| 1961 AFL season | |
|---|---|
| Regular season | |
| Duration | September 9 – December 17, 1961 |
| Playoffs | |
| Date | December 24, 1961 |
| Eastern champion | Houston Oilers |
| Western champion | San Diego Chargers |
| Site | Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California |
| Champion | Houston Oilers |
Oilers
Titans
Bills
Patriots
Chargers
Texans
Raiders
Broncos
The 1961 AFL season was the second regular season of the American Football League. It consisted of 8 franchises split into two divisions: the East Division (Buffalo Bills, Houston Oilers, Titans of New York, Boston Patriots) and the West Division (San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Dallas Texans, Oakland Raiders).
After having spent its inaugural season in Los Angeles, the Chargers moved to San Diego, California for this AFL season; 56 years later, the franchise returned to their original home.
The season ended when the Houston Oilers defeated the San Diego Chargers in the AFL Championship game.