super Bowl trophy was named for him, but the team struggled through the 1970s and 1980s. Since 1993, the team has enjoyed much regular-season success, making the playoffs 23 times and winning two Super Bowls in 1996 under head coach Mike Holmgren and 2010 under head coach Mike McCarthy . The Packers have the most wins (826) and the second-highest win–loss record (.571) in NFL history , including both regular season and playoff games. The Packers are longstanding adversaries of
4050-629: The Chicago Bears in Green Bay. After winning their first three, the Packers lost the next five before finishing strong by sweeping their final four. The 7–5 record represented the Packers' first winning season since 1947, enough to earn rookie head coach Lombardi the NFL Coach of the Year . The next year, the Packers , led by Paul Hornung 's 176 points, won the NFL West title and played in
4212-548: The Chicago Bears , Minnesota Vikings , and Detroit Lions , who today form the NFL's NFC North division (formerly known as the NFC Central Division). They have played more than 100 games against each of those teams, and have a winning overall record against all of them, a distinction only shared with the Kansas City Chiefs , Dallas Cowboys , and Miami Dolphins . The Bears–Packers rivalry is one of
4374-540: The Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers used that to their advantage by unleashing aerial assaults against inexperienced players with the NFL's best receivers. The season ended with an overtime loss in a wild card round shootout at the Arizona Cardinals , 51–45. It was the second time McCarthy led the Packers to the postseason. While they weren't as successful as their 90s counterparts in
4536-683: The NFL Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles at Philadelphia . In a see-saw game, the Packers trailed by only four points when All-Pro Eagle linebacker Chuck Bednarik tackled Jim Taylor just nine yards short of the goal line as time expired. The Packers returned to the NFL Championship game the following season and faced the New York Giants in the first league title game to be played in Green Bay. The Packers scored 24-second-quarter points, including
4698-526: The New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings with the streak finally coming to an end late in the 2010 season . The Packers had a 9–7 record in 1992 and began to turn heads around the league when they signed perhaps the most prized free agent in NFL history in Reggie White on the defense in 1993. White believed that Wolf, Holmgren, and Favre had the team heading in the right direction with
4860-648: The New York Titans , Boston Patriots , Buffalo Bills , and the Houston Oilers , and a Western division of the Los Angeles Chargers , Denver Broncos , Oakland Raiders , and Dallas Texans . The league first gained attention by signing 75% of the NFL's first-round draft choices in 1960 , including Houston's successful signing of college star and Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon . While
5022-466: The Packers led to the first-ever Super Bowl by MVP quarterback Bart Starr. The team went 12–2, and as time wound down in the NFL Championship against the Dallas Cowboys , the Packers clung to a 34–27 lead. Dallas had the ball on the Packers' two-yard line, threatening to tie the ballgame. But on fourth down the Packers' Tom Brown intercepted Don Meredith 's pass in the end zone to seal
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5184-546: The Seattle Seahawks . Much of Holmgren's coaching staff went with him, and Reggie White also retired after the season (but later played one season for the Carolina Panthers in 2000). In 1999, the team struggled to find an identity after the departure of so many of the individuals responsible for their Super Bowl run. Ray Rhodes was hired in 1999 as the team's new head coach. Rhodes had served around
5346-720: The University of Southern California . During the 2009 NFL season , two matchups between the franchise and its former quarterback Brett Favre were highly anticipated after Favre's arrival with the division-rival Vikings in August. The first encounter took place in Week 4, on a Monday Night Football game that broke several TV audience records. The scheduling of this game was made possible when Baseball Commissioner and Packer board of directors member Bud Selig forced baseball's Minnesota Twins to play 2 games within 12 hours. The Vikings won
5508-577: The University of Washington was unwilling to let the fledgling league use Husky Stadium , and Rhodes' effort came to nothing (Seattle would later get a pro football team of its own in 1974 some time after the AFL-NFL merger during the construction of the Kingdome and began play in 1976). Hunt also sought franchises in Los Angeles, Buffalo and New York City. During the summer of 1959, he sought
5670-591: The Washington Redskins . After Lombardi died of cancer on September 3, 1970, the NFL renamed the Super Bowl trophy the Vince Lombardi Trophy in recognition of his accomplishments with the Packers. The city of Green Bay renamed Highland Avenue in his honor in 1968, placing Lambeau Field at 1265 Lombardi Avenue ever since. For about a quarter-century after Lombardi's departure, the Packers had relatively little on-field success. In
5832-630: The World Hockey Association (1972–79) managed to have four of its six remaining teams merged into the National Hockey League , which actually caused the older league to contract a franchise, but WHA teams were forced to disperse the majority of their rosters and restart as expansion teams. The merged WHA teams were also not financially sound (in large part from the hefty expansion fees the NHL imposed on them), and three of
5994-463: The 1953–1983 Baltimore Colts or to the current Indianapolis Colts franchise), played only one year in the NFL, disbanding at the end of the 1950 season. The league resulting from the merger was a 26-team juggernaut (since expanded to 32) with television rights covering all of the Big Three television networks (and since the 1990s, the newer Fox network ) and teams in close proximity to almost all of
6156-550: The 1992 season, stepping in for injured quarterback Don Majkowski and leading a comeback over the Cincinnati Bengals . He started the following week, a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers , and never missed another start for Green Bay through the end of the 2007 season. He would go on to break the record for consecutive starts by an NFL quarterback, starting 297 consecutive games including stints with
6318-407: The 1995 season. The Packers had won all previous games, and the media speculated that another 49ers loss would result in the dismissal of San Francisco head coach Steve Mariucci . Unlike the previous playoff matches, this game was hotly contested, with the teams frequently exchanging leads. With 4:19 left in the 4th quarter, Brett Favre and the Packers embarked on an 89-yard drive, which concluded with
6480-652: The 2002 expansion team restored professional football in Houston after the original charter AFL member Oilers relocated to become the Tennessee Titans . Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News has argued that the presence of AFL and the subsequent merger radically altered the fortunes of the Pittsburgh Steelers , saving the team "from stinking". Before the merger, the Steelers had long been one of
6642-420: The 24 seasons from 1968 to 1991, they had only five seasons with a winning record, one being the shortened 1982 strike season . They appeared in the playoffs twice, with a 1–2 record. The period saw five different head coaches— Phil Bengtson , Dan Devine , Bart Starr , Forrest Gregg , and Lindy Infante —two of whom, Starr and Gregg, were Lombardi's era stars, while Bengtson was a former Packer coach. Each led
