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.
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 Portland Breakers were an American football team that played in the United States Football League (USFL) in the mid-1980s. Before moving to Portland, Oregon, the franchise was previously in Boston, Massachusetts as the Boston Breakers and New Orleans, Louisiana as the New Orleans Breakers.
The Tampa Bay Bandits were a professional American football team in the United States Football League (USFL) which was based in Tampa, Florida. The Bandits were a charter member of the USFL and was the only franchise to have the same principal owner, head coach, and home field during the league's three seasons of play (1983–1985). The Bandits were one of the most successful teams in the short-lived spring football league both on the field and at the ticket booth. Spurrier's "Bandit Ball" offense led them to three winning seasons and two playoff appearances, and their exciting brand of play combined with innovative local marketing helped the Bandits lead the league in attendance. However, the franchise folded along with the rest of the USFL when the league suspended play after the 1985 season.
Ronald Vincent Jaworski, nicknamed "Jaws", is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) from 1973 to 1989 during which he played for the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, and Kansas City Chiefs. As quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1981, Jaworski led the Eagles to their first ever Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XV.
Larry Craig Morton is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos. He played college football for the California Golden Bears, receiving All-American honors, and was selected by the Cowboys fifth overall in the 1965 NFL Draft. Following nine seasons with the Cowboys, a quarterback controversy with Roger Staubach led to Morton joining the New York Giants for three seasons. He spent his final six seasons as a member of the Broncos, winning NFL Comeback Player of the Year and AFC Offensive Player of the Year in 1977.
Marcus L. Dupree is a former American football player. He was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi, where his playing in high school attracted national attention. A highly touted and sought-after college football recruit, he played at Oklahoma, where he was named Football News Freshman of the Year, second-team All-American and Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year. He left in the middle of his sophomore season and briefly attended the University of Southern Mississippi. Marcus played spring football for the Golden Eagles and finished college at the university.
Thomas Franklin McDonald was an American professional football player who was a flanker and halfback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.
Anthony Davis, also known as "A.D.", is an American former professional football player who was a running back. He played in four professional leagues: the World Football League (WFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), National Football League (NFL), and United States Football League (USFL).
Roman Ildonzo Gabriel Jr. is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and played for the Los Angeles Rams for 11 seasons then five years for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is notable for being the first NFL quarterback of Filipino-American descent.
William Calvin Bradley is an American former football player and coach. He played professionally as a defensive back in the National Football League (NFL), earning All-Pro honors twice. He played with the Philadelphia Eagles for most of his career. As an assistant coach he won two Grey Cups in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was also the defensive backs coach of the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football.
Thomas Pryor Thompson was an American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).
Harold Leon Jackson is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) from 1968 through 1983. Jackson was drafted in the 12th round of the 1968 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. In 2014, Jackson was hired to serve as head coach at his alma mater Jackson State. He was fired five games into the 2015 season.
Thomas Johnson "John" Reaves was an American college and professional football player who was a quarterback for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and three seasons in the United States Football League (USFL) during the 1970s and 1980s. Reaves played college football for the University of Florida, and earned All-American honors.
Charles Albert Smith is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for eight seasons (1974–1981) with the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Grambling State Tigers. He also played pro ball in the United States Football League (USFL).
Samuel Jacob Bradford is an American former football quarterback who played for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL), most notably with the St. Louis Rams and the Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals.
Matthew Gillette Robinson is a former professional American football player, a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) from 1977–1982 for the New York Jets, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was later with the Jacksonville Bulls and Portland Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL) in 1984 and 1985, respectively.
Richard P. Coury was an American football coach. He served as head football coach at California State University, Fullerton from 1970 to 1971, compiling a record of 13–8–1. Coury was also the head coach for the Portland Storm of the World Football League (WFL) in 1974 compiling a record of 7–12–1, and the Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL) from 1983 to 1985. He was named the USFL coach of the year in 1983 and compiled an overall record of 25–29–0.
Alan David Risher is a former quarterback for the LSU Tigers and the United States Football League (USFL), where he played for the Arizona Wranglers. The USFL was a 12 team league in 1983, so although Risher was drafted 170th overall in the league's 1983 draft, he was actually the team's 15th round pick that year. Risher was the starting quarterback for the Wranglers for most of the league's initial 1983 season. He is known best for directing what is widely acknowledged as the greatest upset in USFL history. He backed up Greg Landry on the 1984 Western Conference Champion Wranglers squad.
The team started out in 1983 as the Boston Breakers, owned by Boston businessman George Matthews and former New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Vataha. However, finding a stadium proved difficult. The lack of a professional-quality stadium had stymied previous attempts at pro football in Boston before the Patriots arrived in 1960.
