The American Football League a Year-By-Year Hist

UnabletobuyintoanexistingteamandrebuffedbyNationalFootballLeagueownerswhohadnodesiretoexpand，27-year-oldLamarHunt，thesonofTexasbillionaireH.L.Hunt，formedtheAmericanFootballLeaguein1959.UnliketheNFL，theAmericanFootballLeaguefeaturedwideopenoffensesandinnovativecoachingstrategies，capturinganewgenerationoffansdedicatedtotheleagueanditsplayers.TheAFLaggressivelypursuedcollegestars--HeismanTrophywinnerBillyCannoninitsinauguralseasonandJoeNamathin1965.Theeightteamssignedacollectivetelevisionagreementthatsplitthemoneyequallyamongthefranchises，thusprovidingfarmorestabilityandbalancethanearlierstart-upleagues.Basedoninterviewswithowners，coaches，players，scouts，broadcastersandwritersfromtheera，thisisacolorfulaccountoftheAFLanditsplaceinsportshistory.