1966: NFL and AFL agree to merge by 1970

With the growing popularity of professional football thanks to TV, the upstart AFL and the older (started in the Twenties) NFL will come together into the newer, bigger NFL. I guess then the Super Bowl followed a year later. We also know all the AFL teams were re-labelled as the American Conference and the original NFL teams became the National Conference. Not exactly though. For balance purposes, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Colts were moved over to the AFC. This benefited the Steelers later on because they and the Colts got re-admitted as expansion teams, ergo, more draft picks to rebuild their teams. This would lead to the Steelers to become a dominant organization through the upcoming Seventies with Terry Bradshaw at the helm.

I was a big fan of theirs as a kid. Being a Yankee, cheering for the Cowboys was considered rude and Pittsburgh ran through the Rust Belt of the Midwest.

I also think the NFL is more careful on how much help they give new teams, same for the NHL’s upcoming expansion draft for Seattle’s Kraken.

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