Bradley Ruzicka

Headline: The Green Bay Packers defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Super Bowl after NFL and AFL agree to merge, forming a single league.

Regular Season Record: 12 – 2 (First Place NFL Western Conference)

Offseason Highlights: On June 8, the National Football League and the American Football League formally agreed to merge after six years of intense competition, a defining moment in the history of professional football. According to Ian Kahanowitz in his book NFL 1970: The Inaugural Season of The New NFL, “The war between the two leagues was making [both] weary. Thoughts of a peace agreement … were beginning to surface on [each] side. … The AFL had proved … that it was not the fledgling league it once was. It had become a force to be reckoned with.” As the war increasingly took a financial toll on both league’s owners, the NFL was forced to see the AFL in a new light.

The American Professional Football Association was formed in 1920, consisting of 14 teams. Two years later, it was renamed the National Football League. The number of franchises fluctuated from year to year as the league matured. After growing to 22 by 1926, the NFL reduced the number to 12 in 1927, eliminating the financially weaker teams. The advent of the Great Depression forced the league to consolidate further as franchises struggled to stay afloat, reaching a low of eight in 1932. Yet, despite falling on hard times, the 1932 season became a catalyst for change. Beginning in 1933, a series of rule and structural changes would transform the NFL for decades to come.

One was a series of rule changes designed to improve offensive output. Scoring had hit a six year low in 1932 with an average of just 16.4 points per game. Ten ended in ties and four contests were scoreless. The goal posts were moved from the back of the end zone to the goal line to increase field goals. Hash marks were instituted, allowing the ball to be moved towards the middle of the field if a play ended along the sidelines. And a pass could now be thrown anywhere behind the line of gain, replacing the five-yard requirement. The second update was to split the league into two conferences, Eastern and Western. The conference winners would play an annual post season title game.

A collegiate draft was initiated in 1936 with the worst teams selecting first in an effort to improve competitiveness. The invention of Philadelphia Eagles Owner De Benneville “Bert” Bell, the annual draft eventually became one of the most significant events on the league’s calendar, second only to the Super Bowl. According to Matthew Sherry in his book, Any Given Sunday: The NFL’s Epic 100-Year History in 20 Games, “Of the many advances [during the 1920s and 30s] … Bell’s creation of a player-selection weekend … was easily the most significant, to such an extent that it eventually became arguably the [league’s] crowning achievement”, forging yearlong interest in a five-month season.

By the end of the decade, the league had stabilized at 10 teams with all the small-town franchises, except for the Green Bay Packers, having folded or been replaced by teams located in major metropolitan areas. But, as the country transitioned from depression to world war in the 1940s, the league again struggled to survive. Diminished availability of talent due to manpower requirements caused the careers of up to 1,000 players being postponed or interrupted. Franchises such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, and Boston had to temporarily merge in order to remain financially and competitively viable. Still, despite the setbacks, the sport continued to evolve, particularly the passing game.

Players like Sammy Baugh of the Washington Redskins as well as more rule changes was “the [motivation] that brought about the forward pass and changed game plans.” Baugh’s style of play in particular was a model for future quarterbacks and permanently changed offensive strategies. The pass went from a desperation play to an integral part of the offense. As quarterbacks became more important, so did receivers. Big play pass catchers, such as the Packers’ Don Huston, took the game to a higher level. The future Hall of Famer, an eight-time All-Pro and four-time All-Star selection over 11 years, was the dominant receiver of his day as well as one of the greatest receivers in NFL history.

In spite of a variety of challenges across three decades, the league persevered. One such challenge was competition from rival pro football associations. Attempts made in 1926, 1936, and 1940 all failed to get off the ground. The first significant threat came with the creation of the eight team All-American Football Conference in 1946. Although the AAFC lasted only four years, disbanding in 1949 due to financial difficulties, the NFL agreed to absorb three teams in time for the 1950 season. The Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Colts enlarged the league to 13 teams. The Browns, with four AAFC titles, went on to win the 1950 NFL championship in their first season.

League membership continued to shift into the early 1950s. The newly acquired Colts folded after one season. However, with assets from the recently defunct Dallas Texans, the team was reincarnated by popular demand in 1953. For the rest of the decade, the NFL consisted of 12 teams equally divided across two conferences playing 12 contests per season. The Eastern Conference included the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Cardinals while the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, and the reformed Baltimore Colts constituted the Western Conference.

To many, the 1950s represented the “golden age” of professional football, with the NFL experiencing a level of stability not seen in its first 30 years. The decade saw the sport reach new heights of popularity, primarily due to the advent of television. NBC started broadcasting the championship game to the entire country in 1955, culminating with the “Greatest Game Ever Played” in 1958, voted the league’s best during its first 100 years. The contest between Baltimore and New York was the first league playoff game to be decided in overtime. After a 71-yard drive to tie the game at 17 on a 20-yard field goal with seconds left in regulation, the Colts went on to victory in “sudden death”, 23-17.

Since 1920, the National Football League had evolved from a loose confederation of teams to one able to compete with Major League Baseball for the title of “America’s Pastime”. The days of championships being haphazardly awarded to the team with the best won-lost record despite some teams playing more or fewer games than others, or scheduling games against non-league teams were gone. The lack of a league structure saw teams regularly added and removed each year. An owner might trade his franchise in one city for one in another. If a large-market team wanted a player on a small-market upstart, it could buy that franchise outright and fold it to gain the rights to that player.

The turning point was establishment of a commissioner in 1941 as part of an attempt to bring all pro football leagues under the authority of a single entity with powers similar to those of baseball’s commissioner. Most notably, the selection of Eagles Owner Bert Bell as commissioner in 1946 ultimately elevated professional football to a level on par with professional baseball. Among his accomplishments, Bell oversaw the movement of the Cleveland Rams to Los Angeles as well as the league’s merger with the AAFC, adding three franchises. He also formalized scheduling by single-handedly plotting out league schedules season after season on his dining-room table using a giant checkerboard.

But, just as the NFL was reaching its pinnacle, Bell died of a heart attack on October 11, 1959, at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field, while watching a game between the team he owned and the Steelers. The Eagles actually scored the game-winning touchdown the moment Bell died. Subsequently, during the January 1960 owners meeting and after 23 ballots over eight days, the gauntlet fell to a little-known general manager named Pete Rozelle. Since 1957, Rozelle had attempted to revitalize a disorganized, unprofitable Rams team, lost in the growing Los Angeles market. In spite of continued struggles on the field, the 33-year-old turned the team into a business success in just three years.

Despite the success achieved by the end of the 1950s, the NFL in 1960 was following a business model that had evolved from the 1930s. In addition, only two franchises were located south of Washington, D.C. and west of Chicago, the 49ers and the Rams. The population was growing, particularly in the South and West, but the league showed little interest in expansion. As a result, when Lamar Hunt, son of oil magnate H. L. Hunt, was denied a new franchise in Dallas starting in 1960, he joined with others to create a rival league. On September 9, 1960, the American Football League kicked off with a total of eight teams, four of which were located in media markets where the NFL was absent.

