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.
Sidney Gillman was an American football player, coach and executive. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in making football into the modern game that it is today. He was inducted as a coach into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
The Chicago Enforcers were an American football team of the XFL based at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The XFL was begun by Vince McMahon of the WWE and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. NBC dropped XFL broadcasts after the first season in 2001 due to dismal ratings, and the league was dissolved shortly thereafter.
Gregory Lynn Cook was an American football quarterback who played two professional seasons, in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Cincinnati and was selected 5th overall in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. Once considered a rising star for the Cincinnati Bengals, he had his pro career prematurely ended by recurring shoulder troubles.
Michael Croel is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) and XFL.
James Taylor is an American former professional football player who was a kicker in the Arena Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He played collegiately for the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Jay Michael Gruden is an American football coach and former quarterback. He previously served as the head coach of the Washington Redskins from 2014 to 2019 and as offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars. During his time in the Arena Football League (AFL), he won four ArenaBowls as a player and two more as a head coach. Gruden is the younger brother of former NFL head coach Jon Gruden and was an assistant coach of the 2002 Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl XXXVII.
Stephen Michael Tensi was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles. He played professionally for the San Diego Chargers (1965–1966) and the Denver Broncos (1967–1970).
Conrad Stephen Ortmayer was an American football player, coach, and executive who served as the general manager of the National Football League (NFL)'s San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Rams.
Tom Luginbill is a former professional American football quarterback and coach. He is currently a college football analyst for ESPN.
Walter Martin Corey was an American professional football player and coach. He played as a linebacker for seven seasons in the American Football League (AFL) before coaching in the National Football League (NFL) for 28 seasons.
The National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) with ten teams from four states, all of whom existed in some form as participants of regional leagues in their respective territories. The league took on its current name in 1922. The NFL was the first professional football league to successfully establish a nationwide presence, after several decades of failed attempts. Only two founding members are still in the league, the Decatur Staleys and the Racine Cardinals is the oldest NFL franchise.
Corey Franklyn Sawyer is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1990s. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, earning consensus All-American honors in 1993. He played professionally for the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets of the NFL, the Memphis Maniax of the XFL, and the Tampa Bay Storm and Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League (AFL).
This timeline of the National Football League (NFL) tracks the history of each of the league's 32 current franchises from the early days of the league, through its merger with the American Football League (AFL). The history of franchises that began as independent teams, or as members of the Ohio League, New York Pro Football League, and other defunct leagues are shown as well.
Nicholas Truesdell is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He was signed by the Colorado Ice as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He played college football at the University of Cincinnati before transferring to Grand Rapids Community College.
Todd Matthew Doxzon is an American former professional football wide receiver who played one season with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played quarterback at Iowa State University and attended Millard North High School in Omaha, Nebraska. He was also a member of the Amsterdam Admirals, Los Angeles Xtreme, New York Dragons, Carolina Cobras and Georgia Force.
Frank Leatherwood is an American former professional football fullback who played one season with the Detroit Fury of the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football at Appalachian State.
The Los Angeles Wildcats was a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The team was founded by Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and was an owned-and-operated member of the second XFL. The Wildcats played their home games at Dignity Health Sports Park. On March 8, 2020, the Wildcats played their final game against the Tampa Bay Vipers, which was the final XFL game before the league suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samuel Cole Sloman is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football at Miami University, and in 2019 he made 86.7% of his field goal attempts. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams, and has also played for the Tennessee Titans.
Landen Akers is an American professional football wide receiver for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at Iowa State.