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6804-444: The 49ers game-winning drive, Niners receiver Jerry Rice fumbled the ball but officials stated he was down by contact. Television replays confirmed the fumble, but referees were unable to review the play; the next season the NFL reinstituted an instant replay system. In the end, this game turned out to be the end of an era in Green Bay. Days later Mike Holmgren left the Packers to become vice president, general manager, and head coach of
6966-518: The AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers 31–25, becoming the first No. 6 seed from the NFC to win a Super Bowl. It was the first time the Packers had won the Lombardi Trophy since 1996. Aaron Rodgers was named Super Bowl MVP. During Super Bowl XLV, McCarthy's team initially enjoyed a comfortable 21–3 lead over the Steelers. Then, Charles Woodson had to leave the game with a broken collarbone and
7128-416: The AFC with the rest of the former AFL teams after the merger helped them rebuild into a contender, drafting eventual- Pro Football Hall of Famers like Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene , and ultimately winning four Super Bowls in the 1970s. Since the 1970 merger, the Steelers have the NFL's highest winning percentage, the most total victories, the most trips to either conference championship game, are tied for
7290-531: The AFL adopted the first-ever cooperative television plan for professional football, in which the proceeds were divided equally among member clubs. It featured many outstanding games, such as the classic 1962 double-overtime American Football League championship game between the Dallas Texans and the defending champion Houston Oilers . At the time it was the longest professional football championship game ever played. The AFL also appealed to fans by offering
7452-582: The AFL championship game. Jets quarterback Joe Namath recalled that in the days leading up to the game, he grew increasingly angry when told New York had no chance to beat Baltimore. Three days before the game, a frustrated Namath responded to a heckler at the Touchdown Club in Miami by declaring, "We're going to win Sunday, I guarantee it!" Namath and the Jets made good on his guarantee as they held
7614-475: The AFL than like the old-line NFL. The AFL's challenge to the NFL also laid the groundwork for the Super Bowl , which has become the standard for championship contests in the United States of America. The NFL also adapted how the AFL used the growing power of televised football games, which were bolstered with the help of major network contracts (first with ABC , later with NBC after the latter network lost NFL rights to CBS ). With that first contract with ABC,
7776-604: The AFL; concerns over having to split the New York metro area with the still-uncertain Jets were a factor in the Bears' bid being rejected. In 1965, Milwaukee officials tried to lure an expansion team to play at Milwaukee County Stadium where the Green Bay Packers had played parts of their home schedule after an unsuccessful attempt to lure the Packers there full-time, but Packers head coach Vince Lombardi invoked
7938-621: The Atlanta Falcons, the Packers defeated the defending Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers 27–17 in San Francisco on the road to advance to the NFC Championship Game , where they lost again to the Dallas Cowboys 38–27. In 1996 , the Packers ' turnaround was complete. The team posted a league-best 13–3 record in the regular season, dominating the competition and securing home-field advantage throughout
8100-429: The Bidwills began entertaining offers from would-be investors, and one of the men who approached the Bidwills was Lamar Hunt , son and heir of millionaire oilman H. L. Hunt . Hunt offered to buy the Cardinals and move them to Dallas , where he had grown up. However, these negotiations came to nothing, since the Bidwills insisted on retaining a controlling interest in the franchise and were unwilling to move their team to
8262-508: The Browns' archrivals ) and Baltimore Colts (who shared the Baltimore -Washington market with the Washington Redskins ) to follow suit, and each team received US$ 3 million to make the switch. The remaining 13 NFL teams became part of the National Football Conference . Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Charlie Joiner , who started his career with the Houston Oilers ( 1969 ), was
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#17327918219928424-658: The Chargers, 24–16, in the AFL Championship on January 1, 1961. Attendance for the 1960 season was respectable for a new league, but not nearly that of the NFL. In 1960, the NFL averaged attendance of more than 40,000 fans per game and more popular NFL teams in 1960 regularly saw attendance figures in excess of 50,000 per game, while CFL attendances averaged approximately 20,000 per game. By comparison, AFL attendance averaged about 16,500 per game and generally hovered between 10,000 and 20,000 per game. Professional football
8586-587: The Colts scoreless until late in the fourth quarter. The Jets won, 16–7, in what is considered one of the greatest upsets in American sports history. With the win, the AFL finally achieved parity with the NFL and legitimized the merger of the two leagues. That notion was reinforced one year later in Super Bowl IV , when the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs upset the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings , 23–7, in
8748-694: The Cowboys and became the Kansas City Chiefs. As part of the merger agreement, additional expansion teams would be awarded by 1970 or soon thereafter to bring the league to 28 franchises; this requirement was fulfilled when the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began play in 1976. In addition, had it not been for the existence of the Oilers from 1960 to 1996, the Houston Texans also would likely not exist today;
8910-411: The Giants in New York, 16–7. The 1963 team went 11–2–1 but finished second in the NFL West. The 1964 went 8–5–1 and finished second in the NFL West. The Packers returned to the championship game in 1965 following a two-year absence when they defeated the Colts in a playoff for the Western Conference title. That game would be remembered for Don Chandler 's controversial tying field goal in which
9072-413: The Green Bay Packers into a model NFL franchise. A 2007 panel of football experts at ESPN ranked the 1996 Packers the 6th-greatest team ever to play in the Super Bowl. The following season the Packers recorded another 13–3 record and won their second consecutive NFC championship. After defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21–7 and San Francisco 49ers 23–10 in the playoffs, the Packers returned to
9234-505: The Houston contract, and with Cannon the Oilers appeared in the AFL's first three championship games (winning two). On June 9, 1960, the league signed a five-year television contract with ABC , which brought in revenues of approximately $ 2.125 million per year for the entire league. On June 17, the AFL filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, which was dismissed in 1962 after a two-month trial. The AFL began regular-season play (a night game on Friday, September 9, 1960) with eight teams in
9396-410: The Lombardi era, the stars of the Packers' offense included Bart Starr , Jim Taylor , Carroll Dale , Paul Hornung (as halfback and placekicker), Forrest Gregg , and Jerry Kramer . The defense included Willie Davis , Henry Jordan , Willie Wood , Ray Nitschke , Dave Robinson , and Herb Adderley . The Packers' first regular-season game under Lombardi was on September 27, 1959, a 9–6 victory over
