NFL To Feature "Legacy Games" This Coming Season

IF there's one thing that has got me excited this year other than the high chances for another solid season from my Eagles is the fact that as has been well-documented in the past, it is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the NFL's once-biggest rival, the American Football League. And as we all know, after the initial Super Bowls, the NFL and the AFL merged together to form the modern-day NFL. To commemorate such, the former AFL teams that are in some way, shape, or form still in existence today, will be wearing their old jersies that they had in the 1960s for a game or 2 this coming season. Well, in a little new wrinkle that I am already really excited about, this will be done in what will be known as "legacy games", most of which will pit 2 former AFL teams against each other. So in other words, with both teams wearing alternate jersies, it will literally be like watching an AFL game from the 1960s! Talk about cool! And this all kicks off with the Hall of Fame Game on August 9. Here's your Legacy Game schedule (with added former team name, if such applies, in parenthesees).

August 9 (Hall of Fame Game): Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans (Houston Oilers)
September 14 (MNF): Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots (Boston Patriots)
September 14 (MNF): San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders
September 27: Tennessee Titans (Houston Oilers) @ New York Jets (Titans of New York)
October 11: Dallas Cowboys @ Kansas City Chiefs (Dallas Texans)
October 11: New England Patriots (Boston Patriots) @ Miami Dolphins
October 18: Tennessee Titans (Houston Oilers) @ New England Patriots
October 19 (MNF): Denver Broncos @ San Diego Chargers
October 25: San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs (Dallas Texans)
October 25: New York Jets (Titans of New York) @ Oakland Raiders
November 1: Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets (Titans of New York)
November 15: Buffalo Bills @ Tennessee Titans (Houston Oilers)
November 15: Kansas City Chiefs (Dallas Texans) @ Oakland Raiders
November 26 (Thanksgiving): Oakland Raiders @ Dallas Cowboys
November 29: Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills
December 6 (SNF): New England Patriots (Boston Patriots) @ Miami Dolphins

Assuming this was planned in advance, this certainly does explain some of the rather odd choices of nationally televised games this year (i.e. the 2nd week 1 MNF game and the Cowboys Thanksgiving game). I love seeing teams wear old throwbacks (unless, of course, that team is the Eagles and they are looking like Team Sweden), so this should be a look of a lot of fun to look at, make jokes about, and enjoy!

NFL announces 2009 AFL Legacy Games (NFL.com)