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+----- Thread: What if the AFL III had survived to merge with the NFL? (/thread-1031926.html)
What if the AFL III had survived to merge with the NFL? - Fighting Muskie - 08-23-2026 05:35 PM
As many of us know, in the early days of the NFL, it wasn’t uncommon for teams from competing, upstart leagues to get co-opted into the NFL. The Browns, 49ers, and original Colts came in this way. And most famously, 10 teams from the 4th AFL came in the most famous merger.
In 1940 and 1941 there was a similar upstart league, the 3rd AFL, that looked to be a realistic challenger and was well financed, but the outbreak of WWII killed it.
Imagine in their Milwaukee, Columbus, Cincinnati, Buffalo, and New York franchises had been able to survive long enough to get absorbed—
Cincinnati and Buffalo wouldn’t have had to wait decades to be big time.
Columbus and Milwaukee might actually have teams. Although I’d be curious how well 2 teams would have coexisted in Wisconsin, and how 3 Ohio teams would work in Ohio, especially with the Columbus Bullies (champs both seasons) would have faired sharing a market with the Ohio St Buckeyes.