9558-473: The Midwest, before joining the American Professional Football Association (APFA), the forerunner of today's NFL, in 1921. In 1933, the Packers began playing part of their home slate in Milwaukee until changes at Lambeau Field in 1995 made it more lucrative to stay in Green Bay full-time; Milwaukee is still considered a home media market for the team. Although Green Bay is the smallest major league professional sports market in North America, Forbes ranked
9720-439: The Minnesota group joined the NFL in 1961 as the Minnesota Vikings . The older league also announced on August 29 that it had conveniently reversed its position against expansion, and planned to bring new NFL teams to Houston and Dallas, to start play in 1961. (The NFL did not expand to Houston at that time; the promised Dallas team – the Dallas Cowboys – actually started play in 1960, and the Vikings began play in 1961.) Finally,
9882-403: The NFL as the Minnesota Vikings . Los Angeles Chargers owner Barron Hilton demanded that a replacement for Minnesota be placed in California, to reduce his team's operating costs and to create a rivalry. After a brief search, Oakland was chosen and an ownership group led by F. Wayne Valley and local real estate developer Chet Soda was formed. After initially being called the Oakland Señors,
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#173279182199210044-421: The NFL before the AFL–NFL merger had folded completely: the three previous leagues named "American Football League" and the All-America Football Conference . From an earlier AFL (1936–1937), only the Cleveland Rams (now the Los Angeles Rams ) joined the NFL and are currently operating, as are the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers from the AAFC. A third AAFC team, the Baltimore Colts (not related to
10206-418: The NFL by the mid-1960s, as well as successful franchise shifts of the Chargers from L.A. south to San Diego and the Texans north to Kansas City (becoming the Kansas City Chiefs ), the AFL established a dedicated following. The transformation of the struggling Titans into the New York Jets under new ownership, including the signing of University of Alabama star quarterback Joe Namath , further solidified
10368-414: The NFL for college talent, the AFL under Davis began to also recruit players already on NFL squads. Davis's strategy focused on quarterbacks in particular, and in two months he persuaded seven NFL quarterbacks to sign with the AFL. Although Davis's intention was to help the AFL win the bidding war, some AFL and NFL owners saw the escalation as detrimental to both leagues. Alarmed with the rate of spending in
10530-403: The NFL on July 29. Favre's petition was granted by Commissioner Roger Goodell , effective August 4, 2008. On August 6, 2008, it was announced that Brett Favre was traded to the New York Jets for a conditional draft pick in 2009. The Packers began their 2008 season with their 2005 first-round draft pick, quarterback Aaron Rodgers , under center, as the first QB other than Favre to start for
10692-420: The NFL once the merger was completed. The league's last expansion team, the Cincinnati Bengals began play in the 1968 season, finishing last in the Western Division. While many AFL players and observers believed their league was the equal of the NFL, their first two Super Bowl performances did nothing to prove it. However, on November 17, 1968, when NBC cut away from a game between the Jets and Raiders to air
10854-462: The NFL over 20 years. In protest, Davis resigned as AFL commissioner on July 25 rather than remain until the completion of the merger, and Milt Woodard was named president of the AFL, with the "commissioner" title vacated because of Rozelle's expanded role. On January 15, 1967, the first-ever championship game between the two separate professional football leagues, the "AFL-NFL World Championship Game" (retroactively referred to as Super Bowl I ),
11016-414: The NFL quickly came to terms with the Bidwills and allowed them to relocate the struggling Cardinals to St. Louis, eliminating that city as a potential AFL market. Ralph Wilson , who owned a minority interest in the NFL's Detroit Lions at the time, initially announced he was placing a team in Miami , but like the Seattle situation, was also rebuffed by local ownership (like Seattle, Miami would later get
11178-401: The NFL was still emerging from thirty years of segregation influenced by Washington Redskins' owner George Preston Marshall , the AFL actively recruited from small and predominantly black colleges. The AFL's color-blindness led not only to the explosion of black talent on the field, but to the eventual entry of blacks into scouting, coordinating, and ultimately head coaching positions, long after
11340-420: The NFL's worst teams. Constantly lacking the money to build a quality team, the Steelers had only posted eight winning seasons, and just one playoff appearance, since their first year of existence in 1933 until the end of the 1969 season. They also finished with a 1–13 record in 1969 , tied with the Chicago Bears for the worst record in the NFL. The $ 3 million indemnity that the Steelers received for joining
11502-489: The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. The bidding war for players between the AFL and NFL escalated in 1965. The Chiefs drafted University of Kansas star Gale Sayers in the first round of the 1965 AFL draft (held November 28, 1964), while the Chicago Bears did the same in the NFL draft. Sayers eventually signed with the Bears. A similar situation occurred when the New York Jets and the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals both drafted University of Alabama quarterback Joe Namath . In what
11664-433: The Packers as the world's 27th-most-valuable sports franchise in 2019, with a value of $ 2.63 billion. The Packers have won 13 league championships, the most in NFL history, with nine pre- Super Bowl NFL titles and four Super Bowl victories . The Packers, under coach Vince Lombardi , won the first two Super Bowls in 1966 and 1967 ; they were the only NFL team to defeat the American Football League (AFL) before
11826-404: The Packers in 16 years. Rodgers played well in his first year starting for the Packers, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. However, injuries plagued the Packers' defense, as they lost 7 close games by 4 points or fewer, finishing with a 6–10 record. After the season, eight assistant coaches were dismissed by the organization, including Bob Sanders, the team's defensive coordinator, who
11988-511: The Packers to a worse record than his predecessor. Poor personnel decisions were rife, notoriously the 1974 trade by acting general manager Dan Devine which sent five 1975 or 1976 draft picks (two first-rounders, two-second-rounders and a third) to the Los Angeles Rams for aging quarterback John Hadl , who would spend only 1 1 ⁄ 2 seasons in Green Bay. Another came in the 1989 NFL draft , when offensive lineman Tony Mandarich
12150-467: The Packers to lead the NFL in scoring that year. Despite receiving homefield advantage, Green Bay lost their first postseason game to eventual Super Bowl XLVI champion New York Giants , 37–20. Finishing the 2012 season with an 11–5 record and their second straight division title, the Packers beat the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC wild-card round 24–10, but lost in the divisional round of
12312-523: The Pro Bowl and was replaced on the roster by Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia . The Packers also had several first alternates, including offensive tackle Chad Clifton and linebacker Nick Barnett . In December 2007, Ted Thompson was signed to a 5-year contract extension with the Packers. In addition, on February 5, 2008, head coach Mike McCarthy signed a 5-year contract extension. On March 4, 2008, Brett Favre announced his retirement. Within five months, however, he filed for reinstatement with
