1974: WFL Debuts with Five Games

The World Football League kicked off its inaugural 20-week season with five games on July 10, 1974. The new league started off with 12 teams, along with great ambitions and several novelties. Most games were scheduled on Wednesday nights in order to avoid conflict with high school, college, and NFL games (a weekly nationally-televised game would be played on Thursdays). The July start (the league played no preseason games, although there were some intersquad scrimmages) gave the WFL a head start on the NFL, which was beset by a player’s strike during the preseason that kept veterans out of the training camps until late August.

The WFL instituted several rules changes, some of which the NFL had adopted for the ’74 season as well - they included moving the goal posts to the back of the end zone, allowing for an overtime period in case of ties, and bringing the ball back to the line of scrimmage if a field goal was missed outside the 20 yard line. While kickoffs in the NFL would now be from the 35 rather than 40 yard line, the WFL chose to kick off from the 30. Additionally, the new league banned fair catches of punts, allowed for forward motion by backs prior to the snap, required receivers to have just one foot in bounds for a catch to be legal, and prohibited the bumping of receivers beyond three yards of the line of scrimmage. Touchdowns would be seven, rather than six points, to be followed by an “action point” that could not be kicked. An invention called a “Dickerrod” was used instead of the traditional chains for measuring first down yardage.

There were 55,534 fans in JFK Stadium as the Philadelphia Bell hosted the Portland Storm, winning 33-8 behind QB Jim “King” Corcoran (pictured below left), who had the best passing night in the WFL’s first week. Corcoran, a semi-legendary figure in the world of minor league football, completed 21 of 38 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. The running tandem of Claude Watts (94 yards on 16 carries) and John Land (73 yards on 14 attempts) also had an impressive debut. WR Vince Papale, later to become celebrated as a walk-on free agent and special teams standout for the NFL’s Eagles, caught three passes for 39 yards.


Attendance at Orlando’s Tangerine Bowl was far less (18,625) as the Florida Blazers defeated The Hawaiians in a low-scoring 8-7 contest. RB Jim Strong was the star for the Blazers, catching a three-yard touchdown pass and then scoring the decisive action point. RB Derrick Williams gained 94 yards on 18 carries for The Hawaiians while Strong and fellow running backs Tommy Reamon and A.D. Whitfield combined for 104 yards for Florida. Blazers QB Bob Davis passed for only 55 yards and Norris Weese and Bill Donckers combined for just 106 yards for the Honolulu-based club.

A crowd of over 36,000 at Soldier Field saw the Chicago Fire record a 17-0 shutout of the visiting Houston Texans. QB Virgil Carter (pictured below right) threw two touchdown passes, although he also had three picked off. WR James Scott had 10 catches for 84 yards and one of the TDs. Houston ground out 116 yards rushing but veteran quarterbacks Don Trull and Mike Taliaferro passed for just 58 yards.


Legion Field in Birmingham was filled with 53,231 fans who saw the Birmingham Americans defeat the Southern California Sun by an 11-7 tally thanks to a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown by CB Steve Williams. RB Paul Robinson spurred the ground game with 79 of Birmingham’s 144 rushing yards although rookie RB Kermit Johnson of the Sun led all rushers with 88 yards on 24 attempts.

Elvis Presley was among 30,122 in attendance at the Liberty Bowl where the Memphis Southmen were winners over the Detroit Wheels, 34-15. Memphis RB J.J. Jennings (pictured at top) had the most rushing yards in the first week with 99, including a touchdown, and also caught four passes for 83 yards and another TD. Detroit WR Hubie Bryant had the best receiving game of the first week in defeat with 7 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown.

The following night, in the first nationally-televised contest with Commissioner Gary Davidson in attendance, the largest crowd of all, 59,112, was present at Jacksonville’s Gator Bowl as the Sharks defeated the New York Stars, 14-7. However, the game suffered a delay when a blown generator caused a blackout – it was perhaps a portent of bad things to come.

