1970 NAFL season (Jayverse)
The 1970 NAFL season was the 51st regular season of the North American Football League, and the first one after the AFL–NFL merger which rebranded from the National Football League. it was also the first season that Monday Night Football is broadcast on ABC.
Expanding to 40 for 1970
With the league expanding to 40 Teams due to AFL-NFL Merger, the League will now change from Leagues to Conferences in which the American Football League becomes the American Football Conference while National Football League become the National Football Conference as a result the St. Louis Gunners moved from the NFC South to the NFC North which is now the NFC Midwest while the Toronto Huskies moved to the NFC East while the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers moved to the AFC North while Kansas City Kings moved to the AFC West, The Dallas Texans moved from the NFC West to the NFC South as the league expands to 8 More Teams, The NFC North expands to Indianapolis, IN with the team being called the Indianapolis Racers and will be owned by the Hulman Family, The NFC South will have 3 new teams by adding the New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Sharks and the Kentucky Bourbons (which were owned by a group who owned the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA led by John Y. Brown, Jr. and Mike Storen) and the Western Division Expanded to add 2 teams in the Pacific Northwest United States with the Seattle Orcas and the Portland Storm.
As for the American Football Conference it finally gained a team in Texas as the Houston Oilers will begin play in the AFC South and the AFC East expanded to Brooklyn, NY as the Brooklyn Barons will play in the Division rounding it out the New York Titans changed their name into the New York Jets to complete the Big Change.
Rookie Draft
The First Pick of the new 40 Team post-merger NAFL saw the first pick going to the Expansion Portland Storm they select RB Duane Thomas of West Texas State University, The Washington Redskins selected 2nd they chose DT Mike McCoy from Notre Dame other picks chosen were as follows
San Francisco 49ers draft Cedrick Hardman (DE)
San Diego Destroyers draft Walker Gillette (WR)
Pittsburgh Steelers draft Terry Bradshaw (QB)
Philadelphia Eagles draft Steve Zabel (LB)
Oakland Raiders draft Raymond Chester (TE)
Brooklyn Barons draft Lemar Parrish (CB)
New York Giants draft Jim Files (LB)
New York Jets draft Steve Tannen (SS)
Houston Oilers draft Doug Wilkerson (G)
Minnesota Vikings draft John Ward (G)
New Orleans Saints draft Ken Burrough (WR)
Los Angeles Rams draft Jack Reynolds (LB)
Kansas City Chiefs draft Sid Smith (C)
Dallas Texans draft Bob Asher (T)
Cleveland Browns draft Bob McKay (T)
Chicago Bears draft George Farmer (WR)
Buffalo Bills draft Al Cowlings (LB)
Boston Patriots draft Mike Ballou (LB)
Birmingham Vulcans draft Mel Blount (CB)
Baltimore Colts draft Norm Bulaich (FB)
Montreal Beavers draft Jim Foley (WR)
Detroit Lions draft Steve Owens (RB)
Atlanta Falcons draft John Small (DT)
Los Angeles Chargers draft Tom Williams (DT)
Green Bay Packers draft Rich McGeorge (TE)
Denver Broncos draft Bobby Anderson (RB)
St. Louis Gunners draft Jim Corrigall (DT)
Calgary Stampeders draft Wayne Holm (QB)
Toronto Huskies draft Jake Scott (CB)
Miami Dolphins draft Jim Langer (C)
Washington Capitals draft Rusty Tillman (LB)
San Diego Destroyers draft Rich Saul (C)
Pittsburgh Steelers draft Ron Shanklin (WR)
Philadelphia Eagles draft Mark Moseley (K)
New York Jets draft Rich Caster (TE)
Houston Oilers draft Lee Brooks (DT)
New Orleans Saints draft Jim Otis (RB)
Kansas City Kings draft Jerry Sherk (DT)
Edmonton Elks draft John Senst (WR)
Dallas Texans draft Charlie Waters (SS)
Green Bay Packers draft Jim Carter (LB)
Denver Broncos draft Dave Washington (LB)
St. Louis Gunners draft Tom Banks (C)
Kentucky Bourbons draft Doug Swift (LB)
Oakland Raiders draft Otis Sistrunk (DT)
New York Giants draft Pat Toomay (DE)
Dallas Texans draft Cliff Harris (FS)
Baltimore Colts draft Doug Sutherland (DT)
Final Standings
National Football Conference
North: Green Bay Packers (15-3), St. Louis Gunners (11-7), Chicago Bears (11-7), Detroit Lions (11-7), Indianapolis Racers (8-10)
South: Dallas Texans (10-8), Balttimore Colts (9-9), Kentucky Bourbons (8-10), New Orleans Saints (8-10), Jacksonville Sharks (5-13)
East: Toronto Huskies (13-5), New York Giants (12-6), Montreal Beavers (9-9), Washington Capiitals (8-10), Philadelphia Eagles (7-11)
West: San Francisco 49ers (9-9), Seattle Orcas (8-10), Portland Storm (8-10), Denver Broncos (6-12), Los Angeles Rams (5-13)
American Football Conference
North: Calgary Stampeders (15-3), Pittsburgh Steelers (7-11), Cleveland Browns (7-11), Minnesota Vikings (7-11), Edmonton Elks (2-16)
South: Miami Dolphins (13-5), Birmingham Vulcans (12-6), Houston Oilers (11-7), Atlanta Falcons (8-10), Memphis Steamers (8-10)
East: Ottawa Canadians (16-2), New York Jets (13-5), Buffalo Bills (10-8), Brooklyn Barons (7-11), Boston Patriots (2-16)
West: San Diego Destroyers (11-7), Kansas City Kings (8-10), Los Angeles Chargers (8-10), Vancouver Lumberjacks (8-10), Oakland Raiders (6-12)
Playoffs
AFC Wildcard: Birmingham def. Miami 45-10, NY Jets def. San Diego 27-20
NFC Wildcard: St. Louis def. Dallas 55-13, San Francisco def. NY Giants 13-10
AFC Divisional: Calgary def. Birmingham 20-17, Ottawa def. NY Jets 23-16
NFC Divisional: St. Louis def. Toronto 32-14, Green Bay def. San Francisco 45-7
AFC Championship: Ottawa def. Calgary 24-21
NFC Championship: Green Bay def. St. Louis 23-20
Super Bowl V (at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL): Ottawa def. Green Bay 35-7
Pro Bowl (at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL): AFC def. NFC 22-20
League Leaders
Passing Yards - Bart Starr (LA Chargers) 5,218
Passing TD's - Frank Sloan (Calgary) 43
Passing Rating - Frank Sloan (Calgary) 106.7
Rushing Yards - Ed Buchanan (NY Giants) 1,797
Receiving Yards - Harold Nicholson (LA Chargers) 1,852
Total Points - Bernard Richter (St. Louis) 166
Tackles - Bill Bergey (San Diego) 166
Sacks - Walter Straub (Memphis) 20
Interceptions - Paul Martha (Pittsburgh) 9