Chicago Blitz
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Blitz were a professional American football
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 that played in the United States Football League
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...

 in the mid 1980s. They played 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...

 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

.

Team history

The Blitz were one of the charter members of the USFL. The ownership group was headed by renowned heart surgeon Dr. Ted Diethrich, with legendary coach George Allen and Southern California developer Bill Harris as minority partners. Harris had originally sought the franchise, but a search for capital led him to Diethrich and Allen. Diethrich served as president, with Harris as executive vice president and Allen as chairman of the board and head coach.

George Allen

Allen had been out of coaching since 1977; he had been a candidate for the vacant head coaching position with the 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...

 a year earlier, but Bears owner George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...

 had never forgiven Allen for defecting to the Rams in 1965. Allen immediately became the "face" of the new team, and set about putting together the best 40-man roster he could find. The result was a team that was the early favorite to be the new league's first champion.

1983 season

They finished in a tie for the Central Division title, but were awarded a wild card berth due to being swept by the eventual champion Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....

. In the playoffs, they blew a 21-point lead over the Philadelphia Stars, losing 44-38 in overtime.

Struggling at the gate

Despite the fact that the Blitz were one of the strongest teams in the league (some suggested that they could have been competitive in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

), they struggled at the gate, averaging only 18,100 fans. (It should be noted that these numbers were very similar to the numbers the Philadelphia Stars and Michigan Panthers
Michigan Panthers
The Michigan Panthers were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s.-Team history:The Michigan Panthers were named as a charter member of the United States Football League on May 11, 1982....

 achieved in their first year. Both of those franchises would see dramatically higher attendance numbers in their second season based on their on-field success in their first year.)

Diethrich had lost millions of dollars in 1983, was not confident in the team's ability to draw fans, and did not feel the losses justified making an investment for a team far from his home in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...

 (he was the founder of the Arizona Heart Institute). As it turned out, Arizona Wranglers
Arizona Wranglers
The Arizona Wranglers were a professional American Football team in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. They played at Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix.-Founding:...

 owner Jim Joseph had lost almost as much money as Diethrich, and put his team on the market as well.

Franchise swap with Arizona Wranglers

This resulted in one of the most unusual transactions in sports history. Diethrich and his group sold the Blitz to Milwaukee heart surgeon James Hoffman. The Diethrich group then bought the Wranglers from Joseph. Almost immediately after Diethrich closed on his purchase of the Wranglers, he and Hoffman agreed to swap their assets—players, coaching staff and all. The result was that, with few exceptions, the 1983 Blitz became the Wranglers, while the 1983 Wranglers became the Blitz. (The most notable exception was that Wrangler triggerman Alan Risher stayed in Arizona to back up Veteran Greg Landry
Greg Landry
Gregory Paul Landry is a former American football player and coach who played quarterback in the National Football League from 1968 to 1981 and again in 1984...

).

(While the USFL was active, the league considered the 1983 and 1984 Blitz to be the same franchise, even though almost all the players were different.)

The deal transformed the Wranglers from a cellar-dweller to a powerhouse almost overnight, while turning the Blitz into a lesser version of the 4-14 Wranglers. The transaction raised serious questions about the USFL's credibility -- especially in Chicago.

The trade created a situation that had the potential of making an already bad attendance situation in Chicago even worse.

The Hoffman Era

Although the 1984 Blitz had many of the same players as the 1983 Wranglers, they were weaker in two specific ways. All of the initial 12 teams were required to make players available in the expansion draft. Secondly, while the 1983 Wranglers featured the League's 6th ranked passer in rookie QB (Alan Risher), 12th ranked rusher in 3rd year vet Calvin Murray
Calvin Murray (American football)
Leon Calvin Murray is a former American football running back who played for two seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1981–1982. He also played in 1983 for the Chicago Blitz of the United States Football League. He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth...

, and the league's #7, #10, #11 receivers (1983 rookies TE Mark Keel, WR Jackie Flowers
Jackie Flowers
Jackie Flowers was a standout wide receiver at Raines High School, graduating in 1976. He accepted a scholarship at Florida State University where he was a four-year letterman. In 1978, he made 43 catches for 757 yards and 7 TDs, earning Honorable Mention All-American honors...

, and WR Neil Balholm, respectively), triggerman Risher stayed in Arizona in the transaction.

