1027:
222:
The formation of the UFL and ACFL diminished the level of play, and although the circuit did not immediately die out, after 1961 it was now a purely semi-professional circuit, and the league dissolved entirely before the 1962 season.
1020:
1450:
1063:
1013:
1906:
1833:
1921:
1225:
1916:
185:
level (varied per team). After playing as a semi-professional league for the 1959 and 1960 seasons, the AFC became a minor professional league for the 1961 season.
1037:
1349:
1667:
1412:
1911:
1707:
1293:
1851:
1810:
1304:
1276:
1326:
1282:
1265:
1331:
1254:
1845:
1816:
1747:
1682:
1315:
1185:
1096:
193:
95:
1857:
1366:
1621:
1677:
1287:
1202:
1839:
1742:
1712:
1687:
1672:
1626:
1616:
1377:
630:
481:
298:
219:. Sarnia won the AFC's last championship after beating Toledo in three overtimes, the longest title game in pro football history.
1383:
1270:
1082:
182:
115:
1727:
1717:
1702:
1524:
1299:
1260:
1243:
1140:
1134:
1126:
1119:
1320:
827:
208:
99:
1876:
1657:
1529:
1190:
1166:
1102:
899:
1804:
1786:
1642:
1496:
1402:
1237:
216:
91:
1501:
1154:
1631:
1580:
1697:
1662:
1575:
1737:
1611:
1519:
1458:
1354:
1343:
1147:
1071:
745:
723:
415:
146:
955:
1763:
1722:
1692:
1219:
929:
1732:
1585:
1360:
1005:
586:
564:
437:
276:
212:
130:
79:
1636:
1590:
1570:
1371:
1337:
1160:
118:
that operated between 1959 and 1961. The AFC was the first football league to operate teams in both the
701:
679:
503:
459:
320:
254:
204:
200:
134:
526:
Larry
Buckles (HB, Columbus) was the offensive MVP, Stan Jones (LB, Columbus) was the defensive MVP.
393:
189:
1484:
1479:
844:
1398:
1652:
342:
839:
608:
1438:
1248:
1051:
986:
981:
875:
870:
823:
793:
788:
178:
154:
112:
25:
1595:
1868:
1552:
196:
in 1961. A new franchise called the Ohio Colts replaced
Columbus in the AFC for 1961.
1900:
119:
162:
1231:
145:
The
American Football Conference was formed in July 1959 with the assistance of
51:
The first football league to operate teams in both the United States and Canada
1196:
1180:
1173:
907:
166:
129:
In 1961 the league held the longest title game in pro football history, when
150:
170:
174:
123:
1090:
158:
157:
clubs that operated from 1959 to 1961 that were mostly based in
1784:
1550:
1436:
1049:
1009:
1647:
820:
Outsiders II: Minor League And
Independent Football, 1951-1985
1417:* Merged into the UFL, still active as conferences within
840:"American Football Conference Is Accepted as Pro Circuit"
1174:
World League of
American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa
1907:
Defunct
American football leagues in the United States
192:
played in the AFC in 1960, then left to help form the
1867:
1826:
1797:
1756:
1604:
1563:
1512:
1467:
1449:
1212:
1112:
1081:
1062:
207:that would join the United Football League and the
85:
73:
63:
55:
47:
39:
31:
21:
1226:Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit
962:. Hamilton, Ohio. AP. October 30, 1961. p. 18
789:"Triangles Join New Grid Conference, Open Aug. 29"
1401:. All teams still active as members of the NFL's
177:. During its existence the AFC operated between
1668:Champions Professional Indoor Football League
1021:
814:
812:
8:
1413:Association of Professional Football Leagues
865:
863:
199:The three biggest teams in the circuit were
16:
1922:1961 disestablishments in the United States
1794:
1781:
1713:Professional Indoor Football League (2012)
1708:Professional Indoor Football League (1998)
1560:
1547:
1446:
1433:
1294:Pacific Coast Professional Football League
1059:
1046:
1028:
1014:
1006:
956:"Sarnia Stays of Top with 8 Straight Wins"
1350:American Football Association (1977–1983)
1917:1959 establishments in the United States
1311:American Football Conference (1959–1961)
1277:American Association (American football)
533:
369:
230:
1332:Professional Football League of America
1255:Eastern League of Professional Football
780:
1485:Western Interprovincial Football Union
1411:³ Official NFL minor league; see also
215:that had survived the collapse of the
15:
1852:National Women's Football Association
1811:United States Women's Football League
1622:American Professional Football League
7:
1846:Women's Professional Football League
1834:Women's Professional Football League
1817:Women's National Football Conference
1678:Independent Indoor Football Alliance
1480:Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
1305:American Football League (1946–1950)
1288:Eastern Pennsylvania Football League
1283:American Football League (1938–1939)
1135:American Football League (1940–1941)
1127:American Football League (1936–1937)
1097:Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional
1858:Independent Women's Football League
1743:World Indoor Football League (2007)
1688:Indoor Professional Football League
1327:Midwest Football League (1962–1978)
1266:Midwest Football League (1935–1940)
1912:Sports leagues established in 1959
1748:World Series of Football (1902–03)
1683:Indoor Football League (1999–2000)
1673:Continental Indoor Football League
1316:United Football League (1961–1964)
1186:United Football League (2009–2012)
822:, p. vii. St. Johann Press, 2010.
