Playoff Bowl

• 1. Origins And Purpose

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  The Playoff Bowl emerged in the early 1960s as a financial engine for the National Football League. League owners needed to generate revenue to fund their players' pension plan, which later became known as the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Players Retirement Plan. The game was originally called the Runner-Up Bowl and served as a consolation match for teams that finished second in their respective conferences. It ran from the 1959 season through the 1968 season, appearing on television screens ten times total. At its inception, few NFL games received national coverage during the regular season. The league sought to showcase more of its product to viewers who were tuning into CBS Television Network broadcasts. This initiative doubled the number of top-tier teams appearing in post-season play on national television. The event raised approximately one million dollars over the course of the 1960s decade alone.

• 2. Location And Logistics

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  All ten iterations of the Playoff Bowl took place at Miami's Orange Bowl stadium. These contests occurred every January, typically scheduled the week following the NFL Championship Game. One exception existed where the final year game played the day before the NFL title contest instead of after it. The Pro Bowl all-star game followed the Playoff Bowl by one week each year. Attendance figures fluctuated significantly throughout the event's run. The highest crowd reached over 65,500 spectators during the 7th of January 1961 matchup between the Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys. That same game saw the Colts defeat the Cowboys with a score of 35-3. Later years saw attendance drop as interest waned due to the rise of the Super Bowl. The 1968 and 1969 seasons coincided with the Super Bowl being held at the Orange Bowl the following week. This scheduling conflict further reduced local enthusiasm for the consolation game.

• 3. Evolution Of The Game

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  League expansion and the AFL-NFL merger fundamentally altered the structure of professional football playoffs. By the 1966 season, four post-season contests were scheduled across the league. The NFL divided its two conferences into four divisions: Capitol and Century in the East, Central and Coastal in the West. Winners advanced to conference championships while runners-up competed in the Playoff Bowl for third place. Teams that lost this third-place game often finished their postseason with an 0-2 record. The merger agreement finalized in June 1966 created the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, later known as the Super Bowl. Interest in the Playoff Bowl declined sharply after the Miami Dolphins joined the AFL in 1966. The final season occurred in January 1970 before the leagues fully merged. When the merger concluded for the 1970 season, discussions about continuing a losers' game failed to gain traction. Seven total post-season games now existed including three per conference plus the Super Bowl. A consolation match no longer fit the new landscape of professional football.

• 4. Criticism And Player Sentiment

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  Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi openly despised the Playoff Bowl during his tenure. He coached in the games following the 1963 and 1964 seasons after winning titles in 1961 and 1962. To his players he referred to it as "the 'Shit Bowl', ...a losers' bowl for losers." This lack of motivation contributed to a rare postseason defeat by the Packers in January 1965 against the St. Louis Cardinals. After that loss, Lombardi fumed about playing in what he called "a hinky-dink football game" held in a "hinky-dink town." Defensive tackle Roger Brown appeared in five Playoff Bowls, more than any other player. He described playing in these contests as having "the worst inferiority complex." Brown stated that appearing in five out of ten years was pitiful. The Detroit Lions hold the record for most victories with three wins and a perfect 1.000 winning percentage. Despite the criticism, some teams used the event as motivation for future success.

• 5. Financial Impact And Records

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  Player payouts increased steadily over the life of the Playoff Bowl series. In its second year, winners received $600 each while losers got $400. By the fifth year, winning players earned $800 and losing players received $600. Final years saw winners take home $1,200 and losers receive $500 per person. These figures represented significant income for athletes during an era when salaries were modest compared to modern standards. The Detroit Lions achieved the highest number of victories with three wins across their appearances. They also tied for the best winning percentage at 1.000. The Baltimore Colts won two games without losing once. The Los Angeles Rams also secured two victories without defeat. Cleveland Browns lost all three times they participated. The Dallas Cowboys appeared four times but only won twice. Attendance records peaked at 65,569 spectators during the 7th of January 1961 game. That contest featured the Baltimore Colts defeating the Dallas Cowboys 35-3. The lowest attendance reached just under 23,000 in the final season.

• 6. Broadcasting History

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  CBS Television Network televised every iteration of the Playoff Bowl from start to finish. Commentator crews rotated throughout the decade featuring prominent sports journalists of the era. Ken Coleman called the first half of the 1960 game while Van Patrick handled the second half. Johnny Lujack served as sideline reporter that year. Chris Schenkel and Ray Scott alternated calling duties in subsequent years. Frank Gifford worked as a sideline reporter for multiple broadcasts including the 1963 and 1964 seasons. Pat Summerall joined the crew starting in 1965. Chuck Thompson became a regular voice on air by 1966. Paul Christman and Don Perkins added color commentary in later years. Jack Whitaker provided play-by-play for the final 1969 broadcast. These broadcasts helped bring national attention to what was essentially an exhibition match. The league used microphones on coaches like Joe Kuharich of the Philadelphia Eagles during the 1966 game. This technique became a signature element of NFL Films productions.

• 7. Lasting Legacy And Innovation

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  The Playoff Bowl introduced technical innovations that shaped future football equipment standards. The 7th of January 1961 game marked the debut of the slingshot or tuning fork goalpost design. This style featured one curved support structure instead of two uprights. The Canadian Football League had previously used this post for the 54th Grey Cup in November 1960. The NFL adopted the single-support post for the 1967 season and it remains standard today. The event also influenced Super Bowl hosting decisions in Florida. Super Bowl II took place at the Orange Bowl in January 1968 following Vince Lombardi's final victory as head coach. Miami has hosted eleven Super Bowls since then. A vestige of the Playoff Bowl remained until the 2008 season regarding Pro Bowl coaching staff selection. Losing conference championship teams traditionally sent their coaches to the all-star game. From 1980 to 2009 the Pro Bowl occurred at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. In 2010 the Pro Bowl moved back to Miami Gardens before Super Bowl XLIV. New rules established in 2009 changed how Pro Bowl coaches were chosen again.