Editing Super Bowl I (section)

==Background==
===Origins===
{{main|AFL–NFL merger}}
[[File: SuperBowl I - Los Angeles Coliseum.jpg|thumb|[[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]] on game day]]
When the NFL began its 41st season in {{nfly|1960}}, it had a new and unwanted rival: the [[American Football League]]. The NFL had successfully fended off several other rival leagues in the past, and so the older league initially ignored the new upstart and its eight teams, figuring it would be made up of nothing but NFL rejects, and that fans were unlikely to prefer it to the NFL. But unlike the NFL's prior rivals, the AFL survived and prospered, in part by signing "NFL rejects" who turned out to be highly talented players the older league had badly misjudged. Soon the NFL and AFL found themselves locked in a massive bidding war for the top free agents and prospects coming out of college. Originally, there was a tacit agreement between the two not to raid each other by signing players who were already under contract with a team from an opposing league. This policy broke down in early 1966 when the NFL's [[1966 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] signed [[Pete Gogolak]], a placekicker who was under contract with the AFL's [[1966 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]]. The AFL owners considered this an "act of war" and immediately struck back, signing several contracted NFL players, including eight of their top quarterbacks.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Eventually, the NFL had enough and started negotiations with the AFL in an attempt to resolve the issue. As a result of the negotiations, the leagues signed a [[AFL–NFL merger|merger agreement]] on June 9, 1966. Among the details, both leagues agreed to share a [[common draft]] to end the bidding war for the top college players, as well as merge into a single league after the {{nfly|1969}} season. In addition, an "AFL–NFL World Championship Game" was established, in which the AFL and NFL champions would play against each other in a game at the end of the season to determine which league had the best team.<ref name=rappoport>{{cite book|last1=Rappoport|first1=Ken|title=The Little League That Could: A History of the American Football League|date=2010|publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing|location=Lanham, MD|isbn=978-1589794627}}</ref>

Los Angeles wasn't awarded the game until December 1, less than seven weeks before the kickoff;<ref name=spblgm>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AbpeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fC8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1956%2C487673 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |title=Football's Super Bowl game will be played at Los Angeles |date=December 2, 1966 |page=16 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=February 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225074705/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AbpeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fC8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1956%2C487673 |url-status=live }}</ref> likewise, the date of the game was not set until December 13.<ref name=scdjan15la/> Since the AFL Championship Game originally was scheduled for Monday, December 26, and the NFL Championship Game for Sunday, January{{nbsp}}1, the "new" championship game was suggested to be played Sunday, January 8. An unprecedented TV [[Doubleheader (television)|doubleheader]] was held on January 1, with the [[1966 American Football League Championship Game|AFL Championship Game]] telecast from Buffalo on NBC and the [[1966 NFL Championship Game|NFL Championship Game]] telecast from Dallas on CBS three hours later.

Coming into this "first" game, considerable animosity still existed between the two rival leagues, with both of them putting pressure on their respective champions to trounce the other and prove each league's dominance in professional football. Still, many sportswriters and fans believed the game was a mismatch, and any team from the long-established NFL was far superior to the best team from the upstart AFL.

The players' shares were $15,000 each for the winning team and $7,500 each for the losing team.<ref name=rtmposen>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SbsyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yvcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6712%2C659347 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Record team payoff seen for grid play |date=December 2, 1966 |page=14 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224202514/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SbsyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yvcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6712%2C659347 |url-status=live }}</ref> This was in addition to the league championship money earned two weeks earlier: the Packers' shares were $8,600 each<ref name=sgptwtv>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5ThWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7ugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7234%2C702863 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Starr guns Packers to wild title victory |date=January 2, 1967 |page=16 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=May 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512042005/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5ThWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7ugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7234%2C702863 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the Chiefs' were $5,308 each.<ref name=ldjwaprdy>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jNFTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=szgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=7205%2C79036 |newspaper=Lawrence Daily Journal-World |location=Kansas |agency=Associated Press |title=Chiefs ready for Packers |date=January 2, 1967 |page=14 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=April 26, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426205343/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jNFTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=szgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=7205,79036 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=splfow>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jNFTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=szgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2513%2C79297 |newspaper=Lawrence Daily Journal-World |location=Kansas |title=K.C. splits pot 51 ways |date=January 2, 1967 |page=14 |access-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-date=April 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424061831/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jNFTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=szgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2513,79297 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Kansas City Chiefs===
{{main|1966 Kansas City Chiefs season}}

