Once again, guest blogger, Dave Steidel, brings us his AFL’s Best & Worst, a series of lists from his outstanding book, Remember the AFL. I’m proud to see me Chargers well-represented. What are your thoughts?
Best AFL teams
1. 1969 Kansas City Chiefs (11-3, Super Bowl IV Champs)
2. 1967 Oakland Raiders (13-1, AFL Champs)
3. 1963 San Diego Chargers (15 straight wins, AFL Champs)
4. 1968 New York Jets (11-3, 1st AFL Super Bowl Champs)
5. 1968 Oakland Raiders (12-2, West Division Champs)
6. 1968 Kansas City Chiefs (12-2, tied for West Division)
7. 1969 Oakland Raiders (12-1-1, AFL runner up)
8. 1964 Buffalo Bills (12-2 AFL Champions)
9. 1965 Buffalo Bills (10-3-1 AFL Champions)
10. 1961 Houston Oilers (10-3-1, AFL Champions)
Worst AFL teams
1. 1962 Oakland Raiders (1-13—19 straight losses)
2. 1961 Denver Broncos (3-11)
3. 1962 New York Titans (for team management—5-9)
4. 1963 Denver Broncos (2-11-1)
5. 1966 Houston Oilers (3-11)
6. 1968 Buffalo Bills 2-12-1)
7. 1966 Denver Broncos (4-10)
8. 1968 Boston Patriots (4-10)
9. 1961 Oakland Raiders (2-12)
10.1964 Denver Broncos (2-11-1)
Top AFL coaches
1. Hank Stram—Texans/Chiefs – winner of three AFL titles in three tries and one of two Super Bowls – the master of innovation
2. Al Davis—Raiders – turned the 4-10 Raiders into a 10-4 team and ultimately influence a dynasty
3. Sid Gillman—Chargers – best offensive coaching mind in the league
4. Paul Brown—Bengals – master organizer – had the infant Bengals in the playoffs in their third year
5. Weeb Ewbank—Jets – winner of Super Bowl III
Bottom AFL coaches
1. Eddie Erdelatz—Raiders – lost first two games of 1961 – 55-0 and 44-0
2. Marty Feldman—Raiders – 1-13 in 1962
3. Bill Conkright—Raiders – couldn’t right the Raiders wrongs
4. Clive Rush—Patriots – the AFL’s answer to Phil Bengston
5. Frank Filchock—Broncos – not the man to introduce the wild west to pro football – playground football maybe
Best uniforms
1. San Diego Chargers 1963 – bright, colorful, imaginative
2. Oakland Raiders 1967-69 – pride and poise exudes
3. Denver Broncos 1966 – colorful and different
4. Kansas City Chiefs 1969 – classic red and white – red pants highlighted an already classy uniform
5. Houston Oilers 1967 – silver and blue was a exciting change – the red trim made the ’66 version even better
Worst uniforms
1. Denver Broncos 1960 – probably the worst pro uniform ever
2. Buffalo Bills 1960 – a copy of the NFL Lions was an insult to the new league
3. Oakland Raiders 1960 – black and bland
4. Denver Broncos 1967 – looked like high school hand-me-downs
5. Cincinnati Bengals 1968 – unimaginative
Best helmets
1. San Diego Chargers 1963
2. Houston Oilers 1967-69
3. Miami Dolphins 1967-69
4. Oakland Raiders 1967-69
5. Kansas City Chiefs 1966-69
Worst helmets
1. Buffalo Bills—1960-61
2. New York Titans – 1960-62
3. Oakland Raiders—1960-61
4. Denver Broncos—1960-61
5. Denver Broncos—1967
I would take off Paul Brown as he never wanted to be in the AFL. I think either Lou Saban or Mike Holovak would have been better choices. JMO.
I agree about Brown. While his record and legend as a pro coach is phenomenal, he was not an AFL guy.
Or add Saban to the list. Another area where Sabin was under appreciated was in college ball. I lived in South Florida in the mid 1970’s. At that time the University of Miami was floundering.
They would play Ohio State, Florida and other powers and get demolished. There were calls to go to Division 2. Sabin as Head Coach was instrumental in keeping the program alive and growing it. He set the stage for the success achieved in the 1980’s and beyond.