12474-487: The Seattle Seahawks 42–20. Grant rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns, while Favre tossed an additional three touchdown passes to receiver Donald Driver (as well as a snowball, which Favre memorably threw at Driver in celebration). On January 20, 2008, Green Bay appeared in their first NFC Championship Game in 10 years facing the New York Giants in Green Bay. The game was lost 23–20 on an overtime field goal by Lawrence Tynes . This would be Brett Favre's final game as
12636-497: The Steelers' Hines Ward found the endzone to make the score 21–10 by halftime. During the third quarter, Pittsburgh scored 7 more points to make the score 21–17. In the fourth quarter, Green Bay's Clay Matthews tackled Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall , and Desmond Bishop recovered the ball for a key turnover. In 2011, coming off their victory in Super Bowl XLV, the Packers won their first 13 games, eventually finishing
12798-599: The Super Bowl as an 11 1 / 2 point favorite. The team ended up losing in an upset to John Elway and the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII , by the score of 31–24. In 1998 , the Packers went 11–5 and met the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the NFC playoffs. It was the fourth consecutive year these teams had met in the playoffs and the sixth overall contest since
12960-554: The Super Bowl for the first time in 29 years. In Super Bowl XXXI , Green Bay defeated the New England Patriots 35–21 to win their 12th championship. Desmond Howard was named MVP of the game for his kickoff return for a touchdown that ended the Patriots' bid for a comeback. Then-Packers president Bob Harlan credited Wolf, Holmgren, Favre, and White for ultimately changing the fortunes of the organization and turning
13122-517: The Texans became the second AFL team to relocate. Lamar Hunt felt that despite winning the league championship in 1962, the Texans could not sufficiently profit in the same market as the Dallas Cowboys , which entered the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1960. After meetings with New Orleans , Atlanta , and Miami , Hunt announced on May 22 that the Texans' new home would be Kansas City, Missouri . Kansas City mayor Harold Roe Bartle (nicknamed "Chief")
13284-522: The United States. One franchise that did not share in this newfound success of the league was the Chicago Cardinals – owned by the Bidwill family – who had become overshadowed by the more popular Chicago Bears . The Bidwills hoped to move their franchise, preferably to St. Louis , but could not come to terms with the league, which demanded money before it would approve the move. Needing cash,
13446-422: The Year honors after recording 9 interceptions, forcing four fumbles, 3 touchdowns, and registering 74 tackles and 2 sacks. In fact, Woodson's 9 interceptions were more than the 8 collected by all Packer opponents that season. Though the defense was ranked high, injuries to Al Harris , Tramon Williams , Will Blackmon , Atari Bigby and Brandon Underwood severely limited the depth of the secondary and teams like
13608-499: The atmosphere resembled a country club. In 2000, Wolf replaced Rhodes with Mike Sherman . Sherman had never been a head coach at any level of football and was relatively unknown in NFL circles. He had only coached in professional football for three years starting as the Packers' tight ends coach in 1997 and 1998. In 1999, he followed Mike Holmgren to Seattle and became the Seahawks' offensive coordinator, although Sherman did not call
13770-482: The ball allegedly went wide right, but the officials signaled "good". The 13–10 overtime win earned the Packers a trip to the NFL Championship game, where Hornung and Taylor ran through the defending champion Cleveland Browns , helping the Packers win, 23–12, to earn their third NFL Championship under Lombardi and ninth overall. Goalpost uprights would be made taller the next year. The 1966 season saw
13932-406: The ball for the last play in AFL history. Hadl was named the game's Most Valuable Player . The AFL ceased to exist as an unincorporated organization on February 1, 1970, when the NFL granted 10 new franchises and issued a new constitution. Prior to the start of the 1970 NFL season , the merged league was organized into two conferences of three divisions each. All ten AFL teams made up the bulk of
14094-500: The blessings of the NFL for his nascent league, as he did not seek a potentially costly rivalry. Within weeks of the July 1959 announcement of the league's formation, Hunt received commitments from Barron Hilton and Harry Wismer to bring teams to Los Angeles and New York, respectively. His initial efforts for Buffalo, however, were rebuffed, when Hunt's first choice of owner, Pat McGroder , declined to take part; McGroder had hoped that
14256-433: The champions of the respective leagues. The two leagues would be fully merged by 1970, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle would remain as commissioner of the merged league, which would be named the NFL. Additional expansion teams would eventually be awarded by 1970 or soon thereafter to bring it to a 28-team league. (The additional expansion would not happen until 1976.) The AFL also agreed to pay indemnities of $ 18 million to
14418-553: The championship game. NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle also became chief executive of the AFL from July 26, 1966, through the completion of the merger. During this time the AFL expanded, adding the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals . After losses by the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders in the first two AFL-NFL World Championship Games to the Green Bay Packers (1966–67), the New York Jets and Chiefs won Super Bowls III and IV (1968–69) respectively, cementing
14580-545: The children's movie Heidi , the ensuing uproar helped disprove the notion that fans still considered the AFL an inferior product. The perception of AFL inferiority forever changed on January 12, 1969, when the AFL Champion New York Jets shocked the heavily favored NFL Champion Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III . The Colts, who entered the contest favored by as many as 18 points, had completed
14742-603: The clock. The Packers 10–6 record allowed them to clinch the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs. They first faced No. 3 seeded Philadelphia , winning 21–16. In the Divisional round, they defeated No. 1 seed Atlanta 48–21. They then played the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in the NFC Championship Game—only the second playoff meeting between the two storied rivals (the other a 33–14 Chicago victory which sent them to
14904-460: The common draft, teams from both leagues were combined in a single ranking to determine the order of the draft. The team with the worst record in either league the previous year picked first, the next-worst team second, and so on, with the exception that the loser of the previous year's World Championship Game picked second to last, and the reigning world champion picked last. As is the case today, any team's draft order could be affected by trades. When
15066-418: The concerns of both leagues over rapidly increasing player salaries, as well as the practice of player poaching. Hunt and Schramm completed the basic groundwork for a merger of the two leagues by the end of May, and on June 8, 1966, the merger was officially announced. Under the terms of the agreement, the two leagues would hold a common player draft. The agreement also called for a title game to be played between