The AFL demonstrated a willingness to compete with the NFL for players, signing over half of their first-round draft choices in their first season. Owners knew that signing big name collegiate talent was essential to the new league’s survival. In addition, the AFL emphasized marketing, particularly television. They initially signed with ABC in 1960 for $10.6M over five years to televise all league games, a year prior to the NFL’s deal with CBS for $4.65M per year. The AFL was also the first to institute revenue sharing among all teams. Although the amount was relatively small, about $25,000 per club per year, the arrangement provided much needed revenue while the league built up its fan base.

Different from the more conservative NFL, the AFL offered fans a wide open, exciting brand of football. The focus was on high scoring offenses with an emphasis on passing the pigskin. More importantly, AFL owners were, on average, wealthier than their NFL counterparts. With a few notable exceptions such as New York’s Harry Wismer, Hunt had successfully recruited owners who not only had deep pockets but the patience and willingness to absorb the inevitable financial losses of the fledgling league’s early years. And those first years were indeed difficult. “Decrepit and amateur stadiums, inadequate facilities, and dangerous places to play made the league seem second rate to the NFL.”

However, despite the lack of resources, the league not only survived but thrived as the decade progressed. Key to this success were decisions to relocate the Los Angeles Chargers and Dallas Texans to non-NFL markets early in the decade (San Diego and Kansas City respectively), negotiating a five-year, $36M television contract with NBC in 1965, the subsequent decision to expand into media markets underserved by the NFL (Miami and Cincinnati), the change in ownership and rebranding of the New York Titans to the New York Jets in 1963, and new Jets owner Sonny Werblin’s signing of Alabama Quarterback Joe Namath to an unheard-of three year, $427K contract two years later.

By mid-decade, the AFL’s eight franchises had settled into two conferences, East and West, playing 14 games per season. The East consisted of the Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, Boston Patriots, and New York Jets. The West was made up of the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, and Denver Broncos. With the financial stability provided by their multi-million-dollar TV contract, the league decided to expand, establishing franchises in Miami and Cincinnati. In addition, fan attendance increased every season such that, in only ten years’ time, the AFL averaged more fans per game (40,620 in 1969) than had the NFL at the end of its first forty years (40,106 in 1960).

Meanwhile, the NFL wasn’t standing still. They increased the number of regular season games from 12 to 14 to match the AFL. They put together a deal to move the struggling Chicago Cardinals to St. Louis starting with the 1960 season, a move that blocked that city as a potential AFL market. Also in 1960, the Dallas Cowboys played their inaugural season, going head-to-head with their AFL counterpart, the Dallas Texans. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings, one of the AFL’s founding members in 1959, decided instead to join the NFL in 1960, starting league play the next season. The league also resolved to add two more teams by 1967 for a total of 16, up from just 12 at the end of the 1950s.

One city both the NFL and AFL were targeting for expansion was Atlanta. A variety of groups applied to both leagues for a franchise in 1965. On June 8, the AFL awarded a group of local businessmen a team that would start play the next season. That decision compelled the NFL to move its timeline up a year earlier than expected. Commissioner Pete Rozelle, who’d been moving slowly with Atlanta’s petition, went there to block his rival’s claim. He ultimately forced the city to choose between the two leagues. On June 30, Rankin Smith, an Executive Vice President of Life Insurance Company of Georgia, paid $8.5M to join the NFL starting in 1966, the most expensive franchise at the time.

The AFL then turned to South Florida, with its ninth franchise awarded to Miami. Joe Robbie and Danny Thomas paid $7.5M for the team, a stunning three hundred times the $25,000 the eight original league owners paid for their charter franchises. Like the Falcons, the Dolphins would begin league play in 1966. In November, the NFL awarded its fourth and last team of the 1960s to New Orleans and oilman John W. Mecom Jr. for $8.5M, with the Saints starting play in 1967. Also in 1967, the AFL awarded a Cincinnati ownership group led by legendary Cleveland Browns Head Coach Paul Brown its tenth and final franchise. They paid a record $10M to inaugurate play as the Bengals in 1968.

As the upstart league proved it could hold its own, the NFL found itself in an escalating bidding war over the top college prospects. Both leagues were paying huge amounts of money to unproven rookies, spending a combined $7M to sign their draft picks in 1966. The question became not “Can he help us?” but “Can we sign him?” Overall, the NFL outdrew the AFL at the gate and their franchises remained more profitable. However, a majority of owners had comparatively less wealth outside the value of that franchise. In any case, it quickly became clear to all that they didn’t have the finances to engage in a lengthy bidding war and hence came to an unwritten agreement to help control costs.

Once a player signed with a team in either league, both were expected to honor each other’s player contracts and not sign those who are or were under contract in the rival league. However, this agreement was violated in May 1966 when the New York Giants Owner Wellington Mara signed third year kicker Pete Gogolak, the first pro soccer-style placekicker. Gogolak had played out his option the previous year with the Buffalo Bills. This breach of trust resulted in immediate retaliation by former Oakland Raiders Owner Al Davis. At the age of just 36, Davis had replaced Joe Foss as AFL Commissioner on April 7 and promptly decided to step up the bidding war after the Gogolak transaction.

Davis wanted revenge, stating, “If we go out and sign their players, we’ll destroy them”. He proceeded to sign seven NFL quarterbacks in two months to AFL “future contracts” including San Francisco’s John Brodie (Houston) and Los Angeles’s Roman Gabriel (Oakland). With the opening of Pandora’s box, a sense of panic set-in among NFL and AFL owners. Although it wasn’t his intent, Davis’s actions became a tipping point. Both leagues were concerned that the AFL commissioner and his take no prisoners tactics would greatly escalate costs, seriously diminishing profitability as well as reducing the overall talent base. The competition was no longer viable. It was time to end the rivalry.

Unbeknownst to everyone but Commissioner Rozelle, Cowboys General Manager Tex Schramm was secretly in touch with the man responsible for the AFL’s creation, Kansas City Owner Lamar Hunt. The pair began serious merger negotiations in April, working on an agreement that could subsequently be presented to NFL and AFL owners. Talks were done without the knowledge of Davis, who firmly opposed any settlement. Hunt and Schramm quickly reached an understanding. The collaborators, along with Rozelle, facilitated obtaining the owner’s consent during May and finalized an accord on June 7. After verifying its legal and political viability, the merger was made public the next day.

