The Consensus 1969 All-Pro Team (Not the Separate All-NFL and All-AFL Teams)

 By  John Turney

Sometimes, even among NFL researchers and historians there is a disconnect in All-Pro teams for the 1960s (and from 1946-49) in terms of All-Pro versus All-NFL and All-AFL (and All-Pro vs All-NFL and All-AAFC).

They have all been used interchangeably by most of us but they really are not. In the 1960s there were All-AFL teams and All-NFL teams for all ten seasons. However, starting in 1967 there were major organizations that picked combined All-Pro teams, selection players from both leagues 

In 1967, Murray Olderman picked the first kind of "major" All-Pro team—picking players from both leagues and in 1968 the PFWA and PFW did it, and then in 1969 most organizations finally did it.

Needless to say, it is tougher to make an All-Pro team than an All-AFL or All-NFL team thus it is a bit higher of an honor, worthy to be noted in our view. 

Here is the combined 1969 All-Pro team from the major organizations—

OFFENSE

Wide Receivers

Lance Alworth, San Diego (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Fred Biletnikoff,  Oakland (PFWA, PFW)

Paul Warfield, Cleveland (HOF, NEA)

Tight Ends

Jerry Smith, Washington (PFWA, NEA)

Bob Trumpy, Cincinnati (HOF, PFW)

Tackles

Bob Brown, Los Angeles (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Jim Tyrer, Kansas City (HOF, PFWA, PFW)

Winston Hill, N.Y. Jets (NEA)

Guards

Gene Hickerson, Cleveland (HOF, PFWA, PFW)

Walt Sweeney, San Diego (NEA, PFW)

Tom Mack,  Los Angeles (HOF)

Ed Budde, Kansas City (NEA)

Gene Upshaw, Oakland (PFWA)

Center

Mick Tingelhoff, Minnesota  (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Quarterback

Daryle  Lamonica, Oakland (PFWA, PFW)

Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles (HOF)

Joe Namath, N.Y. Jets (NEA) 

Running Backs

Gale Sayers, Chicago (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Calvin Hill, Dallas (HOF, PFWA)

Leroy Kelly, Cleveland (NEA)

Matt Snell, N.Y. Jets (PFW)

DEFENSE

Defensive Ends

Carl Eller, Minnesota  (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Deacon Jones, Los Angeles (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Defensive Tackles

Merlin Olsen, Los Angeles (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Bob Lilly, Dallas (HOF, PFWA, NEA)

Buck Buchanan, Kansas City (PFW)

Middle Linebacker

Dick Butkus, Chicago (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Outside Linebackers

Bobby Bell, Kansas City (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Chuck Howley,  Dallas  (HOF, NEA, PFW)

George Webster, Houston (PFWA)

Cornerbacks

Willie Brown, Oakland (HOF, PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Lem Barney, Detroit  (HOF, NEA, PFW)

Mel Renfro, Dallas (NEA-S, PFW)

Safeties

Dave Grayson, Oakland (PFWA, NEA, PFW)

Larry Wilson, St. Louis (HOF, PFWA)

Johnny Robinson, Kansas City (HOF)

SPECIALISTS

Kicker

Jan Stenerud, Kansas City (HOF, NEA)

Jim Turner, N.Y. Jets (PFWA)

Punter

David Lee, Baltimore ( (HOF, PFWA, NEA)

Selectors:

HOF = Pro Football Hall of Fame (poll of the 24-man selection committee)

PFWA = Pro Football Writers of America (poll of members)

NEA = Newspaper Enterprise Association

PFW = Pro Football Weekly: All-Pro team (poll of NFL & AFL correspondents)

Note: The AP never picked a combined NFL/AFL team