Really? Paul Brown as one of your top AFL coaches. Yes the man was a legend and one of the great coaches of all time, but he was the coach of a losing expansion team in the AFL. Yes he had the infant Bengals in the play offs in only their third year, but that was the NFL play offs. The Bengals were only in the AFL for two years and Brown only joined the AFL because he knew the leagues were about to merge. Yet you leave out the coaches of the two time champions Oilers and Bills. I also understand your love of the Chargers, but while you are extolling the genius of Sid Gillman, let’s try and remember one thing, his teams lost four out of five championship games. Any other coach would have that little detail prominantly featured.
Your list of best teams features multiple teams that were either runners up or didn’t even make the play offs. Championships count, the ten best teams in the AFL are the ten champions. It says so in the record books.
While I do like Sid Gillman and the Chargers, you must have skipped over the intro paragraph which states that these lists were produced by author Dave Steidel, for his book, Remember the AFL. That said, it is hardly out of the question to say that Gillman ranks among the top three of AFL coaches.
My apologies, Todd, for implying that you compiled the list. However, based on Mr. Gillman’s 1-4 record in the big game, I believe he is rated too high. Especially when Lou Saban gets no love at all.
I’m in COMPLETE AGREEMENT with anyone & everyone who feels Paul Brown SHOULDN’T be on a “best of” list as far as the AFL is concerned… It was HIS urging that lead to Baltimore, Cleveland, & Pittsburgh being transferred to the AFL to form the AFC.
As I recall from those days, the AFL people preferred to remain “separate but equal” as they actually had SURPASSED the nfl in quality.
On the lists, Lou Saban BELONGS on the best coach list at #3, Stram 1st, Gilman 2nd, Davis 4th, Ewbank 5th… Best unis- tie between S.D. & K.C. (after adopting the red road pants) for 1st, Denver (after ’67) 2nd, New York (after Werblin bought them) 3rd, Boston 4th, San Diego (after ’67) 5th…. Best helmets- tie between Dallas & Kansas City 1st, Boston (after ’65 & after) 2nd, Houston (67 & after) 3rd, San Diego 4th, New York (’63) 5th
The San Diego 5th on my uni list should be Houston ’67 & after…. sorry for the typo
How is it possible to overlook the 1960 Chargers uniforms? A sharp blue lightning bolt outlined in gold on their helmets, stunning royal blue jerseys with blue bolts on the shoulders and pants with a blue bolt running down the length. My only guess to how this was overlooked is because there are few color pictures and zero color film. To see them play in these up close and in living color would be spectacular.
A close second for me are the 1963 Jets uniforms. Love the jet on their helmet. In third place, I would put the 1962-66 Broncos. I actually like the crazy, bucking bronco character.
Sticking to the Chiefs whom I loved best, I H-A-T-E-D the red pants that were utilized starting in 1968 – the all white uniforms remain the best, my opine. Apparently a number of players disliked the nose-bleed colored knickers… I agree the Chargers uniforms were/remain best ever. I’d place the Raiders a tie second with KC’s. Must also admit that I’ve always liked the ‘Bucking Bronco’ helmet Denver sported pre 1966.
Best AFL team ever? Might sound silly to bottom-liners, but results aside the ’69 Raiders were best ever… that my ‘Wild Card’ eligible only Chiefs managed to get by them after losing twice regular season speaks more to cruel fate OAKs than to anything else (the lateral ’68 vs the NYJ same vein.)
1967-1969, OAK was as good as or better than any team in pro football. While I was thrilled my Chiefs prevailed & went on to their only World Championship, wasn’t confident they’d do so before that last AFL Title Game, January 1970.
One final note: best ‘football field’ in the world? Any that the former KC Chiefs ground guru George Toma touched. He was so good other venues utilized his services post season (‘Superbowls’, etc.) Toma was a true arteest – the gridiron stylings he first implemented on the KC field in 1967 remain the equivalent of the Chargers powder blue uniforms – perfection.
Great comments about Mr. Toma. He was the “ground keeper to the stars”. He could make a Chicago housing project field look like Augusta National!
Agreed, Mr. Toma was the man. Can anyone even name another head groundskeeper?
Nope, I can’t unless Al Sobotka (minds the ice & retrieves the octopus in Joe Louis Arena) counts,,,,
I couldn’t ever figure out why the Chiefs & the Royals would even consider having the artificial turf, let alone actually installing it in those two stadiums, when they HAD George Toma!
