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The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be played in the autumn/winter, directly competing against the long-established National Football League (NFL). However, the USFL ceased operations before that season was scheduled to begin.
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team based in the Detroit, Michigan area. The Panthers competed in the United States Football League (USFL) as a member of the Western Conference and Central Division. The team played its home games at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.
Gary Wayne Zimmerman is an American former football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL). Zimmerman played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1986 to 1992 and for the Denver Broncos from 1993 to 1997. He won Super Bowl XXXII with the Broncos against the Green Bay Packers. He was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and was an All-Pro selection eight times. He played college football for the Oregon Ducks whereby he was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Charles Anthony Fusina is an American former football quarterback who played for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL) from 1979 to 1986. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and was recognized as an All-American. Fusina played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers of the NFL, and the Philadelphia / Baltimore Stars of the USFL.
Thomas Allen Thayer is an American former professional football player who was a guard in the National Football League (NFL) and United States Football League (USFL). He played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins, and won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears. Prior to his NFL career, Thayer played in the USFL for the Chicago Blitz, Arizona Wranglers and the Arizona Outlaws from 1983 to 1985. He is currently the color commentator on WMVP for Chicago Bears broadcasts.
Vaughan Monroe Johnson was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles. He also was a member of the Jacksonville Bulls in the United States Football League (USFL). He played college football for the NC State Wolfpack.
Albert Timothy Bentley is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also was a member of the Michigan Panthers and Oakland Invaders in the USFL. He played college football at the University of Miami.
Michael Connan Johnson is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies. Johnson began his pro career in the United States Football League (USFL) for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars for two seasons.
Lee Eric Williams is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end and defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers sixth overall in the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players. He played college football at Bethune-Cookman.
The 1984 NFL supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players was a one-time draft of United States Football League and Canadian Football League players, held in the spring of 1984.
The United States Football League had two types of drafts as their main sources for player recruitment: the collegiate draft and the territorial draft. The collegiate draft resembled its NFL counterpart, in which teams were given a position in the drafting order, based on their win and loss record for the previous year.
Christopher Brewer is a former American football running back who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears. He was drafted by the Broncos in the ninth round of the 1984 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Arizona and attended George Washington High School in Denver, Colorado. Brewer was also a member of the Denver Dynamite and New England Steamrollers of the Arena Football League (AFL).
Robert Benjamin Smith is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Arizona Wranglers, Toronto Argonauts, Tampa Bay Storm and Detroit Drive. He played college football at Grambling State University.
The 1986 USFL season would have been the fourth season of the United States Football League. Plans and a schedule had been set for a 1986 season, which would have played in the autumn and winter months, but the failure to secure a large judgment or concessions through a landmark antitrust lawsuit against the National Football League, combined with the seizure of one of the team's assets, days before the season was to begin led the league to postpone, then ultimately cancel the season and cease operations. The federal court judgement found the NFL guilty of violating antitrust guidelines on July 29, 1986, but the USFL was only awarded $1 in damages plus court costs, as the jury found that the actions of the USFL owners had done as much in detriment to themselves as did the actions of the NFL. On August 4, the 1986 season was canceled. On August 7, all players were released from their contracts.
Byron Keith Lee is a former American football linebacker who played for two seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ohio State. He was drafted by the New Jersey Generals in the 1986 USFL Territorial Draft, but did not sign with the team, as he was also drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He was waived by the Eagles during final roster cuts on August 19, 1986, but was re-signed on October 15. He played for the Eagles in 1986 and 1987, and was an offseason member of the Los Angeles Raiders in 1988. He played for the Columbus Thunderbolts of the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1991.
The 1986 USFL draft was the fourth and last collegiate draft of the United States Football League (USFL). It took place on May 6, 1986, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York.
The 1983 USFL territorial draft was the first territorial draft of the United States Football League (USFL). It took place on January 4, 1983, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York.
The 1984 USFL territorial draft was the second territorial draft of the United States Football League (USFL). It took place on January 4, 1984, at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. It included six new expansion teams.
The 1985 USFL territorial draft was the third territorial draft of the United States Football League (USFL). It took place on January 3, 1985, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York. Under the previous two territorial drafts, each team had five designated schools from which to make 25 selections. In this season it was raised to six schools per team, which was speculated in the media as a way to allow the New Jersey Generals to sign quarterback Doug Flutie.
Derrick Crawford is a former gridiron football wide receiver and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL), the United States Football League (USFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Memphis.