Chicago Enforcers
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Enforcers were a short-lived American football
team based in Chicago, Illinois at Soldier Field
. This team was part of the failed XFL
begun by Vince McMahon
of World Wrestling Entertainment
and by NBC
, a major television
network in the United States
. NBC dropped the XFL concept after the first season in 2001 due to dismal ratings, and the dissolution of the league was announced shortly afterwards.
The team name references mob enforcer
s, alluding to Chicago's history of mafia
influence (see, for instance, Al Capone
) and continuing a theme of naming teams with themes of evil, insanity, or criminal activity ("Enforcers" falling into the last of these categories).
Originally, rumors swirled that former Chicago Bears
defensive coordinator
and Philadelphia Eagles
head coach
Buddy Ryan
would be hired as the team's coach; ultimately, Hall of Fame
linebacker
Dick Butkus
was hired for the position. However, just before the season started, he resigned to take a position in the XFL office. He was replaced by coaching veteran Ron Meyer
.
Among their players was former NFL running back
LeShon Johnson
, who had played for the Green Bay Packers
, Arizona Cardinals
and the New York Giants
. He was starting tailback
for the Cardinals for most of 1996. He led the Enforcers with 6 rushing touchdowns, which was second in the league. They also had former NFL running back John Avery
who played for the Miami Dolphins
. Their wide receiver/kick returner Roell Preston
(who previously played for the Atlanta Falcons
, Green Bay Packers
, Miami Dolphins
, San Francisco 49ers
, and Tennessee Titans
) held the distinction of being the only former Pro Bowl
er (1998 as a Packer) to play in the XFL. The team's starting right guard, Bennie Anderson
, went on to be a starter for the Baltimore Ravens
and Buffalo Bills
, and last played professional football in 2006 for the Miami Dolphins
.
The Enforcers got off to a slow start, losing their first four games with Tim Lester, who prior to joining the XFL was (as frequently noted) a math teacher, at starting quarterback. In week 5, the team replaced Lester with the former Notre Dame Quatrerback Kevin McDougal
and the team went 5-1 in the rest of the season (winning their last four in a row), coming from behind to make the XFL playoffs at 2nd place in the Eastern Division. In addition to their potent rushing attack led by league leading running back John Avery, they were also known for their hard hitting defense. They lost to eventual XFL champion Los Angeles Xtreme
in the crossover semifinals.
The Enforcers were part of the Eastern Division with the Orlando Rage
, New York/New Jersey Hitmen
and the Birmingham Thunderbolts
. Their radio flagship station was WMVP
, ESPN Radio 1000.
|2001 || 5 || 6 || 0 || 2nd Eastern || Lost Semifinals (Los Angeles
)
|-
!Totals || 5 || 6 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in Chicago, Illinois at Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. This team was part of the failed XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
begun by Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
of World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and by NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, a major television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
network in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. NBC dropped the XFL concept after the first season in 2001 due to dismal ratings, and the dissolution of the league was announced shortly afterwards.
The team name references mob enforcer
Mob Enforcer
Mob Enforcer is a Mafia related PC game. It was released on the Xbox with multiplayer capabilities under the title Chicago Enforcer.-Description:...
s, alluding to Chicago's history of mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
influence (see, for instance, Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
) and continuing a theme of naming teams with themes of evil, insanity, or criminal activity ("Enforcers" falling into the last of these categories).
Originally, rumors swirled that former Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Buddy Ryan
Buddy Ryan
James David "Buddy" Ryan is a former American NFL football coach.-Early years:Ryan was born and reared in a small, agricultural-based community "just outside of Frederick, Oklahoma." Ryan played college football for Oklahoma A&M University where he earned four letters as a guard between 1952 and...
would be hired as the team's coach; ultimately, Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Dick Butkus
Dick Butkus
Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus is a former American football player for the Chicago Bears. He was drafted in 1965 and he is also widely regarded as one of the best and most durable linebackers of all time. Butkus starred as a football player for the University of Illinois and the Chicago Bears. He...
was hired for the position. However, just before the season started, he resigned to take a position in the XFL office. He was replaced by coaching veteran Ron Meyer
Ron Meyer
-References:...
.
Among their players was former NFL 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...
LeShon Johnson
LeShon Johnson
LeShon Eugene Johnson is a former American football player who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 1994 NFL Draft....
, who had played for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was starting tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
for the Cardinals for most of 1996. He led the Enforcers with 6 rushing touchdowns, which was second in the league. They also had former NFL running back John Avery
John Avery (football player)
John Edward Avery, Jr. is a former professional Canadian football and American football player. He most recently played with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, but also played with the National Football League's and the XFL John Edward Avery, Jr. (born January 11, 1976 in...
who played for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Their wide receiver/kick returner Roell Preston
Roell Preston
Roell Preston is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 1995 NFL Draft...
(who previously played for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, and Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
) held the distinction of being the only former Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er (1998 as a Packer) to play in the XFL. The team's starting right guard, Bennie Anderson
Bennie Anderson
Bennie Tyron Lamar Anderson is an American football offensive guard who currently is a free agent. He most recently played for the Miami Dolphins, and collegiately at Tennessee State University.-High school and college careers:...