Hoffman spent heavily in promoting the new Blitz. He hired NFL veteran, future Pro Football Hall of Famer and Chicago native Marv Levy
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...

 as coach. Levy had thought he would be taking over George Allen's team when he took the job.

Talented, but raw longtime Bear backup QB Vince Evans
Vince Evans
Vincent Tobias Evans is a former professional American football quarterback who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft...

 was brought in to be the starter, in spite of owning a very unimpressive 57.31 rating in 7 previous NFL seasons. Evans' accuaracy was always an issue in the NFL. His most accurate season up to that point was 1980 where he completed 53.2% of his passes. He entered the USFL with a career NFL competition percentage of 48.7% and a 31-53 TD to INT ratio (Evans signed in November 1983 to a 4 year $5 million deal).

In January, the Blitz tendered an offer that would have been the largest contract in football --- $2 Million dollars a year for 3 years --- to Bears running back Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...

. Payton advised he would consider the offer, but would not be rushed by the Blitz. The Blitz 1984 season was scheduled to start on February 27 and they had little success selling season tickets. The Blitz needed Payton to sign quickly to help season ticket sales, so they had put a deadline on the offer of 2/9/84. Before he made up his mind, the Blitz withdrew the offer realizing they simply did not have the finances.

With a less talented team and no big names to excite the fans, Chicago's season ticket sales predictably flatlined, in spite of Hoffman sinking a lot of money into advertising. Fans were not happy that Hoffman had, for all intents and purposes, jettisoned the third-best team in the league in favor of an also-ran. Just prior to the start of the season, a frustrated Hoffman walked away from the Blitz, leaving the team to the minority owners --- walking away before his new team even played a down.

The 1984 Season

The "new" Blitz made a wretched showing on the field, finishing with the third-worst record in the league. The 1983 Wrangler defense gave up a league worst 442 points and the 1984 Blitz were equally as challenged defensively finishing 2nd to last in the league with 466 points allowed.

The talented Evans was about what most fans expected --- a flashy talent with little accuracy or consistency and a perchant for turnovers. For the season, he completed 48.7% of his passes with 14 TDs and 22 INTs for a rating of 58.29. Featured HB Larry Canada
Larry Canada
Larry Canada is a former running back in the National Football League. He played three seasons with the Denver Broncos.-References:...

 was solid running for 915 yards and 7 TDs. WR Jackie Flowers
Jackie Flowers
Jackie Flowers was a standout wide receiver at Raines High School, graduating in 1976. He accepted a scholarship at Florida State University where he was a four-year letterman. In 1978, he made 43 catches for 757 yards and 7 TDs, earning Honorable Mention All-American honors...

 lead the team with 51 catches for 904 yards with 8 TDs.

The New Blitz's on the field trouble led to problems at the gate. They only attracted 7,500 people per game, the second-lowest per game gate in the league. They never attracted more than 10,000 fans per game, a fact that would dramatically affect the team's bottom line. Early in the season, the Blitz' minority owners, drowning in red ink, returned the team to the league. The league could not simply fold the Blitz, however—its contract with ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

 required the league to have teams in the New York City
New Jersey Generals
The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983-85, winning 31 regular-season games and losing 25 while going 0-2 in postseason competition...

, Los Angeles and Chicago markets (not coincidentally, these markets are also home to ABC's strongest-performing owned and operated stations).

Shutting down

With 4 games to go, a press conference was held announcing that the Blitz would be shut down. It was also announced that Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

 minority owner Eddie Einhorn
Eddie Einhorn
Eddie Einhorn is minority owner and Vice Chairman of the Chicago White Sox.Einhorn produced the nationally syndicated radio broadcast of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship in 1958...

 would be granted a new USFL franchise for Chicago. While it was stressed that Einhorn's franchise was not the Blitz, Einhorn retained the rights to all Blitz players and coaching staff -- strongly implying the team would play in the 1985 season. ABC had no objections to this move, probably due to the USFL's anemic ratings in Chicago.

A strong proponent of the USFL's planned move to the fall in 1986, Einhorn opted not to field a team in the USFL's final spring lame duck season, 1985. As the league never played in the fall, this decision ended USFL football in Chicago.