While the crowds were certainly encouraging, the scarcity of points was a disappointment. The league averaged just 13.8 points per game for the six contests. Scoring would improve as the season progressed, but other factors would cast a shadow over the WFL.

Several weeks into the season, it was divulged that attendance, particularly in Philadelphia and Jacksonville, had been considerably aided by the handing out of huge numbers of free tickets. Of the 55,534 fans at JFK Stadium, only 13,800 had actually paid; a crowd of 64,719 for the second home game, against New York, contained only 6200 paid attendees. The big opening night crowd at the Gator Bowl was padded by some 44,000 free passes.

League credibility never recovered from the disclosure, and the fact that the WFL was floating in a sea of red ink became clearer as the season progressed. By the end, 10 teams remained and two of those had relocated (Detroit and Jacksonville folded; the Houston Texans became the Shreveport Steamer and the Stars moved from New York to Charlotte, NC).

1967: Jim Taylor Signs with Saints

The expansion New Orleans Saints achieved a high-profile signing on July 6, 1967 when Jim Taylor, star fullback with the Green Bay Packers, inked a contract. Taylor had played out his option with the Packers, and while clearly on the downside of his great career at age 31 (he would turn 32 early in the ’67 season) and after 1811 carries, had been contacted by several teams. A native of Baton Rouge who had played his college football at LSU, the new franchise in New Orleans was a natural choice.

Taylor had been with Green Bay since 1958 and was at the heart of the outstanding ground game during the Vince Lombardi coaching era. He rushed for over a thousand yards in five consecutive seasons and won the NFL rushing title with 1474 yards in 1962, the one year between 1957 and ’65 that Cleveland’s Jim Brown didn’t. He also set a record of 19 rushing touchdowns in that ’62 campaign – a mark that stood until 1983.

But after averaging 4.8 yards per carry during his first seven years in Green Bay, he averaged 3.5 yards in both the ’65 and ’66 seasons. A very physically punishing runner, the 6’0”, 214-pound Taylor was clearly wearing down. The Packers had drafted Jim Grabowski out of Illinois as his replacement, and after not signing a contract in his option year of 1966, it was apparent that his tenure in Green Bay had come to an end. Taylor’s high-profile backfield mate for much of his tenure with the Packers, HB Paul Hornung, was chosen by the Saints in the expansion draft but was forced to retire before the season due to a nagging neck injury.

While he provided a recognizable name for the new franchise, it was nevertheless an expansion team and not to be confused with the championship club Taylor had just left. The New Orleans offensive line was certainly not on a par with its Green Bay counterpart that had included Hall of Famers Jim Ringo at center (through 1963) and OT Forrest Gregg, and the outstanding pulling guards Jerry Kramer and Fred “Fuzzy” Thurston – nor, for that matter, was much of the rest of the club. As sportswriter Arnold Hano put it after the first preseason game, “The starting guards…were men named Jake Kupp and Del Williams, and they do not remind you of Jerry Kramer and Fred Thurston. Backing up Kupp and Williams are other guards who do not even remind you of Kupp and Williams.”

The Saints went 3-11 in their inaugural season and while Taylor was the leading rusher, it was with just 390 yards on 130 carries, for a 3.0 average gain with two touchdowns. He also caught 38 passes, second best on the team, for 251 yards and no scores. Bothered by nagging injuries, he split time at fullback with the less-accomplished veteran Ernie Wheelwright. His best rushing total was 39 yards on 14 carries in a loss to the Cowboys; he caught 7 passes for 50 yards in a contest at Philadelphia (the Eagles, who had been the first team to lose a regular season game to the Saints, 31-24 at Tulane Stadium, gained revenge in the rematch by a 48-21 margin).

Gary Cuozzo struggled as the starting quarterback, particularly as a classic drop-back passer behind a poor group of blockers, and split time with the more mobile veterans Bill Kilmer and Gary Wood. Rookie WR Dan Abramowicz, an unheralded 17th round draft pick out of Xavier of Ohio, was the star on offense with 50 pass receptions for 721 yards and six TDs. CB Dave Whitsell, a veteran obtained from the Bears, starred on defense where he was the NFL’s co-leader in interceptions with 10 (along with Detroit’s Lem Barney). Moreover, the Saints drew large and enthusiastic crowds at Tulane Stadium.

