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 New York/New Jersey Knights was a franchise in the World League of American Football for the 1991 and 1992 seasons. They played in the North American East division, which they won in the 1991 season. They were coached by Mouse Davis, an architect of the Run and shoot offense.
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.
The Orlando Thunder was a member of the World League of American Football from 1991 to 1992. The team played their games in the 70,000 seat Florida Citrus Bowl, and was coached by Don Matthews in 1991 and Galen Hall in 1992. The team's most visible point was their colors – the League wanted to develop new colors which hadn't been used for teams before, hence the vermilion and green that the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks wore, and the fluorescent green jerseys that the Thunder sported.
Jeff Ladd Novak is a former American football offensive lineman who played professionally in the World League of American Football (WLAF) and the National Football League (NFL). Novak was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and grew up in Clear Lake City outside Houston, Texas. He went to Clear Lake High School and he graduated from Texas State University in 1990.
Mark David Mraz is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL), World League of American Football (WLAF) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). During his career he played for the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Raiders of the NFL, the Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL. Mraz played college football at Utah State University.
Ronald Williams is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played for the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks of the NFL, and the San Antonio Riders of the WLAF. Williams played collegiately at Oklahoma State University.
Michael Wesley Hinnant is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He was selected by the Steelers in the eighth round of the 1988 NFL draft. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions of the NFL, and the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF. Hinnant played collegiately at Temple University.
Alfonso Teddy Garcia is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF).
Terence William O'Shea is a former American professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, and the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF. O'Shea played collegiately at California University of Pennsylvania.
Garry William Howe 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 Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, and the Frankfurt Galaxy and Amsterdam Admirals of the WLAF. He also played fullback for the Iowa Barnstormers as well as defensive lineman from 1995 to 2000. Howe played collegiately at Drake University and the University of Colorado.
Dunstan Anderson was an American professional football defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played for the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins of the NFL, and the London Monarchs and Rhein Fire of the WLAF. Anderson played collegiately at the University of Tulsa. Anderson was the passenger of an SUV when he was killed in an automobile accident, which also left the driver of the SUV in critical condition.
Michael Joseph Sheldon is a former American professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL), the World League of American Football (WLAF), and the XFL. He played for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL, the Rhein Fire of the WLAF, and the Memphis Maniax of the XFL. Sheldon played collegiately at Grand Valley State University.
Stevie Thomas is a former Arena football wide receiver/linebacker in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football at Bethune-Cookman University. He was an undrafted free agent of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and earned NFL contract for the 1990 season. In 1991, he was 3rd round draft pick of the inaugural season of the World League of American Football (WLAF). Upon returning from the WLAF, he joined the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League.
Charles Christopher Hall is a former American football safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted by the Cowboys in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL draft. He played college football at East Carolina University. Hall was also a member of the Frankfurt Galaxy of the World League of American Football (WLAF).
George Willard Little is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman for three seasons with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Dolphins in the third round of the 1985 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa and attended Duquesne High School in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. Little was also a member of the Montreal Machine of the World League of American Football (WLAF).
Lee Gissendaner is the player personnel executive for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) since 2018. Previously he served as a scout with the Green Bay Packers for 17 years (1998–2014), before joining the New York Jets with the same position from 2015 to 2017.
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.
