Well, there's nothing in that link that implies that the merger wasn't going to go through even if the Colts had won SB III big. I don't think that there is any doubt that the merger would have been far less successful without the AFL wins in SB III and IV, but I also don't think that there is any chance that it wouldn't have gone through anyway. The statement about lowest ratings ever is technically correct, but somewhat misleading. The ratings were virtually identical to those the year before (36 versus 36.8), the share was higher in SB III than in SB II (70 versus 68), and the estimated number of viewers was higher in SB III than in SB II (41.7 million versus 39.1 million). Attendance at the two games was also virtually identical (they were both played at the Orange Bowl). Basically, interest in the game was the same in 1969 as it was in 1968. The Jets victory changed all that going forward.
Any student of pro football knows that Super Bowl III was one of the most important football games in history. If you are looking at just the game itself, it was not the most exciting of games. But it gave credibility to an entire league, and that changed the face of football. Answer me this. Why did AFL players cry tears of joy after the Jets win? Why do the old time NFL people regard that game with disgust? Why did so many defensive players in the 70's refuse to hit Namath hard when sacking him and comment after the game that they weren't going to hurt the man who was a large part of them having jobs as NFL players? Yes the merger was agreed upon before then, but if the Jets hadn't won, would the league be as successful? Would Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Baltimore have agreed to change leagues? Would the the Super Bowl be the Super Bowl? If you read history accounts, it would have been extremely difficult to get three of tthe 16 NFL teams to move to the AFC to balance the league had the Jets not shown the football world that the NFL was not as dominant as previously thought.
I can't find the link unfortunately, but I recall a Dr Z column (probably a mailbag) in which he stated that Al Davis had worked behind the scenes to over-turn the merger agreement, believing that Lamar Hunt had sold the AFL out. The Giants under Wellington Mara were also adamantly opposed to the merger and remained so even after indemnity payments were scheduled from the Jets to the Giants. Sonny Werblin, who supported the merger, tried to wiggle out of the indemnity payments several times - infuriating Mara who felt the Jets should relocate to another city before the merger was consummated. Presumably after 1969 Mara no longer felt like he should be able to push the Jets out of NYC. Doing so would have caused huge waves for the Giants among New Yorkers after the Jet's triumph. I don't know if Super Bowl III saved the merger or not, but I do know that for a long time Al Davis and Wellington Mara were among the most influential people in their respective leagues and it wouldn't have been easy to finalize the merger if both remained adamantly opposed. Davis was also the AFL commissioner and at that time had a lot of pull in the boardrooms around the AFL.
"...Snell at the five.....Snell at the three.....Snell touchdown!......Matt Snell on a wide sweep to the left....and this crowd is standing and cheering as the Jets have drawn first blood!" OP = fail.
There is no way you can overrate SBIII. It made the AFL legitimate, and not just because the Jets won, but because they were clearly the best team on the field that day. Was the game he called underrated a better game? Who can say, they were 35 years apart! It WAS a great game! But Superbowl III will always be a great moment in NFL history. BTW... stupid article.