Taylor returned for the 1968 season, but when he was assigned to special teams for the opening preseason game, he left the club and announced his retirement. For Taylor, it was an unbecoming finale to his Hall of Fame career. He retired as the NFL’s number two rusher of all-time with 8597 yards on 1941 carries for a 4.4-yard average gain with 83 touchdowns. Taylor also caught 225 passes for another 1756 yards and 10 TDs.

In seven postseason games, he added 508 yards on 146 attempts (3.5 average) and two touchdowns, plus 19 catches for 137 yards and no scores. His playoff rushing numbers might not appear impressive, but he had memorable showings against strong defensive clubs (in particular the 1962 NFL title game against the Giants).

It was perhaps unfortunate that Taylor was a contemporary of Jim Brown, because he was overshadowed by the great Cleveland fullback throughout the best years of his career – a situation that he clearly resented. He was not gifted with the same level of talent as Brown, but Taylor devoted himself to conditioning and had a solid work ethic. Quiet off the field, he was an intimidating force on it, snarling at and taunting opposing defensive players while never shying from contact and fighting for every inch of ground he could gain. He was a perfect fit in the Green Bay offense and, while Jim Brown won the rushing titles and accolades, it was Taylor playing on four championship teams to Brown’s one.

1969: Don Meredith Retires From Cowboys

It was a surprise to pro football fans on July 5, 1969 when Don Meredith, after nine seasons as quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys, announced his retirement. Stating that he no longer felt committed to playing football, there was plenty of speculation as to why he was walking away at age 31. Years later he indicated that, with a divorce pending and three young children to raise, he simply felt it was time to move into something else.

Meredith’s entire football career was based in the Dallas area. He had starred at Mount Vernon High School, 60 miles from Dallas, and went on to an impressive college career at Southern Methodist. Originally chosen in the third round of the 1960 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, his rights were obtained by the expansion Cowboys in order to keep him away from the American Football League’s Dallas Texans (in fact, he signed a personal services contract with Clint Murchison, eventual owner of the Cowboys, before the franchise had officially been awarded).

For his first two pro seasons, Meredith backed up veteran QB Eddie LeBaron. The two quarterbacks split time for much of the ’62 season, and Meredith supplanted LeBaron as the full-time starting quarterback in 1963. There were criticisms regarding Meredith’s laid-back nature (he was known to trot into the huddle singing a country music tune) and a lack of commitment to learning his craft, but he demonstrated a great deal of toughness and football savvy and was popular with teammates – if not always with Head Coach Tom Landry and his staff.

The critical period for Meredith came in 1964 and ’65. A mobile quarterback, his scrambling exposed him to multiple injuries throughout his career, but especially during the ’64 season when he suffered torn knee cartilage, a shoulder separation, sprained ankle, and ruptured stomach muscle. A bad shoulder caused him to get off to a poor start in 1965 and young backups Craig Morton and Jerry Rhome were used in his place. But after a vote of confidence from Coach Landry (with whom the quarterback had a decidedly up-and-down relationship) Meredith and the Cowboys offense caught fire in the second half of the ’65 season, winning five of the last seven games.

Dallas made it to the NFL Championship game following the 1966 and ’67 seasons, losing close contests to the Green Bay Packers in each instance. Meredith was selected to the Pro Bowl after each of those years (he also received the Bert Bell Trophy from the Maxwell Club as NFL Player of the Year in ’66). He was named to the Pro Bowl again in 1968 after a solid statistical season in which the club went 12-2, the best record with Meredith as quarterback. However, the Cowboys were upset 31-20 in the Eastern Conference Championship contest by the Cleveland Browns. The team had gained a reputation for not being able to win big games, and Meredith took a great deal of heat from the Dallas fans and media.

