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The XFL was a professional American football league that played its only season in 2001. The XFL was operated as a joint venture between the World Wrestling Federation and NBC. The XFL was conceived as an outdoor football league that would begin play immediately after the National Football League (NFL) season ended, to take advantage of the perceived lingering public desire to watch football after the NFL and college football seasons conclude. It was promoted as having fewer rules to encourage rougher play than other major leagues, while its telecasts featured sports entertainment elements inspired by professional wrestling, including heat and kayfabe, and suggestively-dressed cheerleaders. Commentary crews also featured WWF commentators joined by sportscasters and veteran football players. Despite the wrestling influence, the games and their outcomes were legitimate and not based on scripted storylines.
The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 and most of its second in 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The league folded midway through its second season, in 1975. A new minor football league began play as the World Football League in 2008 after acquiring the rights to its trademarks and intellectual property; it folded in 2011.
NFL Europe League was a professional American football league that functioned as the developmental minor league of the National Football League (NFL). Originally founded in 1989 as the World League of American Football, the league was envisioned as a transatlantic league encompassing teams from both North America and Europe. Initially, the WLAF consisted of seven teams in North America and three in Europe. It began play in 1991 and lasted for two seasons before suspending operations; while the league had been "wildly popular" in Europe, it failed to achieve success in North America. After a two-year hiatus, it returned as a six-team European league, with teams based in England, Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland, and Spain. NFL Europa was dissolved in 2007 due to its continued unprofitability and the NFL's decision to shift its focus towards hosting regular-season games in Europe; at the time of its closure, the league consisted of five German teams and one team based in the Netherlands.
The Frankfurt Galaxy were a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called Waldstadion. The Galaxy was the only team in the league to have remained in operation and in the same city throughout the league's existence.
The Montreal Machine were the sole Canadian team in the World League of American Football (WLAF), a springtime developmental professional league set up by the National Football League (NFL) that played in 1991 and 1992. There were also three European teams and six United States-based teams. Like all WLAF teams, the Machine played American rules football, 11 players per side on a 100-yard long/53 1/3-yard wide field, rather than Canadian rules football of 12 players per side on a 110-yard long/65-yard wide field.
The Birmingham Fire were a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. They were a member of the North American West division of the World League of American Football (WLAF) and played their home games at Legion Field. The club was a charter member of the WLAF, and was under the ownership of Gavin Maloof. Led by head coach Chan Gailey, the Fire saw moderate success as they compiled an overall record of twelve wins, nine losses and one tie (12–9–1) and made the playoffs in both seasons they competed. The franchise folded in September 1992 when the NFL placed the league on an indefinite hiatus.
The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football (WLAF) in 1991 and 1992. The team played its first season at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, and the second season in Hornet Stadium on the Sacramento State University campus. It was owned by Managing General Partner Fred Anderson and the General Manager was Michael F. Keller. In charge of Special Projects was Jack Youngblood, who also partnered with Joe Starkey and Ronnie Lott on Surge radio broadcasts on Sacramento radio station KRAK.
Galen Samuel Hall is a retired American college and professional football coach and player. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and an alumnus of Penn State University, where he played college football. Hall was previously the offensive coordinator at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Florida, and the head coach of the University of Florida, the Orlando Thunder, the Rhein Fire, and the XFL's Orlando Rage. He most recently served as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Penn State.
Christopher James Miller is an American football coach and former player. He played professionally as a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Miller played college football for the Oregon Ducks and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft with the 13th overall pick. He also played in the NFL for the Los Angeles / St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos.
Michael John Kiselak is a former American football guard in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Sacramento Gold Miners, San Antonio Texans and Toronto Argonauts. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL), San Antonio Riders in the World League of American Football (WLAF) and San Francisco Demons in the XFL. He played college football at the University of Maryland.
Gustavo David Miguel Diaz-Infante is a former professional American football guard and center and current head coach of the Bellarmine College Preparatory Bells. He formerly served as an assistant offensive line coach for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). In the NFL he played for the San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, and the Philadelphia Eagles. Diaz-Infante also played in the World League of American Football (WLAF) for the Frankfurt Galaxy, in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Sacramento Gold Miners and in the XFL with the Las Vegas Outlaws. Diaz-Infante played college football at San Jose State University. Inducted into SJSU Sports Hall of Fame, and Bellarmine College Prep Hall of Fame. Diaz-Infante was a Voice of Denver Broncos Color Analyst for the Denver Bronco's Radio Network. He was recently named the head coach of the Bellarmine Bells, the 7th football coach in the school's history.
Jerry Wayne Crafts is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. He also played in the World League of American Football, XFL, Canadian Football League and Arena Football League. He is the only person to have been involved with teams that played in the championship games of each of the aforementioned Leagues. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma for Barry Switzer and the University of Louisville.
John E. Peterson is an American football executive and former coach. He was the sixth head football coach at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, Maryland, serving for four seasons, from 1977 to 1981, and compiling a record of 14–25. Peterson later served as head coach at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989, compiling a record of 30–40–3.
Michael F. Keller is a former American football linebacker and football executive in the National Football League (NFL). He played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Michigan.
Willie Bert Fears Jr. is a former American professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings of the NFL, and the San Antonio Riders of the WLAF. Fears played collegiately at Northwestern State University. Fears also played for the Cleveland Thunderbolts, the Tampa Bay Storm and the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football League. He was named First-team All-Arena in 1993.
Christopher A. Shelling is a former American professional football player who was a defensive back and linebacker in the National Football League (NFL), the World League of American Football (WLAF), the Canadian Football League (CFL), and the XFL. He is the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for Miles College, a position he has held since 2023.
Christopher Perez is a former American football offensive tackle who played six seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Memphis Mad Dogs, Toronto Argonauts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Kansas and attended William Fremd High School in Palatine, Illinois. Perez was also a member of the New England Patriots, Phoenix Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Barcelona Dragons and Chicago Enforcers.
Keith Lamont Franklin is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at South Carolina. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Raiders of the National Football League (NFL).
The XFL was a professional American football minor league consisting of eight teams located across the United States in mid-sized to major markets. It is now one of the two-component conferences of the United Football League (UFL), along with the United States Football League (USFL). The XFL league headquarters were in Arlington, Texas.
Minor league football, also known as alternative football or secondary football, is an umbrella term for professional gridiron football that is played below the major league level.
References
- ↑ "Mike Sheldon NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved June 10, 2012.