1960s Era

• Robert Hall — Cleveland Browns
• Johnny Unitas — Baltimore Colts
• Bart Starr — Green Bay Packers
• Joe Namath — New York Jets
• Len Dawson — Kansas City Chiefs
• Fran Tarkenton — Minnesota Vikings / New York Giants
• Sonny Jurgensen — Philadelphia / Washington
• Daryle Lamonica — Buffalo Bills / Oakland Raiders
• Roman Gabriel — Los Angeles Rams
• George Blanda — Houston Oilers / Oakland Raiders
• Y.A. Tittle — San Francisco 49ers / New York Giants
• Roger Hall — Green Bay Packers

Titles: Packers 3 · Browns 1

The decade closed with the beginning of the Super Bowl era. Green Bay won three of the first four championships: I, II and IV. Cleveland’s Super Bowl III victory was the only interruption. The Packers established the first Super Bowl dynasty while Robert Hall led Cleveland to its first Super Bowl title.

Super Bowl IV concluded the 1969 season in the following calendar year.

Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers — 1965. Chicago selected Butkus third and Sayers fourth overall. Butkus became a defining defender; Sayers’ rushing, receiving and return ability made him an immediate explosive threat.

Bob Griese — 1967. Miami selected him fourth overall, beginning the quarterback foundation for its next-decade rise.

Roger Hall — 1969. His arrival in Green Bay introduced the next Hall-family generation just as Robert’s Cleveland career ended.

Roger Staubach — 1969. He joined Dallas after completing his military commitment, arriving late in the decade before becoming a major figure of the 1970s.

Jim Brown — 1966. His final season was 1965; he announced his retirement in July 1966 at age 30 with 12,312 rushing yards and 106 rushing touchdowns, leaving while still dominant.

Don Meredith — after 1968. He retired at 31 just as Dallas was becoming a major power, opening its next quarterback transition.

Robert Hall — 1969. His retirement closed the first Hall-family playing era. Roger’s arrival in the same year made the change especially symbolic.

1960 — The AFL launched as a direct NFL competitor. Its differences included the two-point conversion, which remained part of AFL football throughout the league’s existence.

1966 — The leagues announced their merger after years of competition for players. They stayed separate through 1969 but began a common draft and an annual championship game beginning with the 1966 season. Full integration followed in 1970.

1966 — The NFL standardized bright yellow goal posts, with uprights extending 20 feet above the crossbar.

1967 — Interleague preseason games began. NFL realignment continued through 1969, including New Orleans’ addition in 1967.

1968 — Pete Rozelle created the Competition Committee, replacing the older Rules Committee and formalizing the review of playing rules and competitive issues.

1969 — Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh agreed to join the former AFL teams in the new AFC beginning in 1970. The league also settled on a playoff structure with a wild-card team from each conference.

The NFL was considerably more physical and run-oriented than the modern game. Offenses revolved around power rushing, play-action and vertical throws. A back such as Jim Brown could be the center of an entire offense rather than a complementary piece.

Passing was harder. Defensive backs could make substantially more contact with receivers, quarterbacks had fewer protections, and offensive linemen worked under more restrictive blocking rules. Quarterbacks often attacked farther downfield rather than building high-volume short-completion games.

The AFL brought a more aggressive offensive personality, associated with vertical passing and stars such as Namath, Dawson and Lamonica. It helped push professional football toward a more expansive passing game.

Physical defensive coverage and violent contact were accepted parts of the sport. Field position and special teams carried enormous importance: a turnover, long return or field-position swing could decide a game in a lower-efficiency offensive environment.

The decade’s identity was power rushing, vertical passing, physical coverage, limited quarterback and receiver protection, and heavy reliance on field position—with the AFL beginning to challenge the offensive boundaries.