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 (NFL) in June, which took effect fully in 1970.

1966 AFL season

September 2 –
December 18, 1966

January 1, 1967

The season also saw the debut of the expansion Miami Dolphins, the AFL's ninth team (an odd number), 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.

AFL Championship Game

Super Bowl I

The moved from Frank Youell Field to the new Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum

The expansion began play at the Orange Bowl

: Lou Saban resigned and defensive coach Joe Collier was promoted.

: Hugh Taylor was fired and Wally Lemm took over as head coach in late January.

: The expansion team's first head coach was George Wilson.

: Al Davis stepped down as head coach in April to serve as AFL commissioner, and backfield coach John Rauch was promoted.