Personally, I LOVE the red pants as the road uni & absolutely HATE the “all white” look (speaking of road unis & Kansas City, the Royals need to go back to the powder blues on the road), on ALL teams except the Rams of the 60’s, they’re the ONLY team that could pull that look off and look good even if they were in the nfl… In my opinion.
I did like the AFL rule that the home team HAD to wear dark jerseys, that’s another AFL rule the nfl should adopt.
Kansas City & Oakland really were the class of the AFL over the last 4 years of the league (with New York being 3rd best in all reality), either team could’ve been in 3 of the 4 first Super Bowls with a “strategic” win here or there.
Gaaaaahhhhd I MISS the AFL!!!!!!!!!!!
The first few Super Bowl’s required the Home Team to wear dark jersey’s. The Colts/Cowboys SB-V had Dallas wearing their road Blue jersey. The Cowboys due to their influence with Pete Rozelle had that requirement waived.
I think it is awesome that after all these years we can still get heated over a list about AFL coaches. I feel Lou Saban is very deserving of being on that list and feel that just because Paul Brown was a name before coming to the AFL and and had mediocre success is the only reason he is on the list.
I also feel like the Bills helmets and uniforms for the mid to late 60s are the second best uniform behind the Chargers.
Interesting lists by Dave Steidel. I agree with the negative statements about Paul Brown. He looked down on the AFL. The fact that the Bengals made the playoffs in 1970 (the AFL was gone) had a lot to do with the problems (many of them injury related) of the Steelers, Oilers and Browns. Brown had many detractors, among them his assistant Bill Walsh. Walsh always felt Brown did everything he could to keep Bill from getting head coaching opportunities for such petty reasons as Bill’s hair being too long. Lou Saban and Mike Holovak should be on the list. Holovak was a PT boat commander in WWII who sank 9 enemy ships. As coach of the Patriots, he was successful with very limited resources. Mike gained a reputation for winning very few exhibition games. He was merely trying to save his players for the regular season. He got along for years with Boston College, Boston University and Holy Cross players as the budget was tight in Boston. Saban won two AFL titles and he is not on the list?
It is interesting the AFL went into the 1st Super Bowl with a team that was not listed on Steidel’s top 10 list. The Chiefs were hurting as they entered the game. They lost Ed Lothemer and Jon Gilliam during the season, and Fred Arbanas injured his shoulder in the AFL tile game. DE Chuck Hurston lost 20 lbs in the week leading up to the game and it showed as the Packers ran left.
“Mike gained a reputation for winning very few exhibition games. He was merely trying to save his players for the regular season.”
– interesting re: Holovak… in KC, Hank Stram did the opposite. He wanted to win ‘every’ game regular season as well exhibitions & the record shows Stram did win many more than he lost.
Of note, some of his former players felt Stram’s modus operandi hurt the team, at least somewhat.
One of them was the late MLB Sherrill Headrick. He was quoted as saying – “our legs would be shot before the regular season was over” due to Stram’s penchant for playing his veterans extensively throughout pre-season games.
Different strokes for different folks… I guess one can’t argue with Stram’s results, though his method might not have been universally popular.
I really can’t understand why the Charger ownership doesn’t switch to permanent powder blues,and the white helmet with the numbers on it. It was the best look ever, bar none.
I also think that Mike Holovak should be on the list of the best AFL coaches as well as original Oiler coach Lou Rymkus. Rymkus put together the Oiler squad that played in the league’s first three championship games. After winning the championship in ’60, he got cross-ways with owner Bud Adams about playing two exhibition games in Hawaii in ’61. He felt the 10-day stay in the islands was too much of a distraction for his squad and that they weren’t ready for the season opener because of it. After a 1 – 3 – 1 start in ’61, Adams fired Rymkus. With Wally Lemm at the helm, they ran the table and won the championship again in ’61. But all of the Oiler players agreed that due to the Hawaii trip, they weren’t ready for the season’s start.
Holovak always put together competitive teams on a shoestring. As billd said, he did it with guys from Holy Cross, B.C. and B.U. and other area schools. Holovak said they did it with local guys because they were the players they knew about. Holovak had about a 10-year run as head coach of Boston College before joining the Patriots in ’60 as an assistant coach.
For the best looking unis, I would look no further than the 1963-69 New York Jets. Sonny Werblin wanted his team to resemble money and what better colors than green and white? It’s a shame the Jets of today can’t go back to the kelly green and ditch the darker hue of green.
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