15228-614: The condition that the team be named after its sponsor. The Green Bay Packers have played in their original city longer than any other team in the NFL. On August 27, 1921, the Packers were granted a franchise in the American Professional Football Association, a new national pro football league that had been formed the previous year. The APFA changed its name to the National Football League a year later. Financial troubles plagued
15390-483: The earlier All-America Football Conference (AAFC), as Bell had even given his public approval; but he died suddenly in October 1959, and individual NFL owners soon began a campaign to undermine the new league. AFL owners were approached with promises of new NFL franchises or ownership stakes in existing ones. Only the party from Minneapolis-Saint Paul accepted, and with the addition of Ole Haugsrud and Bernie Ridder
15552-501: The first years of the AFL saw uneven competition and low attendance, the league was buttressed by a generous television contract with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), followed by a contract with the competing National Broadcasting Company (NBC) for games starting with the 1965 season, that broadcast the more offense-oriented football league nationwide. Continuing to attract top talent from colleges and
15714-477: The fledgling league badly needed credibility. Rounding out this mix of potential talent were the true "free agents", the walk-ons and the "wanna-be's", who tried out in droves for the chance to play professional American football. After the AFL–NFL merger agreement in 1966, and after the AFL's Jets defeated an extremely strong Baltimore Colts team, a popular misconception fostered by the NFL and spread by media reports
15876-420: The former offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints , as his new head coach. McCarthy had also previously served as the quarterbacks coach for the Packers in 1999. In McCarthy's debut year coaching the Packers, the team began the season with a 4–8 record. Then, Brett Favre sustained injuries, as did the backup quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Despite the injuries, McCarthy coached
16038-571: The four were forced to relocate within 20 years. Like the WHA, The American Basketball Association (1967–76) also managed to have only four of its teams merged into the National Basketball Association, and the rest of the league was forced to fold. Both the WHA and ABA lost several teams to financial insolvency over the course of their existences. The Continental League , a proposed third league for Major League Baseball that
16200-489: The game 30–23. Brett Favre threw 3 TDs, no interceptions, and had a passer rating of 135. The teams met for a second time in Week 8, Favre leading the Vikings to a second win, 38–26, in Green Bay. Rodgers was heavily pressured in both games, being sacked 14 times total, but still played well, throwing five touchdowns and only one interception. The next week, the Packers were upset by the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Following
16362-431: The helm is the worst in Packers history. Former New York Giants assistant Vince Lombardi was hired as Packers head coach and general manager on February 2, 1959. Few suspected the hiring represented the beginning of a remarkable, immediate turnaround. Under Lombardi, the Packers would become the team of the 1960s, winning five championships over seven years, including victories in the first two Super Bowls . During
16524-540: The initial AFL drafts, they inherited Minnesota's selections. A special allocation draft was held in January 1960, to allow the Raiders to stock their team, as some of the other AFL teams had already signed some of Minneapolis' original draft choices. In November 1959, Minneapolis-Saint Paul owner Max Winter announced his intent to leave the AFL to accept a franchise offer from the NFL. In 1961, his team began play in
16686-433: The innovations introduced by the AFL immediately and a few others in the years following the merger. One was including the names on player jerseys. The older league also adopted the practice of using the stadium scoreboard clocks to keep track of the official game time, instead of just having a stopwatch used by the referee. The AFL played a 14-game schedule for its entire existence, starting in 1960. The NFL, which had played
16848-417: The innovative AFL. While it has been alleged this snub was on orders from the NFL, it is more likely the arrangement was mutual due to the equally bitter rivalry between CBS and NBC. After the merger agreement was announced, CBS agreed to report AFL scores. The AFL took advantage of the burgeoning popularity of football by locating teams in major cities that lacked NFL franchises. Hunt's vision not only brought
17010-504: The last AFL player active in professional football, retiring after the 1986 season, when he played for the San Diego Chargers . The American Football League stands as the only professional traditional outdoor football league to successfully compete against the NFL. When the two leagues merged in 1970, all ten AFL franchises and their statistics became part of the new NFL. Every other professional league that had competed against
17172-537: The last championship game to be played between the two leagues. The Vikings, favored by 12½ points, were held to just 67 rushing yards. The last game in AFL history was the AFL All-Star Game , held in Houston's Astrodome on January 17, 1970. The Western All-Stars, led by Chargers quarterback John Hadl , defeated the Eastern All-Stars, 26–3. Buffalo rookie running back O. J. Simpson carried
17334-465: The league as a highly regarded defensive coordinator and more recently experienced moderate success as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1995 to 1998. Ron Wolf believed that Rhodes' experience and player-friendly demeanor would fit nicely in Green Bay's veteran locker room, but Rhodes was fired after one 8–8 season . Wolf visited team practice late in the 1999 season and believed that players had become too comfortable with Rhodes' style, and said
17496-427: The league has always had good personnel, but the blocks were subtler and better conceived in this game." The AFL added its tenth and final team on May 24, 1967, when it awarded the league's second expansion franchise to an ownership group from Cincinnati , Ohio , headed by NFL legend Paul Brown . Although Brown had intended to join the NFL, he agreed to join the AFL when he learned that his team would be included in
17658-479: The league merged itself out of existence. The AFL's free agents came from several sources. Some were players who could not find success playing in the NFL, while another source was the then newly-formed Canadian Football League . In the late 1950s, many players released by the NFL, or un-drafted and unsigned out of college by the NFL, went North to try their luck with the CFL (which formed in 1958), and later returned to
17820-465: The league – the Boston Patriots , Buffalo Bills , Dallas Texans , Denver Broncos , Houston Oilers , Los Angeles Chargers , New York Titans , and Oakland Raiders . Raiders' co-owner Wayne Valley dubbed the AFL ownership " The Foolish Club ", a term Lamar Hunt subsequently used on team photographs he sent as Christmas gifts. The Oilers became the first-ever league champions by defeating
17982-569: The league's claim to being an equal to the NFL. In 1970, the AFL was absorbed into the NFL. The ten AFL franchises joined three existing NFL teams- the Baltimore Colts , the Cleveland Browns , and the Pittsburgh Steelers -to form the merged league's American Football Conference . During the 1950s, the National Football League had grown to rival Major League Baseball as one of the most popular professional sports leagues in
