The AFL Original Eight is a blog which is dedicated primarily to the history of the eight professional football teams who played in the American Football League from 1960-1969. As the AFL did in fact expand later in that decade, then I shall provide commentary as to those teams as such relates to the historical narrative itself.
Now as a native of the Dallas area, I am admittedly interested in the origin of the AFL as local history. For the very concept of an alternative professional football league was perceived in the mind of local Dallas native Lamar Hunt as a means to establish a professional football team in Big D, after his original efforts to establish a local NFL franchise were unsuccessful. For he had been unable to either negotiate the purchase of an existing team, or to persuade the NFL to expand into the Dallas market. Though disappointed at being shut out by the NFL; the determined and ever resourceful Hunt simply set out in early 1959 to establish an alternative professional football league, which would include a team in his beloved Dallas. Within a year the American Football League was established; and in the Fall of 1960 the eight team AFL featuring the following teams kicked off its inaugural season:
Boston Patriots (now New England)
Buffalo Bills
Dallas Texans (relocated to Kansas City in 1963)
Denver Broncos
Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans)
Los Angeles Chargers (formerly San Diego; once again LA)
New York Titans (now Jets)
Oakland Raiders (now Las Vegas; formerly LA)
Each of the AFL “original eight” were founded over 60 years ago, and in spite of a variety of challenges to their origins, every charter AFL franchise remains operational today. For along with the expansion Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals teams which were formed in the latter 1960’s; all 10 AFL teams are active members of the AFC. And I would suggest that the roots of each of these ongoing professional football franchises, are traceable to the history of Dallas, Texas.
Now granted the AFL merged with the NFL in 1970; and so ceased to exist as an independent entity as of that season. Yet I would suggest that the NFL was transformed into the exciting and entertaining sport that it is today because of the AFL. For not only did the NFL seemingly expand overnight due to the addition of the 10 AFL teams existent at that time, but likewise the nature of the sport itself was enhanced due to the influence of certain AFL practices and styles of play which the NFL opportunistically adopted as its own. In fact, in many ways the post 1970 NFL became the AFL, and so the AFL in many ways lives on in the NFL. And on that premise, the NFL as it is today, is a product of and is indebted to Lamar Hunt, and the AFL “original eight”.
And so I introduce the reader to my blog; the AFL Original Eight, and invite you to read my writings regarding the teams whose origins are traceable to a Dallas native whose dream was to bring professional football to Big D.
Long live the memory of the AFL.
Dave Henderson
The AFL Original Eight 