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American Football League
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George Blanda, wearing number 16 for the Houston Oilers, prepares to throw a football during a mid-1960s American Football League game, with teammates and crowd visible. Paul Lowe of the Los Angeles Chargers, wearing jersey number 23, runs with the football as a Houston Oilers defender pursues him during an AFL game at a crowded stadium. Joe Namath, wearing number 12 for the New York Jets, stands ready to pass the football during a game, surrounded by players in green and white uniforms. Bart Starr of the Green Bay Packers, wearing a number 15 jersey and yellow helmet, prepares to throw a football during Super Bowl I.
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George Blanda, wearing number 16 for the Houston Oilers, prepares to throw a football during a mid-1960s American Football League game, with teammates and crowd visible.
George Blanda Quarterback George Blanda of the Houston Oilers dropping back to pass during an American Football League game.

American Football League

American sports organization
Also known as: AFL
Written by
Fred Frommer
Fred Frommer is a sports historian, author, and writer who has written for a host of national publications. 
Fred Frommer
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

American Football League (AFL), American major professional gridiron football league that was founded in 1959 and began play in 1960 as a rival of the National Football League (NFL). The American Football League (AFL) competed for the attention of fans and challenged the prominence of the NFL in the 1960s, eventually leading to the first Super Bowl (an end-of-season championship game between the AFL and NFL champions) in 1967 and a merger of the two...

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