18144-509: The league's reputation among the major media. As fierce competition made player salaries skyrocket in both leagues, especially after a series of "raids", the leagues agreed to a merger in 1966 . Among the conditions were a common draft and a championship game played between the two league champions first played in early 1967, which would eventually become known as the Super Bowl . The AFL and NFL operated as separate leagues until 1970, with separate regular season and playoff schedules except for
18306-441: The league, Hilton Hotels forced Barron Hilton to relinquish his stake in the Chargers as a condition of maintaining his leadership role with the hotel chain. The same month Davis was named commissioner, several NFL owners, headed by Dallas Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm, secretly approached Lamar Hunt and other AFL owners and started negotiations with the AFL to merge. A series of secret meetings commenced in Dallas to discuss
18468-406: The league, with all-time greats and future Hall of Famers Mike Michalske , Johnny (Blood) McNally , Cal Hubbard and Green Bay native Arnie Herber . Among the many impressive accomplishments of these years was the Packers' streak of 29 consecutive home games without defeat, an NFL record which still stands. The arrival of the end Don Hutson from Alabama in 1935 gave Lambeau and the Packers
18630-528: The merger. The return of football to Kansas City was the first time that city had seen professional football since the NFL's Kansas City Blues of the 1920s; the arrival of the Chiefs, and the contemporary arrival of the St. Louis Football Cardinals , brought professional football back to Missouri for the first time since the temporary St. Louis Gunners of 1934. St. Louis would later regain an NFL franchise in 1995 with
18792-591: The most famous football games at any level in the history of the sport. With 16 seconds left, Bart Starr 's touchdown on a quarterback sneak brought the Packers a 21–17 victory and their still unequaled third straight NFL Championship. They then won Super Bowl II with a 33–14 victory over the Oakland Raiders . Lombardi stepped down as head coach after the game, and Phil Bengtson was named his successor. Lombardi remained as general manager for one season but left in 1969 to become head coach and minority owner of
18954-433: The most feared and dynamic offensive weapon in the game. Credited with inventing pass patterns, Hutson would lead the league in receptions in eight seasons and spur the Packers to NFL championships in 1936 , 1939 and 1944 . An Iron Man , Hutson played both ways, leading the league in interceptions as a safety in 1940. Hutson claimed 18 NFL records when he retired in 1945, many of which still stand. In 1951, his number 14
19116-503: The most prominent teams of their era, and to be featured as the face of the NFL on the cover of Time on December 21, 1962, as part of the magazine's cover story on "The Sport of the '60s". Shortly after Time 's article, the Packers faced the Giants in a much more brutal championship game than the previous year, but the Packers prevailed on the kicking of Jerry Kramer and the determined running of Jim Taylor. The Packers defeated
19278-470: The new American Football Conference . To avoid having an inequitable number of teams in each conference, the leagues voted to move three NFL teams to the AFC. Motivated by the prospect of an intrastate rivalry with the Bengals as well as by personal animosity toward Paul Brown , Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell quickly offered to include his team in the AFC. He helped persuade the Pittsburgh Steelers (
19440-429: The new owners changed the team's name to the New York Jets . The Raiders and Titans both finished last in their divisions in the 1962 season. The Texans and Oilers, winners of their divisions, faced each other for the 1962 AFL Championship on December 23. The Texans dethroned the two-time champion Oilers, 20–17, in a double- overtime contest that was, at the time, professional football's longest-ever game. In 1963,
19602-456: The offer. On his return flight to Dallas, Hunt conceived the idea of an entirely new league and decided to contact the others who had shown interest in purchasing the Cardinals. In addition to Adams, Howsam, and Winter, Hunt reached out to Bill Boyer , Winter's business partner, to gauge their interest in starting a new league. Hunt's first meeting with Adams was held in March 1959. Hunt, who felt
19764-432: The offseason, however, Wolf suddenly announced his own resignation as general manager to take effect after the April 2001 draft. Packers' president Bob Harlan was surprised by Wolf's decision and felt unsure of how to replace him. Harlan preferred the structure Green Bay had employed since 1991; a general manager who ran football operations and hired a subservient head coach. But with the momentum and locker room chemistry that
19926-474: The oldest rivalries in U.S. professional sports history, dating to 1921. The Green Bay Packers were founded on August 11, 1919, by former high-school football rivals Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun . Lambeau solicited funds for uniforms from his employer, the Indian Packing Company , a meat packing company . He was given $ 500 ($ 8,800 today) for uniforms and equipment, on
20088-400: The phrase "World Champions"), Gillman approached NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle and proposed a final championship game between the two teams. Rozelle declined the offer; however, the game would be instituted three seasons later. A series of events throughout the next few years demonstrated the AFL's ability to achieve a greater level of equality with the NFL. On January 29, 1964, the AFL signed
20250-447: The playoffs to the Minnesota Vikings two years later. By the end of the 2004 season, the Packers' team depth appeared to be diminishing. Sherman also seemed overworked and reportedly had trouble communicating with players on the practice field with whom he was also negotiating contracts. Harlan felt the dual roles were too much for one man to handle and removed Sherman from the general manager position in early 2005 while retaining him as
20412-504: The playoffs to the eventual NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers by a score of 45–31. The Packers offense finished the season fifth in points and 11th in yards per game. Under McCarthy, Rodgers passed for 4,295 yards. The defense finished 11th in points allowed and 22nd in yards allowed per game. The Packers topped the first-ever AP Pro32 rankings, a new pro football version of the AP Top 25 college football and basketball polls. In 2013,
20574-417: The playoffs. They were ranked no. 1 in offense with Brett Favre leading the way, no. 1 in defense with Reggie White as the leader of the defense, and no. 1 in special teams with former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard returning punts and kickoffs for touchdowns. After relatively easy wins against the San Francisco 49ers in a muddy 35–14 beatdown and Carolina Panthers 30–13, the Packers advanced to
20736-417: The plays during games. Despite Sherman's apparent anonymity, Wolf was blown away in the interview process by the coach's organizational skills and attention to detail. Sherman's inaugural season started slowly, but the Packers won their final four games to achieve a 9–7 record. Brett Favre praised the atmosphere Sherman had cultivated in Green Bay's locker room and fans were optimistic about the team's future. In
