The National Football Team: The NFL Merger

It was forty-five years ago when the AFL and NFL announced plans to merge (Warren 1). On June 8th 1966 history was made. It was on this day that the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) decided merge and become the National Football League. Otherwise known as the NFL, this merge combined two very different leagues, one a high-flying passing type of game and one a grind it out running style of game. Against all odds the two rival became one and created the game we know and love today know as football. Because we all love football so much this
There were several reasons why this merge took place, but overall it happened because of the competition. The two rivals were constantly competing for both fans and players.
They started off dominating everything. In 1971 the NFC earned five of the eight playoff berths, they also six or eight playoff berths in 1972. The AFC did not get the respect that they deserved until the 1974 season when the Miami Dolphins were the favorites to win over the Minnesota Vikings, which they won twenty-four to seven. Even the year before the undefeated Miami Dolphins were underdogs, however they did win fourteen to seven. Later four more teams would join the NFL between 1995 and 2002. The Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995, the Baltimore Ravens begun play in 1996, the Houston Texans joined in 2002, just five years after the Oilers moved to Tennessee and became the Titans.
The AFL and NFL merger was the first of many similar moves in sports. It was a very important in creating the game of football we love today. It was on June 8th 1966 that all this started, that was the day this was announced. This merge combined two completely different leagues. One relied on the running game and one relied on the passing game. One was rich and one was poor. One was popular and one and irrelevant underdog. But against all odds this merger was