what happened to houston oilers

The Houston Oilers were a professional football team based in Houston from 1960 to 1996. The team originally played in the American Football League (AFL) and then joined the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. Despite notable success including two AFL championships in 1960 and 1961 and having Hall of Fame players like Earl Campbell and Warren Moon, the Oilers never made it to a Super Bowl. The franchise left Houston after the 1996 season due to several reasons, primarily waning attendance — the team had the third-worst attendance in the league in 1994 and the worst in 1995 and 1996. Additionally, the owner, Bud Adams, wanted a new stadium but was unable to get one under terms he found acceptable from the city of Houston. There were also tensions over funding stadium renovations that increased local taxes, which caused public dissatisfaction. Ultimately, the team relocated to Tennessee, playing as the Tennessee Oilers for two seasons before becoming the Tennessee Titans in 1999. The move left Houston without an NFL team, though the Oilers remain an important part of Houston's sports legacy and are still remembered fondly by fans.