14:
1627:American West Football Conference
1617:American Indoor Football Alliance
1378:Fall Experimental Football League
1367:World Football League (2008–2010)
900:"New league not coming to Toledo"
1840:National Women's Football League
871:"Cincy Gets Tentative AFC Grant"
1728:Ultimate Indoor Football League
1718:Southern Indoor Football League
1703:National Indoor Football League
1525:Canadian Junior Football League
1300:American Football League (1944)
1261:American Football League (1934)
1244:National Football League (1902)
1141:All-America Football Conference
1120:American Football League (1926)
936:. September 9, 1959. p. 50
898:Autullo, Ryan (April 3, 2014).
1321:Atlantic Coast Football League
982:"Triangles Try All Over Again"
930:"Ironmen Join Grid Conference"
209:Atlantic Coast Football League
100:Atlantic Coast Football League
1:
1658:Can-Am Indoor Football League
1530:Quebec Junior Football League
1203:United States Football League
1191:Alliance of American Football
1167:United States Football League
771:: Sarnia 39, Toledo 33 (3OT)
1643:Arena Football League (2024)
1497:Ontario Rugby Football Union
1403:American Football Conference
1238:New York Pro Football League
743:
721:
699:
677:
628:
606:
584:
562:
501:
479:
457:
435:
413:
391:
340:
318:
296:
274:
252:
217:Ontario Rugby Football Union
109:American Football Conference
92:Ontario Rugby Football Union
17:American Football Conference
1502:Quebec Rugby Football Union
1155:Continental Football League
1091:American 7s Football League
998:– via Newspapers.com.
960:Hamilton Daily News Journal
887:– via Newspapers.com.
856:– via Newspapers.com.
805:– via Newspapers.com.
153:. It was an association of
137:39-33 in three overtimes.
1938:
1632:Arena Football Association
1581:Great Lakes Arena Football
1384:Fútbol Americano de México
818:Bob Gill, with Tod Maher.
744:
722:
700:
678:
629:
607:
585:
563:
502:
480:
458:
436:
414:
392:
341:
319:
297:
275:
253:
161:, but had some teams from
1805:Women's Football Alliance
1793:
1780:
1698:Lone Star Football League
1663:Champions Indoor Football
1559:
1546:
1445:
1432:
1393:
1058:
1045:
1038:gridiron football leagues
746:Massillon Tigertown Stars
724:Cincinnati Mohawk Indians
651:
536:
416:Massillon Tigertown Stars
1738:X-League Indoor Football
1612:American Indoor Football
1520:Atlantic Football League
1459:Canadian Football League
1355:Regional Football League
1344:Seaboard Football League
1148:American Football League
1072:National Football League
147:National Football League
1764:Fan Controlled Football
1723:Supreme Indoor Football
1693:Intense Football League
1571:American Arena League 2
1220:American Football Union
211:(respectively) and the
1733:United Indoor Football
1639:(1987–2008, 2010–2019)
1586:Indoor Football League
1361:Spring Football League
1103:United Football League
194:United Football League
96:United Football League
1637:Arena Football League
1591:National Arena League
1372:Stars Football League
1338:Texas Football League
1161:World Football League
1879:(2009–present)
1408:² Teams moved to NFL
1093:(2015–present)
934:The Pittsburgh Press
1399:Merged into the NFL
848:. February 16, 1961
845:The Newark Advocate
587:Port Hurton Raiders
565:Sarnia Golden Bears
438:Melvindale Redskins
277:Melvindale Redskins
213:Sarnia Golden Bears
131:Sarnia Golden Bears
80:Sarnia Golden Bears
18:
1653:Arena Pro Football
1576:Arena Football One
1894:
1893:
1890:
1889:
1886:
1885:
1860:(2000–2018)
1787:Women's football
1776:
1775:
1772:
1771:
1542:
1541:
1538:
1537:
1439:Canadian football
1428:
1427:
1424:
1423:
1249:Anthracite League
1052:American football
990:. August 15, 1962
987:Dayton Daily News
876:Dayton Daily News
794:Dayton Daily News
769:Championship Game
766:
765:
524:
523:
363:
362:
179:semi-professional
155:American football
113:American football
105:
104:
