List of AFC champions
The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of two conferences within the National Football League, the National Football Conference (NFC) being the other. The AFC has its roots in the American Football League (AFL), which began to play in 1960. In 1970, the AFL merged with the NFL. As part of the merger, the former AFL teams, plus three former NFL teams (the Baltimore Colts, the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers), were placed into the AFC. The remaining former NFL teams were placed in the NFC.
Background
The AFL or AFC champion is not necessarily the team with the best record in the regular season. Rather, the champion is decided by the
Through the 2019 season, the most AFL or AFC championships won by any team is eleven, by the Patriots. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos each have eight AFC championships. The Buffalo Bills won six AFL or AFC championships and the Miami Dolphins and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders have each won five AFL or AFC championships.[1] The Raiders have also been the AFL or AFC runner up, as a result of losing the AFL or AFC Championship Game, a record nine times.[3] The Steelers have been the runner up eight times, while the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers have been the runner up seven times.[4][5]
The record for the most regular-season wins by an AFL or AFC champion is 16, by the 2007 New England Patriots, with a perfect 16–0 record. No AFL or AFC champion has won exactly 15 games. Seven AFL or AFC champions have won 14 games, including two Miami Dolphins teams and three New England Patriots teams (2003, 2004, 2016). Six of the teams that won 14 games did so in a 16-game season. Only the 1972 Miami Dolphins won 14 games in a 14-game season, with their perfect 14–0 record.[1]
Bill Belichick has been the head coach for nine AFC championship teams, which is a record. Belichick coached the New England Patriots to AFC championships in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018.[6] Don Shula has been the head coach of five AFC championship teams. Shula coached the Miami Dolphins to AFC championships in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1982 and 1984.[7] Chuck Noll, Marv Levy and Andy Reid each coached four AFC champions.[4][8][9] Hank Stram and Dan Reeves each coached three AFL or AFC champions.[9][10]
The
At the end of the 1966 season, the
Key
Season | Each year is linked to an article about that particular AFL or NFL season.
|
Team | Name of AFL or AFC Championship team, linked to the team's championship season |
Record | Championship team's regular season record wins–losses; if the team played any tie games the record is shown as wins–losses–ties |
Head coach | Championship team's head coach; if the team had multiple head coaches for the season they are shown in decreasing order of number of regular season wins |
Quarterback | Name of quarterback with most passing attempts for the AFL/AFC champion during the regular season |
Leading Rusher | Name of player with most rushing yards for the AFL/AFC champion during the regular season
|
Leading Receiver | Name of player with most receiving yards for the AFL/AFC champion during the regular season |
All-Pros | List of 1st team AP All-Pros on that season's AFL/AFC champion |
Runner Up | Name of team that lost the AFL or AFC Championship Game |
† | Super Bowl Champion |
* | Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame |
AFL/AFC championship teams
Footnotes
- a Lou Rymkus began the 1961 season as the Houston Oilers' head coach. After the Oilers started the season with a 1–3–1 record, Wally Lemm took over as head coach. The Oilers won all nine games with Lemm as their head coach and went on to win the 1961 AFL Championship Game.[14]
- b Bob Griese began the 1972 season as the Miami Dolphins' starting quarterback. After Griese suffered an ankle injury in the 5th game of the season, Morrall became the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season and ended the season with more passing attempts than Griese. Morrall started the AFC Championship game, but Griese replaced him with the Dolphins behind in the second half and led the Dolphins to the victory. Griese then started Super Bowl VII.[25][79][80][81]*
- c In 1972 both Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris rushed for 1000 or more yards for the Miami Dolphins. Csonka led the team in rushing yardage, making Morris the only player on an AFC (or NFC) championship team to have at least 1000 rushing yards but not lead the team.[25][82]
- d Tony Banks and Trent Dilfer each started 8 games for the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. Banks is listed here because had 274 passing attempts and Dilfer had 226. But Dilfer was the starting quarterback in the AFC Championship game and in Super Bowl XXXV.[53][83][84]
References
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- ISBN 0-312-13186-0.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "1972 AFC Championship". Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
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- ^ "2000 AFC Championship". Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ "Super Bowl XXXV". Pro-Football-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2019-02-26. Retrieved 2008-11-22.