The Chiefs entered the game after an 11–2–1 [[1966 American Football League season|regular season]] and a decisive 31–7 road win over the defending AFL champion [[1966 Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]] in the [[1966 American Football League Championship Game|AFL championship game]] on [[New Year's Day]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1966 Kansas City Chiefs Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/1966.htm |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210202754/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/1966.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Championship - Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills - January 1st, 1967 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196701010buf.htm |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=June 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608154320/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196701010buf.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Kansas City's high-powered offense led the AFL in points scored (448) and total rushing yards (2,274).<ref>{{Cite web |title=1966 AFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1966_AFL/index.htm |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Their trio of [[running back]]s, [[Mike Garrett]] (801 yards), [[Bert Coan]] (521 yards), and [[Curtis McClinton]] (540 yards) all ranked among the top-ten rushers in the AFL. Quarterback [[Len Dawson]] was the top-rated passer in the AFL, completing 159 of 284 (56%) of his passes for 2,527 yards and 26 touchdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Len Dawson 1966 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DawsLe00/gamelog/1966/ |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=June 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615004449/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DawsLe00/gamelog/1966/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Wide receiver [[Otis Taylor (American football)|Otis Taylor]] provided the team with a great deep threat by recording 58 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns. Receiver [[Chris Burford]] added 58 receptions for 758 yards and eight touchdowns, and tight end [[Fred Arbanas]], who had 22 catches for 305 yards and four touchdowns, was one of six Chiefs offensive players who were named to the All-AFL team.  Kansas City's offensive line was led by tackle [[Jim Tyrer]], who had been selected to the AFL Pro Bowl for the 5th time in his career.

The Chiefs also had a strong defense, with All-AFL players [[Jerry Mays (defensive lineman)|Jerry Mays]] and [[Buck Buchanan]] anchoring their line. Linebacker [[Bobby Bell]], who was also named to the All-AFL team, was great at run stopping and pass coverage. The strongest part of their defense, though, was their secondary, led by All-AFL safeties [[Johnny Robinson (safety)|Johnny Robinson]] and [[Bobby Hunt (American football)|Bobby Hunt]], who each recorded 10 interceptions, and [[Fred Williamson]], who recorded four. Their head coach was [[Hank Stram]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hank Stram Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/StraHa0.htm |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=August 5, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805095220/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/StraHa0.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Green Bay Packers===
{{main|1966 Green Bay Packers season}}

The Packers were an NFL [[Dynasty (sports)|dynasty]], turning around what had been a losing team just eight years earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/index.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=March 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324190901/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The team had posted an NFL-worst 1–10–1 record in [[1958 NFL season|1958]] before head coach [[Vince Lombardi]] was hired in January 1959.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1958 NFL Standings & Team Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1958/index.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=June 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615010036/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1958/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> "Their offense was like a conga dance", one sportswriter quipped. "1, 2, 3{{nbsp}}and kick."<ref>{{cite book |last=Brenner |first=Richard |date=1996 |title=The Complete Super Bowl Story |publisher=East End Pub. |isbn= 978-0943403311}}</ref>

Lombardi was determined to build a winning team. During the preseason, he signed [[Fred Thurston|Fred "Fuzzy" Thurston]], who had been cut from three other teams, but ended up becoming an All-Pro left guard for Green Bay. Lombardi also made a big trade with the [[Cleveland Browns]] that brought three players to the team who would become cornerstones of the defense: linemen [[Henry Jordan]], [[Willie Davis (defensive end)|Willie Davis]], and [[Bill Quinlan]].

