AFC
Tennessee Titans, professional football team and one of four teams in the South Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) of the National Football League (NFL). The team formerly played in Houston, Texas, as the Houston Oilers. The Titans now play in The Coliseum in Nashville, Tennessee. The team's name was chosen because in Greek mythology Titans exemplified the characteristics of power, strength, knowledge, and excellence.
The Oilers became charter members of the AFL in 1960, and that same year the franchise won the AFL’s first championship. Houston won another AFL championship a year later under head coach Wally Lemm, who oversaw a powerful offense with lineups that featured quarterback-placekicker George Blanda, running back Billy Cannon, and wide receivers Bill Groman and Charley Hennigan. The four helped the Oilers score an average of 36.6 points per game. Houston was so dominant that half of the team’s starting lineup played in the AFL All-Star Games following the 1961 and 1962 seasons.
Lemm left the Oilers after the championship but returned five years later to guide the club to the postseason in 1967 and 1969. A new Houston powerhouse emerged behind quarterback Pete Beathard, running back Hoyle Granger, and offensive guard Bob Talamini. Safeties Ken Houston and Jim Norton anchored one of the league’s toughest defenses.
Houston joined the NFL in 1970 as part of the NFL-AFL merger. After four losing seasons under four different coaches, the Oilers posted their first NFL winning record in 1975. Former defensive coordinator Bum Phillips led the team as head coach, and Houston posted a 10-4 win-loss record.
In 1978 Houston drafted Earl Campbell, who became one of the most prolific runners in NFL history, capturing four consecutive rushing titles from 1978 to 1981 and two straight most valuable player (MVP) awards in 1978 and 1979. Campbell led the Oilers to consecutive appearances in the AFC Championship Game in 1978 and 1979, but the Pittsburgh Steelers, the eventual Super Bowl champions, defeated Houston in both of these contests.
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