In all, the 6’3”, 210-pound quarterback completed 50.7 % of his 2308 passes (his 55.3 completion percentage in ’68 was his career high) for 17,199 yards with 135 touchdowns and 111 interceptions. The team’s record in his regular season starts was 48-33-4, but 1-3 in the postseason. The effect of the numerous injuries he sustained was reflected in his only twice appearing in all 14 games in a season.

Meredith became a stockbroker immediately after retiring, but didn’t stay with it for long, returning to public view as a color commentator for the original Monday Night Football broadcasting crew in 1970. Typically referred to by his nickname “Dandy Don”, his wry wit was often used to needle the pompous Howard Cosell, to the delight of audiences, and he would sing “turn out the lights, the party’s over” when a game’s outcome was certain. He left following the 1973 season but returned in ‘77, leaving the Monday Night Football booth for good in 1984. Meredith also had an acting career and even recorded a couple of country music songs while still a player for the Cowboys.

Had Dallas been able to win at least one of the tight title matches with the Packers, Meredith’s reputation likely would have been enhanced. As it was, “Dandy Don” was eventually honored by selection to the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor. Dallas moved on with Craig Morton and Roger Staubach, the former Heisman-winning signal caller at Navy who joined the team following the end of his military commitment in 1969, right as Meredith was leaving.

List of the Day: Best Pass Receiving Seasons, USFL

(1983-85)


Richard Johnson

TOP 10 RECEPTIONS
1- Richard Johnson, 1984 Houston Gamblers
115 rec., 1455 yards, 12.7 avg., 15 TD

2- Richard Johnson, 1985 Houston Gamblers
103 rec., 1384 yards, 13.4 avg., 14 TD

3(tied)- Ricky Sanders, 1984 Houston Gamblers
101 rec., 1378 yards, 13.6 avg., 11 TD

3(tied)- Lonnie Harris, 1985 Denver Gold
101 rec., 1432 yards, 14.2 avg., 8 TD

5- Joey Walters, 1984 Washington Federals
98 rec., 1410 yards, 14.4 avg., 13 TD

6- Trumaine Johnson, 1984 Arizona Wranglers
90 rec., 1268 yards, 14.1 avg., 13 TD

7- Jim Smith, 1984 Birmingham Stallions
89 rec., 1481 yards, 16.6 avg., 8 TD

8- Jim Smith, 1985 Birmingham Stallions
87 rec., 1322 yards, 15.2 avg., 20 TD

9- Clarence Verdin, 1985 Houston Gamblers
84 rec., 1004 yards, 12.0 avg., 9 TD

10-Alton Alexis, 1985 Jacksonville Bulls
83 rec., 1118 yards, 13.5 avg., 5 TD


Ricky Sanders

BEST BY FRANCHISES NOT IN TOP 10
Chicago Blitz: Trumaine Johnson, 1983*
81 rec., 1322 yards, 16.3 avg., 10 TD

Tampa Bay Bandits: Danny Buggs, 1983
76 rec., 1146 yards, 15.1 avg., 5 TD

Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars: Scott Fitzkee, 1985
73 rec., 882 yards, 12.1 avg., 3 TD

Memphis Showboats: Derrick Crawford, 1985**
70 rec., 1057 yards, 15.1 avg., 9 TD

Oakland Invaders: Anthony Carter, 1985
70 rec., 1323 yards, 18.9 avg., 14 TD

Los Angeles Express: Ricky Ellis, 1983
69 rec., 716 yards, 10.4 avg., 6 TD

Boston/N.O./Portland Breakers: Dan Ross, 1984
65 rec., 833 yards, 12.8 avg., 2 TD

Pittsburgh Maulers: Greg Anderson, 1984***
63 rec., 994 yards, 15.8 avg., 6 TD

Michigan Panthers: Derek Holloway, 1984*
62 rec., 1219 yards, 19.7 avg., 9 TD

Okla./Arizona Outlaws: Alphonso Williams, 1985**
55 rec., 1020 yards, 18.5 avg., 8 TD

