Super Bowl history · The merger begins
The 1960s: the Super Bowl becomes football's common stage
Green Bay established the first standard, the Jets made the AFL impossible to dismiss and Kansas City closed the decade by validating the merger.
What defined this era
Green Bay established the first standard, the Jets made the AFL impossible to dismiss and Kansas City closed the decade by validating the merger.
The first games were arguments about league strength as much as championships.
One upset could change the credibility of an entire league.
The Super Bowl quickly became larger than its original name and format.
Championship timeline
How the Super Bowl changed
1966–67
Lombardi supplies the first model
Green Bay won the first two AFL–NFL championship games behind disciplined execution and a roster built for January. The trophy would eventually bear Vince Lombardi's name.
1968
Namath guarantees legitimacy
The heavily favored Colts entered Super Bowl III as the NFL's proof of superiority. Joe Namath's public guarantee and the Jets' controlled upset gave the AFL its defining breakthrough.
1969
Kansas City completes the argument
The Chiefs' defense and creative offense defeated Minnesota in Super Bowl IV, ensuring the leagues entered their formal merger on more equal historical footing.
Watch the era
Games that explain the decade
The era story is complete; individual championship games from this decade are still being added to the local archive.