It fell to Boston Owner Billy Sullivan to inform Davis not only of the merger agreement but that the AFL would pay the NFL indemnities of $18M ($2M per franchise) over 20 years and that Rozelle would be the commissioner of the combined leagues. Davis was beyond furious, offended that the owners had gone behind his back. He also remained convinced the AFL could’ve taken on the NFL as a separate entity. But, despite Davis’s bitter rejection of the deal and his subsequent resignation as commissioner, the upstart league was no more. “The war was over, at least on paper. But ill feelings and [animus] remained. … A [precarious] peace was developing as the two leagues became one.”

The agreement combined the two into a new entity under the National Football League brand. Beginning with the 1970 season, the new league would be made up of 26 teams divided across two conferences, National and American. All existing franchises would be retained, and none would be moved outside of their current metropolitan areas. The leagues further agreed to add two teams no later than 1968 and two more as soon as possible after the 1970 realignment. Finally, they agreed to a common draft starting in 1967, keeping separate schedules through 1969, and playing a World Championship Game, ultimately known as the Super Bowl, starting with the 1966 league champions.

The NFL’s newest team, the Atlanta Falcons, were given the first pick in the 1966 draft, selecting Texas linebacker Tommy Nobis. The team also had two picks in each of the first five rounds. Six weeks later, the league’s other 14 teams made available a total of 154 players as part of the expansion draft. Atlanta chose 42 for the upcoming season’s roster. Also, for one year only, the NFL’s 15th franchise would play one game against each team. Every team would have a bye week, playing a 14-game schedule over 15 weeks. Finally, with next season’s addition of the New Orleans Saints, 1966 would be the 34th and final year that only one round of playoffs would determine the NFL title.

Meanwhile, with the NFL experiencing the most significant change since its inception, the Packers were focused on making history of their own; a second straight NFL title, their fourth since 1961. With the ninth overall pick in the draft, acquired in 1965 from Detroit as compensation for their signing of seven-year All-Pro tight end Ron Kramer, Green Bay selected University of Illinois fullback Jim Grabowski, the Big 10’s all-time leading rusher. With the common draft not starting until next year, the Packers found themselves in a bidding war against the AFL’s newest team, the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins had selected the two-time All-American with the first overall pick in their draft.

Despite being offered more money by Miami, Grabowski chose Green Bay, saying it was an honor to be drafted by the Packers. Head Coach and General Manager Vince Lombardi’s plan was to team the college football Hall of Famer with 1965’s top draft pick, Texas Tech halfback Donny Anderson, to create the new Green Bay backfield. A year earlier, he’d traded six-time All-Pro and 11-year veteran center Jim Ringo as well as second year running back Earl Gros to Philadelphia on the day of the draft in order to choose Anderson with the seventh overall pick. A junior at the time of his selection, the All-American was considered an NFL “futures” pick due to an earlier redshirt year.

Being a futures pick, Anderson had to complete his senior year before joining Green Bay, along with Grabowski, in 1966. Despite reportedly being offered a record salary by the AFL’s Oilers, the “Golden Palomino” also settled for less money to join the Packers. The fabled running back tandem of Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung had been at the heart of the team’s offense since Taylor’s rookie season in 1958. But Lombardi knew change was inevitable. Grabowski and Anderson represented Green Bay’s future. However, the reported bonuses of $300,000 and $600,000 respectively for the “Gold Dust Twins”, as they were known, upset veteran players, most notably their five-time Pro Bowl fullback.

Taylor, pro football’s active career rushing leader by 1966, felt undervalued. As a result, the eight-year veteran made it publicly known he’d leave the Packers in 1967 when his contract ended. Lombardi, infuriated at what he considered Taylor’s disloyalty, refused to speak to him the entire season. Ultimately, Grabowski proved unable to fill Taylor’s shoes. The former Heisman Trophy candidate was hampered by injuries and released after just five seasons. Grabowski started 34 out of 63 games, rushing for 1,582 yards on 424 attempts (3.7 Y/A), scoring 11 total touchdowns. He then played one season for the Bears in 1971, gaining 149 yards on 51 carries in nine starts, retiring the next year.

Green Bay next selected another Big 10 alumni, Gale Gillingham from the University of Minnesota, with the 13th overall pick. He proved to be an outstanding choice, becoming a six-time All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler during his ten-year Packer career. The all-star guard started 102 out of 128 games before retiring in 1976. The only year he didn’t start at guard was in 1972 when then Head Coach Dan Devine inexplicably shifted him to defensive tackle after the pre-season. The move ended with Gillingham suffering a season ending knee injury in the second game, arguably costing him a place in the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, none of the other 18 Packer draft picks made a lasting impact.

Also of note in 1966, the Washington Redskins made the first of what would ultimately be several overtures to Lombardi about becoming their head coach. He passed on this particular offer, and the Redskins had to settle for former Cleveland great Otto Graham, a seven-time All-Pro and Hall of Fame quarterback, as their new head coach. Just three years later, a now restless Lombardi, having stepped down as Green Bay’s head coach after his second straight Super Bowl win, would have a different answer. In addition, the Packers honored their founder, Earl “Curly” Lambeau, officially changing City Stadium’s name to Lambeau Field. Lambeau died of a heart attack in June 1965 at the age of 67.

A major rule change was standardizing the height of goal posts prior to the start of the 1966 season. The change is often referred to as the “Don Chandler Rule”, named after the veteran kicker. Although widely denied, it was speculated that the height increase was in reaction to 1965’s Western Conference playoff game between Green Bay and Baltimore. Chandler kicked a disputed field goal that tied the game with less than two minutes remaining. The kick went high above the upright and many thought it was no good. Later, Chandler hit another field goal that allowed the Packers to defeat the Colts in overtime, advancing them to the championship game and ultimately their ninth title.

Lastly, two future Pro Football Hall of Famers started their careers in 1966. Michigan Guard Tom Mack was drafted second overall by Los Angeles while Bishop College Cornerback Emmitt Thomas (Kansas City) was an undrafted free agent. Meanwhile, Quarterback Arnie Herber was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 1966. Herber threw for 8,041 yards, 81 touchdowns, 106 interceptions, and a QBR of 50.1 during his 13-year career. In his 11 years with Green Bay, he led the team to four NFL titles (1930-31, 1936, 1939). Herber was the game’s first great long passer and paved the way for the likes of future Hall of Famers Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman.

Regular Season Highlights: The Green Bay Packers won the Western Conference with a record of 12-2, three games ahead of the 9-5 Baltimore Colts. After winning the 1965 NFL Championship, Green Bay appeared even stronger in 1966, holding on to first place the entire season. The Colts again seemed poised to challenge the Packers for the conference title, just as they had the previous year when they finished 10-3-1. But, after starting out with a 7-2 record, Baltimore faded down the stretch, losing three of their last five games. Meanwhile, the 8-6 Los Angeles Rams were competitive again under first year Head Coach George Allen with their first winning season since 1958.

