The Orange Tornadoes and Newark Tornadoes were two manifestations of a long-lived professional American football franchise that existed in some form from 1887 to 1941 and from 1958 to 1970, having played in the American Amateur Football Union from 1888 to 1895, the National Football League from 1929 to 1930, the American Association from 1936 to 1941, the Atlantic Coast Football League from 1963 to 1964 and 1970, and the Continental Football League from 1965 to 1969. The team was based for most of its history in Orange, New Jersey, with many of its later years in Newark. Its last five seasons of existence were as the Orlando Panthers, when the team was based in Orlando, Florida. The NFL franchise was sold back to the league in October 1930. The team had four head coaches in its two years in the NFL – Jack Depler in Orange, and Jack Fish, Al McGall and Andy Salata in Newark.
The Continental Football League (COFL) was a professional American football minor league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Football League, and hoped to become the major force in professional football outside the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). It owed its name, at least in part, to the Continental League, a proposed third Major League Baseball organization that influenced MLB significantly, although they never played a game.
Trinity Health Stadium is a multipurpose facility in Hartford, Connecticut. It has been host to concerts and sporting events. It was formerly the home of the New England Nightmare of the Women's Football Alliance (WFA). It is now the home of USL Championship club Hartford Athletic. The UConn Huskies men's and women's soccer teams played a majority of their 2019 matches at Dillon Stadium after starting their seasons at Al-Marzook Field in West Hartford, Connecticut.
The Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) was a professional American football minor league that operated from 1962 to 1973. Until 1969, many of its franchises had working agreements with NFL and AFL teams to serve as farm clubs. The league paid a base salary of $100 per game and had 36 players on each active roster.
Jerry Fishman is an American former football player. He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland and was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 1965 NFL Draft. Fishman gained notoriety when he twice gave an obscene gesture during the 1964 Maryland–Navy game, which directly resulted in a 40-year hiatus of the series.
The Orlando Panthers were a professional American football team based in Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1958 as the Franklin Miners, the team spent its first four years in the Eastern Football Conference, then three further years in the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) before moving to the Continental Football League (COFL) in 1965. The franchise moved from Newark, New Jersey to Orlando in 1966 and found success on the field as the Panthers. However, while the team won the COFL championship twice they were plagued by financial difficulties. The team jumped back to the ACFL in 1970 but were suspended by the league after the season.
The Seaboard Football League was an American football minor league that operated from 1971 to 1974. It folded during the 1974 season as a result of the founding of the World Football League, which deprived the league of talent.
The Chambersburg Cardinals are an American football team based in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. The team plays in the Gridiron Developmental Football League (GDFL).
The Norfolk Neptunes were an American football franchise based in Norfolk, Virginia that played in the Continental Football League from 1966 until 1969 and the Atlantic Coast Football League from 1970 to 1971. The team played at Foreman Field at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.
Win Headley is a former American football offensive guard who played one season with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) in the eighth round of the 1971 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wake Forest University and attended Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut. Headley was also a member of the Hartford Knights of the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL).
Mel Meeks was a professional American football running back.
The Jersey Jays were a professional American football team based in Jersey City, New Jersey. They began play in 1969 as a member of the Continental Football League, and were a farm team of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. The Jays played their home games in Newark Schools Stadium in 1969.
The Bridgeport Jets were a minor league American football team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They began play in the Atlantic Coast Football League in 1966 as the Waterbury Orbits. The Orbits, already officially affiliated with the New York Jets of the American Football League, became the Bridgeport Jets in 1968. After relocating from Waterbury, the Jets played their homes games in John F. Kennedy Stadium.
The Ansonia Black Knights were a minor league American football team based in Ansonia, Connecticut. They began play in the Atlantic Coast Football League in 1962 and played their home games at Nolan Field. The team finished fourth out of six teams during the ACFL's inaugural season. Their head coach was Gene Casey, formerly a line coach with the University of Illinois and an assistant coach with Southern Connecticut State College.
The Hartford Knights were a professional American football team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They began play in 1968 as a member of the Atlantic Coast Football League, replacing the Hartford Charter Oaks. For the 1969 season, they became the affiliate for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League. One of the best minor-league football teams of its era, the Knights never finished below second place in their league, won every division title they contested, and had a winning record every season they played.
Minor league football, also known as alternative football or secondary football, is an umbrella term for pro football (gridiron) that is played below the major league level.
Richard B. Buffington is an American former football player and coach. After briefly playing college football at BYU, he played for 17–19 different minor league teams in several leagues. He became a coach afterwards, beginning in 1968 with Bristol Community College. Buffington was a scout and assistant coach in the National Football League (NFL) in the late 1970s, and was an administrator and coach in the United States Football League (USFL) from 1982 to 1984. From 1988 to 2000, Buffington was a coach for several teams in the Arena Football League (AFL), including serving as head coach for the Albany Firebirds (1990–1993), Connecticut Coyotes (1995), Charlotte Rage (1996), and Florida Bobcats. He also coached the New Haven Ninjas (2002) and Albany Conquest (2004) in AF2, the New England Surge (2007) in the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL), and the Boston Blaze (2017) in the Can-Am Indoor Football League.
The Atlanta Spartans were a minor league American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They played just one season in the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) in 1964 and played their home games at Ponce de Leon Park.
The Virginia Sailors were a minor league American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area, operating in Arlington, Virginia, Alexandria, Virginia, and Herndon, Virginia during its existence.
