September 9, 1960 – It was the dawn of a whole new era of professional football. When the Denver Broncos met and defeated the Boston Patriots, 13-10 in the American Football League’s first game, it put the NFL on notice that some things were going to change.
The contest was held in front of 21,597 fans at Nickerson Field in Boston as the AFL pushed pro football to new heights in the coming decade including National TV contracts, paying players better, and an eventual merger of the two leagues creating the sports world’s greatest championship game, the Super Bowl.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network

The Minnesota Vikings in the 1970s: A Trip Down Memory Lane
The Vikings began the 1970 season by getting a small measure of revenge for

Selling Baseball: How Superstars George Wright and Albert Spalding Impacted Sports In America
George Wright and Al Spalding are two of the most important figures in 19th

The Los Angeles Rams in the 1970s: A Trip Down Memory Lane
The 1970 Rams were 8–3–1 going into week thirteen, but they needed to win

The Washington Redskins in the 1970s: A Trip Down Memory Lane
Right around this time last year, I wrote an article on the top eight

NFL’s Youngest Ever Player Might Surprise You!
From a personal standpoint, I truly love the game of football…and to write about

The History of the Preakness Stakes: Where It All Began
This May 17, 2025, the Preakness Stakes will draw horse racing fans worldwide for

How Ohio Shaped The NFL: From The Birthplace To Rich Pro Football History
While today the great state of Ohio’s professional football teams are seen as something

NBA Player Heated Rivalries: Kevin Garnett vs. Tim Duncan
Some heated rivalries between players can simply be a case of bad blood that