Packers Beat Chiefs In 1st Super Bowl

By Mary Miller Cullins

In January, 1967, the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League beat the American Football League’s Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10, in the first ever AFL-NFL World Championship, later known as Super Bowl 1. 

Founded in 1960 as a rival to the NFL, the AFL was still fighting its way in 1967, and the Packers had been heavily favored to win the game.  60 million viewers tuned in to watch the action unfold on television.  The first half, the Chiefs managed to keep the game close, and by halftime Green Bay was only leading by four points  (14-10).

Just like today though, the Packers proceeded to break the game wide open, after safety Willie Wood intercepted a Dawson pass and returned the ball 50 yards to set up a touchdown.  Green Bay would score three more times in the second half.  The Packers’ famed quarterback, Bryan Bartlett “Bart” Starr, completed 16 of 23 passes that night.

The Packers won by the score of 35-10, and Starr was named Most Valuable Player.  Asked to comment on the match-up after the game, Green Bay Coach Vince Lombardi expressed the common opinion that even the best of the AFL–the Chiefs–”doesn’t compare with the top NFL teams.”

Two years later, the AFL proved its doubters wrong by winning its first championship, when Joe Namath led the New York Jets to an upset 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.  In 1970, the AFL and NFL merged into one league.  Since then, the Super Bowl has been the annual meeting of the top teams in the AFC and NFC, as well as the most watched sporting event in the United States.  Now, let me ask you, ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL???

Super Bowl XLVII

Sunday, February 3, 2013

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Posted by Mary Miller Cullins on 8:54 AM. Filed under Fun Facts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.