The Oakland Raiders became an AFL team in 1960. Oakland was a replacement for the Minneapolis franchise which became an NFL team. Oakland had problems right from the start when there was no home field for the Raiders to play on, they had to at Candlestick Park in San Francisco and Kezar Stadium, Oakland Coliseum wasn’t open until 1966. The first three season for the Raiders were awful, compiling a 9-33 record, one of the worst in the entire league. Their average home attendance was only 11,000 also one of the worst in the entire AFL. The Raiders first winning season came in 1963 with a respectable 10-4 record.The Raiders found themselves one of the better team as the 1960′s went on, the Raiders would win the AFL Championship defeating the Houston Oilers 40-7. The Raiders could not beat Vince Lombardi and his Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl II losing 33-14. Regardless, that marked the turning point in the Raiders franchise for more success to come after there impressive 13-1 record in 1967. Over the next twenty seasons from 1966-1985 the Raiders would make the playoffs eighteen times with three straight appearances in the AFL Championship game from 1967-1969 and twelve AFC Western division titles. The Raiders won Super Bowl XI defeating the Minnesota Vikings in a blow out 32-14. The Raiders would make their second appearance in Super Bowl XV defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 and their third appearance for the Raiders came in Super Bowl XVIII defeating the Washington Redskins in another impressive victory 38-9. The Raiders are the only NFL/AFL to play in a Super Bowl in 1960′s, 1970′s and 1980′s. In 1982 the Oakland Raiders became the Los Angeles Raiders moving to the Los Angeles Coliseum. After twelve seasons in Los Angeles the Raiders moved back home to Oakland.

After a long period without a Super Bowl appearance the raider were in Super Bowl XXXVII against the Tampa bay Buccaneers. The game didn’t go as the Raiders planned losing in a noncompetitive game 48-21. It was a bitter sweet season with Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon winning the Most Valuable Player award throwing for nearly 5,000 yards and twenty-six touchdown passes Since there Super Bowl appearance the Raiders have been technically the worst team in the NFL with the most losses since 2003.

The Raiders have had numerous great players put on the silver and black which include running back Marcus Allen, quarterback George Blanda, defensive end Howie Long, guard Gene Upshaw, center Jim Otto, and head coach Jon Madden, all in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Owner Al Davis has been apart of the Raiders organization since 1963 as either a coach, managing general partner, and now owner. Davis emphasized “Commitment to Excellence” to bring out the best in all his players at all times. The Super Bowl wins seem like a distance memory the Raiders have a mountain of work to do before they are one of the elite teams.

Despite the failures of the Oakland Raiders the last few seasons the fans, or better known as “Raider Nation” with the “Black Hole” still support the team and hope one day they can turn the page and start their winning ways again.

The Denver Broncos are another football team who have experienced the highs and lows of the NFL throughout their history. Founded in 1959 in the AFL, then merged with the NFL in 1970, the Broncos had the worst record of the original eight teams of the AFL with a dismal 39-97-4. The franchise didn’t begin on the right foot. Bow Howsam was struggling financially so he gave his new football used, worn jerseys from the Copper Bowl in Tuscan, AZ with vertical striped socks. The socks were so bad, two years later they were burned in a public ceremony. The support of the team influenced the decision to keep the Broncos in Denver with offers to move the team to Atlanta.It wasn’t until 1973 the Denver Broncos had their first winning season of 7-5-2. This was the turning point for th Broncos franchise which would lead to more successful seasons to come. In 1977 the Broncos won the AFC Division title starting a streak of seven division titles in fourteen years.
Mile High Stadium which held its last season in 2000 was home to record sellouts and was one of the bright spots for the team despite there mediocre success in the early years. Opposing teams found playing at Mile High to be difficult do to the high altitude in Denver.

The 1980′s brought new founded success Bronco fans were not use to. John Elway who was drafted in by the Baltimore Colts in 1983 never played for them but traded to the Broncos. During the 1980′s John Elway would lead the Broncos to three Super Bowls XXI, XXII, and XXIV but losing everyone. John Elway was on the verge of going down in football history as the greatest quarterback never to win the Super Bowl. Nearly ten years after the Broncos last Super Bowl loss they reached football supremacy reaching Super Bowls XXXII, and XXXIII, winning both. Elway ended his Hall of Fame career as the Super Bowl XXXIII Most Valuable Player. Elway lead the Broncos to many fourth quarter comebacks and holds every significant quarterback record for the Broncos. John Elways is famous for “The Drive” against the Cleveland Browns in the 1987 AFC Championship game. The scoring drive was 15 plays covering 98 yards in leading to a overtime field goal for the win.

Following the Elway Era the Broncos have had fleeting success. The Broncos have made the plaoffs but never made it back to the Super Bowl and only one AFC Championship game, only winning one playoff game since Elway’s retirement. The Broncos have been a good team during the 2000′s but have been eliminated by better teams in the AFC including the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers, teams who eventually won the Super Bowl this decade.

The Denver Broncos have only had one Hall of Fame player to date which is John Elway. While John Elway might have spoiled Bronco fans with his success leading the team to many victories, the Broncos have a optimistic view of their future.

The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most successful NFL football franchises in history winning five Super Bowls tying the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers for most all-time. Not only have the 49ers have great team success but also had the greatest wide-receiver ever in Jerry Rice who holds countless records, also quarterback Joe Montana who won four Super Bowls in eight season with the 49ers. Many people consider Joe Montana the greatest quarterback of all-time and it is very hard to argue against that.The San Francisco 49ers originate from the old All-American Football Conference (AFL) and were successful with a overall record of 39-15-2 but finished second to the Cleveland Browns every year. During 1950, the 49ers moved to the more prominent NFL because of the collapse of the AFL. While still a very good team, they did not produce the same results as they did in the AFL. Appearing in the playoffs in 1957 but losing to the Detroit Lions. In the early 1970′s the 49ers won three straight western division titles but eliminated by their rivals Dallas Cowboys.

As the 1970s wore on the 49ers were soon going to turn into the next football dynasty since the Pittsburgh Steelers of the decade. Coach Bill Walsh took over the team and in only three seasons the 49ers became a football power. Bill Walsh popularized the “west coast offense” which opened the field and created high scoring fast pace offense. Joe Montana was selected in the 1979 draft and quickly became of the best quarterbacks in the game. The 49ers were the team of the decade in the 1980s winning Super Bowls XVI, XIX, XXIII, and XXIV. Joe Montana along with Jerry Rice were one of the most productive tandems in NFL history. Jerry Rice is the all-time wide-receiver touchdown leader with 208, all-time receptions leader with 1,549, and many many more records. Jerry Rice will be eligible in 2012 retiring in 2006.

Joe Montana sustained a serious knee injury keeping him out of the 1992 season so Steve Young took over the quarterback position and won the Most Valuable Player award. Two years later the 49ers regained their former glory, Steve Young won another MVP award and with a Super Bowl XXIX win over the San Diego Chargers 49-26, naming him the MVP player the game.

Following their Super Bowl win in 1994 the 49ers had success appearing in the playoffs every year of the 1990′s but never gaining another Super Bowl victory. The 2000′s, unlike the 80′s and 90′s produced little success only appearing in the playoffs three times.

The San Francisco 49ers have a winning team tradition with eleven Hall of Fame players and coaches. With a NFC West being one of the weaker divisions in football, success for the 49ers can be achieved once again.