a*f*c west
What Is The AFC West In Football?
1. The AFC West is one of the four divisions that make up the American Football Conference (AFC) in the NFL. As of 2022, it consists of teams in California, Nevada, Colorado and Missouri. All four teams in the current AFC West have been part of the division since it was formed.
History Of The AFC West
The AFC West was created in 1970 when the American Football League (AFL) merged with the National Football League (NFL).
The AFC West was originally known as the AFL Western Division when it was first formed in 1960, prior to the NFL merger. When the AFL/NFL merger took place, the AFC West became part of the NFL’s two-conference system.
The original division in the AFL consisted of the four teams currently in the division, plus the Cincinnati Bengals for the 1968 and 1969 seasons, the last two seasons of the AFL.
Because the AFC West has remained mostly unchanged since its inception in 1960, it is considered to have some of the most storied rivalries in the NFL. In the early to mid-2000s, the AFC West was referred to as the NFL’s toughest division.
As of 2022, the Raiders, Chiefs and Broncos have each won the AFC West Division title 15 times. The Chargers have won it 13 times. Teams from the AFC West have won the Super Bowl eight times.
Previous Teams In The AFC West
Although the four teams currently in the AFC West have always been a part of the division, other teams have come and gone throughout the years. Also, some of the current teams have relocated, and even changed team names, but are still the original franchises from 1960.
In 1960 (when the division first formed), it included the following four teams:
- Dallas Texans
- Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Oakland Raiders
In 1962, the Los Angeles Chargers relocated to San Diego to become the San Diego Chargers.
In 1963, the Dallas Texans moved to Kansas City and became the Kansas City Chiefs.
The division remained unchanged until 1968 when the Cincinnati Bengals joined the division.
In the two seasons prior to the AFL/NFL merger, the division consisted of:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Denver Broncos
- San Diego Chargers
- Oakland Raiders
- Cincinnati Bengals
After the AFL/NFL merger in 1970, the AFL Western Division became known as the AFC West. Cincinnati was moved to another division at this time, leaving the original four teams:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Denver Broncos
- San Diego Chargers
- Oakland Raiders
In 1976, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers became an NFL franchise and we’re added to the AFC West.
The following season in 1977, Tampa Bay changed divisions and the Seattle Seahawks became part of the AFC West.
The conference remained unchanged until 1982 when the Oakland Raiders moved to Los Angeles. From 1982-1994, the AFC West consisted of:
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Denver Broncos
- San Diego Chargers
- Los Angeles Raiders
- Seattle Seahawks
The Raiders moved back to Oakland in 1995. In 2002, the Seattle Seahawks moved to the NFC West.
Current Teams In The AFC West
Since 2002, the franchises in the AFC have remained mostly unchanged. However, in 2017 the San Diego Chargers moved back to Los Angeles. And in 2020, the Oakland Raiders moved to Las Vegas. As of 2022, the AFC West is comprised of:
Sport The Term Is Used
1. Football