Lombardi's hard work paid off, and the Packers improved to a 7–5 regular-season record in [[1959 NFL season|1959]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1959 Green Bay Packers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1959.htm |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=May 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515121937/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1959.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> They surprised the league during the following year by making it to the [[1960 NFL season|1960]] [[1960 NFL Championship Game|NFL Championship Game]]. Although the Packers lost, 17–13, to the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], they had sent a clear message that they were no longer losers. Green Bay went on to win NFL Championships in [[NFL Championship Game, 1961|1961]], [[NFL Championship Game, 1962|1962]], [[NFL Championship Game, 1965|1965]], and [[NFL Championship Game, 1966|1966]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers Playoff History |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/playoffs.htm |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220082023/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/playoffs.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Packers veteran quarterback [[Bart Starr]] was the top-rated quarterback in the NFL for 1966, and won the [[NFL Most Valuable Player Award]], completing 156 of 251 (62.2%) passes for 2,257 yards (9.0 per attempt), 14 touchdowns, and only three interceptions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bart Starr 1966 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StarBa00/gamelog/1966/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=June 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615014651/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/StarBa00/gamelog/1966/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AP NFL Most Valuable Player Winners |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/ap-nfl-mvp-award.htm |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=January 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103215307/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/ap-nfl-mvp-award.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> His top targets were wide receivers [[Boyd Dowler]] and [[Carroll Dale]], who combined for 63 receptions for 1,336 yards. Fullback [[Jim Taylor (fullback)|Jim Taylor]] was the team's top rusher with 705 yards, adding four touchdowns, and caught 41 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns. (Before the season, Taylor had informed the team that instead of returning to the Packers in 1967, he would play out his option and sign with the expansion New Orleans Saints. Lombardi, infuriated at what he considered to be Taylor's disloyalty, refused to speak to Taylor the entire season.)<ref name=Starr>Bart Starr, "Super Bowl I," ''Super Bowl: The Game of Their Lives'', Danny Peary, Editor. Macmillan, 1997 {{ISBN|0-02-860841-0}}</ref> The team's starting halfback, [[Paul Hornung]], was injured early in the season and replaced by running back [[Elijah Pitts]], who gained 857 all-purpose yards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elijah Pitts 1966 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PittEl00/gamelog/1966/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en |archive-date=July 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240708183747/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PittEl00/gamelog/1966/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Packers' offensive line was also a big reason for the team's success, led by All-Pro guards [[Jerry Kramer]], and Fuzzy Thurston, and tackle [[Forrest Gregg]].

Green Bay also had an excellent defense that displayed their talent in the [[1966 NFL Championship Game|NFL championship game]], stopping the [[1966 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]] on four consecutive plays starting from the Packers 2-yard line on the final drive to win the game. [[Lionel Aldridge]] had replaced Quinlan, but Jordan and Davis still anchored the defensive line; linebacker [[Ray Nitschke]] excelled at run stopping and pass coverage, while the secondary was led by [[Herb Adderley]] and [[Willie Wood (American football)|Willie Wood]]. Wood was another example of how Lombardi found talent nobody else could see. Wood had been a quarterback in college and was not drafted by an NFL team. When Wood joined the Packers in 1960, he was converted to a [[free safety]] and went on to make the All-Pro team nine times in his 12-year career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1966 Green Bay Packers Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1966.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711170906/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1966.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2015 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Pregame news and notes===
Many people considered it fitting that the Chiefs and the Packers would be the teams to play in the first-ever AFL–NFL World Championship Game. Chiefs owner [[Lamar Hunt]] had founded the AFL, while Green Bay was widely considered one of the best teams in NFL history (even if they could not claim to be founding members of their league, as the Packers joined the NFL in 1921, a year after the league's formation). Lombardi was under intense pressure from the entire NFL to make sure the Packers not only won the game but preferably won big to demonstrate the superiority of the NFL. CBS announcer [[Frank Gifford]], who interviewed Lombardi before the game, said Lombardi was so nervous, "he held onto my arm and he was shaking like a leaf. It was incredible."<ref name=Herskowitz>Mickey Herskowitz, "Winning the Big I," ''The Super Bowl: Celebrating a Quarter-Century of America's Greatest Game''. Simon & Schuster, 1990 {{ISBN|0-671-72798-2}}</ref> The Chiefs saw this game as an opportunity to show they were good enough to play against any NFL team. One player who was looking forward to competing in this game was Len Dawson, who had spent three years as a backup in the NFL before joining the Chiefs. However, the Chiefs were also nervous. Linebacker [[E. J. Holub]] said, "the Chiefs were scared to death. Guys in the tunnel were throwing up."<ref name=rappoport /><ref name=Herskowitz/>

