For its first nine seasons, 1960 through 1968, the American Football League determined its champion via a single playoff game between the winners of its two divisions (although ties in the standings in 1963 (Eastern) and 1968 (Western) necessitated a tiebreaker divisional playoff game the week before).
In 1969, the tenth and final year of the independent ten-team AFL, a four-team playoff was held, with the second-place teams in each division traveling to play the winner of the other division in what were called the "Interdivisional" playoffs. These playoffs were not, and are not considered to have been, "wildcard" playoffs since the runners-up in both divisions qualified, rather than the two best non-division winners. (Had the 1969 playoffs been true wildcard playoffs, the Western's third-place team, San Diego (8–6–0), would have qualified while the Eastern's runner-up, Houston (6–6–2), would not have.) The 1969 AFL playoffs were only the second time a U.S. major professional football league allowed teams other than the first place teams (including ties) to compete in post-season playoffs (the first was the seven-team All-America Football Conference's 1949 four-team playoff).
Prior to the advent of the Super Bowl for the 1966 season, the AFL went to great lengths to avoid scheduling its playoffs head-to-head with the NFL. In 1960, the NFL's game was held on Monday, December 26; the AFL had that week off, and played its title contest on Sunday, January 1, as the college bowl games were played on Monday. In 1961 and 1962, the AFL played its game during the off-week between the end of the NFL's regular season and its title game (thus resulting in the AFL holding championship games on December 24, 1961, and December 23, 1962, a week before the NFL's games of December 31, 1961, and December 30, 1962). In 1963, the AFL held its Eastern Division tiebreaker playoff on Saturday, December 28, 1963, thereby avoiding the NFL championship game that Sunday (the AFL championship game was held on January 5). In 1964, pro football had a championship weekend, with the AFL's title game held on Saturday, December 26, and the NFL championship on Sunday. For 1965, the AFL tried to return to the practice of playing its game on a Sunday during the off-week between the NFL playoff, slating its championship contest for December 26, while the NFL's game was not held until January 2, 1966; the Colts and Packers required a Western Conference tiebreaker on the December 26, date --- and since that game went to overtime, the TV audience for the Bills – Chargers title game in San Diego was diminished considerably. Even in 1966, the AFL originally scheduled its championship game for the off-week, planning to hold its playoff on Monday, December 26, six days before the NFL title game on January 1.
Negotiations prior to the first Super Bowl, in early December 1966, resulted in the two leagues agreeing to have championship doubleheaders for the next four years, with each holding its title game on the same day but staggered, so that television audiences could view both. Thus the final four AFL championship games were held on the same day as the NFL championship game: January 1, 1967; December 31, 1967; December 29, 1968; and January 4, 1970.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame and the National Football League include AFL playoffs in their statistics for the NFL playoffs.
Eastern Division | Western Division | Super Bowl Appearance | Super Bowl Victory |
Season | Date | Winning team | Score | Losing team | MVP | Venue | City | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | January 1, 1961 | Houston Oilers | 24–16 | Los Angeles Chargers | Billy Cannon | Jeppesen Stadium | Houston, Texas | 32,183 |
1961 | December 24, 1961 | Houston Oilers (2) | 10–3 | San Diego Chargers | Billy Cannon | Balboa Stadium | San Diego, California | 29,556 |
1962 | December 23, 1962 | Dallas Texans | 20–17 (2OT) | Houston Oilers | Jack Spikes | Jeppesen Stadium (2) | Houston, Texas (2) | 37,981 |
1963 | January 5, 1964 | San Diego Chargers | 51–10 | Boston Patriots | Keith Lincoln | Balboa Stadium (2) | San Diego, California (2) | 30,127 |
1964 | December 26, 1964 | Buffalo Bills | 20–7 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Kemp | War Memorial Stadium | Buffalo, New York | 40,242 |
1965 | December 26, 1965 | Buffalo Bills (2) | 23–0 | San Diego Chargers | Jack Kemp | Balboa Stadium (3) | San Diego, California (3) | 30,361 |
1966 | January 1, 1967 | Kansas City Chiefs (2) | 31–7 | Buffalo Bills | Len Dawson | War Memorial Stadium (2) | Buffalo, New York (2) | 42,080 |
1967 | December 31, 1967 | Oakland Raiders | 40–7 | Houston Oilers | Daryle Lamonica | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | Oakland, California | 53,330 |
1968 | December 29, 1968 | New York Jets | 27–23 | Oakland Raiders | Joe Namath | Shea Stadium | Flushing, New York | 62,627 |
1969 | January 4, 1970 | Kansas City Chiefs (3) | 17–7 | Oakland Raiders | Otis Taylor | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum (2) | Oakland, California (2) | 53,564 |
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 6 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
Oilers | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Jeppesen Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information |
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oilers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
at Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California
Game information |
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texans | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
