David Rosenthal

Oh, this is so fun.

What happens next is like a Godfather film.

So a few of the most influential owners come to Roselle in 1966.

And they say, the way things are going with the AFL, we're not going to beat them.

This draft situation with the rookies is out of control.

The contracts we're paying, we're losing too much money.

This is going to kill the league if we keep the war going.

We've got to get to a truce, which that means we're going to have to merge.

So we're going to direct you, Rozelle, to go start merger negotiations with the AFL.

Rozelle doesn't want to do it.

He thinks they can win.

He wants to fight, but he's like, okay, I work for you.

One of his superpowers, the way he's able to achieve all of this is he really is good at pleasing everybody, finding solutions that work for everyone.

And so he says, okay, I'll move forward.

So he drafts the Cowboys GM in Dallas, a guy named Tex Schramm.

to secretly open negotiations with Lamar Hunt.

Lamar, at this point, has moved the Texans to Kansas City, where they've become the Chiefs.

I know, so great.

He was the GM.

I don't think he was the principal owner, but I think he had an ownership stake.