In 1962, the NFL had brought the Cowboys to Dallas and also with it Texans Fans. The AFL then took the NFL to court and charged it with monopoly and conspiracy in the areas of expansion, television and player signings. It would take two years to eventually get to court and the case would only last a mere 2 months.

In 1963, the Texans moved out of Dallas to become the Kansas City Chiefs, and followed quickly by the New York Titans who were literally unable to operate and were bought out to become the New York Jets. But during the AFL's first 3 years in existence, it had to rely on the NFL's reject players with many leaving the NFL for the AFL in order to extend their careers.

In 1966, the AFL was battling the NFL for the latest college talent and spending $7 million in the process, of which this could easily have bankrupted both leagues. That same year, it was decided to merge both leagues for the 1970 season, but until then it would mean that both leagues would play seperate schedules and then meet in the World Championship that would be called the Super Bowl in 1967. The following year, both the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals were added as expansion teams.

The 1970 merger split the NFL into two. The AFL was now known as the American Football Conference and the original NFL into the National Football Conference. The two conferences were further split into three divisions Central, East and West. The Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers were added to increase the AFC to 13 teams.