The American Football Conference Championship Game, otherwise known as AFC Championship Game, is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American Football Conference. The winner receives the Lamar Hunt Trophy and advances to face the winner of the NFC Championship Game in the Super Bowl. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the current AFC Champions. The first AFC Championship Game was played in 1970 after the merger between the NFL and the American Football League. The game ultimately represents the former AFL Championship game which took place prior to the merger and for the first four years of the merged league. The AFC basically represented the former AFL as it was formed by joining the 10 former AFL teams with 3 NFL teams: the then-Baltimore Colts, the Cleveland Browns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. This was done due to the original NFL having more teams than the AFL and the desire to have the NFC and AFC be even in number of teams. [edit] Playoff structure At the end of each football season, a series of playoff games involving the top six teams in the AFC are conducted, consisting of the four division champions and two wild card teams. The two teams remaining play in the AFC Championship game. Since the 1975-76 season, the site of the AFC Championship has been based on playoff seeding. The surviving club with the highest initial seeding in the playoffs hosts the game. A wild card team can not host the game unless both participants are wild cards. Before 1975-76, the site of the game was determined on a rotating basis.  AFC Championship logo, 2001-2005 [edit] AFC Championship Game records and facts - Most Victories – 7; Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-75, 1978-79, 1995, 2005, 2008)
- Most Losses – 7*; (tie) Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders (1970, 1973-75, 1977, 1990 & 2000); Pittsburgh Steelers, (1972, 1976, 1984, 1994, 1997, 2001 & 2004)
- Most Appearances – 14**; Pittsburgh Steelers (1972, 1974-75, 1976, 1978-79, 1984, 1994-95, 1997, 2001, 2004-05, 2008)
- Most Consecutive Appearances – 5**; Oakland Raiders (1973-77)[1]
- Most Games Hosted – 10**; Pittsburgh Steelers (1972, 1975, 1978-79, 1994-95, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2008)
- Most Consecutive Victories – 4**; Buffalo Bills (1990-93)
- Most Consecutive Losses – 3*; Oakland Raiders (1973-75)
- Most Numerous Matchup – 3 (tie); Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Oakland Raiders 1974-1976, Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos 1986-1987, 1989
- Highest attendance – 91,445; Raiders vs. Seahawks in Los Angeles on January 8, 1984 (1983 season).
- Most points scored – 51**; January 20, 1991 (1990 season) – Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Raiders
- Largest margin of victory – 48 points**; January 20, 1991 (1990 season) - Buffalo Bills (51) vs. Los Angeles Raiders (3)
- Fewest points scored, winning team – 10; January 12, 1992 (1991 season) - Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos
- Most points scored, losing team – 34**; January 21, 2007 (2006 season) - New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts
- Most aggregate points scored – 73**; January 6, 1985 (1984 season) - Miami Dolphins (45) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (28)
- Fewest aggregate points scored – 14; January 23, 1983 (1982 season) - Miami Dolphins (14) vs. New York Jets (0)
- Longest game – 65 minutes, 38 seconds; January 11, 1987 (1986 season) - Denver Broncos (23) @ Cleveland Browns (20), OT
- Current AFC teams which have never appeared in a Conference Championship Game – Houston Texans[2]
- Current AFC teams which have never won a Conference Championship – Cleveland Browns (0-3), Houston Texans (0-0), Kansas City Chiefs (0-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) and New York Jets (0-2).
