The Super Bowl is far more than a football game — it’s a cultural institution that brings the United States to a halt each winter. But like many aspects of American history, its origins are tied to an unlikely source: a celebrated military hero whose vision helped shape what would become the biggest sporting event in the nation.
Before the Super Bowl was ever a reality, football in the United States was fractured. The established National Football League (NFL) and the rival American Football League (AFL) competed fiercely for fans, talent, and television attention in the early 1960s. Amid this rivalry, one leader from the AFL stood out — not just for his sports involvement, but for his larger-than-life past.
Who Was Joe Foss? The WWII Ace Who Changed Pro Football
Joe Foss was already a legend long before he entered the world of professional sports. A decorated Marine Corps fighter pilot in World War II, Foss earned the Medal of Honor for his aerial combat work in the Pacific during the Guadalcanal campaign, where he became one of America’s most successful aces.
His military service instilled a mindset of leadership, strategy, and innovation — traits that would later surface in a very different arena.
After his wartime service, Foss stayed active in public life. He served as a state politician, led veterans’ organizations, and became the first commissioner of the American Football League in the early 1960s.
Proposing the Championship Game
In December 1963, as competition between the NFL and AFL intensified, Foss saw an opportunity to elevate professional football in the United States. He penned a letter to NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle, suggesting a true championship contest between the champions of the two leagues.
At the time, the idea was overlooked by the NFL — league leaders were reluctant to engage with the upstart AFL on such a grand stage. Still, Foss’s letter planted a seed that would grow as the leagues continued their discussions and negotiations.
The Path to a Unified Championship
By 1966, the NFL and AFL had agreed to merge, culminating in the first joint championship game after the 1966 season. Though initially called the AFL–NFL World Championship Game, this matchup would eventually evolve into what is now known as the Super Bowl.
The merger effectively ended decades of league rivalry and established a formal playoff culminating in a game pitting the best from each conference against one another. The stage was then set for a new sporting tradition.
From Idea to Icon
While the name “Super Bowl” is widely attributed to Lamar Hunt — inspired by his children’s “Super Ball” toy during league discussions — the very existence of a championship game between rival league champions owes an early debt to Joe Foss’s vision.
What began as a proposal from a decorated war hero and football commissioner helped lay the groundwork for what would become arguably the most iconic sporting event in the United States. From humble beginnings as a means to bridge league competition, the Super Bowl has grown into an annual spectacle that draws tens of millions of viewers each year, merging sports, entertainment, and national culture.