, went on to be a starter for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
and Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and last played professional football in 2006 for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
The Enforcers got off to a slow start, losing their first four games with Tim Lester, who prior to joining the XFL was (as frequently noted) a math teacher, at starting quarterback. In week 5, the team replaced Lester with the former Notre Dame Quatrerback Kevin McDougal
Kevin McDougal
Kevin T. McDougal is best known as the starting quarterback for the University of Notre Dame football team who narrowly missed winning the national championship in 1993...
and the team went 5-1 in the rest of the season (winning their last four in a row), coming from behind to make the XFL playoffs at 2nd place in the Eastern Division. In addition to their potent rushing attack led by league leading running back John Avery, they were also known for their hard hitting defense. They lost to eventual XFL champion Los Angeles Xtreme
Los Angeles Xtreme
The Los Angeles Xtreme was a professional American football team based in Los Angeles, California. The team was a member of the XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. The team played its home games in the Los Angeles...
in the crossover semifinals.
The Enforcers were part of the Eastern Division with the Orlando Rage
Orlando Rage
-Statistical leaders:* Rushing yards: 387, Derrick Clark* Receiving yards: 659, Dialleo Burks* Passing yards: 998, Brian Kuklick-Awards:-Honors:...
, New York/New Jersey Hitmen
New York/New Jersey Hitmen
The New York/New Jersey Hitmen were a short-lived American football team based in Giants Stadium of the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey....
and the Birmingham Thunderbolts
Birmingham Thunderbolts
The Birmingham Thunderbolts were a short-lived springtime American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama. This team was part of the failed XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States.-The only season:The Thunderbolts...
. Their radio flagship station was WMVP
WMVP
WMVP is the callsign of a commercial radio station in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is owned by ABC. Its transmitter is located in Downers Grove. The station broadcasts live sports talk, both locally and nationally. Daily programming consists of talk shows that are both national and local...
, ESPN Radio 1000.
Season-by-season
|-|2001 || 5 || 6 || 0 || 2nd Eastern || Lost Semifinals (Los Angeles
Los Angeles Xtreme
The Los Angeles Xtreme was a professional American football team based in Los Angeles, California. The team was a member of the XFL begun by Vince McMahon of World Wrestling Entertainment and by NBC, a major television network in the United States. The team played its home games in the Los Angeles...
)
|-
!Totals || 5 || 6 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
Chicago Enforcers players
- 5 Paul Failla QB college (Notre Dame & Indiana (pa)) Failla played minor league baseball in the Anaheim Angels farm system before returning to college and to football with U-Of-Indiana in Penn. Failla saw playing time in the NFL and the Arena FL with the Carolina Panthers and the New Jersey Red Dogs.
- 83 Aaron Bailey WR college (Louisville) Bailey was a vet of five NFl seasons before joining the XFL playing with the Indianapolis Colts 1994-1998
- 87 Roell (Goat) Preston WR college ( Northeast Miss. C.C & Mississippi) Preston played five years in the NFL with five different teams after two seasons each in Atlanta (1995–96) and Green Bay (1997–98) Preston played with three teams in his fifth NFL season starting with Miami then San Francisco and finally Tennessee.
- 24 Corey IvyCorey IvyCorey Terrell Ivy is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Oklahoma....
CB college (Northeast Ok. A&M J.C & Oklahoma) Ivy saw little playing time in the NFL with New England and Cleveland before joining the XFL. After the XFL Ivy played in the NFL for five seasons with two different teams 2001-2004 with Tampa Bay and a year in St. Louis with the Rams in 2005.
- 20 John (Duna) Avery RB college (Northwest Miss. C.C & Mississippi) A former first-round pick, Avery played two seasons in the NFL before joining the XFL. Avery played with Miami in 1998 then Denver and Miami in 1999. After the XFL Avery returned to the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings in 2003. Avery is better known for his contributions to the Toronto ArgonautsToronto ArgonautsThe Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
, for whom he played from 2004 to 2007.
- ?? Julian Pittman DT college (Florida State) Pittman played in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints in 1998
- 19 Thomas Molloy QB college (Rutgers) Once considered a first round draft pick, lost his eligibility for the NFL when he was on trial for the murder of Darious Colemon. Molloy was on pace for a record books year in the XFL until he suffered career ending knee surgery.
- ?? Quincy Coleman ?? college (Jackson State)
- 88 Zechariah Lord WR college (Guilford College) Lord played in NFL Europe with the Amsterdam Admirals
- 86 Tyji Armstrong TE college (Mississippi) A NFL vet of six seasons Armstrong played four seasons in Tampa Bay 1992-95 then a season in Dallas in 1996 before returning in 1998 with St.Louis
- 13 Tim Lester QB Led the nation in passing touchdowns his senior year. Also was noted by his coaches to be one of the most talented player they have ever seen. Took pride in tongue lashing his opponents and making them feel like dirt. Lester had been out of football for a fairly long time and had taken up a full-time job as a math teacher at the time he was picked up by the Enforcers. Nickname: God or just "The Cannon" college (Western Michigan)
- 53 Jaime Baisely ILB College (Indiana) Baisely was known for his hits on special teams as well as defense. He took advantage of the XFL's rules on fielding punts and was able to time several bruising hits on potential kick returners. One in particular was in Week 6 at Memphis where he flattened Maniax PR Damien Dodson.
- ?? Chike Egbuniwe OLB college (Duke)
- ?? Charles Ward DE college (Kentucky)
- ?? Jason Bray DB college (Auburn)
- 75 Octavius Bishop T college (Texas)
Team leaders
- Rushing Yards: 800 John AveryJohn Avery (football player)John Edward Avery, Jr. is a former professional Canadian football and American football player. He most recently played with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, but also played with the National Football League's and the XFL John Edward Avery, Jr. (born January 11, 1976 in...
(league leader) - Receiving Yards: 546 Aaron Bailey
- Passing Yards: 4580 Tim Lester
- Passing Touchdowns: 48 Tim Lester