When the AFL started play in 1960 it was as the most serious
rival the NFL had ever seen. One of the premier teams of the upstart league was
the Houston Oilers, owned by businessman Bud Adams. During the brief duration of
the AFL, the Houston Oilers competed for the championship four times, winning
twice.
The Oilers' success in the AFL was immediate, as the team
played for the championship in each of the league's first three seasons. In
1960, the Oilers met the Los Angeles Chargers in Houston to play for the title.
The Oilers won the game 24-16. The following year both teams met in the
championship game again, this time in the Chargers' new home of San Diego. The
result was a 10-3 victory for the Oilers.
The Oilers' next two trips to the championship were both
losses. The first was in 1962 as the Oilers were trying for a three-peat as
champions. They were derailed by the Dallas Texans (now the Kansas City Chiefs)
20-17 in two overtimes. The Oilers appeared in the AFL Championship game one
last time in 1967 for the right to advance to Super Bowl II. Houston, however,
did not withstand the Raiders' onslaught and lost 40-7.
Once the Oilers moved to the NFL their fortunes began to
change for the worse. The Oilers finished poorly throughout most of the 1970s
until the end of the decade when, led by running back Earl Campbell, they made
three straight post season appearances. Twice in that time the Oilers advanced
as far as the AFC Championship game, but both times lost to the Pittsburgh
Steelers.
After more difficult times in the early 1980s, the Oilers
were able to wrest star quarterback Warren Moon away from the CFL. During his
time with the team Moon helped Houston become one of the better teams of the
late 1980s and early 1990s.
By 1997 disagreements between the Oilers' ownership and the
city of Houston prompted the Oilers to move to Tennessee. Two years later the
Oilers had been rechristened the Titans. That same season the Titans finished
the regular season 13-3. Once in the playoffs the Titans made a memorable run,
including beating the Buffalo Bills on a last second play which has come to be
known as the "Music City Miracle". The Titans advanced to Super Bowl XXXIV,
where they lost to the St. Louis Rams 23-16.
The Titans made it as far as the AFC Championship game again
in 2002, but lost to the Oakland Raiders 41-24.
AFL Championship Game and Super Bowl Appearances:
-
1960: Won 24-16 over the Los Angeles Chargers
-
1961: Won 10-3 over the San Diego Chargers
-
1962: Lost 20-17 to the Dallas Texans
-
1967: Lost 40-7 to the Oakland Raiders
-
1999 (Super Bowl XXXIV): Lost 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams
Hall of Famers:
-
Sammy Baugh, coach (1964)
-
Elvin Bethea, defensive end (1968-1983)
-
George Blanda, quarterback/kicker (1960-1966)
-
Earl Campbell, running back (1978-1984)
-
Charlie Joiner, wide receiver (1969-1972)
-
Ken Houston, safety (1967-1972)
-
Bruce Matthews, offensive tackle (1983-2001)
-
Warren Moon, quarterback (1984-1993)
-
Mike Munchak, guard (1982-1993)
The design of the Tennessee Titans NFL Fabric: Logos consists
of the team's logo over a navy background.
The Tennessee Titans NFL Fabric: Logos is a great fabric to
use for quilts, garments, draperies, lampshades, Hawaiian shirts, carrying bags,
bed sheets, bedspreads, crafts, pet clothing and more.