New Jersey Generals: Herschel Walker, 1983****
53 rec., 489 yards, 9.2 avg., 1 TD

San Antonio Gunslingers: Don Roberts, 1985*****
53 rec., 653 yards, 12.3 avg., 4 TD

* Team played in 1983-84 only
** Team played in 1984-85 only
*** Team played in 1984 only
**** Running Back
***** Running Back; team played in 1984-85 only


Joey Walters



Anthony Carter

TOP 10 YARDS
1- Jim Smith, 1984 Birmingham Stallions
1481 yards, 89 rec., 16.6 avg., 8 TD

2- Richard Johnson, 1984 Houston Gamblers
1455 yards, 115 rec., 12.7 avg., 15 TD

3- Lonnie Harris, 1985 Denver Gold
1432 yards, 101 rec., 14.2 avg., 8 TD

4- Joey Walters, 1984 Washington Federals
1410 yards, 98 rec., 14.4 avg., 13 TD

5- Richard Johnson, 1985 Houston Gamblers
1384 yards, 103 rec., 13.4 avg., 14 TD

6- Ricky Sanders, 1984 Houston Gamblers
1378 yards, 101 rec., 13.6 avg., 11 TD

7- Anthony Carter, 1985 Oakland Invaders
1323 yards, 70 rec., 18.9 avg., 14 TD

8(tied)- Trumaine Johnson, 1983 Chicago Blitz
1322 yards , 81 rec., 16.3 avg., 10 TD

8(tied)- Jim Smith, 1985 Birmingham Stallions
1322 yards, 87 rec., 15.2 avg., 20 TD

10-Trumaine Johnson, 1984 Arizona Wranglers
1268 yards, 90 rec., 14.1 avg., 13 TD


Trumaine Johnson



Danny Buggs

BEST BY FRANCHISES NOT IN TOP 10
Michigan Panthers: Derek Holloway, 1984*
1219 yards, 62 rec., 19.7 avg., 9 TD

Boston/N.O./Portland Breakers: Frank Lockett, 1984
1199 yards, 56 rec., 21.4 avg., 8 TD

Tampa Bay Bandits: Danny Buggs, 1983
1146 yards, 76 rec., 15.1 avg., 5 TD

Memphis Showboats: Greg Moser, 1985**
1145 yards, 57 rec., 20.1 avg., 6 TD

Jacksonville Bulls: Alton Alexis, 1985**
1118 yards, 83 rec., 13.5 avg., 5 TD

Okla./Arizona Outlaws: Alphonso Williams, 1984**
1087 yards, 50 rec., 21.7 avg., 7 TD

Pittsburgh Maulers: Greg Anderson, 1984***
994 yards, 63 rec., 15.8 avg., 6 TD

Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars: Scott Fitzkee, 1984
895 yards, 55 rec., 16.3 avg., 9 TD

Los Angeles Express: JoJo Townsell, 1984
889 yards, 58 rec., 15.3 avg., 7 TD

San Antonio Gunslingers: Frank Lockett, 1985**
794 yards, 43 rec., 18.5 avg., 3 TD

New Jersey Generals: Sam Bowers, 1983
715 yards, 43 rec., 16.6 avg., 1 TD

* Team played in 1983-84 only
** Team played in 1984-85 only
*** Team played in 1984 only


Scott Fitzkee



Sam Bowers

1984: Express Defeat Panthers in 3rd Overtime Period

The United States Football League first round playoff matchup on June 30, 1984 at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles featured two teams that completed the regular season with 10-8 records. The host Express, champions of the Pacific Division, were up against the Michigan Panthers, the defending league champions who had finished second in the Central Division and qualified for the postseason as a wild card entry.

