1991 WLAF season
Encyclopedia
The 1991 WLAF season was the inaugural season of the World League of American Football
. The league champions were the London Monarchs
, who defeated the Barcelona Dragons
in World Bowl '91
.
World League of American Football
The World League of American Football was founded in 1990 with support from the National Football League to play professional American football in North America, Europe and later possibly Asia...
. The league champions were the London Monarchs
London Monarchs
The London Monarchs were a professional American football team in NFL Europe and its predecessor league, the World League of American Football . The Monarchs played their final season in 1998 as the England Monarchs...
, who defeated the Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
in World Bowl '91
World Bowl 91
World Bowl '91, also commonly referred to as World Bowl I, was the first annual championship game of the World League of American Football. It took place June 9, 1991 at London's Wembley Stadium. The game featured a matchup between the Barcelona Dragons and the London Monarchs...
.
Standings
| European Division | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ||||||||
| London Monarchs 1991 London Monarchs season The 1991 London Monarchs season was the inaugural season for the team in the World League of American Football.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:... * |
9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | 310 | 121 | 1–1 | |
| Barcelona Dragons 1991 Barcelona Dragons season The 1991 Barcelona Dragons season was the inaugural season for the team in the World League of American Football.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:... ** |
8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | 206 | 126 | 1–1 | |
| Frankfurt Galaxy 1991 Frankfurt Galaxy season The 1991 Frankfurt Galaxy season was the inaugural season for the team in the World League of American Football.-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Standings:-Honors:... |
7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 155 | 139 | 1–1 | |
| North American East Division | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ||||||||
| New York/New Jersey Knights New York/New Jersey Knights 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 & Shoot offense.After 1992 the NFL ... * |
5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 257 | 155 | 3–0 | |
| Orlando Thunder Orlando Thunder The Orlando Thunder was a member of the World League of American Football from 1991 to 1992 . The team played their games in the 70,000 seat Citrus Bowl, and was coached by Don Matthews in 1991 and Galen Hall in 1992... |
5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 242 | 286 | 3–1 | |
| Montreal Machine Montreal Machine The Montreal Machine was the sole Canadian team in the World League of American Football, a springtime developmental professional league set up by the National Football League that played in 1991 and 1992. There were also three European teams and six U.S.-based teams... |
4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 145 | 244 | 1–2 | |
| Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | 0 | 10 | 0 | .000 | 123 | 300 | 0–4 | |
| North American West Division | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ||||||||
| Birmingham Fire Birmingham Fire The Birmingham Fire was a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played at Legion Field, and it made the playoffs in both seasons.... * |
5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 140 | 140 | 2–0 | |
| San Antonio Riders San Antonio Riders The San Antonio Riders were a professional American football team that played in the WLAF in 1991 and 1992. The team played in the Alamo Stadium in 1991 and then were forced to move to Bobcat Stadium on the campus of Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, 45 miles northeast of San... |
4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 176 | 196 | 1–1 | |
| Sacramento Surge Sacramento Surge The Sacramento Surge was a professional American football team that played in the World League of American Football 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... |
3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | 179 | 226 | 0–2 | |
- * Division winners
- ** Wild Card qualifier for playoffs
- New York/New Jersey won North American East title based on head-to-head record (1–0) vs. Orlando.
