David Rosenthal

He's been hearing that there are all these other people who want to buy the Cardinals too and get in line and this person in this city and that person in that city.

And Lamar says, wait a minute.

I don't need the NFL.

I don't need the Cardinals.

I've got a list of all these other wealthy people who also want to have professional football teams.

Why don't I call them and we'll start our own league.

By far.

So in August 1959, he and several other owners form the American Football League with six teams, soon to become eight, the Dallas Texans, Boston Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, Miami Dolphins, New York Titans, soon to be changed to the New York Jets, the Denver Broncos, the LA Chargers, and the Oakland Raiders.

You've probably heard of most of those teams.

Very, very differently.

But then in 1959, right after the new AFL announces that they're going to start their league and commence operations, Burt Bell dies suddenly.

And so once again, just like back with the AAFC, the league is in crisis and forced to act.

And unlike the AAFC, things are going to be different.

A little different this time because of the television aspect.

People might know them better as the Kansas City Chiefs today.

Yes.

So Hunt, he's been studying the NFL.

He knows about the league-first mentality.

He's also been studying baseball.

He's been meeting with baseball owners, including Branch Rickey of Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson fame, who at that point in time was out of Major League Baseball and was trying to start a third independent league.