Players who went on to the National Football League

The Blitz had a number of players who had played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 or would go on to play there. Some of them were Vince Evans
Vince Evans
Vincent Tobias Evans is a former professional American football quarterback who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft...

, Tim Spencer, Trumaine Johnson
Trumaine Johnson
Trumaine Johnson is a retired American football player who played in the National Football League and the United States Football League.-Career:...

, Greg Landry
Greg Landry
Gregory Paul Landry is a former American football player and coach who played quarterback in the National Football League from 1968 to 1981 and again in 1984...

, Vagas Ferguson
Vagas Ferguson
Vagas Ferguson was a star running back for the University of Notre Dame who continued on to the National Football League for three seasons with the New England Patriots, who drafted him in the first round, the Cleveland Browns, and the Houston Oilers.In 1979, his senior season at Notre Dame,...

, Richard Holland
Richard Holland
Richard Holland or Richard de Holande , Scottish writer, author of the Buke of the Howlat, was secretary or chaplain to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray and rector of Halkirk, near Thurso....

, Joe Ehrmann
Joe Ehrmann
Joe Ehrmann is a former National Football League defensive lineman, originally drafted as the 10th pick in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft out of Syracuse University to the Baltimore Colts. Ehrmann played with Baltimore for eight years, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1978...

, Tim Wrightman
Tim Wrightman
Timothy Jon "Tim" Wrightman is a former professional American football tight end. He played for two seasons for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Wrightman played college football at UCLA and was drafted in the 3rd round by the Chicago Bears in the 1982 NFL draft...

, Larry Canada
Larry Canada
Larry Canada is a former running back in the National Football League. He played three seasons with the Denver Broncos.-References:...

, Tom Thayer
Tom Thayer
Thomas "Tom" Allen Thayer is a former American-football center/guard. He played in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins. He won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears...

 and Kevin Long
Kevin Long (football)
For the NFL offensive lineman of the same name see Kevin Long .Kevin Fernando Long is a retired American football running back who played in the National Football League and the United States Football League.-College:Kevin Long attended University of South Carolina and was a standout fullback for...

.

1983 Blitz game results

REGULAR SEASON - (Home Attendance in Bold)

Sun.Mar. 6 - (W) BLITZ 28 @ Washington Federals 7 (Att. 38,007)

Sat.Mar.12 - (L) BLITZ 29 @ Arizona Wranglers 30 (Att. 28,434)

Sun.Mar.20 - (L) BLITZ 13 VS. DENVER GOLD 16 (Att. 22,600)

Sun.Mar.27 - (W) BLITZ 20 VS. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 14 (Att. 10,936)

Sat.Apr. 2 - (W) BLITZ 42 @ Tampa Bay Bandits 7 (Att. 46,585)

Sun.Apr.10 - (W) BLITZ 22 VS. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 11 (Att. 13,859)

Sun.Apr.17 - (L) BLITZ 12 @ Michigan Panthers 17 (Att. 11,634)

Mon.Apr.25 - (W) BLITZ 17 VS. NEW JERSEY GENERALS 14 *OT* (Att. 32,184)

Sun.May 1 - (W) BLITZ 38 @ Los Angeles Express 17 (Att. 21,123)

Sun.May 8 - (W) BLITZ 31 VS. WASHINGTON FEDERALS 3 (Att. 11,303)

Sun.May 15 - (L) BLITZ 24 @ Philadelphia Stars 31 (Att. 20,931)

Sun.May 22 - (W) BLITZ 19 @ New Jersey Generals 13 *OT* (Att. 33,812)

Mon.May 30 - (W) BLITZ 36 VS. ARIZONA WRANGLERS 11 (Att. 13,952)

Mon.Jun. 5 - (L) BLITZ 15 @ Boston Breakers 21 (Att. 15,087)

Sun.Jun.12 - (W) BLITZ 31 VS. TAMPA BAY BANDITS 8 (Att. 21,249)

Fri.Jun.17 - (W) BLITZ 29 @ Birmingham Stallions 14 (Att. 22,500)

Sun.Jun.26 - (L) BLITZ l9 VS. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 34 (Att. 25,041)

Sun.Jul. 3 - (W) BLITZ 31 VS. OAKLAND INVADERS 7 (Att. 12,346)

USFL SEMI-FINALS

Sat.Jul. 9 - (L) BLITZ 38 @ Philadelphia Stars 44 *OT* (Att. 15,684)

1983 Chicago Blitz roster

1. Frank Minnifield
Frank Minnifield
Frank Minnifield is a former American football player who played defensive back for the Cleveland Browns from 1984-92.Minnifield attended Henry Clay High School in Lexington...