Week 1
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, March 23 | London Monarchs | 24–11 | Frankfurt Galaxy |
| Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | 3–9 | Sacramento Surge | |
| Montreal Machine | 20–5 | Birmingham Fire | |
| Sunday, March 24 | New York/New Jersey Knights | 7–19 | Barcelona Dragons |
| Monday, March 25 | San Antonio Riders | 34–35 | Orlando Thunder |
Week 2
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, March 30 | Sacramento Surge | 10–17 | Birmingham Fire |
| Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | 20–58 | Orlando Thunder | |
| Sunday, March 31 | New York/New Jersey Knights | 18–22 | London Monarchs |
| Monday, April 1 | Frankfurt Galaxy | 10–3 | San Antonio Riders |
| Barcelona Dragons | 34–10 | Montreal Machine |
Week 3
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, April 6 | Orlando Thunder | 12–35 | London Monarchs |
| Barcelona Dragons | 26–14 | Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | |
| Frankfurt Galaxy | 27–17 | New York/New Jersey Knights | |
| Sunday, April 7 | Sacramento Surge | 3–10 | San Antonio Riders |
| Monday, April 8 | Birmingham Fire | 10–23 | Montreal Machine |
Week 4
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, April 13 | Frankfurt Galaxy | 10–16 | Sacramento Surge |
| New York/New Jersey Knights | 44–0 | Montreal Machine | |
| Sunday, April 14 | Orlando Thunder | 13–33 | Barcelona Dragons |
| Monday, April 15 | San Antonio Riders | 37–15 | Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks |
| London Monarchs | 27–0 | Birmingham Fire |
Week 5
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, April 20 | Montreal Machine | 7–45 | London Monarchs |
| Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | 28–30 | Frankfurt Galaxy | |
| Barcelona Dragons | 14–22 | San Antonio Riders | |
| Sunday, April 21 | Birmingham Fire | 31–6 | Orlando Thunder |
| Monday, April 22 | Sacramento Surge | 20–28 | New York/New Jersey Knights |
Week 6
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, April 27 | Montreal Machine | 7–17 | Frankfurt Galaxy |
| Barcelona Dragons | 29–20 | Sacramento Surge | |
| Orlando Thunder | 6–42 | New York/New Jersey Knights | |
| Sunday, April 28 | Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | 10–35 | London Monarchs |
| Monday, April 29 | San Antonio Riders | 12–16 | Birmingham Fire |
Week 7
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 4 | Birmingham Fire | 6–11 | Barcelona Dragons |
| Frankfurt Galaxy | 17–14 | Orlando Thunder | |
| Montreal Machine | 26–23 | Sacramento Surge | |
| Sunday, May 5 | New York/New Jersey Knights | 42–6 | Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks |
| Monday, May 6 | London Monarchs | 38–15 | San Antonio Riders |
Week 8
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 11 | San Antonio Riders | 7–17 | Barcelona Dragons |
| London Monarchs | 22–7 | New York/New Jersey Knights | |
| Sacramento Surge | 33–45 | Orlando Thunder | |
| Sunday, May 12 | Birmingham Fire | 3–10 | Frankfurt Galaxy |
| Monday, May 13 | Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | 6–15 | Montreal Machine |
Week 9
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 18 | Montreal Machine | 10–27 | San Antonio Riders |
| London Monarchs | 45–21 | Sacramento Surge | |
| Sunday, May 19 | Frankfurt Galaxy | 10–3 | Barcelona Dragons |
| Monday, May 20 | Orlando Thunder | 20–14 | Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks |
| New York/New Jersey Knights | 14–24 | Birmingham Fire |
Week 10
| Date | Visiting team | Final score | Home team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 25 | Sacramento Surge | 24–13 | Frankfurt Galaxy |
| Birmingham Fire | 28–7 | Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks | |
| San Antonio Riders | 9–38 | New York/New Jersey Knights | |
| Monday, May 27 | Barcelona Dragons | 20–17 | London Monarchs |
| Orlando Thunder | 33–27 | Montreal Machine |
Playoffs
Offense
| Position | First team | Second team |
|---|---|---|
| Wide receiver Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible... |
Jon Horton, London Gene Taylor Gene Taylor (American football) Gene Taylor is a former professional American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 1987 NFL Draft... , Barcelona Byron Williams, Orlando |
Dana Brinson Dana Brinson Dana Brinson is a former professional American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eight round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... , London Monty Gilbreath, NY/NJ Carl Parker, Sacramento |
| Tackle | Steve Gabbard Steve Gabbard Steve Gabbard is a former defensive tackle in the National Football League.-Career:Gabbard was a member of the Green Bay Packers during the 1991 NFL season. He played at the collegiate level at Florida State University.-References:... , London Mike Withycombe Mike Withycombe William Michael Withycombe is a former professional American and Canadian football offensive lineman who played three seasons in the Canadian Football League, mainly for the Baltimore Stallions. Previously he played four seasons in the NFL for three different teams. He played college football at... , Orlando |
Scott Adams Scott Adams (American football) Scott Adams is a former professional American football player who played Guard for six seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Atlanta Falcons.-References:... , Barcelona Theo Adams, London |
| Guard Guard (American football) In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team.... |
Paul Berardelli, London Gary Frank, Frankfurt |
John Guerrero, Orlando Barry Voorhees, Barcelona |
| Center Center (American football) Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense... |