In the week before the game, Chiefs cornerback [[Fred Williamson|Fred "The Hammer" Williamson]] garnered considerable publicity by boasting he would use his "hammer" – forearm blows to the head – to destroy the Packers' receivers, stating, "Two hammers to (Boyd) Dowler, one to (Carroll) Dale should be enough."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kevin Jackson, Jeff Merron & David Schoenfield|title=100 Greatest Super Bowl Moments|url=https://www.espn.com/page2/s/superbowlmoments50.html|website=ESPN|access-date=June 9, 2015|archive-date=April 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407073003/http://espn.go.com/page2/s/superbowlmoments50.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Packers practiced at [[Harder Stadium|UC Santa Barbara]], and the Chiefs at [[Veterans Memorial Stadium (Long Beach)|Veterans Field]] in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]].<ref name="pctrsb">{{Cite news |date=January 5, 1967 |title=Green Bay to train at San. Barbara |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wcZaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lWwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2732%2C892915 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |page=20 |agency=Associated Press |via=Google News |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |access-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227170710/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wcZaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lWwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2732%2C892915 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The temperature was mild with clear skies. 

The two teams played with their respective footballs from each league; the Chiefs' offense used the AFL ball, the slightly narrower and longer [[Spalding (company)#Products|J5V]] by [[Spalding (sports equipment)|Spalding]], and the Packers played with the NFL ball, "[[Ball (gridiron football)#"The Duke"|The Duke]]" by [[Wilson Sporting Goods|Wilson]].<ref name=beschloss>{{cite news|last1=Beschloss|first1=Michael|title=Before the Bowl Was Super|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/sports/before-the-bowl-was-super.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1|access-date=June 9, 2015|work=The New York Times|date=January 24, 2015|archive-date=January 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114073638/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/25/sports/before-the-bowl-was-super.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1|url-status=live}}</ref>

The AFL's two-point [[Conversion (gridiron football)|conversion]] rule was not in force; the NFL added the two-point conversion in {{nfly|1994}} and it was first used in the Super Bowl ([[Super Bowl XXIX|XXIX]]) that season, in January 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XXIX - San Diego Chargers vs. San Francisco 49ers - January 29th, 1995 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501290sdg.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731093148/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501290sdg.htm |archive-date=July 31, 2018 |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

This was the only Super Bowl where the numeric yard markers were five yards apart, rather than ten as is customary today. In&nbsp;{{nfly|1972}}, marking yard lines ending in&nbsp;"5" was disallowed in the NFL in order to standardize field markings.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-super-bowl-i-overall-view-of-stadium-and-field-before-bay-picture-id139021040 |title=Archived copy |access-date=February 10, 2016 |archive-date=February 17, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217023556/http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/football-super-bowl-i-overall-view-of-stadium-and-field-before-bay-picture-id139021040 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was also the last professional gridiron game ever played with double-support goalposts. The&nbsp;[[Goal (sports)#Gridiron football|"slingshot" goalpost]], with a single support, had made its debut a few weeks before Super Bowl I in the [[1966 CFL season|1966 CFL playoffs]]. It became standard across all three professional leagues then operating in {{nfly|1967}}.

Tickets for this game were priced at twelve, ten, and six [[United States dollar|dollars]], which was equivalent to $109, $90, and $55 in 2023 when adjusted for inflation.<ref name=ducats>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GEgwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y0kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7093%2C1034867 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |agency=UPI |last=St. Amant |first=Joe |title=Super Bowl ducats hit counter |date=January 5, 1967 |page=D2}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Al-Khateeb |first=Zac  |date=February 12, 2023 |title=How much are Super Bowl tickets 2023? Prices plummet after nearing record-high |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/how-much-super-bowl-tickets-2023-prices/ec6oikbmbbkoqq1hqynyzoek |access-date=December 25, 2023 |website=Sporting News |language=en-us}}</ref>