National Football League (NFL)

1970 NFL Season Overview

National Football League (NFL)

1970 NFL Season Overview

Leagues / Football / NFL / 1970 / Season Overview

Kansas City defeated Minnesota 23-7 in Super Bowl IV at New Orleans, January 11. The gross receipts of approximately $3.8 million were the largest ever for a one-day sports event. Four-year television contracts, under which CBS would televise all NFC games and NBC all AFC games (except Monday night games) and the two would divide televising the Super Bowl and AFC-NFC Pro Bowl games, were announced, January 26. Art Modell resigned as president of the NFL, March 12. Milt Woodard resigned as president of the AFL, March 13. Lamar Hunt was elected president of the AFC and George Halas was elected president of the NFC, March 19. The merged 26-team league adopted rules changes putting names on the backs of players' jerseys, making a point after touchdown worth only one point, and making the scoreboard clock the official timing device of the game, March 18. The Players Negotiating Committee and the NFL Players Association announced a four-year agreement guaranteeing approximately $4,535,000 annually to player pension and insurance benefits, August 3. The owners also agreed to contribute $250,000 annually to improve or implement items such as disability payments, widows' benefits, maternity benefits, and dental benefits. The agreement also provided for increased preseason game and per diem payments, averaging approximately $2.6 million annually. The Pittsburgh Steelers moved into Three Rivers Stadium. The Cincinnati Bengals moved to Riverfront Stadium. Lombardi died of cancer at 57, September 3. The Super Bowl trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi trophy, September 10. Tom Dempsey of New Orleans kicked a game-winning NFL-record 63-yard field goal against Detroit, November 8.

1970 NFL Champions

Baltimore Colts

defeated Dallas Cowboys

The AFL and NFL were officially merged into a single league and renamed the AFC and NFC. Although the leagues agreed upon the merger and played in the Superbowl since 1966, this marked the beginning of single league, which included integration of regular season schedules.

Commissioner Pete Rozelle

Union Director Malcolm Kennedy Jr.

Players' President John Gordy

1970 NFL Draft

Pick Player Team

1 Terry Bradshaw QB Steelers

2 Mike McCoy DT Packers

3 Mike Phipps QB Browns

4 Phil Olsen DT Patriots

5 Al Cowlings DE Bills

View Entire 1970 NFL Draft

1970 NFL Draft

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