A Somewhat Interesting Fact For Each AFC Team
In an effort to pass the time between OTAs and before the start of training camp, I decided to come up with a somewhat interesting fact for each NFL team. Yesterday, it was the NFC. Today, it’s the AFC.
Pittsburgh Steelers
For the past fifty years, the Steelers have consistently been one of the league’s best teams. Six Super Bowl titles, eight Super Bowl appearances, and seemingly annual playoff involvement. They were consistently one of the league’s worst teams for their first forty years.
Cleveland Browns
This is more disappointing than interesting. Founded in 1999, the current Browns team is an expansion team. The Browns team with a great history (4 AAFC titles and 4 NFL titles) is the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore Ravens
For some ridiculous reason the Ravens have former Baltimore Colts players in their Ring of Honor.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals of the 1980s were so close to being the Giants of the 2000s. The Giants famously upset the mighty Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011. The Bengals were close to upsetting the mighty 49ers in the Super Bowl in 1981 and 1988. Granted, no one knew that the 49ers were mighty in 1981.
New England Patriots
Formed in 1960, the Patriots have played for a league title in every decade of their existence except the 1970s. The Oakland Raiders robbed them of that chance in the 1976 playoffs. In that sense, the “Tuck Rule” game was payback. If not for some very questionable calls, the Vikings would’ve played the Patriots in Super Bowl XI.
New York Jets
The Jets were originally the Titans. They were a mess as the Titans. Everything changed when they drafted and signed Joe Namath and hired Weeb Ewbank as head coach.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills were an AFL powerhouse. They won AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. They may even have been a better league representative than the Kansas City Chiefs for the first Super Bowl in 1966.
Miami Dolphins
Formed in 1966, the Dolphins were terrible for their first four seasons. Then they pried Don Shula away from the Baltimore Colts and everything changed. From 1970-85, the Shula-led Dolphins made the playoffs 12 times and appeared in five Super Bowls. They were the NFL’s dominant team at the start of the 1970s. They went to three consecutive Super Bowls from 1971-73, winning Super Bowls VII and VIII. The 1972 Dolphins are the NFL’s only undefeated champion.
Indianapolis Colts
One of the NFL’s greatest “what ifs” is “what if” then Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay wasn’t such a maniac and let general manager Ernie Accorsi do his job in 1983. Apparently, Accorsi was close to signing top pick John Elway when Irsay swooped in and traded the quarterback to the Denver Broncos. With excitement surrounding the possibilities with Elway perhaps the Colts never bolt to Indianapolis. The league would be a very different place. The Colts would still be in Baltimore. No Ravens. Perhaps the Browns stay in Cleveland without Baltimore being available.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars made it all the way to the 1996 AFC Championship game in their second year of existence.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans were much more interesting when they were the Oilers in Houston.
Houston Texans
The Texans are the third professional football team named the Texans. There was the NFL’s short-lived Dallas Texans of 1952. They were terrible and packed it in after a single season. There was the Dallas Texans of the AFL from 1960-62. They were pretty good. They won the AFL title in 1962. Then they moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were the Dallas Texans for their first three years (1960-62). During those three years they shared the Cotton Bowl with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. The Texans were the better and more entertaining team, winning an AFL title in 1962, but they lost the war for fans and attention. The Texans left Dallas for Kansas City after winning that title.
Las Vegas Raiders
If the Raiders can win a title while in Las Vegas, they would join the Rams as title-winners in three cities. The Rams won in Cleveland, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. The Raiders have won in Oakland and Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are on their second stint in Los Angeles. They played in Los Angeles in 1960 before moving to San Diego in 1961.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos of the early 1960s wore some of the most hideous uniforms ever seen.
Pittsburgh Steelers
For the past fifty years, the Steelers have consistently been one of the league’s best teams. Six Super Bowl titles, eight Super Bowl appearances, and seemingly annual playoff involvement. They were consistently one of the league’s worst teams for their first forty years.
Cleveland Browns
This is more disappointing than interesting. Founded in 1999, the current Browns team is an expansion team. The Browns team with a great history (4 AAFC titles and 4 NFL titles) is the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore Ravens
For some ridiculous reason the Ravens have former Baltimore Colts players in their Ring of Honor.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals of the 1980s were so close to being the Giants of the 2000s. The Giants famously upset the mighty Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011. The Bengals were close to upsetting the mighty 49ers in the Super Bowl in 1981 and 1988. Granted, no one knew that the 49ers were mighty in 1981.
New England Patriots
Formed in 1960, the Patriots have played for a league title in every decade of their existence except the 1970s. The Oakland Raiders robbed them of that chance in the 1976 playoffs. In that sense, the “Tuck Rule” game was payback. If not for some very questionable calls, the Vikings would’ve played the Patriots in Super Bowl XI.
New York Jets
The Jets were originally the Titans. They were a mess as the Titans. Everything changed when they drafted and signed Joe Namath and hired Weeb Ewbank as head coach.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills were an AFL powerhouse. They won AFL titles in 1964 and 1965. They may even have been a better league representative than the Kansas City Chiefs for the first Super Bowl in 1966.
Miami Dolphins
Formed in 1966, the Dolphins were terrible for their first four seasons. Then they pried Don Shula away from the Baltimore Colts and everything changed. From 1970-85, the Shula-led Dolphins made the playoffs 12 times and appeared in five Super Bowls. They were the NFL’s dominant team at the start of the 1970s. They went to three consecutive Super Bowls from 1971-73, winning Super Bowls VII and VIII. The 1972 Dolphins are the NFL’s only undefeated champion.
Indianapolis Colts
One of the NFL’s greatest “what ifs” is “what if” then Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay wasn’t such a maniac and let general manager Ernie Accorsi do his job in 1983. Apparently, Accorsi was close to signing top pick John Elway when Irsay swooped in and traded the quarterback to the Denver Broncos. With excitement surrounding the possibilities with Elway perhaps the Colts never bolt to Indianapolis. The league would be a very different place. The Colts would still be in Baltimore. No Ravens. Perhaps the Browns stay in Cleveland without Baltimore being available.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars made it all the way to the 1996 AFC Championship game in their second year of existence.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans were much more interesting when they were the Oilers in Houston.
Houston Texans
The Texans are the third professional football team named the Texans. There was the NFL’s short-lived Dallas Texans of 1952. They were terrible and packed it in after a single season. There was the Dallas Texans of the AFL from 1960-62. They were pretty good. They won the AFL title in 1962. Then they moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were the Dallas Texans for their first three years (1960-62). During those three years they shared the Cotton Bowl with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. The Texans were the better and more entertaining team, winning an AFL title in 1962, but they lost the war for fans and attention. The Texans left Dallas for Kansas City after winning that title.
Las Vegas Raiders
If the Raiders can win a title while in Las Vegas, they would join the Rams as title-winners in three cities. The Rams won in Cleveland, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. The Raiders have won in Oakland and Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are on their second stint in Los Angeles. They played in Los Angeles in 1960 before moving to San Diego in 1961.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos of the early 1960s wore some of the most hideous uniforms ever seen.