- Longest drought without appearing in an AFC Championship Game – 20 years**; Cincinnati Bengals (last appearance - 1988)
- Longest drought without an AFC Championship – 39 years*: Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets
*Tied for Conference Championship Record **Conference Championship record [edit] List of Championship Games | Season | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Score | Location | Stadium | | 1970-71 | Baltimore Colts (1) | 27 | Oakland Raiders | 17 | Baltimore, Maryland | Memorial Stadium | | 1971-72 | Miami Dolphins (1) | 21 | Baltimore Colts | 0 | Miami, Florida | Miami Orange Bowl | | 1972-73 | Miami Dolphins (2) | 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 17 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Three Rivers Stadium | | 1973-74 | Miami Dolphins (3) | 27 | Oakland Raiders | 10 | Miami, Florida | Miami Orange Bowl | | 1974-75 | Pittsburgh Steelers (1) | 24 | Oakland Raiders | 13 | Oakland, California | Oakland Coliseum | | 1975-76 | Pittsburgh Steelers (2) | 16 | Oakland Raiders | 10 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Three Rivers Stadium | | 1976-77 | Oakland Raiders (1) | 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 | Oakland, California | Oakland Coliseum | | 1977-78 | Denver Broncos (1) | 20 | Oakland Raiders | 17 | Denver, Colorado | Mile High Stadium | | 1978-79 | Pittsburgh Steelers (3) | 34 | Houston Oilers | 5 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Three Rivers Stadium | | 1979-80 | Pittsburgh Steelers (4) | 27 | Houston Oilers | 13 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Three Rivers Stadium | | 1980-81 | Oakland Raiders (2) | 34 | San Diego Chargers | 27 | San Diego, California | Qualcomm Stadium | | 1981-82 | Cincinnati Bengals (1) | 27 | San Diego Chargers | 7 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Riverfront Stadium | | 1982-83 | Miami Dolphins (4) | 14 | New York Jets | 0 | Miami, Florida | Miami Orange Bowl | | 1983-84 | Los Angeles Raiders (3) | 30 | Seattle Seahawks | 14 | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | | 1984-85 | Miami Dolphins (5) | 45 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 28 | Miami, Florida | Miami Orange Bowl | | 1985-86 | New England Patriots (1) | 31 | Miami Dolphins | 14 | Miami, Florida | Miami Orange Bowl | | 1986-87 | Denver Broncos (2) | 23a[›] | Cleveland Browns | 20 | Cleveland, Ohio | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | | 1987-88 | Denver Broncos (3) | 38 | Cleveland Browns | 33 | Denver, Colorado | Mile High Stadium | | 1988-89 | Cincinnati Bengals (2) | 21 | Buffalo Bills | 10 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Riverfront Stadium | | 1989-90 | Denver Broncos (4) | 37 | Cleveland Browns | 21 | Denver, Colorado | Mile High Stadium | | 1990-91 | Buffalo Bills (1) | 51 | Los Angeles Raiders | 3 | Orchard Park, New York | Ralph Wilson Stadium | | 1991-92 | Buffalo Bills (2) | 10 | Denver Broncos | 7 | Orchard Park, New York | Ralph Wilson Stadium | | 1992-93 | Buffalo Bills (3) | 29 | Miami Dolphins | 10 | Miami, Florida[3] | Joe Robbie Stadium | | 1993-94 | Buffalo Bills (4) | 30 | Kansas City Chiefs | 13 | Orchard Park, New York | Ralph Wilson Stadium | | 1994-95 | San Diego Chargers (1) | 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 13 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Three Rivers Stadium | | 1995-96 | Pittsburgh Steelers (5) | 20 | Indianapolis Colts | 16 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Three Rivers Stadium | | 1996-97 | New England Patriots (2) | 20 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 6 | Foxboro, Massachusetts | Foxboro Stadium | | 1997-98 | Denver Broncos (5) | 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Three Rivers Stadium | | 1998-99 | Denver Broncos (6) | 23 | New York Jets | 10 | Denver, Colorado | Mile High Stadium | | 1999-00 | Tennessee Titans (1) | 33 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 14 | Jacksonville, Florida | Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | | 2000-01 | Baltimore Ravens (1) | 16 | Oakland Raiders | 3 | Oakland, California | Oakland Coliseum | | 2001-02 | New England Patriots (3) | 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 17 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Heinz Field | | 2002-03 | Oakland Raiders (4) | 41 | Tennessee Titans | 24 | Oakland, California | Oakland Coliseum | | 2003-04 | New England Patriots (4) | 24 | Indianapolis Colts | 14 | Foxboro, Massachusetts | Gillette Stadium | | 2004-05 | New England Patriots (5) | 41 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 27 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Heinz Field | | 2005-06 | Pittsburgh Steelers (6) | 34 | Denver Broncos | 17 | Denver, Colorado | INVESCO Field @ Mile High | | 2006-07 | Indianapolis Colts (2) | 38 | New England Patriots | 34 | Indianapolis, Indiana | RCA Dome | | 2007-08 | New England Patriots (6) | 21 | San Diego Chargers | 12 | Foxboro, Massachusetts | Gillette Stadium | | 2008-09 | Pittsburgh Steelers (7) | 23 | Baltimore Ravens | 14 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Heinz Field | ^ a: Sudden-death overtime
[edit] AFC Championship Game appearances 1970–present *last NFL title - 1964 **last AFL title - 1968 ***last AFL title - 1969 ^ c: The Seattle Seahawks were members of the AFC from 1977 until 2002, and hold a combined 1-1 record between both Conference Championship Games.
[edit] Media coverage [edit] See also - ^ The Raiders won only one of those five, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-7 in 1976 en route to victory in Super Bowl XI.
- ^ However it should be noted the franchise was founded in 2002.
- ^ Joe Robbie Stadium now Dolphin Stadium is located in Miami. However the city was not incorporated until 2003. Prior to that, the area was an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, and the stadium used a Miami address.
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