The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence. It was more successful than earlier rivals to the NFL with the same name, the 1926, 1936 and 1940 leagues, and the later All-America Football Conference.
Lionel Thomas Taylor is an American former football player and coach. He played as a wide receiver primarily with the Denver Broncos of American Football League (AFL), he led the league in receptions for five of the first six years of the league's existence. The second player to lead a league in receptions for at least five seasons, Taylor is currently the last to do so. He was the third wide receiver to reach 500 receptions in pro football history. He was also a longtime assistant coach in the league, winning two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2024, he was given the Award of Excellence by the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his work as an assistant. However, despite all of his accomplishments as a player and coach, he has yet to be inducted into the hall of fame.
Floyd Douglas Little was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Denver Broncos, initially in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Syracuse Orangemen, twice earning All-American honors. Little was the sixth overall selection of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft, the first common draft. He was the first first-round draft pick to sign with the AFL's Broncos, where he was known as "the Franchise". Little was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Miller Farr Jr. was an American professional football player who was a cornerback for 10 seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL).
The American Football League draft, the American Football League stocked its teams in two ways:
- Signing free agents.
- Signing players from the previous year's college graduates.
William Ferdie Brown was an American professional football player, coach and administrator. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL). Following his playing career, Brown remained with the Raiders as an assistant coach. He served as the head football coach at California State University, Long Beach in 1991, the final season before the school's football program was terminated. Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1984. At the time of his death he was on the Raiders' administrative staff.
Haven Christopher Moses is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 14 seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).
Francis Joseph Tripucka was an American football quarterback who played professionally for 15 seasons. He spent four seasons in the National Football League (NFL), eight in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and four in American Football League (AFL). Tripucka achieved his greatest success as the inaugural quarterback for the AFL's Denver Broncos, who he was a member of from 1960 to 1963. During Denver's inaugural year, Tripucka became the first NFL / AFL quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. He received All-Star honors when leading the league in yards in 1962. He was inducted to the Broncos Ring of Fame in 1986. Tripucka has the lowest career Passer Rating in NFL history, minimum 1500 passing attempts, with a career rating of 52.2.
Ken Criter is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Criter graduated from New Holstein High School in New Holstein, Wisconsin. He went on to attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers. A linebacker at Wisconsin, Criter became a first-Team All-Big Ten selection in 1967 and 1968.
Richard Samuel Jackson, nicknamed "Tombstone", is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and a linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Southern Jaguars. Jackson played for the AFL's Oakland Raiders in 1966 and Denver Broncos from 1967 through 1969, remaining with the Broncos in 1970 through 1971 after their post-merger transition to the NFL, and the Cleveland Browns in 1972. Jackson was named an All-Pro in 1969 and 1970.
Jack Ross Lee was an American quarterback who played professional football in the American Football League (AFL) for all ten of its seasons (1960–1969).
Bob Scarpitto is an American former professional football punter and flanker who played in the American Football League (AFL) for the San Diego Chargers in 1961, for the Denver Broncos from 1962 through 1967, and then for the Boston Patriots in 1968. He was an AFL All-Star in 1966. He played college football at Notre Dame.
Peter Adrian Liske was an American football quarterback, star quarterback with Calgary Stampeders in the late-60s and later a university athletics administrator.
James Herbert "Jimmy" Sears was a professional American football defensive back/halfback in the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL).
Alfred Freddie Denson is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for eight seasons with for the Denver Broncos of the American Football League (AFL), and the National Football League's (NFL) Broncos and Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Florida A&M Rattlers. He was selected by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 1964 AFL Draft and by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 1964 NFL Draft, but chose to sign with Denver.
Stephen Michael Tensi was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles. He played professionally for the San Diego Chargers (1965–1966) and the Denver Broncos (1967–1970).
Leroy Mitchell is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Southern Tigers. In 1967, he joined the AFL's Boston Patriots. He played there for two seasons and was an AFL All-Star selection in 1968. He would go on to play in the NFL for the Houston Oilers (1970), and the Denver Broncos (1971–1973).
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country. Currently, there are multiple professional football leagues in North America: the two longest-running leagues are the National Football League (NFL) in the U.S, and the Canadian Football League (CFL) in Canada. American football leagues have existed in Europe since the late 1970s, with competitive leagues all over Europe hiring American Imports to strengthen rosters. The Austrian Football League and German Football League top division are known as the best leagues in Europe. The Japan X-League is also a strong league that has a long history since 1971. The NFL has existed continuously since being so named in 1922.
James Gallagher Fraser was an American professional football linebacker and punter who played in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wisconsin and was drafted in the 21st round of the 1959 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played three seasons for the Denver Broncos and one season with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Boston Patriots and the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL).
Walter "Buzz" Highsmith is an American former gridiron football player and coach. He played professionally in the American Football League (AFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), World Football League (WFL), and National Football League (NFL) as an offensive lineman. Highsmith served as the head football coach at Texas Southern University from 1989 to 1993, compiling a record of 19–34–2.