The Packers opened the regular season with a much-anticipated rematch against the Colts in a nationally televised game at Milwaukee County Stadium. The two teams tied for the 1965 Western Conference title, forcing a one game playoff. Green Bay won 13-10 in overtime after a disputed 22-yard Don Chandler field goal tied the game 10-10 at the end of regulation. They subsequently defeated the Eastern Conference Champion Cleveland Browns, 23-12, to win their third title in five years. This time, the game was no contest, as the Packers easily defeated Baltimore, 24-3. The defense held the Colts to one first quarter field goal while returning two Johnny Unitas passes for touchdowns.

For the Packers, it was the fourth straight victory over their conference rival. However, the season’s second week rematch of last year’s title game was much closer. Green Bay squeezed out a 21-20 road win over Cleveland after falling behind 14-0 early in the second quarter. Down 20-14 in the fourth quarter, the Packers executed a 14 play, 85-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Bart Starr to Jim Taylor with 2:34 left on the clock, giving Green Bay their first lead of the game. The Browns drove the ball into Packers territory on their final possession. But, on third and long, defensive end Lionel Aldridge forced and recovered Frank Ryan’s fumble, sealing a slim victory.

Green Bay followed up the season’s first two victories with two more wins at home over conference rivals Los Angeles, 24-13, and the Detroit Lions, 23-14. With a 4-0 record going into their contest against the 0-2-1 San Francisco 49ers, the Packers hit a speed bump, losing to the underdogs in venerable Kezar Stadium. The first quarter ended with Green Bay leading 3-0. The 49ers then took over, building a 21-13 lead early in the final period. But a 38-yard touchdown pass from Starr to wideout Carroll Dale made it a one-point game with 11:27 remaining. Linebacker Dave Robinson’s ensuing interception of backup quarterback George Mira’s pass gave Green Bay a chance to retake the lead.

However, Chandler, in just his second season with the Packers, missed a 26-yard field goal with seven minutes left in the game. San Francisco’s next drive then consumed all but the last 30 seconds, sealing a 21-20 victory. At 4-1, Green Bay was tied with the Rams for first place in the Western Conference. Fortunately, the tie was quickly broken when the Packers came roaring back with a 17-0 thrashing of the Chicago Bears in the sixth week. Meanwhile, Los Angeles’s 35-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings once again gave Green Bay sole possession of first place. For the Rams, the defeat was the start of a four-game losing streak, dropping them out of the race for the conference title.

Meanwhile, two more decisive wins, at home over the expansion Atlanta Falcons, 56-3, and a second victory over the Lions, 31-7, in Detroit, kept Green Bay in first place. In the ninth week, the Packers suffered their second loss of the season, this time to the Vikings, 20-17. A tight game throughout, Minnesota took the lead for good with 6:53 remaining in the contest on a 1-yard touchdown run by fullback Bill Brown. Baltimore’s 19-7 win over Atlanta in the season’s tenth week, Green Bay’s bye week, briefly tied them with the Packers at 7-2. But the Colts then lost to Detroit the next week, 20-14, while Green Bay slipped past the Bears, 13-6, to again lead the conference at 8-2.

With two-time All-Pro Paul Hornung unavailable due to a broken nose and Starr out of the game after the first series, the offense struggled to score. Fortunately, the defense was up to the task, limiting Chicago to a single touchdown. A 33-yard fourth quarter touchdown pass to Dale from reserve Zeke Bratkowski sealed the victory. The Packers would not lose the rest of the season, winning five straight. The next two weeks saw Green Bay avenge their only two losses, beating the Vikings, 28-16, and the 49ers, 20-7, respectively. But a 14-10 road victory over second place Baltimore in the second to last week clinched the title. Unlike the season opener, the Colts kept the game close.

With Baltimore leading 10-7 at halftime and Starr unable to play in the second half due to bruised ribs, the 35-year-old Bratkowski had to pick up the slack. After each kicker missed consecutive field goals, the 11-year veteran quarterback led the Packers on an 80-yard touchdown drive midway through the fourth quarter. Halfback Elijah Pitts ran the final two yards with 4:57 left to take a four-point lead. However, Baltimore was not about to fold, with Unitas driving his team to Green Bay’s 15-yard line. But defensive end Willie Davis stripped the two-time MVP of the football with 1:29 to play. Robinson recovered, insuring a Packer win and a fifth Western Conference title in seven years.

The 32-year-old Starr was named 1966’s NFL Most Valuable Player. Said Cold Hard Football Facts, “Starr, always underappreciated, was at his classic assassin like best” in his lone MVP season. The 11-year quarterback was also named All-Pro, the only time in his career Starr was selected for that honor. He completed 156 of 251 (62.2%) for 2,257 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only 3 picks in 13 starts, a superb 4.7 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio. Starr led the league in completion percentage (62.2%), yards per attempt (9.0), and QBR (105.0). The four-time Pro Bowler also finished 7th in passing touchdowns, 8th in passing yards, 9th in pass completions, and 11th in pass attempts.

Bratkowski, in his fourth year with the Packers, played sparingly but effectively when Starr was unavailable. He completed 36 of 64 (56.3%) for 569 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and a QBR of 93.8. Dale was the primary beneficiary with 37 receptions, finishing 2nd overall in yards per catch (23.7) and 8th in both receiving yards (876) and touchdowns (7). Fellow wideout Boyd Dowler, in his eighth season, caught 29 passes for 392 yards (13.5 yards per catch). Taylor led all Green Bay receivers with 41 catches for 331 yards and 2 touchdowns. Pitts, in his sixth year, finished second behind Dale in receiving yards with 460 on 26 catches (17.7 yards per catch), scoring 3 touchdowns.

The passing game had to be good as the Packers’ running game was just average, finishing 8th out of 15 teams in rushing yards as well as last in the league in yards per attempt (3.5). Taylor ranked fifth in the league with 204 carries but gained only 705 yards for a 3.5 yards per attempt average, scoring 4 touchdowns. Hornung, in his 10th and final season, was injured at various points during the year and rushed for only 200 yards on 76 attempts (2.6 yards per rush), scoring 5 total touchdowns. Pitts, the team’s second leading rusher, gained just 393 yards on 115 attempts for a meager 3.3-yard average. The 28-year-old did score 10 total touchdowns, tying him for seventh overall.

On defense, 32-year-old Davis and 31-year-old tackle Henry Jordan anchored the line. Linebackers Ray Nitschke, in his ninth year, and Lee Roy Caffey, in his fourth season, excelled against the run and the pass. Three-time All-Pro safety Willie Wood and four-time All-Pro cornerback Herb Adderley led the secondary. Robinson and cornerback Bob Jeter tied for the team lead in interceptions with five a piece. Green Bay held six opponents to less than 10 points and returned six picks for touchdowns. Chandler led the team in scoring with 77 points but converted just 12 of 28 field goals and 41 of 43 extra points. The 32-year-old doubled as their punter, averaging 40.9 yards per kick.

