Here is an enjoyable piece on the AFL-NFL merger. This piece presents the whole process in a much smoother light than how the merger actually occured, but the key point is there; with rising player salaries, the two leagues could not afford to continue fighting each other for players, and the merger was pushed through.
The Merger
About the Author: Todd Tobias
Todd Tobias's interest in the American Football League began in 1998, when he wrote my master's thesis about Sid Gillman. He created this site to educate and entertain football fans with the stories of the American Football League, 1960-1969. You can follow Todd and get more AFL history on Twitter @TalesfromtheAFL.
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After Gogolak was signed by the Giants, the AFL retaliated. Soon players like Mike Ditka, John Brodie and Roman Gabriel were signed by AFL clubs. Al Davis was the AFL Commissioner as well.
While die hard AFL fans believe the merger should not have occurred, it was inevitable. Certain AFL fans thought that the continuation of NFL signings would have destroyed that league. The thought was that the AFL had deeper pockets. That was partially true. While Hunt and Adams were quite wealthy, there were several owners such as Sullivan in Boston, Denver, and Oakland that were not so endowed.
And while there were some weaker NFL franchises such as Pittsburgh and St. Louis, the other franchises were quite strong. There would have been casualties on both sides.
I believe that there should not have been a merger. They should have continued the 1967-1969 scheme of two leagues, Rozelle as Commissioner, and a common draft. Expansion clubs would go into the AFL until both leagues were of equal size. However, the Conference setup was utilized. Still quite successful with billionaire owners.