1966 American Football League season


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 in June, which took effect fully in.
The season also saw the debut of the expansion Miami Dolphins, the AFL's ninth team, requiring an idle team each week. A sixth official, the Line Judge, was added to the officiating crew; the NFL added the Line Judge the previous season.
The season ended when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the two-time defending champion Buffalo Bills in the AFL Championship game, and were defeated by the NFL's Green Bay Packers in the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game, now known as Super Bowl I.

Division races

The AFL now had nine teams, grouped into two divisions, and still played a 14-game schedule. In previous seasons, each played a home-and-away game against the other seven. All nine teams faced each other at least once, and each team played six others twice. Though Boston and Miami were both in the Eastern Division, they met only once, on November 27.
As in earlier years, the division champions met in the league championship game, with the home team rotating, this year to the Eastern champion. If there was a tie in the standings at the top of either division, a one-game playoff would be held to determine the division winner, with the other division's winner idle.
WeekEasternWestern
1Houston1–0–0Tie 1–0–0
2Houston2–0–0Tie 2–0–0
3N.Y. Jets2–0–0Tie 2–0–0
4N.Y. Jets3–0–0Tie 3–0–0
5N.Y. Jets3–0–1San Diego4–0–0
6N.Y. Jets4–0–1Tie 4–1–0
7N.Y. Jets4–1–1San Diego4–1–1
8N.Y. Jets4–2–1Kansas City5–2–0
9Boston4–2–1Kansas City6–2–0
10Buffalo5–3–1Kansas City7–2–0
11Buffalo6–3–1Kansas City8–2–0
12Buffalo7–3–1Kansas City8–2–1
13Buffalo8–3–1Kansas City9–2–1
14Boston7–3–2Kansas City9–2–1
15Boston8–3–2Kansas City10–2–1
16Buffalo9–4–1Kansas City11–2–1

Regular season

Prior to the season, the AFL–NFL merger was announced in June, and both leagues agreed to have their champions meet in an annual AFL-NFL World Championship Game, beginning in January 1967. Additionally, a common draft was introduced, with the first held in March 1967.
Also, the Miami Dolphins joined the AFL as its first expansion team. Joe Auer would score the first touchdown in Dolphins history, returning an opening kickoff for 95 yards versus the Oakland Raiders.

Playoffs

Stadium changes

Coaching changes

Offseason

In-season