26:American football
1929:
1795:
1782:
1596:The Arena League
1561:
1548:
1447:
1434:
1213:Defunct regional
1177:
1151:
1137:
1129:
1113:Defunct national
1060:
1047:
1040:in North America
1030:
1023:
1016:
1007:
1000:
999:
997:
995:
978:
972:
971:
969:
967:
952:
946:
945:
943:
941:
926:
920:
919:
917:
915:
910:on March 3, 2016
906:. Archived from
895:
889:
888:
886:
884:
879:. March 20, 1961
867:
858:
857:
855:
853:
836:
830:
816:
807:
806:
804:
802:
785:
702:Detroit Redskins
680:Toledo Tornadoes
653:Western Division
631:Dayton Triangles
538:Eastern Division
534:
504:Toledo Tornadoes
482:Dayton Triangles
460:Duquesne Ironmen
370:
321:Toledo Tornadoes
299:Dayton Triangles
255:Duquesne Ironmen
231:
205:Duquesne Ironmen
201:Toledo Tornadoes
135:Toledo Tornadoes
111:was a low-level
19:
1937:
1936:
1932:
1931:
1930:
1928:
1927:
1926:
1897:
1896:
1895:
1882:
1863:
1827:Defunct Outdoor
1822:
1789:
1768:
1752:
1600:
1555:
1534:
1508:
1463:
1441:
1420:
1389:
1208:
1172:
1146:
1133:
1125:
1108:
1077:
1054:
1041:
1034:
1004:
1003:
993:
991:
980:
979:
975:
965:
963:
954:
953:
949:
939:
937:
928:
927:
923:
913:
911:
897:
896:
892:
882:
880:
869:
868:
861:
851:
849:
838:
837:
833:
817:
810:
800:
798:
797:. July 28, 1959
787:
786:
782:
777:
532:
368:
229:
143:
87:
75:
68:
12:
11:
5:
1935:
1933:
1925:
1924:
1919:
1914:
1909:
1899:
1898:
1892:
1891:
1888:
1887:
1884:
1883:
1881:
1880:
1873:
1871:
1869:Arena football
1865:
1864:
1862:
1861:
1855:
1849:
1843:
1837:
1830:
1828:
1824:
1823:
1821:
1820:
1819:(2018–present)
1814:
1813:(2009–present)
1808:
1807:(2009–present)
1801:
1799:
1791:
1790:
1785:
1778:
1777:
1774:
1773:
1770:
1769:
1767:
1766:
1760:
1758:
1754:
1753:
1751:
1750:
1745:
1740:
1735:
1730:
1725:
1720:
1715:
1710:
1705:
1700:
1695:
1690:
1685:
1680:
1675:
1670:
1665:
1660:
1655:
1650:
1648:arenafootball2
1645:
1640:
1634:
1629:
1624:
1619:
1614:
1608:
1606:
1602:
1601:
1599:
1598:
1593:
1588:
1583:
1578:
1573:
1567:
1565:
1557:
1556:
1553:Arena football
1551:
1544:
1543:
1540:
1539:
1536:
1535:
1533:
1532:
1527:
1522:
1516:
1514:
1510:
1509:
1507:
1506:
1505:
1504:
1499:
1489:
1488:
1487:
1482:
1471:
1469:
1465:
1464:
1462:
1461:
1455:
1453:
1443:
1442:
1437:
1430:
1429:
1426:
1425:
1422:
1421:
1419:
1418:
1415:
1409:
1406:
1394:
1391:
1390:
1388:
1387:
1381:
1375:
1369:
1364:
1358:
1352:
1347:
1341:
1335:
1329:
1324:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1302:
1297:
1291:
1285:
1280:
1274:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1252:
1246:
1241:
1235:
1229:
1228:** (1890–1905)
1223:
1216:
1214:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1206:
1200:
1194:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1170:
1164:
1158:
1152:
1144:
1138:
1131:
1123:
1116:
1114:
1110:
1109:
1107:
1106:
1105:(2024–present)
1100:
1099:(2016–present)
1094:
1087:
1085:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1075:
1074:(1920–present)
1068:
1066:
1056:
1055:
1050:
1043:
1042:
1035:
1033:
1032:
1025:
1018:
1010:
1002:
1001:
973:
947:
921:
890:
859:
831:
808:
779:
778:
776:
773:
764:
763:
760:
757:
754:
751:
748:
742:
741:
738:
735:
732:
729:
726:
720:
719:
716:
713:
710:
707:
704:
698:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
682:
676:
675:
672:
669:
666:
663:
660:
656:
655:
649:
648:
645:
642:
639:
636:
633:
627:
626:
623:
620:
617:
614:
611:
605:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
583:
582:
579:
576:
573:
570:
567:
561:
560:
557:
554:
551:
548:
545:
541:
540:
531:
528:
522:
521:
518:
515:
512:
509:
506:
500:
499:
496:
493:
490:
487:
484:
478:
477:
474:
471:
468:
465:
462:
456:
455:
452:
449:
446:
443:
440:
434:
433:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
412:
411:
408:
405:
402:
399:
396:
394:Columbus Colts
390:
389:
386:
383:
380:
377:
374:
367:
364:
361:
360:
357:
354:
351:
348:
345:
339:
