I've read this a number of times and I can't figure it out. Specifically, your mocking of the merger plan seems odd considering how well it worked out. (And fwiw, ending the bidding war was important, but consolidating control over the pro game was the objective of the merger.) So yeah, it was an incredibly solid idea.
While the Jets' victory was not a factor in the merger, it cemented the importance of the Super Bowl in the minds of fans and played a pivotal role in the rapid growth of the NFL in the 70s. I should add that the success of the Super Bowl has placed the league in a virtually unassailable position from a competitive standpoint. (Both in terms of startup leagues and other professional sports.)
Pete Rozelle was a freaking genius.
My point was they agreed to a merger with the AFL in 1966 without really knowing how competitive the AFL teams were going to be vs NFL teams; the first two Super Bowls were not very competitive. And have you seen the crowd shots of that game; it wasn't close to a sell out.
In hindsight, sure, it was a brilliant idea; but what would have happened had the Jets gotten blown out and the Vikings beaten the Chefs as they were what, 12.5 point favorites in that game, that would have been four strait blow outs.
How much would the NFL have grown in the 70's as you pointed out if every Super Bowl was a thorough ass kicking?
The AFL teams had been around for only 6 years at the time the merger was agreed to.
Also, the Colts, Browns and Steelers were moved from the NFL/NFC to the AFC; at the time, the Browns and Colts were solid NFL franchises and they helped prop up the AFC, specifically the Colts who proceeded to knock of the Cowboys when they met in the Super Bowl. The Steelers were a sad sack NFL franchise that caught fire in the 70's and again, helped prop up the AFC, the team of the 70's.
So again, it all worked out, but hindsight is always 20/20.