1976 NAFL season (Jayverse)

The 1976 NAFL Season was the 57th Regular Season of the North American Football League. The year 1976 was also the Bicentennial of the United States as all NAFL Teams in United States did issue its own Bicentennial patch while The Dallas Cowboys did modify their helmet (red, white and blue stripes) to honor the year.

Expanding to 10 More in '76
With that announcement beginning in 1976, The Baltimore Colts decided to move to the NFC East to Rival with the Washington Capitals in which they were rebranded into the Sentinels to avoid Confusion with the NAHL Team of the Same Name, However the Los Angeles Chargers were sold to Cincinnati Reds owner Louis Nippert and is forced to move the Chargers to Cincinnati beginning this year and will be moved to the AFC North forcing the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Eskimos to relocated from the AFC North to the AFC West as for the Expansion Teams the NFC North decided to expand to Milwaukee, WI led by Cable TV Executive Jim Fitzgerald (who also owned the NABA's Milwaukee Bucks) and will be called the Milwaukee Mustangs, The NFC South Made an announcement to expand to Mexico City, Mexico and will be called the Diablos and Tampa Bay, FL and will be known as the Buccaneers, And The NFC West expanded to Las Vegas, NV and will be called the Gamblers (led by a ownership group including Game Show Host, Monty Hall who wants to bring Let's Make a Deal to the City of Las Vegas for September of 1976) and The Sacramento Condors based in Sacramento, CA

As for the AFC, The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (named after the Former CFL Team) joined the AFC East along with expansion to Regina, SK (Saskatchewan Roughriders) and Winnipeg, MB (Winnipeg Bombers) to the AFC North, The AFC South added a Team in San Antonio, TX to be called the San Antonio Wings and the AFC West expanded to get a replacement team in LA after the Chargers bolt for Cincinnati and will be called the Southern California Sun which will play their home games in Anaheim Stadium.

The Draft
The Expansion Hamilton Tiger-Cats got the Top Pick in the NAFL Draft to Franklin Steffen (G) from Portland State, Washington Sentinels got the 2nd choice in the Draft to take Notre Dame DT Steve Niehaus, Then the Toronto Huskies selected Ottawa FB Neil Lumsden on Pick #3, Then the St. Louis Gunners take LB Harry Carson out of South Carolina State as Pick #4 and Rounding out the Top 5, The San Francisco 49ers drafted California RB Chuck Muncie

Other Selections in the Draft

San Diego Destroyers draft Joe Washington (RB)

Saskatchewan Roughriders draft John Glassford (LB)

Pittsburgh Steelers draft Bennie Cunningham (TE)

Philadelphia Eagles draft Rick Koswin (WR)

New York Jets daft Shafer Suggs (SS)

New Orleans Saints draft Tony Galbreath (RB)

Miami Dolphins draft Larry Gordon (LB)

Los Angeles Rams draft Kevin McLain (LB)

Cincinnati Bengals draft Archie Griffin (RB)

Kansas City Kings draft Gary Barbaro (CB)

Houston Oilers draft Mike Barber (TE)

Green Bay Packers draft Mark Koncar (T)

Las Vegas Gamblers draft Jackie Slater (T)

Edmonton Elks draft Brian Fryer (WR)

Detroit Lions draft Lawrence Gaines (RB)

Denver Broncos draft Tom Glassic (G)

Winnipeg Bombers draft Ted Milian (C)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft Lee Roy Selmon (DE)

Cleveland Browns draft Mike Pruitt (RB)

Chicago Bears draft Dennis Lick (T)

Calgary Stampeders draft Mike Haynes (SS)

Buffalo Bills draft Mario Clark (CB)

Boston Patriots draft Ike Forte (RB)

Baltimore Colts draft Ken Novak (DT)

Atlanta Falcons draft Bubba Bean (RB)

Oakland Raiders draft Charles Philyaw (DE)

Montreal Beavers draft Chuck McMann (RB)

Dallas Texans draft Aaron Kyle (SS)

Seattle Orcas draft Steve Largent (WR)

Ottawa Canadians draft Jeff Avery (WR)

New York Giants draft Troy Archer (DT)

Minnesota Vikings draft James White (DT)

Birmingham Vulcans draft Richard Todd (QB)

Indianapolis Racers draft Woodrow Lowe (LB)

Vancouver Lumberjacks draft Bill Norton (T)

Standings
NFC East: Baltimore Colts (13-5), New York Giants (12-6), Philadelphia Eagles (9-9), Washington Redskins (8-10), Montreal Alouettes (5-13)

NFC Central: Minnesota Vikings (10-8), Chicago Bears (9-9), Green Bay Packers (9-9), Pittsburgh Steelers (8-10), Cleveland Browns (5-13)

NFC Mountain: Denver Broncos (13-5), Calgary Stampeders (13-5), Edmonton Eskimos (10-8), Salt Lake City Pioneers (6-12), Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-12)

NFC West: Portland Loggers (15-3), San Francisco 49ers (11-7), Dallas Cowboys (10-8), Las Vegas Gamblers (8-10), Los Angeles Rams (8-10)

CFC East: Ottawa Northmen (12-6), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (12-6), Halifax Schooners (10-8), New York Empire (9-9), Boston Patriots (4-14)

CFC Central: Buffalo Bills (12-6), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (10-8), Toronto Argonauts (8-10), Detroit Lions (6-12), Cincinnati Bengals (3-15)

CFC South: Birmingham Vulcans (10-8), Memphis Grizzlies (10-8), Atlanta Falcons (8-10), Houston Oilers (7-11), Miami Dolphins (2-16)

CFC West: Los Angeles Chargers (12-6), Sacramento Raiders (12-6), British Columbia Cardinals (9-9), Seattle Jets (9-9), Phoenix Firebirds (7-11)

Playoffs
Halas Cup Quarterfinal

New York Giants 29, Baltimore Colts 24

Minnessota Vikings 28, Calgary Stampeders

Grey Cup Quarterfinal

Buffalo Bills 26, Hamilton Tiger-Cats 16

Birmingham Vulcans 38, Sacramento Raiders 17

Halas Cup Semi-Final

New York Giants 27, Denver Broncos 26

Portland Loggers 31, Minnesota Vikings 21

Grey Cup Semi-Final

Ottawa Northmen 24, Buffalo Bills 7

Los Angeles Cahrgers 19, Birmingham Vulcans 13

Halas Cup Final

Portland Loggers 44, New York Giants 31

Los Angeles Chargers 27, Ottawa Northmen 24

17th World Series of Pro Football (at Civic Stadium in Portland, OR)

Los Angeles Chargers 45, Portland Loggers 7

NAFL All-Star Game (at The Kingdome in Seattle, WA)

National All-Stars 34, Continental All-Stars 20

Awards
League MVP: Duane Thomas (RB - Dallas Cowboys)

Playoff MVP: Walter Payton (RB - New York Giants)

Offensive POTY: Duane Thomas (RB - Dallas Cowboys)

Defensive POTY: Bill Bergey (LB - Philadelphia Eagles)

Offensive ROTY: Sean Jarrell (QB - Denver Broncos)

Defensive ROTY: Mike Hegman (LB - Salt Lake City Pioneers)