American Football League

American Football League

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Logo of the American Football League

The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when it merged with the National Football League (NFL). The AFL was instrumental in popularizing professional football in the United States and introduced many innovations that are still in use today.

History

The AFL was founded in 1959 by a group of eight owners, known as the "Foolish Club," who were unable to secure NFL franchises. The league began play in 1960 with eight teams: the Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, New York Titans, Dallas Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Oakland Raiders.

Expansion and Growth

The AFL quickly gained popularity due to its exciting style of play and the signing of star players. The league expanded to include the Miami Dolphins in 1966 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968. The AFL's success forced the NFL to expand and eventually led to the merger of the two leagues.

Merger with the NFL

In 1966, the AFL and NFL agreed to merge, with the merger fully taking effect in 1970. The two leagues held a common draft and began playing an annual championship game, known as the Super Bowl, starting in 1967. The merger created a unified league with two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).

Innovations

The AFL introduced several innovations to professional football, including:

• The use of the two-point conversion, which was adopted by the NFL in 1994.
• The introduction of names on the backs of players' jerseys.
• A more open and passing-oriented style of play.
• The use of a 14-game schedule, which the NFL adopted in 1961.

Legacy

The AFL's influence on professional football is still felt today. Many of the league's teams, such as the Kansas City Chiefs (formerly the Dallas Texans) and the New York Jets (formerly the New York Titans), are now integral parts of the NFL. The AFL's emphasis on exciting, high-scoring games helped to increase the popularity of professional football in the United States.

Related pages

• National Football League
• Super Bowl
• American Football Conference
• National Football Conference