Overall, the Packers had eight All-Pro and eight Pro Bowl selections (three on offense, five on defense), more than any team in the league. Seven of those All-Pro picks were unanimous. The offense ranked sixth in passing yards (2,602), eighth in rushing yards (1,673), and fourth in scoring with 335 points, tying the Dallas Cowboys for the fewest turnovers (24) in the NFL. Meanwhile, the defense ranked first in both points (163) and passing yards allowed (1,959) while giving up 1,644 yards on the ground, sixth overall, ceding the league’s third fewest total yards (3,603). Starr’s superb play combined with a dominant defense resulted in the best passer rating differential in the Super Bowl era.

In the Eastern Conference, Dallas achieved the first winning season in their history as well as their first ever conference championship. The Cowboys finished with the NFL’s second-best record, 10-3-1, outlasting the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the start of one of the most successful eras in Dallas history: 20 straight winning seasons, 18 post season appearances, 13 division titles, five NFC Championships, and two Super Bowl victories. For the Cardinals, it was the 18th consecutive year they’d failed to make the playoffs. The 1964 NFL champion and 1965 Eastern Conference champion Browns finished tied for second with the Philadelphia Eagles at 9-5, a half-game ahead of 8-5-1 St. Louis.

St. Louis took over first place early, winning their first five games. After a bye in the first week of the season, the Cowboys were also undefeated after four games. Both teams stayed unbeaten after playing to a 10-10 tie in the sixth week. However, each suffered their first defeat the next week. St. Louis lost to the Washington Redskins, 26-20, while Dallas fell in Cleveland, 30-21. In the ninth week, the Cardinals increased their season long conference lead to a game and a half by beating the New York Giants, 20-17, with the Cowboys losing, 24-23, to the Eagles. But a week later, Dallas edged Washington, 31-30, while St. Louis fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 30-9, cutting the Cardinals margin.

A 20-7 Cowboy victory over the Steelers during St. Louis’s bye week gave both teams a record of 7-2-1 heading into the twelfth week. Each beat their respective foe, setting the stage for the next week’s rematch. Dallas won, 31-17, to take a one game lead over the Cardinals. However, in the second to last week, the Cowboys hosted the Redskins and lost 34-31, falling to 8-3-1. All St. Louis needed to do to stay in contention for first place was beat a lowly 2-10 Atlanta team playing their first season. Instead, the Falcons won, 16-10, ending the Cardinals title hopes. St. Louis then lost to the Browns, 38-10, in the season finale, finishing behind not only Dallas but Cleveland and Philadelphia as well.

Dallas, in only their seventh season and competing in their first post-season game, “… were emerging as a powerhouse” according to the book, The 1966 Green Bay Packers. “Led by quarterback Don Meredith, the Cowboys led the NFL in both yards gained and points scored. The defense was fourth in fewest points allowed, and second in fewest yards allowed. They had not yet become Doomsday but they were getting there quickly, [led] by future Hall of Famers Bob Lilly and Mel Renfro.” In recognition of their success, Head Coach Tom Landry, the only coach Dallas had ever known, was named Coach of the Year. St. Louis’s Pro Bowl Halfback Johnny Roland was named Rookie of the Year.

Post Season Highlights: On January 1, 1967, the Western Conference Champion Green Bay Packers played the Eastern Conference Champion Dallas Cowboys at the Cotton Bowl for the NFL title. Both Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry were assistants under New York Giants Head Coach Jim Lee Howell during the 1950s. “Howell readily acknowledged the talents of Lombardi and Landry and joked … that his main function was to make sure the footballs had air in them.” The relationship between the two men created a particularly personal rivalry for both the coaches and their teams, making the 1966 title bout one of the more underrated post-season games in pro football history.

The Packers showed their dominance early, taking a 14-0 lead a little over four minutes into the game. A 17-yard touchdown pass from Bart Starr to Elijah Pitts was followed by rookie Jim Grabowski’s 18-yard fumble return on the ensuing kickoff. But the Cowboys came right back to tie the score at 14 with two touchdowns of their own. First was a 3-yard scoring run by second year halfback Dan Reeves on their opening drive. After a three and out on Green Bay’s next possession, four-time Pro Bowl fullback Don Perkins ran 23 yards for a touchdown with just 36 seconds left in the first quarter. But Dallas’s momentum was short-lived. Starr broke the tie on the second play of the second period.

A 51-yard bomb to Carroll Dale gave the Packers a 21-14 lead. Again, the Cowboys responded, driving to Green Bay’s 9-yard line. But, after gaining just five yards on three attempts, Dallas had to settle for an 11-yard Danny Villanueva field goal with 8:37 left in the half, cutting the Packers lead to 21-17. Starting from their own 30-yard line, Green Bay then drove to the Cowboy 30, but Don Chandler’s field goal attempt was blocked. Neither team threatened to score again before halftime. On their first possession of the third period, the Packers moved to Dallas’s 21-yard line, however, the drive ended with Pitts’ fumble. Trailing by four, the door was still open, and the Cowboys took advantage.

Seventh year quarterback Don Meredith led his team on a 13 play, 79-yard drive to bring the score within one point, 21-20, on a Villanueva 32-yard field goal with 3:30 left in the period. But Green Bay struck back on their next possession. Starr completed a 43-yard pass to Dale, down to Dallas’s 31-yard line. Four plays later, Starr threw a 16-yard touchdown to Boyd Dowler, giving the Packers a 28-20 lead with 30 seconds left in the third quarter. The next time Green Bay had the ball, the Cowboys defense held, and they were forced to punt. However, second year wideout Bob Hayes mistakenly tried to advance the ball out of the end zone and was quickly downed on his own 1-yard line.

With 9:30 remaining, Dallas was forced to punt after a third down sack at the 7-yard line. Starting on the Cowboy 48, the Packers moved the ball down to the 17. Facing 3rd and 19 after Pitts lost a yard and Starr was sacked for 8 yards, the league MVP threw his third scoring pass of the day, a 28-yarder to 11-year wideout Max McGee, his only catch of the day. Chandler’s extra point try was blocked but Green Bay still led by two touchdowns, 34-20, with 5:20 left in the game. With time running out, Dallas replied on their next possession. Facing 3rd and 20, Meredith threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to 10-year wideout Frank Clarke, cutting the deficit to 34-27 with 4:09 still on the clock.

