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.
The Atlanta Chiefs were an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The team competed in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1968 to 1973 and again from 1979 to 1981. For the 1973 season, the team played as the Atlanta Apollos.
The 1969 NFL season was the 50th regular season of the National Football League, and its last before the AFL–NFL merger. To honor the NFL's fiftieth season, a special anniversary logo was designed and each player wore a patch on their jerseys with this logo throughout the season.
The 1967 NFL season was the 48th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 16 teams with the addition of the New Orleans Saints.
Ross O'Hanley was an American football safety with the Boston Patriots of the American Football League from 1960 to 1965. He was an All-League AFL player in 1960.
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.
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 Pottstown Firebirds were a professional American football minor league team and member of the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) from 1968 to 1970. The Pottstown Firebirds played their home games at Pottstown High School stadium. In their final two seasons of existence in Pottstown, the Firebirds won the league championship.
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.
The Hartford Charter Oaks were a professional American football team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They began play in 1964 as a member of the Atlantic Coast Football League, replacing the Ansonia Black Knights. In 1965 the Charter Oaks were one of several ACFL franchises to join the new Continental Football League, where they finished in last place in their division.
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.
Tom Kennedy was an American football quarterback. He played for the New York Giants in 1966.
The United American Football League (UAFL) (also referred as United American Professional Football League (UAPFL)) was a professional American football minor league that played in 1967. The league was an attempt by Hal Shapiro to revive professional football in Richmond, Virginia after the Richmond Rebels from the Continental Football League had folded.
Riley D. Morris was an American football linebacker and defensive end who played three seasons in the American Football League (AFL) for the Oakland Raiders and five seasons in the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) for the Boston/New Bedford Sweepers, Waterbury Orbits and Quincy Giants. He played college football at Florida A&M.
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 Atlantic City Senators were a minor league American football team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey. They played just one season in the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) in 1966 and played their home games at Bader Field. The Senators were coached by head coach Jack Klotz and assistants Dick Guesman, Johnny Popovich, Pat Stillman, Charley Tomasic, and Bob Watters.
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.
