The Timeline: The Merger | AFL-NFL | NFL Films

The behind the scenes events that led to the 1966 merger of the AFL and the NFL, and the immediate establishment of an "AFL-NFL World' s Championship of Professional Football" game (Super Bowl) following the 1966 Football Season.

The key dates in the history of the American Football League:

Aug. 22, 1959 -- Lamar Hunt, Bud Adams, Barron Hilton and other members of "The Foolish Club" announce creation of American Football League.

Nov. 30, 1959 -- Joe Foss hired as commissioner of AFL.

Jan. 26, 1960 -- Hunt elected AFL president.

June 9, 1960 -- ABC signs five-year contract to televise AFL games.

July 30, 1960 -- Boston Patriots beat Buffalo Bills 28-7 in first AFL preseason game.

Sept. 9, 1960 -- Denver Broncos defeat Patriots 13-10 at Boston in first AFL regular-season game.

Jan. 1, 1961 -- Houston Oilers win first AFL title, beating Los Angeles Chargers 24-16.

Jan. 14, 1961 -- Receiver Willard Dewveall of Chicago Bears plays out his option and joins Oilers, becoming the first NFL player to defect to the AFL.

Feb. 10, 1961 -- Chargers move from Los Angeles to San Diego.

Dec. 24, 1961 -- Houston repeats as AFL champion, beating San Diego 10-3.

Jan. 7, 1962 -- Western Division defeats Eastern Division 47-27 in first AFL All-Star game in San Diego.

Dec. 23, 1962 -- Dallas Texans prevent Houston from winning third straight championship in longest title game in pro football history. Tommy Brooker's 25-yard field goal in second overtime wins game 20-17.

Feb. 8, 1963 -- Texans move to Kansas City and become Chiefs.

March 28, 1963 -- Sonny Werblin leads group that purchases New York Titans from original owner Harry Wismer. Team changes name to Jets on April 15.

Dec. 28, 1963 -- Boston beats Buffalo 26-8 in first AFL division playoff game.

Jan. 5, 1964 -- Chargers rout Patriots 51-0 for AFL title.

Jan. 29, 1964 -- AFL signs five-year, $36 million contract with NBC, beginning with 1965 season. The deal provides AFL with necessary capital to compete for players with NFL.

Dec. 26, 1964 -- Buffalo beats San Diego 20-7 for AFL championship.

Jan. 2, 1965 -- Jets sign Joe Namath to record $427,000 contract.

Aug. 16, 1965 -- Miami awarded AFL expansion franchise to begin play in 1966.

Dec. 26, 1965 -- Bills repeat as champions, downing Chargers 23-0.

April 7, 1966 -- Foss resigns as AFL commissioner and is succeeded by Al Davis.

May 17, 1966 -- New York Giants sign Buffalo kicker Pete Gogolak, the first AFL regular to move to NFL, leading AFL to start signing NFL stars to future contracts.

June 8, 1966 -- The AFL and NFL announce a merger, although a common schedule won't occur until 1970. A common draft will begin in 1967, and the AFL champions will play the NFL winners for the overall title beginning in January 1967.

Pete Rozelle remains as NFL commissioner and Davis rejoins Oakland Raiders.

Oct. 21, 1966 -- Congress approves the merger.

Jan. 1, 1967 -- Kansas City defeats Buffalo 31-7 for AFL crown, spot in overall championship game (soon to be called Super Bowl) against Green Bay.

Jan. 15, 1967 -- Packers beat Chiefs 35-10 at Los Angeles Coliseum.

May 23, 1967 -- Cincinnati is awarded the 10th AFL franchise.

Aug. 5, 1967 -- Broncos become first AFL team to defeat an NFL team, beating the Detroit Lions 13-7 in the first of 16 AFL-NFL preseason games that year.

Dec. 31, 1967 -- Oakland routs Houston 40-7 for AFL title and right to meet NFL champion Green Bay in Super Bowl.

Jan. 14, 1968 -- Packers beat Raiders 33-14 in Super Bowl at Miami.

Sept. 9, 1968 -- Oilers become first team with indoor home stadium, losing to Chiefs 26-21 at Houston Astrodome in first regular-season game.

Nov. 17, 1968 -- "Heidi" steals the ending of Jets-Raiders game at Oakland. NBC cuts away to the movie as the Raiders are rallying to a 43-32 victory with two touchdowns in final 42 seconds.

Dec. 29, 1968 -- Weeb Ewbank becomes first coach to win NFL and AFL titles when he leads Jets over Raiders 27-23 at New York. Ewbank also coached the NFL champion Colts in 1958 and '59.

Jan. 12, 1969 -- Jets pull off biggest upset in Super Bowl history as Namath guarantees victory, then delivers 16-7 over Baltimore. Jets were as much as 17½-point underdogs.

May 17, 1969 -- Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cleveland agree to move to AFL in 1970, setting up two 13-team conferences to be known as AFC and NFC.

Jan. 4, 1970 -- Chiefs beat Raiders 17-7 for the last AFL championship.

Jan. 11, 1970 -- Kansas City wins the final AFL-NFL Super Bowl, upsetting Minnesota 23-7 in New Orleans.

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