Unable to advance the football on their next series, the Packers were forced to give the Cowboys another chance. Chandler’s 16-yard punt provided Dallas with excellent field position on Green Bay’s 47-yard line. Two plays later, an interference penalty on safety Tom Brown, in his third year, resulted in a first and goal, two yards from the tying score with 1:52 remaining. Reeves ran the ball to the 1-yard line on first down. However, on second down, an offsides penalty pushed the Cowboys back five yards. After a second down incompletion, Meredith threw a 4-yard completion to fifth year tight end Pettis Norman, bringing up fourth down on the 2-yard line, now with only 1:14 on the clock.

Meredith took the snap, rolling to his right. Falling to the turf under heavy pressure from Dave Robinson, the first time Pro Bowl quarterback saw his wobbly, desperation pass intercepted by Brown in the back of the end zone with 28 seconds to play. An ill-advised substitution may have doomed Dallas before the play ever started. No one noticed that Hayes was in the goal line offense instead of Clarke, who was typically used for better blocking. Robinson recognized the play, brushed Hayes aside, stormed into the Dallas backfield and enveloped Meredith, forcing the throw. Said Meredith, “I was looking for [Hayes]. He had me, so I threw the ball. I had to.” The Packers held on for a 34-27 win.

Brown had atoned for his interference penalty. “It was the biggest play I ever made.” The victorious Lombardi praised the resilient Cowboys, “I was surprised they scored that many points on us.” Said Landry, “We made too many errors and it cost us the ball game.” He also gave the Packers their due, “Green Bay is a real good team, and it’s no embarrassment to lose to them. But we still had our chances.” Green Bay had earned their 10th championship since 1929, their second in a row, and their fourth in six years. They also earned the right to take on the AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs in the first ever NFL-AFL World Championship Game, retroactively known as Super Bowl I.

Super Bowl Highlights: On January 15, 1967, in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the two league champions met to determine the best team in professional football. The Green Bay Packers were led by the legendary Vince Lombardi, in his eighth season as head coach, while the Kansas City Chiefs were led by the loquacious Hank Stram, the only coach in the franchise’s seven-year history. As early as July, Kansas City Owner Lamer Hunt began calling the title game the “Super Bowl”. The term quickly caught on with the media and the public although it was not the official title of the first game. NBC and CBS simulcast the contest nationwide, the only time it was shown on two networks.

The Packers were founded on August 11, 1919, by former high school rivals George Whitney Calhoun and Earl “Curly” Lambeau. Curly solicited funds from his employer, the Indian Packing Company, getting $500 for equipment and uniforms on the premise the team be named for its sponsor. For the first two years, Green Bay played against local Wisconsin and Upper Michigan teams. On August 27, 1921, they were granted a franchise in the new American Professional Football Association formed a year earlier, renamed the National Football League in 1922. But the franchise was beset by financial troubles and near bankruptcy before a group of local businessmen saved the team.

“The Hungry Five” formed the Green Bay Football Corporation in 1923, transforming the Packers into a publicly owned team run by a board of directors elected each year. On the field, the team didn’t have a losing season during its first 12 years, winning three straight league titles. With future Hall of Famers “Johnny Blood” McNally, Cal Hubbard, and Mike Michalske, Green Bay claimed its first title in 1929 with a 12-0-1 record, the only undefeated season in Packers history and Lambeau’s last as player-coach. Their lone blemish was a tie with the Frankford Yellow Jackets. With Lambeau now solely the head coach, Green Bay repeated as champions in 1930 (10-3-1) and 1931 (12-2).

After just missing out on a fourth title in 1932, Green Bay struggled over the next few years, recording their first ever losing season in 1933. It was time to reload. Lambeau signed more future Hall of Famers like Clarke Hinkle, Arnie Herber, and, most notably, Don Hutson in 1935. The Alabama All-American gave the coach the most feared and dynamic weapon in the game. Credited with inventing modern pass patterns, Hutson led the NFL in receiving yards and touchdowns over seven and nine years respectively. An iron man, he played both ways, leading the league with six interceptions as a safety in 1940. By the time he retired in 1945, Hutson held almost all major receiving records.

By 1936, the Packers were back on top, finishing 10-1-1, winning their fourth title and first championship game over the Boston Redskins, 21-6, after the NFL divided into two conferences in 1933. Green Bay subsequently made it into the title game two of their next three seasons. They lost to the New York Giants in 1938 before beating them for their fifth title in 1939, 27-0. With the addition of Hall of Famer Tony Canadeo in 1941, Lambeau won a sixth title in 1944 when the Packers finished 8-2, again defeating the Giants, 14-7. But, although not apparent at the time, 1945 was the beginning of a 17-year drought for Green Bay. This time, Lambeau was unable to turn the team around.

In 1948, the Packers fell to 3-9, only the second losing season in team history and their first since 1933. They bottomed out in 1949 with a record of 2-10, at the time the worst in franchise history. With problems on and off the field, the end had come for Lambeau. After 29 years, he resigned on February 1, 1950. Unfortunately, neither Gene Ronzani (1950-53) nor Lisle Blackbourn (1954-57) could coach Green Bay back to their former glory. The team reached their nadir with the 1958 campaign under Head Coach Ray “Scooter” McLean, finishing with a franchise-worst 1-10-1 record. This despite a roster laden with future Hall of Famers including Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, and Ray Nitschke.

On February 2, 1959, Giants assistant coach Vince Lombardi was hired as the Packers fourth head coach and general manager in under ten years. Few suspected this hiring would result in an immediate turnaround. Lombardi started his tenure with a 7-5 record, Green Bay’s first winning season since 1947. One year later, the team won the Western Conference title for the first time since 1944 with a record of 8-4. Hornung led the team with a league record 176 points. But the Packers subsequently lost the 1960 NFL title to the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Eagles, 17-13. Fullback Jim Taylor was stopped just short of the goal as time ran out for Lombardi’s only postseason loss.

As the league expanded to 14 games in 1961, Green Bay rocketed to an 11-3 record, winning their second straight conference title. This time, the Packers decisively won the NFL Championship, 37-0, over the Giants for their seventh league title. Hornung, the 1961 MVP, led the way with a championship game record 19 points. Lombardi and his team reached their pinnacle in 1962 with a 13-1 record and third Western Conference title. They reeled off ten straight wins before incurring their only loss of the season, 26-14, on Thanksgiving Day to the Detroit Lions. Green Bay led the league in both scoring offense (415) and defense (148). Future Hall of Famer Taylor was named the MVP.

The Packers culminated their season with an eighth league title, a hard-fought 16-7 win over the Giants in Yankee Stadium. In 2019, the 1962 squad was ranked as the best in team history as well as ninth best in NFL history. Titletown USA reigned supreme! But Green Bay stumbled in 1963 when Hornung was suspended for the entire season after betting on league games. They lost twice to the 11-1-2 Chicago Bears, finishing second in the conference with an 11-2-1 record. The low point came in 1964, Lombardi’s most discouraging season to date. With a record of 8-5-1, they never threatened the eventual conference champion Baltimore Colts. Green Bay appeared to be running out of gas.