Oilers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Jeppesen Stadium, Houston, Texas
Game information |
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 10 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 26 |
Bills | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
at War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York
Game information |
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Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Chargers | 21 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 51 |
at Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California
Game information |
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|
The Chargers championship win is noted for being the only and most recent major sports championship won for the city of San Diego. No other city with at least two major professional sports teams has a championship drought as long, as of 2024 (61 years). This is also the only time that the Chargers have beaten the Patriots in a postseason game.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Bills | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
at War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York
Game information |
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Mike Stratton's hit on San Diego Chargers running back Keith Lincoln set the stage for the Buffalo Bills and their first AFL championship.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bills | 0 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 23 |
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California
Game information |
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This was the last AFL Championship Game before the Super Bowl era began the following season and the last time a final pro football championship game was played in December. It was also the most recent championship won by a Buffalo-based major professional sports team.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
Bills | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York
Game information |
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Kansas City lost Super Bowl I to the NFL champion Green Bay Packers.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oilers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Raiders | 3 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 40 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information |
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Oakland lost Super Bowl II to the NFL champion Green Bay Packers.
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Raiders | 21 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 41 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information |
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 23 |
Jets | 10 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
at Shea Stadium, New York City
Game information |
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The Jets went on to win Super Bowl III to become the first AFL Super Bowl champion.
Interdivisional Playoffs | AFL Championship Game | ||||||||
W2 | Kansas City Chiefs | 13 | |||||||
E1 | New York Jets | 6 | |||||||
W2 | Kansas City Chiefs | 17 | |||||||
W1 | Oakland Raiders | 7 | |||||||
E2 | Houston Oilers | 7 | |||||||
W1 | Oakland Raiders | 56 |
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
Jets | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
at Shea Stadium, New York City
Game information |
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oilers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Raiders | 28 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 56 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information |
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|
Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
Raiders | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information |
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|
This was the final AFL Championship Game, as well as the final game played between two AFL teams before the merger with the National Football League. The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV as the last AFL champion.
Symbol | Description |
---|---|
Year | Each year is linked to an article about that particular AFL season |
Winner(#) | Denotes number of times the player won the award |
* | Player elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame |
Team(#) | Denotes number of times the team won the award |
Position(#) | Denotes number of times the position has the award |
Year | Game | Winner | Team | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | 1960 | Billy Cannon | Houston Oilers | HB | LSU |
1961 | 1961 | Billy Cannon (2) | Houston Oilers (2) | HB (2) | LSU |
1962 | 1962 | Jack Spikes | Dallas Texans | HB (3) | TCU |
1963 | 1963 | Keith Lincoln | San Diego Chargers | HB (4) | Washington State |
1964 | 1964 | Jack Kemp | Buffalo Bills | QB | Occidental |
1965 | 1965 | Jack Kemp (2) | Buffalo Bills (2) | QB (2) | Occidental |
1966 | 1966 | Len Dawson | Kansas City Chiefs (2) | QB (3) | Purdue |
1967 | 1967 | Daryle Lamonica | Oakland Raiders | QB (4) | Notre Dame |
1968 | 1968 | Joe Namath | New York Jets | QB (5) | Alabama |
1969 | 1969 | Otis Taylor | Kansas City Chiefs (3) | WR | Prairie View A&M |
Num | Team | W | L | Pct |
---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers | 1 | 4 | .200 |
4 | Houston Oilers | 2 | 2 | .500 |
3 | Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 1.000 |
3 | Buffalo Bills | 2 | 1 | .667 |
3 | Oakland Raiders | 1 | 2 | .333 |
1 | New York Jets | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
1 | Boston Patriots | 0 | 1 | .000 |