The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference (NFC), each contain 16 teams with 4 divisions. Both conferences were created as part of the 1970 merger between the National Football League, and the American Football League (AFL). All ten of the AFL teams, and three NFL teams, became members of the new AFC, with the remaining thirteen NFL teams forming the NFC. A series of league expansions and division realignments have occurred since the merger, thus making the current total of 16 teams in each conference. The current AFC champions are the Kansas City Chiefs, who defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the 2023 season's AFC Championship Game for their fourth conference championship and went on to win Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.
The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence. It was more successful than earlier rivals to the NFL with the same name, the 1926, 1936 and 1940 leagues, and the later All-America Football Conference.
Paul Leo Maguire is an American former professional football player and television sportscaster. He played as a punter and linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).
Roland Owen McDole is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti(Pronounced: Bone-uh-CON-tee) was an American professional football player who was a middle linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Buoniconti played professionally for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins, winning two Super Bowls with the Dolphins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
Larry Chatmon Little is an American former professional football guard who played in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Bethune–Cookman Wildcats. He signed with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 1967. After two years in San Diego, he was then traded to the Miami Dolphins where he played for the rest of his career, establishing himself as one of the best guards in the NFL.
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). There are currently four teams that reside in the division: the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets. All four members of the AFC East were previously members of the Eastern Division of the American Football League (AFL).
Joseph Auer was an American professional football player who was a running back in the American Football League (AFL) for the Buffalo Bills (1964–1965) and the Miami Dolphins (1966–1967), and in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons. He graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School in Coral Gables, Florida and played collegiately for Georgia Tech.
William Thomas Stanfill was an American professional football player who was a defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League (AFL) and then the National Football League (NFL) after the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. He was a member of Miami's two Super Bowl-winning teams.
George William Wilson Jr. was an American professional football player. He played college football at Xavier University and for the American Football League's (AFL) 1966 expansion team, the Miami Dolphins. In 1965, Wilson was selected in the 20th round of the National Football League (NFL) draft by the Detroit Lions, with the overall 277th pick. However, he eventually signed with the AFL's Buffalo Bills, who selected him as the 96th pick in the 12th round of the Red Shirt draft. In 1966, Wilson was traded to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 13th round 1967 draft pick. At the time, the Dolphins' head coach was his father, George Wilson Sr.
Irvin "Bo" Roberson(Pronounced: ROE-ber-sun) was an American track and field athlete and professional football player. At Cornell University he excelled in basketball, football, and track and field. At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy he won the silver medal in the long jump, a centimeter short of the Olympic record 8.12 m gold medal jump by Ralph Boston.
Ronald "Jingle Joints" Sellers is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, twice earning All-American honors. Despite being limited to a total of 30 games of regular season eligibility, Sellers still holds Florida State career record for most 200-yard receiving games. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988. He played pro ball for the AFL's Boston Patriots in 1969, when he was an AFL All-Star, then for the NFL's Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins.
The 1966 AFL season was the seventh regular season of the American Football League. The league began its merger process with the National Football League (NFL) in June, which took effect fully in 1970.
Kenneth Earl Rice was an American football offensive tackle and guard who played in the American Football League (AFL) for the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, and the Miami Dolphins. Rice played college football for the Auburn Tigers, where he was named a two-time All-American. He was selected by the Bills with the first overall pick of the 1961 AFL draft.
Laverne Joseph "Tarzan" Torczon(Pronounced: "TORE-sun") was an American football defensive end. He played college football at the University of Nebraska, and played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) for the Buffalo Bills, the New York Titans/Jets, and the Miami Dolphins. He was the Sporting News selection as an AFL All-League defensive end in 1960 and played in the 1961 AFL All-Star game.
The 1969 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s tenth season, and was the final season of the American Football League before the 1970 AFL-NFL Merger. The Bills played an AFL-record seven games against opponents that went on to reach the postseason; Buffalo lost all seven of these games.
The 1966 Miami Dolphins season was the team's inaugural year as an expansion franchise in the American Football League (AFL). The Dolphins were the first of two expansion teams in the AFL, founded by Minneapolis attorney-politician Joe Robbie and actor-comedian Danny Thomas. Future Harlem Globetrotters and Montreal Canadiens owner George N. Gillett, Jr. was a minority partner, and the team was led by head coach George Wilson. The franchise was granted in August 1965 for $7.5 million.
The 1968 Miami Dolphins season was the team's third in the American Football League (AFL). The team improved on their 4–10 record from 1967, finishing the season 5–8–1 and moving one place up in the AFL Eastern Division. In week 6, the Dolphins tied the Buffalo Bills, 14–14, the first tie in franchise history. The Dolphins finished their season with a 5-8-1 record, a mild improvement from the previous season.
William Harold Dolphin was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
William F. Cronin, Jr. was an American football tight end who played one season with the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League (AFL). He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifteenth round of the 1965 AFL Draft. He played college football at Boston College. Cronin was also a member of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL).