338:
335:
332:
329:
326:
323:
317:
316:
313:
310:
307:
304:
301:
295:
294:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
273:
272:
269:
266:
263:
260:
257:
251:
250:
247:
244:
241:
238:
235:
228:
225:
190:Columbus Colts
142:
139:
103:
102:
89:
83:
82:
77:
71:
70:
65:
61:
60:
57:
53:
52:
49:
45:
44:
41:
37:
36:
33:
29:
28:
23:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1934:
1923:
1920:
1918:
1915:
1913:
1910:
1908:
1905:
1904:
1902:
1878:
1875:
1874:
1872:
1870:
1866:
1859:
1856:
1853:
1850:
1847:
1844:
1841:
1838:
1835:
1832:
1831:
1829:
1825:
1818:
1815:
1812:
1809:
1806:
1803:
1802:
1800:
1796:
1792:
1788:
1783:
1779:
1765:
1762:
1761:
1759:
1755:
1749:
1746:
1744:
1741:
1739:
1736:
1734:
1731:
1729:
1726:
1724:
1721:
1719:
1716:
1714:
1711:
1709:
1706:
1704:
1701:
1699:
1696:
1694:
1691:
1689:
1686:
1684:
1681:
1679:
1676:
1674:
1671:
1669:
1666:
1664:
1661:
1659:
1656:
1654:
1651:
1649:
1646:
1644:
1641:
1638:
1635:
1633:
1630:
1628:
1625:
1623:
1620:
1618:
1615:
1613:
1610:
1609:
1607:
1603:
1597:
1594:
1592:
1589:
1587:
1584:
1582:
1579:
1577:
1574:
1572:
1569:
1568:
1566:
1562:
1558:
1554:
1549:
1545:
1531:
1528:
1526:
1523:
1521:
1518:
1517:
1515:
1511:
1503:
1500:
1498:
1495:
1494:
1493:
1490:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1477:
1476:
1473:
1472:
1470:
1466:
1460:
1457:
1456:
1454:
1452:
1448:
1444:
1440:
1435:
1431:
1416:
1414:
1410:
1407:
1404:
1400:
1396:
1395:
1392:
1385:
1382:
1379:
1376:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1362:
1359:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1345:
1342:
1339:
1336:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:³ (1962–1973)
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
1296:³ (1940–1948)
1295:
1292:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1278:
1275:
1273:³ (1936–1947)
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1256:
1253:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1240:² (1908–1919)
1239:
1236:
1234:² (1902–1919)
1233:
1230:
1227:
1224:
1221:
1218:
1217:
1215:
1211:
1204:
1201:
1199:(2020, 2023)*
1198:
1195:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1175:
1171:
1168:
1165:
1162:
1159:
1156:
1153:
1149:
1145:
1143:² (1945–1949)
1142:
1139:
1136:
1132:
1128:
1124:
1121:
1118:
1117:
1115:
1111:
1104:
1101:
1098:
1095:
1092:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1084:
1080:
1073:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1065:
1061:
1057:
1053:
1048:
1044:
1039:
1036:Professional
1031:
1026:
1024:
1019:
1017:
1012:
1011:
1008:
989:
988:
983:
977:
974:
961:
957:
951:
948:
935:
931:
925:
922:
909:
905:
901:
894:
891:
878:
877:
872:
866:
864:
860:
847:
846:
841:
835:
832:
829:
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821:
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1205:(2022–2023)*
1150:(1960–1969)¹
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940:December 21,
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1848:(1999–2007)
1842:(1974–1982)
1836:(1965–1973)
1386:(2019–2022)
1380:(2014–2016)
1374:(2011–2013)
1346:(1971–1974)
1340:(1966–1971)
1334:(1965–1967)
1257:(1926–1927)
1232:Ohio League
1222:(1886–1895)
1169:(1983–1985)
1163:(1974–1975)
1157:(1965–1969)
343:Newark Rams
76:champion(s)
1901:Categories
1181:XFL (2001)
828:1878282654
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609:Ohio Colts
167:New Jersey
1757:On hiatus
904:The Blade
801:April 22,
151:Bert Bell
1877:X League
1251:² (1924)
914:June 25,
171:Michigan
1798:Outdoor
1605:Defunct
1564:Current
141:History
86:Related
64:Country
32:Founded
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1357:(1999)
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74:Last
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1197:XFL
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