20898-725: The postseason, the 2000s were by no means a dark time for the Packers. The team finished the decade with the 5th highest winning percentage. The team lost Johnny Jolly to a season long suspension after he violated the NFL drug policy. Their running corps suffered a blow when RB Ryan Grant sustained a season ending ankle injury in Week 1. By the end of the season, the team had 16 people on injured reserve , including 7 starters: running back Ryan Grant, tight end Jermichael Finley , inside linebacker Nick Barnett , safety Morgan Burnett , inside linebacker Brandon Chillar , right tackle Mark Tauscher , and outside linebacker Brad Jones . Key injuries didn't stop Mike McCarthy 's team from finishing
21060-555: The rechristened Oakland Raiders officially joined the AFL on January 30, 1960. The AFL's first major success came when the Houston Oilers signed Billy Cannon , the All-American and 1959 Heisman Trophy winner from LSU . Cannon signed a $ 100,000 contract to play for the Oilers, despite having already signed a $ 50,000 contract with the NFL's Los Angeles Rams . The Oilers filed suit and claimed that Rams general manager Pete Rozelle had unduly manipulated Cannon. The court upheld
21222-454: The record for the most wins in NFL history. The Packers are the last of the "small-town teams" that were common in the NFL during the league's early days of the 1920s and 1930s. Founded in 1919 by Earl "Curly" Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun , the franchise traces its lineage to other semi-professional teams in Green Bay dating back to 1896. Between 1919 and 1920, the Packers competed against other semi-pro clubs from around Wisconsin and
21384-538: The regular season with a 10–6 record. In week 7, the team faced the Minnesota Vikings, then led by former Packers quarterback Brett Favre . Green Bay beat Favre's new team 28–24 when Favre's final pass to Randy Moss in the end zone flew incomplete. In week 17, the Packers clinched their playoff berth with a 10–3 victory over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field, aided in large part by Nick Collins ' interception of Jay Cutler's throw that allowed Green Bay to run out
21546-596: The relocation of the LA Rams to the city. The Rams moved back in 2016. In the case of the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL had long sought to return to the Dallas area after the Dallas Texans folded in 1952, but was originally met with strong opposition by Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall , who had enjoyed a monopoly as the only NFL team to represent the American South. Marshall later changed his position after future-Cowboys owner Clint Murchison bought
21708-473: The rights to Washington's fight song " Hail to the Redskins " and threatened to prevent Marshall from playing it at games. By then, the NFL wanted to quickly award the new Dallas franchise to Murchison so the team could immediately begin play and compete with the AFL's Texans. As a result, the Cowboys played its inaugural season in 1960 without the benefit of the NFL draft . The Texans eventually ceded Dallas to
21870-426: The season 15–1. The 15 victories marked the franchise record for wins in a season and tied for the second-most regular-season wins in NFL history, behind only the 2007 Patriots who went 16–0. Following the season, Aaron Rodgers would be named the NFL's MVP, his first such award. During that year, McCarthy's offensive strategies aided Rodgers in throwing for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns. These strategies also propelled
22032-416: The second most trips to the Super Bowl (tied with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos , trailing only the New England Patriots ), and have won six Super Bowl championships, tied with the Patriots for the most in NFL history. Perhaps the greatest social legacy of the AFL was the domino effect of its policy of being more liberal than the entrenched NFL in offering opportunity for black players . While
22194-522: The spectacular play of Brett Favre, Ahman Green , and a formidable offensive line. But Sherman's teams faltered in the playoffs. Before 2003, the Packers had never lost a home playoff game since the NFL instituted a post-season in 1933 (they were 13–0, with 11 of the wins at Lambeau and two more in Milwaukee.). That ended on January 4, 2003, when the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Packers 27–7 in an NFC Wild Card game. The Packers would also lose at home in
22356-739: The states to play in the AFL. In the league's first years, players such as Oilers' George Blanda , Chargers/Bills' Jack Kemp , Texans' Len Dawson , the NY Titans' Don Maynard , Raiders/Patriots/Jets' Babe Parilli , Pats' Bob Dee proved to be AFL standouts. Other players such as the Broncos' Frank Tripucka , the Pats' Gino Cappelletti , the Bills' Cookie Gilchrist and the Chargers' Tobin Rote , Sam DeLuca and Dave Kocourek also made their mark to give
22518-543: The team playing in the San Francisco Bay Area —which already had an established NFL team (the San Francisco 49ers )—but the product on the field was also to blame. After winning six games in their debut season, the Raiders won a total of three times in the 1961 and 1962 seasons. Oakland took part in a 1961 supplemental draft meant to boost the weaker teams in the league, but it did little good. They participated in another such draft in 1962. The Titans fared
22680-495: The team to four consecutive wins, finishing with an 8–8 record. After missing the playoffs in 2006, Brett Favre announced that he would return for the 2007 season; under McCarthy, it would turn out to be one of his best. The Packers won 10 of their first 11 games and finished 13–3, earning a first-round bye in the playoffs. That was sufficient to propel McCarthy to secure the best record among active coaches through their first 25 games. The Packers' passing offense, led by Favre and
22842-632: The team's exclusive lease, and additionally, signed an extension to keep some home games in Milwaukee until 1976. In June 1965, the AFL awarded its first expansion team to Cox Broadcasting of Atlanta . The NFL quickly counteroffered insurance executive Rankin Smith a franchise, which he accepted; the Atlanta Falcons began play as an NFL franchise for the 1966 season. In March 1965, Joe Robbie had met with Commissioner Foss to inquire about an expansion franchise for Miami . On May 6, Robbie secured an agreement with Miami mayor Robert King High to bring
23004-625: The team, and the franchise was forfeited within the year before Lambeau found new financial backers and regained the franchise the next year. These backers, known as " The Hungry Five ", formed the Green Bay Football Corporation. After a near-miss in 1927 , Lambeau's squad claimed the Packers' first NFL title in 1929 with an undefeated 12–0–1 campaign, behind a stifling defense which registered eight shutouts. Green Bay would repeat as league champions in 1930 and 1931 , bettering teams from New York, Chicago and throughout
23166-488: The threat of the AFL would be enough to prompt the NFL to expand to Buffalo. On August 14, 1959, the first league meeting was held in Chicago, and charter memberships were given to Dallas, New York, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul. On August 22, the league officially was named the American Football League at a meeting in Dallas. The NFL's initial reaction was not as openly hostile as it had been with
23328-772: The top 40 metropolitan areas, a fact that has precluded any other competing league from gaining traction since the merger; failed attempts to mimic the AFL's success included the World Football League (1974–75), United States Football League (1983–85), the United Football League (2009–2012) and the AAF (2019), and two iterations of the XFL ( 2001 and 2020 ), in addition to the NFL-backed and created World League of American Football (1991–92). The AFL
