The Tennessee Oilers became charter members of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960, and were successful in their first season winning the American Football League’s (AFL) first championship. Houston won another American Football League (AFL) championship a year later under head coach Wally Lemm, who guided a potent offense. Houston was so strong that more than half of the team’s starting lineup played in the American Football League (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 revived Houston emerged guided by quarterback Pete Beathard, running back Hoyle Granger, and offensive guard Bob Talamini. Safeties Ken Houston and Jim Norton led one of the league’s strongest defenses.

Houston joined the National Football League (NFL) in 1970. Despite losing in four seasons under four different coaches, the Oilers got their first National Football League (NFL) winning record in 1975. Bum Phillips took charge of 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 best runners in National Football League (NFL) history, getting 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. Buy Tennessee Titans Tickets.