 (CB)
2. Trumaine Johnson
Trumaine Johnson
Trumaine Johnson is a retired American football player who played in the National Football League and the United States Football League.-Career:...

 (WR)
3. Frank Corral
Frank Corral
Frank Corral is a former National Football League placekicker from 1978-1981. He attended Norte Vista High School in Riverside, California. He was a part of the Rams' Super Bowl XIV team...

 (K/P)
5. Frank Garcia (P)
7. John Roveto (K)
8. Tom Porras (QB)
10. Bobby Scott
Bobby Scott (American football)
Robert Benson Scott is an American football quarterback who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints. He then played for the New Jersey Generals and Chicago Blitz of the USFL in 1983. He graduated from Rossville High School in Rossville, Georgia....

 (QB)
11. Greg Landry
Greg Landry
Gregory Paul Landry is a former American football player and coach who played quarterback in the National Football League from 1968 to 1981 and again in 1984...

 (QB)
14. Tim Koegel (QB)
15. Tom Rozantz (QB)
20. Maurice Tyler (CB)
21. Doug Dennison
Doug Dennison
William Douglas Dennison is a former American football running back who played six seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He later played for the Arizona Wranglers of the United States Football League.Dennison played college football at Kutztown...

 (CB)
22. Lance Shields (CB)
24. Virgil Livers
Virgil Livers
Virgil Chester Livers, Jr. is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 1975 NFL Draft. He played college football at Western Kentucky.Livers has been an assistant principal at Bowling Green High School...

 (CB)
25. Eddie Brown
Eddie Brown (safety)
Paul Edward Brown is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns, the Washington Redskins, and the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at the University of Tennessee.Brown attended Marion County High School in Jasper and graduated in 1970...

 (SS)
27. Luther Bradley
Luther Bradley
Luther Bradley is a former professional American football player who played four seasons for the Detroit Lions. He later played with the Chicago Blitz, Arizona Wranglers and Houston Gamblers of the USFL...

 (FS)
28. Don Schwartz (SS)
29. Richard Holland (FB)
31. Walt Easley (FB)
32. Carl Allen (FS)
34. Frank Collins (RB)
34. Walter Poole (RB)
37. Pat Schmidt (SS)
42. Jim Stone (RB)
43. Mack Boatner (FB)
46. Tim Spencer (RB)
48. Kevin Long (FB)
50. Steve Tobin (C/LS)
50. Jack Lafferty (C/LS)
51. Joe Federspiel
Joe Federspiel
Joseph Michael Federspiel was an American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League.Federspiel played college football at the University of Kentucky....

 (LB)
52. Stan White
Stan White (linebacker)
Stanley Ray White is a former American football linebacker.-Early life:Growing up in Kent, Ohio, he attended Theodore Roosevelt High School, graduating in 1968...

 (LB)
53. Andrew Melontree (LB)
54. Robert Barnes (G)
55. Jim Fahnhorst
Jim Fahnhorst
James Fahnhorst is a former National Football League linebacker from 1984 through 1990. During that span he appeared in three Super Bowls: Super Bowl XIX, Super Bowl XXIII and Super Bowl XIV for the San Francisco 49ers...

 (LB)
56. Ed Smith (LB)
57. Doak Field (LB)
58. Bruce Gheesling (LB)
59. Bruce Branch (G)
59. Tom Piette (C)
59. James Looney (OL)
59. Tim Darling (LB)
61. Tom Thayer
Tom Thayer
Thomas "Tom" Allen Thayer is a former American-football center/guard. He played in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins. He won a Super Bowl as a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears...

 (G)
62. Jim Lohmann (T)
63. Mark Buben (DE)
64. John Lee (DE)
65. Wally Pesuit
Wally Pesuit
Walter George "Wally" Pesuit is a former American football offensive and defensive lineman in the National Football League....

