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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 London Monarchs were a professional American football team in NFL Europe and its predecessor league, the World League of American Football (WLAF). The Monarchs played their final season in 1998 as the England Monarchs. In 1999, they were replaced by the new Berlin Thunder.
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 North America-based teams. Like all WLAF teams, the Machine played American rules football, 11 players per side on a 120-yard long/53 1/3-yard wide field, rather than Canadian rules football of 12 players per side on a 150-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.
Michael David Elkins is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). In the NFL, Elkins played for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Oilers. In the WLAF, he played for the Sacramento Surge. Elkins attended Wake Forest.
Mark David Mraz is a former professional American 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.
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.
Douglas Williams is a former American professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played for the Houston Oilers of the NFL, and the San Antonio Riders of the WLAF. Williams played collegiately at Texas A&M University.
Albert Donnel Williams is a former American professional football player who was a linebacker 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 San Antonio Riders of the WLAF. Williams played collegiately at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).
Michael Wesley Hinnant 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 and Detroit Lions of the NFL, and the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF. Hinnant played collegiately at Temple University.
Charles W. Henry 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 Miami Dolphins of the NFL, and the Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF. Henry played collegiately at the University of Miami.
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.
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 played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL, the Rhein Fire of the WLAF, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the CFL, and the Birmingham Thunderbolts of the XFL. Shelling played collegiately at Auburn University, where he was an All-American.
Christopher Dale Crooms is a former American professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played for the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, and the Barcelona Dragons of the WLAF. He was drafted by the Rams in the fifth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. Crooms played collegiately at the Texas A&M University.
Joseph W. Garten is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and World League of American Football (WLAF). He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, where he was a two-time consensus All-American. He played professionally for the Las Vegas Posse and San Antonio Texans of the CFL, and the Barcelona Dragons and Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF.
Lee Gissendaner is currently the player personnel executive for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). 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 2015–2017. In 2018, Gissendaner would return to Green Bay under the position of player personnel executive.
Willie Lee Williams Jr. is a former American football offensive tackle who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Phoenix Cardinals and New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Phoenix Cardinals in the ninth round of the 1990 NFL Supplemental Draft. He played college football at Louisiana State University and attended Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston, Texas. Williams was also a member of the Amsterdam Admirals and Toronto Argonauts.
Ron Goetz is a former gridiron football linebacker who played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played college football at Minnesota.
References
- ↑ "Ronnie Williams NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved March 18, 2012.