The NFL stopped playing the Playoff Bowl after the 1969 season because it had become an unpopular and somewhat embarrassing event for the league. Officially called the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl, it was held between 1960 and 1969 in Miami, Florida, and featured the two second-place teams from each conference. The game’s purpose was to raise money for the players’ pension fund and honor Bert Bell, a former NFL commissioner.

However, the Playoff Bowl was derided by players, coaches, and fans alike as the “Loser’s Bowl,” since it pitted teams that had just missed out on the NFL Championship Game. Legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi famously criticized the game, calling it “a loser’s game for losers.” This negative perception diminished its appeal, and the NFL opted to end the event when the league merged with the AFL in 1970 and expanded the playoff format.

The NFL subsequently focused on its unified playoff structure, which allowed for a more competitive postseason environment, eliminating the need for a consolation game.