The Panthers, under Head Coach Jim Stanley, had looked bound to win the title again as they broke out to a 6-0 start. However, the loss of key players to injury - in particular WR Anthony Carter, SS David Greenwood, and G Thom Dornbrook - caused the club to sputter. Michigan proceeded to lose four consecutive games, and seven of eight, before winning three of the last four contests to make it into the playoffs. QB Bobby Hebert, who had played so well as a rookie in ’83 in leading the team to the title, was still effective but was forced to play through injuries and clearly missed the presence of Carter as his primary receiver after the sixth game.

Los Angeles had started slowly at 2-5 under Head Coach John Hadl and had difficulty putting points on the board. However, the insertion of rookie Steve Young (pictured above) as the starting quarterback began to pay off in the second half of the season, and the team went 8-3 the rest of the way to win the league’s weakest division.

The Express had experienced difficulty in drawing fans, and even though it was a playoff game there were just 7964 in attendance at the huge Coliseum. LA scored first, keeping the ball on the ground for seven of ten plays in an opening drive that concluded with a five-yard touchdown run by RB Kevin Nelson, the club’s leading rusher during the season.

That was it until midway through the second quarter when the Express extended the lead to 10-0 thanks to a 32-yard field goal by Tony Zendejas. Michigan got on the board late in the period on a three-yard TD run by RB Cleo Miller and then scored quickly again after intercepting a Young pass that was followed by a 22-yard touchdown throw from Hebert to RB Ken Lacy. The Panthers took a 14-10 lead into halftime.

Zendejas narrowed the margin to 14-13 late in the third quarter with a 34-yard field goal. However, Hebert threw a two-yard touchdown pass to TE Mike Cobb in the fourth quarter to stake the Panthers to an eight-point lead.

With 8:57 left in regulation, LA took possession at its 20 yard line. On first down, Young looked set to pass but took off on a seven-yard run. He didn’t slide at the end of the play, attempting to pick up more yardage, and was hit hard by Michigan LB Kyle Borland. Appearing dazed by the hit, the rookie quarterback ignored a request by Coach Hadl to leave the game and trotted back to the huddle – an act that seemed to inspire the offense.

RB Mel Gray carried for six yards and a first down on the next play, and a screen pass to WR JoJo Townsell picked up nine more. The drive stalled on the Panthers 47, but on a fourth-and-one play Young ran for four yards before taking yet another hard hit, this time from FS Ron Osborne. He followed up with a 22-yard pass to TE Darren Long and then, on a third down play at the Michigan 12, took off on another run that ended just short of the goal line. From there, Nelson scored with just 52 seconds remaining. The Express went for the two-point conversion and Young ran it in to tie the contest at 21-21.

The game went into overtime, and for two periods neither team could break the deadlock. Michigan’s normally reliable placekicker, Novo Bojovic, who had been successful on 22 of 29 field goal attempts during the season, missed twice during OT – the first a near-miss from 37 yards out while the second, from 36 yards, was badly shanked. Hebert had been knocked out of the game after being blind-sided while sacked by DT Eddie Weaver and was replaced by backup Whit Taylor.

The Express offense couldn’t move during the first 30 minutes of overtime, but finally in the third OT period Young hit Townsell on two slant passes that totaled 47 yards and Gray ended the contest with a 24-yard burst for a touchdown. It was a painful end to the marathon game for Gray, who was hit hard as he reached the goal line and suffered a broken arm that had him lying on the field in pain rather than celebrating.

At 93 minutes and 33 seconds (the winning score came at 3:33 into the third overtime period), it had been the longest pro football game ever played, breaking the 82:40 mark of the 1971 NFL Divisional playoff between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. As John Hadl summed up afterward, “I’ve never been through anything like that in my life.”


Steve Young completed 23 of 44 passes for 295 yards with two interceptions, ran for 44 yards on 7 carries, and received praise for his gritty performance, particularly in the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter. Mel Gray (pictured at right), who would go on to an outstanding NFL career as a kick returner, rushed for 124 yards on 31 carries including the game-winning TD. JoJo Townsell led the LA receivers with five catches for 96 yards; TE David Hersey also caught five passes, for 68 yards.

