Yes,the league distinctions have faded.
At one time, there were distinct identities for the old AFL teams and original NFL teams, which they tried to continue by having the American Football Conference and National Football Conference.
But nobody talks about that much anymore. How many people make note that the Chicago Bears were an NFL team before the merger? Or that the Patriots were an AFL team?
Then with expansion, teams such as the Carolina Panthers were never part of the pre-merger alignment.
“But nobody talks about that much anymore. How many people make note that the Chicago Bears were an NFL team before the merger? Or that the Patriots were an AFL team?”
Not a lot of people, no. Here in the Bay Area, occasionally you’l hear one thing or another about some aspect of the Raiders’ pre-merger history in the AFL. Or more rarely you’ll hear some REAL old-timer talking about the 49ers’ 3 seasons or so in the All-American Conference.