1966 NFL Championship Game

1966 NFL Championship Game
DateJanuary 1, 1967
StadiumCotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
MVPBart Starr (quarterback; Green Bay)
Attendance74,152
TV in the United States
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersJack Buck, Ray Scott,
Frank Gifford
Radio in the United States
NetworkCBS
AnnouncersJack Drees, Jim Morse
Dallas is located in the United States
Dallas
Dallas
Dallas is located in Texas
Dallas
Dallas

The 1966 NFL Championship Game was the 34th NFL championship, played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.[1][2][3][4][5][6] It was the final game of the 1966 NFL season. This was also the last Championship game before the inauguration of the NFL playoffs the following year.

It determined the champion of the National Football League (NFL), which met the champion of the American Football League (AFL) in Super Bowl I, then formally referred to as the first AFL–NFL World Championship Game. The Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers (12–2), defending league champions, were hosted by the Dallas Cowboys (10–3–1), the Eastern Conference champions.

At the time, the home field for the NFL Championship Game alternated between the two conferences; even-numbered years were hosted by the Eastern and odd-numbered by the Western. Starting with the 1975 season, playoff sites were determined by regular season record, rather than a rotational basis.

The New Year's college bowl game at the Cotton Bowl for the 1966 season included the SMU Mustangs of Dallas. It was played the day before, New Year's Eve, which required a quick turnaround to transform the natural grass field.[7] The stadium was filled to its 75,504 capacity for both games, but both local teams came up short.

  1. ^ "NFL title game sells out fast". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 22, 1966. p. 1, part 2.
  2. ^ Johnson, Chuck (January 1, 1967). "Today's the day - Packers vs. Dallas". Milwaukee Journal. p. 1, sports.
  3. ^ Strickler, George (January 1, 1967). "Packers face Cowboys for record purse". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, section 2.
  4. ^ Strickler, George (January 2, 1967). "Packers win NFL title". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, section 3.
  5. ^ "Starr guns Packers to wild title victory". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1967. p. 16.
  6. ^ Maule, Tex (January 9, 1967). "Green Bay rolls high". Sports Illustrated. p. 6.
  7. ^ "Georgia grinds out 24–9 Cotton victory". Milwaukee Journal. January 1, 1967. p. 1, sports.