In defeat, Bobby Hebert completed 13 of 27 pass attempts for 201 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. RB John Williams gained 113 yards on 23 carries while Ken Lacy added 60 yards on five rushes. Lacy was co-leader in pass receiving with four catches for 57 yards and WR Derek Holloway had four receptions for a team-leading 67 yards.

Both teams topped 200 rushing yards, with Michigan outgaining the Express 236 to 217. The Express had the net passing yardage advantage at 285 to 245 and also led in time of possession, 51:59 to 41:34. The Panthers suffered four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble) to LA’s three (two interceptions, one fumble). But the kicking game proved crucial, as Tony Zendejas was successful in both of his field goal attempts for the Express while Novo Bojovic missed all three of his attempted three-pointers for Michigan, including the two failures in overtime (Bojovic is pictured at bottom after one of the missed attempts).

The Express lost the Western Conference title game to the Arizona Wranglers the following week, 35-23. The marathon game proved to be the finale for the Michigan Panthers, although it wasn’t known at the time – the franchise was merged with the Oakland Invaders in 1985 and abandoned the Michigan home base and identity altogether.

List of the Day: Best Passing Yardage Seasons, USFL

(1983-85)


Jim Kelly

TOP 10
1- Jim Kelly, 1984 Houston Gamblers
5219 yards, 370-587, 63.0 %, 44 TD, 26 INT

2- Jim Kelly, 1985 Houston Gamblers
4623 yards, 360-567, 63.5 %, 39 TD, 19 INT

3- John Reaves, 1985 Tampa Bay Bandits
4193 yards, 314-561, 56.0 %, 25 TD, 29 INT

4- John Reaves, 1984 Tampa Bay Bandits
4092 yards, 313-544, 57.5 %, 28 TD, 16 INT

5- Fred Besana, 1983 Oakland Invaders
3980 yards, 345-550, 62.7 %, 21 TD, 16 INT

6- Chuck Fusina, 1984 Philadelphia Stars
3837 yards, 302-465, 64.9 %, 31 TD, 9 INT

7- Bobby Hebert, 1985 Oakland Invaders
3811 yards, 244-456, 53.5 %, 30 TD, 19 INT

8- John Walton, 1983 Boston Breakers
3772 yards, 330-589, 56.0 %, 20 TD, 18 INT

9- Bobby Hebert, 1984 Michigan Panthers
3758 yards, 272-500, 54.4 %, 24 TD, 22 INT

10-Doug Williams, 1985 Arizona Outlaws
3673 yards, 271-509, 53.2 %, 21 TD, 17 INT


John Reaves



Fred Besana



Chuck Fusina

BEST BY FRANCHISES NOT IN TOP 10
Arizona Wranglers: Greg Landry, 1984*
3534 yards, 283-449, 63.0 %, 26 TD, 15 INT

Birmingham Stallions: Cliff Stoudt, 1985
3358 yards, 266-444, 59.9 %, 34 TD, 19 INT

San Antonio Gunslingers: Rick Neuheisel, 1985**
3068 yards, 239-421, 56.8 %, 18 TD, 25 INT

Jacksonville Bulls: Ed Luther, 1985**
2792 yards, 240-400, 60.0 %, 15 TD, 21 INT

Washington/Orlando: Mike Hohensee, 1984
2766 yards, 231-401, 57.6 %, 17 TD, 20 INT

Denver Gold: Bob Gagliano, 1985
2695 yards, 205-358, 57.3 %, 13 TD, 17 INT

Chicago Blitz: Vince Evans, 1984*
2624 yards, 200-411, 48.7 %, 14 TD, 22 INT

New Jersey Generals: Brian Sipe, 1984
2540 yards, 192-324, 59.3 %, 17 TD, 15 INT

Pittsburgh Maulers: Glenn Carano, 1984***
2368 yards, 190-354, 53.7 %, 13 TD, 19 INT