But, although down, the Packers were not out. They started the 1965 season with six straight wins before splitting their next six contests. Going into the second to last week, Green Bay was 9-3, just one-half game behind their next opponent, 9-2-1 Baltimore, in the Western Conference title race. The Colts were hurting, having just lost last season’s MVP quarterback, Johnny Unitas, in the previous week’s loss. With a minute left in the first half and the Packers leading by only a single point, the league’s top defense picked off substitute Gary Cuozzo at Green Bay’s 2-yard line, flipping the field with an 88-yard return to the Baltimore 10. Starr then found Boyd Dowler for a last second touchdown.

Instead of being down 20-14, they led 21-13 at the break. It was a decisive moment for the Packers. They went on to win 42-27, taking over the conference lead for the first time in six weeks. It was also Hornung’s last hurrah as he scored five touchdowns, his best performance since 1961’s MVP season. A victory in the finale would give the team their first fourth title in six years. Instead, Green Bay struggled on the road against the 7-6 San Francisco 49ers, coming from behind to salvage a 24-24 tie. As a result, the Packers finished the season at 10-3-1, tying the injured Colts for first place after their surprising road victory over the favored Los Angeles Rams, 20-17, the previous day.

For the first time since 1958, a playoff game between two teams was required to decide a conference title. The Packers had the advantage as the Colts were without both their quarterbacks after Cuozzo was injured in the second half of their loss to Green Bay. But with halfback Tom Matte taking over at quarterback, Baltimore unexpectedly won their finale over Los Angeles. Now, he would lead his team in their third meeting of the year against the Packers. With Starr injured on their opening drive and out of action for the rest of the game, Zeke Bratkowski led Green Bay to a controversial come from behind 13-10 win and a spot in the NFL Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland, at 11-3, were the reigning league champions, having shutout the Colts 27-0 in the 1964 title game. Playing on a mushy Lambeau field, neither offense was effective in the first half, with the Packers leading 13-12 at the break. However, the defense held the Browns scoreless in the second half for a 23-12 win and their ninth NFL title since 1921. Lombardi later admitted that, while this wasn’t his most talented team, it had the most character. Green Bay built on their momentum in 1966 as they compiled their best record since 1962, led by an always tough defense and Starr’s MVP performance. Now, the Packers would represent the NFL in a first ever title game against the upstart AFL.

Kansas City meanwhile began their existence as one of the AFL’s founding franchises, the Dallas Texans, in 1960. However, the NFL established a competing team in Dallas that same year, the Cowboys. Led by an unknown head coach named Hank Stram, the Texans established a strong home-state identity with quarterback Cotton Davidson from Baylor, linebacker Sherrill Headrick from TCU, and halfback Abner Haynes from North Texas. Dallas averaged 24,500 fans for their home games that first season, the AFL’s highest, finishing second in the West Conference at 8-6. The Texans slipped a bit the next year with a 6-8 record but shot to the top of the conference in 1962, finishing 11-3.

The turning point for Dallas was the acquisition of a former NFL first round draft choice, quarterback Len Dawson. After a fruitless first five years with Pittsburgh and Cleveland, Dawson signed with the Texans in June. He quickly beat out Davidson, who was traded to the Oakland Raiders for a 1963 first round draft pick. The future Hall of Famer led the AFL in touchdown passes (29), yards per attempt (8.9), and QBR (98.3) during 1962, the first of his seven Pro Bowl seasons. Dallas went on to win the league title, a double-overtime 20-17 victory over the two-time defending champion Houston Oilers. With an elapsed time of 77:54, it was the second longest professional football game to date.

But, by the end of the 1962 season, it was apparent to owner and AFL president Lamar Hunt that Dallas could not support two professional football teams. Hunt investigated opportunities to move his franchise for the upcoming season, including Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, and New Orleans. He ultimately decided on Kansas City after the residents demonstrated a high level of support. Community leaders sold 35,000 season tickets in just eight weeks. Although the newly renamed Chiefs struggled their first two seasons in Kansas City with a 12-14-2 record, Stram had assembled a wealth of talent over the franchise’s first six seasons. The Chiefs began winning again in 1965, finishing 7-5-2.

A year later, the Chiefs won the West Conference with a record of 11-2-1. They started the season strong with three consecutive victories. However, the team lost two of their next three, including 29-14 and 34-13 drubbings by Buffalo and Oakland respectively. But Kansas City wouldn’t lose again the rest of the year, finishing three games ahead of the 8-5-1 Raiders. The only blemish was a 27-27 tie against the Boston Patriots in the season’s twelfth week. The Chiefs then destroyed the East Conference and two-time AFL champion Bills, 31-7, in the title game. They outscored the home team 24-0 over the last three quarters of the game, forcing four turnovers, for their second league title.

Kansas City led the league in points scored (448) and rushing yards (2,274), finishing sixth in passing yards (2,840). Dawson, now in his 10th year, led the AFL in touchdown passes (26) and was the top-rated passer with a 101.7 QBR. The 31-year-old started all 14 games, completing 159 of 284 (56%) for 2,527 yards and 10 interceptions. First time All-Pro wideout Otis Taylor provided the team with a great deep threat, totaling 58 catches for 1,297 yards and 8 touchdowns. The second-year veteran’s 22.4 yards per reception led the league. Fellow wide receiver Chris Burford, in his seventh year, also had 58 catches for 758 yards (13.1 yards per reception) and another 8 touchdowns.

The Chiefs trio of running backs, Mike Garrett, Bert Coan, and Curtis McClinton, each ranked among the top ten rushers in the league. Garrett carried 147 times for 801 yards (5.4 yards per rush), McClinton 140 times for 540 yards (3.9 yards per rush), and Coan 96 times for 521 yards (5.4 yards per carry). They also combined for 52 catches, 591 yards, and 25 total touchdowns. Placekicker Mike Mercer led the team in scoring with 93 points (20 of 26 field goals and 33 of 35 extra points). Mercer started the season in Oakland, was cut after two games, claimed by Buffalo, and traded to Kansas City two weeks later at the end of their loss to the Bills as the two coaches walked off the field.

Kansas City also had a powerful defense, finishing third against the run (1,356), fourth against the pass (2,614), and second in points allowed (276). All-Pros Jerry Mays and Buck Buchanan anchored the line. All-Pro linebacker Bobby Bell, along with Headrick and E.J. Holub, were great at run stopping and pass coverage. But the strongest part of their defense was the secondary, led by All-Pro safeties Johnny Robinson and Bobby Hunt, recording 10 interceptions each. Fred “The Hammer” Williamson added 4 picks. In an interview for Life magazine, Williamson stated, “If Boyd Dowler and Carroll Dale … have the nerve to catch a pass in my territory, they’re going to pay the price, man.”

