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 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks were an American football team headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina that played for one season in 1991 in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The name was inspired by the Wright brothers' flights on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The three jet-trails and three planes in flight, as well as the triangle design in the logo, represented the three points of the Research Triangle area. The team's cheerleaders were known as the "Kittyhawks."
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.
Patrick Dante Ross Cunningham is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), World League of American Football (WLAF), and Canadian Football League (CFL).
Theodore Paul Popson is a former professional American football tight end in the World League of American Football (WLAF) and the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the New York Giants in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL draft. In 1992, Popson played for the WLAF's London Monarchs. He then played for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers (1994–1996) and Kansas City Chiefs (1997–1998).
Reginald Deshain Bynum is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF).
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.
Willie Bert Fears Jr. is an American former 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.
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.
Stephen James Bartalo is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF). He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL, and the Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF. Bartalo played collegiately at the Colorado State University. He was selected by the Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 1987 NFL draft.
Charles W. Henry 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 of the NFL, and the Frankfurt Galaxy of the WLAF. Henry played collegiately at the University of Miami.
Garry William Howe Jr. is an American former 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 an American college football coach and former 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 is the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for Miles College, positions he has held since 2023.
Gary Lamar Harrell, affectionately known as "The Flea," is an American college football coach and former professional gridiron football player. He is currently the assistant head coach and running backs coach at the University of Colorado Boulder. Harrell was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), World League of American Football (WLAF) and Canadian Football League (CFL) for three seasons during the 1990s. Harrell served two stints as the head football coach at Howard University in Washington, D.C. from 2011 to 2012 and 2014 to 2016, with a leave of absence in 2013. He joined the coaching staff at Alabama State University in January 2019, after a two-year stint under Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic University.
The 1995 World League of American Football season was the third season of the professional American football league organized by the NFL. It was the league's first season with six teams based only in Europe.
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.
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.
Ray Criswell is an American former professional football player who was a punter in the National Football League (NFL) and World League of American Football (WLAF).