Los Angeles Express: Steve Young, 1984
2361 yards, 179-310, 57.7 %, 10 TD, 9 INT

Memphis Showboats: Mike Kelley, 1985**
2186 yards, 165-260, 63.5 %, 9 TD, 14 INT

* Team played in 1983-84 only
** Team played in 1984-85 only
*** Team played in 1984 only


Bobby Hebert



John Walton



Doug Williams

1983: Bobby Hebert Tosses 5 TD Passes as Panthers Beat Blitz

After a slow start in the United States Football League’s first season, the Michigan Panthers caught fire. They were 1-4 by the fifth week, but proceeded to win six straight games and 9 of 11 prior to their June 26, 1983 showdown against the Chicago Blitz at Soldier Field.

The Panthers offense had prospered behind the play of two rookies, QB Bobby Hebert and WR Anthony Carter, and this game would be no different. Meanwhile the Blitz, coached by George Allen and heavy preseason favorites to dominate the USFL, were 11-5 and just a game ahead of Michigan in the Central Division. They had obtained veteran QB Bobby Scott from the New Jersey Generals after Greg Landry, the club’s original starter, went down with a broken ankle; after Landry’s replacement, Tim Koegel, also suffered an injury, Scott moved into the starting lineup the previous week in a 29-14 win over Birmingham.

On a 99-degree day before 25,041 fans, the Panthers took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a pass from Hebert to RB Ken Lacy that covered 39 yards. It was 14-0 in the second quarter after Hebert threw his second TD pass of the day, for 35 yards to Carter. The Blitz got on the board with a 34-yard field goal by Frank Corral, but Hebert threw a 42-yard TD pass to WR Derek Holloway and Michigan took a 21-3 lead into halftime.

Hebert hit Holloway for another touchdown, of 15 yards, in the third quarter. While the extra point failed, the lead of 27-3 seemed secure. Still, Chicago rallied for 16 straight points in the fourth quarter. RB Kevin Long ran for a four-yard TD, although the attempted two-point conversion afterward failed. But Corral kicked a 40-yard field goal and Scott threw a nine-yard scoring pass to WR Trumaine Johnson to pull within reach of the Panthers at 27-19. However, Hebert’s fifth touchdown pass of the day, covering 32 yards to Carter, sealed the 34-19 win for Michigan.

Bobby Hebert completed 13 of 20 passes for 265 yards and an interception. His five touchdown passes set a USFL record that was tied six times over the next two seasons but never exceeded. Anthony Carter had his best game as a pro to date, catching 8 passes for 143 yards including the two TDs. Ken Lacy led the club in rushing with 77 yards on 21 carries in addition to his lone pass reception, the 39-yard TD.

Bobby Scott did not do badly for the Blitz, completing 22 of 39 passes for 345 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Trumaine Johnson, the eventual league-leader in pass receiving, had 8 receptions for 138 yards and the one TD. However, the normally proficient running game was held to 98 yards, with Kevin Long accumulating 33 yards on 10 carries and Tim Spencer adding 29 yards, also on 10 attempts.


The Panthers sacked Scott six times (suffering just one of their own), with LB John Corker accounting for two on his way to a USFL-leading 28. Corker also had an interception.

The win put the Panthers in a three-way tie atop the Central Division with the Blitz and Tampa Bay Bandits. Ultimately, after the final week action, Michigan and Chicago ended up with 12-6 records; the Panthers won the division title on tiebreakers while the Blitz made it to the postseason as the wild card entry. Tampa Bay placed third with an 11-7 mark. Chicago lost to the Philadelphia Stars in the first round of the postseason. Michigan ultimately won the league championship, defeating the Stars, 24-22.

Bobby Hebert led the league in overall passing rank as well as touchdowns (27) and yards per attempt (7.9). His 3568 yards through the air ranked third. Anthony Carter placed well behind Trumaine Johnson in pass receptions, but had an outstanding first year with 60 catches for 1181 yards and 9 touchdowns. John Corker not only was an All-League selection, but the Defensive Player of the Year.