“The most important thing we were after – New Orleans – we got, and that is something. We might have other preferences but I must say that overall we are satisfied.” ~ Rankin Smith former Atlanta Falcons owner after AFL-NFL realignment found Baltimore (Colts) going to the AFC but having the Saints as a divisional rival.
The Atlanta Constitution, Sat, Jan 17, 1970 ยทPage 32- via Newspapers.com
At these winter meetings, there were heated discussions as traditional rivalries were important to preserve. The resolution saw the Baltimore Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the original Cleveland Browns move to the AFL conference, rebranded as the AFC, to balance the number of teams in each conference.