 (C)
66. Tim James (C/LS)
66. Bill McClung (G)
68. Tim Norman (G)
69. Kari Yli-Renko (T)
70. Kit Lathrop
Kit Lathrop
Kit Douglas Lathrop is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League and in the United States Football League .-College career:...

 (DT)
71. Karl Lorch
Karl Lorch
Karl P. Lorch, Jr. is a former American football defensive end with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League for six seasons. He also played in the World Football League for The Hawaiians and in the United States Football League for the Chicago Blitz, the Arizona Wranglers and the...

 (DE)
72. Bob Cobb (DE)
73. Mark Stevenson (G)
74. Joe Ehrmann
Joe Ehrmann
Joe Ehrmann is a former National Football League defensive lineman, originally drafted as the 10th pick in the first round of the 1973 NFL Draft out of Syracuse University to the Baltimore Colts. Ehrmann played with Baltimore for eight years, and was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1978...

 (DT)
75. Rob Taylor (T)
76. Ken Gillen (DE)
77. Junior Ah You
Junior Ah You
Junior Ah You is a former college and professional Canadian and American football player who played primarily at the defensive end position. Ah You enjoyed most of his professional career success with the CFL Montreal Alouettes, from 1972 to 1981, and was a former collegiate standout at Arizona...

 (DE)
78. Nick Eyre
Nick Eyre
Nicholas G. Eyre is a former American football offensive tackle. Eyre was drafted out of Brigham Young by the Houston Oilers in the fourth round of the 1981 NFL Draft.-References:...

 (T)
79. Troy Thomas (DT)
79. Bob Newton
Bob Newton
Bob Newton is a former American football guard in the NFL from 1971 to 1981....

 (G)
80. Marcus Anderson (TE)
81. Tim Wrightman
Tim Wrightman
Timothy Jon "Tim" Wrightman is a former professional American football tight end. He played for two seasons for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Wrightman played college football at UCLA and was drafted in the 3rd round by the Chicago Bears in the 1982 NFL draft...

 (TE)
82. Larry Douglas (WR)
84. Doug Cozen (TE)
86. Paul Ricker (TE)
88. Wamon Buggs (WR)
89. Lenny Willis (WR)

1984 Blitz game results

Mon.Feb.27 - (L) BLITZ 18 @ Michigan Panthers 20 (Att. 22,428)

Sun.Mar. 4 - (L) BLITZ 13 @ Memphis Showboats 23 (Att. 10,152)

Sun.Mar.11 - (L) BLITZ 36 vs. HOUSTON GAMBLERS 45 (Att. 7,808)

Sat.Mar.17 - (L) BLITZ 14 vs. OKLAHOMA OUTLAWS 17 (Att. 6,206)

Sun.Mar.25 - (L) BLITZ 35 @ New Orleans Breakers 41 *OT* (Att. 43,692)

Sat.Mar.31 - (W) BLITZ 21 @ Washington Federals 20 (Att. 7,373)

Sat.Apr. 7 - (W) BLITZ 16 vs. SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS 10 (Att. 9,412)

Sun.Apr.15 - (L) BLITZ 7 @ Philadelphia Stars 41 (Att. 17,417)

Fri.Apr.20 - (W) BLITZ 49 vs. LOS ANGELES EXPRESS 29 (Att. 11,713)

Sun.Apr.29 - (L) BLITZ 13 vs. OAKLAND INVADERS 17 (Att. 7,802)

Sun.May. 6 - (L) BLITZ 21 @ San Antonio Gunslingers 30 (Att. 15,233)

Fri.May.11 - (W) BLITZ 29 @ Denver Gold 17 (Att. 45,299)

Fri.May.18 - (L) BLITZ 7 vs. BIRMINGHAM STALLIONS 41 (Att. 8,578)

Mon.May.28 - (L) BLITZ 17 vs. NEW JERSEY GENERALS 21 (Att. 4,307)

Sat.Jun. 2 - (W) BLITZ 14 @ Oklahoma Outlaws 0 (Att. 17,195)

Sun.Jun.10 - (L) BLITZ 13 @ Houston Gamblers 38 (Att. 24,243)

Fri.Jun.15 - (L) BLITZ 0 vs. ARIZONA WRANGLERS 36 (Att. 5,711)

Sun.Jun.24 - (L) BLITZ 17 vs. MICHIGAN PANTHERS 20 (Att. 5,557)

1984 Chicago Blitz roster

3. Kevin Seibel (K)
7. Jeff Gossett
Jeff Gossett
Jeffrey Alan Gossett is a former American football punter who played in the National Football League and the United States Football League . He was the starting punter for the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders from 1988 through 1996. During the 1996 season, at age 39, Jeff was the NFL's oldest punter...