23490-487: The two leagues formally merged for the 1970 season, the "common draft" became the modern NFL draft. This article relating to an American football draft is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . American Football League This fourth version of the AFL was the most successful, created by a number of owners who had been refused NFL expansion franchises or had minor shares of NFL franchises. The AFL's original lineup consisted of an Eastern division of
23652-433: The win. The team crowned its season by rolling over the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs 35–10 in Super Bowl I . The 1967 season was the last for Lombardi as the Packers' head coach. The NFL Championship game , a rematch of the 1966 contest against Dallas, became indelibly known as the "Ice Bowl" as a result of the brutally cold conditions at Lambeau Field . Still the coldest NFL game ever played, it remains one of
23814-490: Was Oakland Raiders head coach and general manager Al Davis , who had been instrumental in turning around the fortunes of that franchise. That following May, Wellington Mara , owner of the NFL's New York Giants , broke a "gentleman's agreement" against signing another league's players and lured kicker Pete Gogolak away from the AFL's Buffalo Bills. In response to the Gogolak signing and no longer content with trying to outbid
23976-413: Was also the most successful of numerous upstart leagues of the 1960s and 1970s that attempted to challenge a major professional league's dominance. All nine teams that were in the AFL at the time the merger was agreed upon were accepted into the league intact (as was the tenth team added between the time of the merger's agreement and finalization), and none of the AFL's teams have ever folded. For comparison,
24138-454: Was built during the 2000 season, Harlan was reluctant to bring in a new individual with a potentially different philosophy. Wolf recommended that Harlan give the job to Sherman. Though Harlan was wary of the structure in principle, he agreed with Wolf that it was the best solution. In 2001, Sherman assumed the duties of both general manager and head coach. From 2001 to 2004, Sherman coached the Packers to respectable regular-season success, led by
24300-434: Was even worse at 3–9. The lodge burned down on January 24, 1950, and insurance money paid for many of the Packers' debts. Curly Lambeau departed after the 1949 season . Gene Ronzani and Lisle Blackbourn could not coach the Packers back to their former magic, even as a new stadium was unveiled in 1957. The losing would descend to the disastrous 1958 campaign under coach Ray "Scooter" McLean , whose lone 1–10–1 year at
24462-494: Was instrumental in his city's success in attracting the team. Partly to honor Bartle, the franchise officially became the Kansas City Chiefs on May 26. The San Diego Chargers, under head coach Sid Gillman , won a decisive 51–10 victory over the Boston Patriots for the 1963 AFL Championship. Confident that his team was capable of beating that season's NFL champion Chicago Bears (he had the Chargers' rings inscribed with
24624-411: Was named the AFL's first commissioner. Foss commissioned a friend of Harry Wismer's to develop the AFL's eagle-on-football logo. Hunt was elected President of the AFL on January 26, 1960. The AFL's first draft took place the same day Boston was awarded its franchise, and lasted 33 rounds. The league held a second draft on December 2, which lasted for 20 rounds. Because the Oakland Raiders joined after
24786-426: Was played in Los Angeles. After a close first half, the NFL champion Green Bay Packers overwhelmed the AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs, 35–10. The loss reinforced for many the notion that the AFL was an inferior league. Packers head coach Vince Lombardi stated after the game, "I do not think they are as good as the top teams in the National Football League." The second AFL-NFL Championship ( Super Bowl II ) yielded
24948-460: Was ranked No. 2 and the offense was ranked No. 6 with rookies Brad Jones and Clay Matthews III becoming sensations at linebacker and young players like James Jones , Brandon Jackson , Jermichael Finley and Jordy Nelson becoming threats on offense. Rodgers also became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a starter. Also, cornerback Charles Woodson won NFL Defensive Player of
25110-463: Was replaced by Dom Capers . In March 2009, the organization assured fans that Brett Favre's jersey number would be retired, but not during the 2009 season. In April 2009, the Packers selected nose tackle B. J. Raji of Boston College as the team's first pick in the draft. The team then traded three draft picks (including the pick the Packers acquired from the Jets for Brett Favre) for another first-round pick, selecting linebacker Clay Matthews III of
25272-413: Was still primarily a gate-driven business in 1960, so low attendance meant financial losses. The Raiders, with a league-worst average attendance of just 9,612, lost $ 500,000 in their first year and only survived after receiving a $ 400,000 loan from Bills owner Ralph Wilson. In an early sign of stability, however, the AFL did not lose any teams after its first year of operation. In fact, the only major change
25434-414: Was taken with the second overall pick ahead of future Hall of Fame inductees Barry Sanders , Derrick Thomas , and Deion Sanders . Though rated highly by nearly every professional scout at the time, Mandarich's performance failed to meet expectations, earning him ESPN 's ranking as the third "biggest sports flop" in the last 25 years. The Packers' performance in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s led to
25596-575: Was that the AFL defeated the NFL because of the Common Draft instituted in 1967. This apparently was meant to assert that the AFL could not achieve parity as long as it had to compete with the NFL in the draft. But the 1968 Jets had less than a handful of "common draftees". Their stars were honed in the AFL, many of them since the Titans days. Green Bay Packers National Football League ( 1921 –present) The Green Bay Packers are
25758-731: Was the Chargers' move from Los Angeles to nearby San Diego (they would return to Los Angeles in 2017). On August 8, 1961, the AFL challenged the Canadian Football League to an exhibition game that would feature the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Buffalo Bills , which was attended by 24,376 spectators. Playing at Civic Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario , the Tiger-Cats defeated the Bills 38–21 playing
25920-469: Was the first to be retired by the Packers, and he was inducted as a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. After Hutson's retirement, Lambeau could not stop the Packers' slide. He purchased a large lodge near Green Bay for team members and families to live in. Rockwood Lodge was the home of the 1946–49 Packers. The 1947 and 1948 seasons produced a record of 12–10–1, and 1949
26082-496: Was to begin play in 1961, never played a single game, largely because MLB responded to the proposal by expanding to four of that league's proposed cities. Historically, the only other professional sports league in the United States to exhibit a comparable level of franchise stability from its inception was the American League of Major League Baseball , which made its debut in the early 20th century. The NFL adopted some of
26244-573: Was viewed as a key victory for the AFL, Namath signed a $ 427,000 contract with the Jets on January 2, 1965 (the deal included a new car). It was the highest amount of money ever paid to a collegiate football player, and is cited as the strongest contributing factor to the eventual merger between the two leagues. After the 1963 season, the Newark Bears of the Atlantic Coast Football League expressed interest in joining
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