Doug Marrone Doug Marrone Douglas Charles Marrone is an American football coach. He currently serves as head coach of the Syracuse University Orange, replacing Greg Robinson... , London |
Curtis Wilson, Sacramento |
| Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Stan Gelbaugh Stan Gelbaugh Stanley Morris Gelbaugh is a former professional American football quarterback. Although he played several seasons in the National Football League, he attained his greatest success in the World League of American Football with the London Monarchs, where he was the league's Offensive Most Valuable... , London |
Scott Erney, Barcelona |
| Running back Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
Tony Baker Tony Baker (running back) Tony Ferrino Baker is a former professional American football running back. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the tenth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He played college football at East Carolina.... , Frankfurt Ricky Blake, San Antonio |
Judd Garrett Judd Garrett Judd Garrett is an American football coach and former running back. He is currently the director of pro scouting for the Dallas Cowboys.-Early years:... , London Eric Mitchell, Orlando Eric Wilkerson, NY/NJ |
Defense
| Position | First team | Second team |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive end Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... |
Bruce Clark Bruce Clark (American football) Bruce Clark is a former American football defensive end who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs. He was drafted in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, but chose to play in the Canadian Football League. Clark played two... , Barcelona Mark Mraz Mark Mraz Mark David Mraz is a former professional American football defensive end who played in the National Football League, World League of American Football and the Canadian Football League... , Frankfurt |
Donnie Gardner Donnie Gardner Redondo Lee "Donnie" Gardner is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL Draft... , San Antonio Shawn Knight Shawn Knight Shawn Matt Knight is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted in the first round by the New Orleans Saints, 11th overall in the 1987 NFL Draft. He played just three seasons in the NFL playing one season for the Saints, Denver Broncos and Phoenix Cardinals each.... , Sacramento |
| Nose tackle | Roy Hart Roy Hart (American football) Roy Hart Jr. is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 1988 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina.... , London |
Darrell Phillips, Birmingham Mike Teeter Mike Teeter Michael Lee "Mike" Teeter is a former professional American football defensive lineman who played for three seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Oilers in the National Football League.-References:... , Frankfurt |
| Outside linebacker | Danny Lockett, London Tracy Simien Tracy Simien Tracy Anthony Simien is a former professional American football linebacker. He played college football at Texas Christian University. He played eight seasons in the NFL, mainly for the Kansas City Chiefs.... , Montreal |
Marlon Brown, London Ron Sancho, NY/NJ |
| Inside linebacker | John Brantley, Birmingham Tim Walton, San Antonio |
Ron Goetz, Barcelona Pete Najarian, Sacramento Ken Sale, London |
| Cornerback Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
Anthony Parker Anthony Parker (American football) Will Anthony Parker is a former American football cornerback who played nine seasons in the National Football League, mainly for the Minnesota Vikings. He attended McClintock High School in Tempe, Arizona, before attending Arizona State University... , NY/NJ Corris Ervin, London |
John Holland, Birmingham Richard Shelton Richard Shelton (American football) Richard Eddie Shelton is a former professional American football cornerback in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is currently a scout for the Tennessee Titans.-External links:*... , Montreal |
| Strong safety | Greg Coauette, Sacramento | Tim Broady, Frankfurt |
| Free safety | John Miller, Birmingham | Dedrick Dodge Dedrick Dodge Dedrick Allen Dodge , is a former American football safety. He played college football at Florida State University and then in eight seasons in the National Football League from 1991-1998. He played in Super Bowl XXIX for the San Francisco 49ers and in Super Bowl XXXII for the Denver Broncos... , London |
Specialists
| Position | First team | Second team |
|---|---|---|
| Kicker Placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points... |
Phil Alexander Phil Alexander Phillip "Phil" Alexander is a retired association footballer and American footballer. He is now the Chief Executive of Crystal Palace.-Association football:... , London |
Björn Nittmo Björn Nittmo Björn Arne Nittmo is a retired American football placekicker, being the first Swedish-born player ever in the National Football League.-Football career:... , Montreal |
| Punter | Chris Mohr Chris Mohr (American football) Christopher Garrett Mohr is a former American football punter. Mohr grew up in Thomson, Georgia, where he played football at Briarwood Academy. He was recruited by the University of Alabama, where he was the team's starting punter for three years... , Montreal |
Kirk Maggio, Birmingham |
| Special teams | Erroll Tucker Erroll Tucker Erroll Tucker is a former professional American football cornerback and return specialist. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah.... , Orlando (PR) |
Richard Shelton, Montreal (PR) |
| Operation Discovery | Phil Alexander, London | Victor Ebubedike Victor Ebubedike Victor Ebubedike was an English American football player who played as a running back for NFL Europe's London Monarchs from 1991–1992 and 1995-1998... , London |