1970 NFL Season Unified NFL Division Structure

1970 NFL Season Unified NFL Division Structure
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Event information
Date	1970 NFL season
Context	NFL–AFL merger alignment
Key change	Adoption of a unified divisional structure
League format	Two conferences with three divisions each

The 1970 NFL season marked the first season of the National Football League (NFL) under its post-merger alignment with the American Football League (AFL). As part of the NFL–AFL merger agreement, the league adopted a unified divisional structure intended to integrate the AFL clubs and maintain a balanced schedule across the expanded competition.

The cornerstone of this reorganization was the creation of three divisions per conference in each of the NFL’s two conferences—an alignment that shaped playoff qualification and regular-season scheduling throughout the decade. The unified structure is often described as the NFL’s “unified” divisional framework for 1970, following the establishment of the combined league.

Background: NFL–AFL merger and a unified league

The NFL–AFL merger was finalized in 1970, creating a single league from previously separate NFL and AFL competitions. The transition followed agreements that culminated in full integration beginning with the 1970 season, including a shared league structure and standardized postseason procedures. The move effectively retired the separate AFL brand for competitive purposes, while AFL franchises entered the unified NFL ecosystem as members of designated divisions.

Under the merger plan, existing teams did not simply become “NFL teams” without structural changes: the league had to reorganize divisions to accommodate both legacy NFL clubs and legacy AFL clubs. This was especially important for the creation of conferences and divisions that could produce a coherent schedule and postseason bracket. The result was a formal, league-wide divisional alignment that is closely associated with Super Bowl V and the early unified era of the combined league.

The unified conference and divisional alignment

For 1970, the league organized competition into two conferences, the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference was structured with three divisions, producing a total of six divisions across the unified NFL.

The AFC and NFC divisions were named to reflect geographic or historic conventions and to provide a stable competitive framework. The divisional setup was designed to integrate both NFL and AFL franchises while limiting uneven competition across conference rivals. This alignment also established a basis for future divisional expansion and realignment, even as the league later adjusted divisional boundaries in response to expansion and franchise movements.

Within each conference, teams played divisional opponents more frequently than non-divisional opponents, reinforcing the importance of divisional standings. This reinforced a common feature of NFL scheduling that continued across later seasons and is visible in how divisional champions qualified for the postseason.

Scheduling implications and competitive balance

The unified divisional structure shaped regular-season matchups by determining which teams were treated as recurring rivals. Because the divisions provided the primary grouping for schedule frequency, a team’s divisional placement—first through third in the standings—became a major determinant of its path to the playoffs. In the early years of the merger, the league also had to account for differences in coaching styles, roster construction, and talent distribution between the former leagues, affecting how quickly the unified competition normalized.

The divisional format helped manage the transition for legacy AFL teams by creating stable conference schedules. At the same time, it allowed legacy NFL teams to remain in familiar conference contexts while still being challenged by newly integrated divisional rivals. The combined structure therefore served both administrative and competitive purposes: it created a consistent league identity while reducing scheduling uncertainty during the merger transition.

Postseason qualification and the unified championship pathway

Alongside the divisional structure, postseason qualification procedures were aligned so that the unified league could identify conference champions and award playoff berths in a predictable way. The conference winners and division leaders provided the foundation for the postseason bracket, linking regular-season standings to playoff access. This approach made divisional placement particularly consequential in 1970’s integrated environment.

The postseason culminated in the unified Super Bowl era, with the season leading into Super Bowl V as a milestone for the newly consolidated league. The unified divisional structure contributed to the matchup framework that produced the final championship pairing that year. The NFL’s early unified alignment therefore shaped both who qualified and how teams were positioned to advance.

Legacy and subsequent realignments

The 1970 divisional structure is frequently treated as the starting point for the modern two-conference NFL, though subsequent seasons brought additional realignments as franchises moved and as the league expanded. Later reorganizations adjusted divisional membership and scheduling arrangements, reflecting changes in team locations and competitive strategy.

Nevertheless, the basic framework established in 1970—two conferences with three divisions each—became a durable organizing principle. The unified approach also influenced how fans and media discussed standings, rivalries, and conference strength, setting expectations for the NFL’s long-term emphasis on divisional competition. Over time, the league’s structure evolved, but the 1970 alignment remains central to understanding the unified NFL era that followed the merger.