Many people considered it fitting that Kansas City and Green Bay would be the teams to play in the first NFL-AFL World Championship Game. The Chiefs’ owner founded the AFL while the Packers were one of the NFL’s original franchises. Green Bay was a 14-point favorite, and Lombardi was under intense pressure to make sure the team won big in order to demonstrate the league’s superiority. Prior to the game, CBS announcer Frank Gifford interviewed Lombardi, saying he was so nervous “he held onto my arm, and was shaking like a leaf. It was incredible.” Kansas City, meanwhile, saw the game as a chance to show the AFL could beat the NFL’s best on pro football biggest stage.

After each team traded punts on their first possession, the Packers jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, moving 80 yards in 6 plays. On the last play of the drive, Starr threw a pass to reserve Max McGee, who’d replaced the injured Dowler on the third play of the game. The wideout had left the game with a pinched nerve in his shoulder, suffered in the NFL title match. Starr was hit by Buchanan as he threw, and the pass was slightly behind McGee. The 34-year-old receiver slipped past the Chiefs’ third year cornerback Willie Mitchell, made a one-handed grab at the 23-yard line, and took off for a 37-yard touchdown reception in one of the most memorable plays in all of Super Bowl history.

But Kansas City responded. First, they moved the ball to the Packers’ 33-yard line, but Mercer missed a 40-yard field goal. After a Green Bay three and out, the Chiefs then marched 66 yards in 6 plays, featuring a 31-yard reception by Otis Taylor from Dawson. This time, they tied the game on a 7-yard Dawson pass to McClinton four minutes into in the second quarter. The Packers struck back on their next drive, going 73 yards on 14 plays, scoring on Jim Taylor’s 14-yard touchdown run with the team’s famed “Power Sweep”. With four and a half minutes remaining in the half, the NFL champs led 14-7. Taylor’s rushing touchdown was the first in Super Bowl history and his last as a Packer.

On the first play of Kansas City’s ensuing drive, Dawson was sacked for an 8-yard loss. However, he followed up with four straight completions for 58 yards, including a 27-yard pass to Burford down to Green Bay’s 32-yard line. However, the drive stalled at the 24, leading to a 31-yard Mercer field goal, cutting their deficit to 14-10 at halftime. With the game at its midpoint, the Chiefs appeared to have a chance to win. Many were stunned the score was so close and at how well the AFL champions were playing. Kansas City actually outgained the Packers in both total yards (181-164) and first downs (11-9). The team was elated. Stram said later, “I honestly thought we would come back and win it.”

Meanwhile, the Packers were disappointed with the first two quarters of their play. “The coach was concerned“, said Defensive End Willie Davis. Lombardi told the team their game plan was sound, but they had to tweak some things and execute better. “Now … go out there and make Kansas City adjust to you. Are you the world champion Green Bay Packers? Go out on the field and give me your answer.” On their first drive of the second half, Kansas City advanced to their own 49-yard line. But an unexpected third down blitz by Dave Robinson and first time All-Pro Lee Roy Caffey rushed Dawson’s throw. The ball was intercepted by Willie Wood, who returned it 50 yards to Chiefs’ 5.

Starr later wrote, “[It] was the biggest play of the game.” Stram and Dawson agreed. On Green Bay’s first play after the turnover, Elijah Pitts scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, upping their advantage to 21-10. After trading punts, the Packers sacked Dawson again on their next possession, twice, forcing Kansas City to kick from their own 2-yard line. Starting on the Green Bay 44, McGee continued his domination, with 3 catches for 40 yards. After converting three consecutive third downs, the 56-yard drive ended with the former Pro Bowler’s 13-yard touchdown catch from Starr, his second of the day. The Packers now had a decisive 28-10 lead with less than a minute to play in the quarter.

Kansas City totaled only 12 yards during the entire third period. Green Bay’s defense overpowered the Chiefs offense, allowing them to cross midfield once for just a single play on their first possession of the half. Dawson completed a meager 5 of 12 for 59 yards over the last two quarters. Midway through the final period, Starr completed a 25-yard pass to Carroll Dale and a 37-yard strike to McGee, moving the ball to the Chiefs 18-yard line. Four plays later, Pitts scored his second touchdown on a 1-yard run for a 35-10 lead with 4:13 left in the game, a total of 21 unanswered second half points. After Pitts’ score, the final highlight became Donny Andersen knocking out “The Hammer”.

As Anderson swept right, Williamson came in low when attempting to make the tackle and inadvertently hit his head on the running back’s knee. “The Hammer” stayed down, recalling, “I just laid there. I was too embarrassed to get up. I said, ‘I refuse. You want me off the field, you carry me off.'” Williamson later suffered a broken arm when his teammate Headrick fell on him. The Chiefs never came close to scoring after the half, punting on their last six possessions. In the end, Green Bay had earned a dominating 35-10 win, claiming the first world championship of pro football. Said Lombardi in a classic understatement, “… We were just a little more aggressive in the second half.”

Starr was named MVP, completing 16 of 23 for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns. McGee, who had just 4 receptions for 91 yards and a single touchdown during the entire regular season, caught 7 passes for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. Amazingly, this was after a night of partying. The 11-year veteran returned to his room around sunrise, expecting to ride the bench for most of the game. McGee admitted afterwards, “I could barely stand up for the kickoff.” Taylor was the game’s leading rusher, with 56 yards on 17 carries. Hornung was the only Packer not to play. Lombardi asked him in the final period if he wanted to go in. But he declined, not wanting to aggravate a pinched nerve in his neck.

Conclusion: The 1966 Green Bay Packers are considered one of the great teams in modern franchise history, second only to Lombardi’s 1962 championship team. Of the Packers’ AFL opponent, a reporter asked the coach after the game if he thought the Chiefs were an NFL caliber team. Lombardi responded that he didn’t think Kansas City was good enough to play at this level. Initially, he stated, “The Chiefs are a good team with fine speed, but we wore ’em down. We had little more personnel than they did.” When pressed, Lombardi continued, “The Chiefs are good, but not as good as the top teams in our league.” He ended, “That’s what you wanted me to say – now I’ve said it.”

He later regretted those remarks, saying “I came off as an ungracious winner.” But the pressure to continually be the best was real and the weight was becoming unbearable. David Maraniss, in his book When Pride Still Mattered, captured it best when he wrote about Lombardi removing his tie. “[I]n the moments after winning his fourth [title] in six years, the symbol was … a coach’s knotted tie. [It] said everything about Lombardi and the pressure he was under to win. He had clinched [it] so tight that he could not undo it, no matter how [hard] he yanked and pulled. The tie was his noose, and he was hanging himself, until finally he asked the equipment man for a pair of scissors and cut it loose.”

To end this post, I’ve attached the NFL Films Super Bowl I Highlight video narrated by the great John Facenda.

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