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12 unusual facts about World League of American Football


Brent Pease

In February 1991, Pease became the first quarterback selected in the World League of American Football draft by the Birmingham Fire.

Chan Gailey

In 1991, Gailey left the NFL to become the head coach of the Birmingham Fire of the World League of American Football, where the team made the playoffs in both years that he was coach.

Galen Hall

In 1992, Hall was the second head coach of the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football.

Geep Chryst

He served as the wide receivers and running backs coach of the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football in 1991, before playing with the team the following year as a long snapper, along with serving as a quality control coach with the Chicago Bears.

George Shinn

George Shinn (born May 11, 1941) is the former owner of the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets as well the Charlotte Knights and Gastonia Rangers minor league baseball teams along with the Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks of the World League of American Football.

Hue Jackson

In the spring of 1991, he coached the running backs, receivers and special teams for the World League’s inaugural year champion London Monarchs.

Jeff Novak

Jeff Ladd Novak (born July 27, 1967) is a former American football offensive lineman who played professionally in the World League of American Football and the National Football League.

Norb Hecker

Hecker closed out his career in 1995 with the Amsterdam Admirals of the World League of American Football, handling both coaching and front office duties.

Rich Bartlewski

(born August 15, 1967) is a former American professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF).

Romeo Bandison

He played his Senior year of high school football at Tamalpais (Mill Valley, CA), college football at the University of Oregon and also played a season in his homeland for the Amsterdam Admirals of the (then) WLAF.

Ted Popson

Theodore Paul "Ted" Popson (born September 10, 1966 in Granada Hills, California) is a former professional American football tight end in the World League of American Football and the National Football League.

Teddy Garcia

Alfonso Teddy Garcia (born June 4, 1964) is a former American professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) and the World League of American Football (WLAF).


Peter Hadhazy

Peter "Pete" Hadhazy (February 9, 1944- April 3, 2006), was an American football executive, who served as the General Manager of the Cleveland Browns from 1976-81 and also as an executive for the National Football League, the short-lived United States Football League and the World League of American Football.

Two-point conversion

The NFL's developmental league, NFL Europe (and its former entity, the World League of American Football), adopted the two-point conversion rule for its entire existence from 1991 through 2007.