(P)
8. Vince Evans
Vince Evans
Vincent Tobias Evans is a former professional American football quarterback who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft...

 (QB)
11. Dennis Shaw (QB)
13. David Whitt (P)
14. Tim Koegel (QB)
15. Ron Reeves (QB)
19. Carlton Peoples (CB)
20. Ronnie Harris (CB)
21. Trent Bryant (CB)
22. Donnell Daniel (SS)
24. Virgil Livers (CB)
25. Tommy Wilcox (SS)
26. Vegas Ferguson (RB)
27. Mike Fox (FS)
28. John Arnaud (FS)
29. Richard Holland (FB)
33. Glenn Ford (RB)
35. Larry Canada (FB)
42. Jim Stone (FB)
44. Terdell Middleton
Terdell Middleton
Terdell Middleton is a former professional American football player who played running back for seven seasons in the NFL. Originally a third round pick in the 1977 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, Middleton was traded to the Green Bay Packers in the preseason...

 (RB)
44. Roy Eppes (FS)
46. Doug Plank
Doug Plank
Douglas Walter Plank is a former American-football safety and coach in the National Football League. Currently, he is the head coach of the Philadelphia Soul in the Arena Football League.- Early life :...

 (SS)
47. Charles Armstead (CB)
51. Robin Fisher (LB)
51. Russ Washington (LB)
52. Jimmy Rivera (LB)
52. Jeff Gabrielson (LB)
53. John Gillen (LB)
54. Tom Kilkenny (LB)
55. Sam Norris (LB)
55. Dann Lute (LB)
56. Clinton Haynes (LB)
56. Greg Williams (LB)
56. Guy Ruff (LB)
57. Mark Fischer (C)
58. Jon Kimmel (LB)
58. Bob Knapton (LB)
59. James Looney (LB)
59. Ken Kelley (LB)
60. Mike Weston (C)
61. Mike Cattage (DE)
62. Perry Hartnett (G)
63. Vince Stroth (T)
65. Glenn Hyde (G)
68. Curtis Bunche (DE)
70. Malcolm Taylor (DT)
71. Rod Walters (G)
72. Ken Times (DE)
73. Bob Simmons
Bob Simmons (offensive lineman)
Robert Gatling Simmons is a former American football guard in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas....

 (G)
74. Doug Hoppock (T)
76. Mike Morgan (DT)
77. Dan Jiggetts
Dan Jiggetts
Dan Jiggetts is a retired American football offensive lineman. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1976 NFL Draft-Early life:...

(T)
78. Jerry Doerger (T)
79. Bruce Thornton (DE)
80. Marcus Anderson (TE)
81. Brian Glasgow (TE)
82. Darryl Stokes (WR)
82. Vic James (WR)
83. Mark Keel (TE)
84. Keith Magee (WR)
84. Dan Fulton (WR)
85. T.K. Ehlebracht (WR)
86. Gary Lewis (TE)
87. Oliver Williams (WR)
87. Frank McClain (WR)
88. Jackie Flowers
Jackie Flowers
Jackie Flowers was a standout wide receiver at Raines High School, graduating in 1976. He accepted a scholarship at Florida State University where he was a four-year letterman. In 1978, he made 43 catches for 757 yards and 7 TDs, earning Honorable Mention All-American honors...

 (WR)
88. Shawn Potts (WR)
89. Kris Haines
Kris Haines
David Kris Haines is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, the Chicago Bears, and the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1979 NFL Draft...

 (WR)
91. Bob Clasby
Bob Clasby
Robert James Clasby is a former professional American football defensive lineman who played five seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals/Arizona Cardinals....

 (DE)
91. Chris Lindstrom (DE)
93. Dennis Puha (DT)
--. Andy Cannavino (LB)
--. Kirk Wilson (CB)
--. Kerry Baird (FS)

Single season leaders

Rushing Yards: 1157 (1983), Tim Spencer

Receiving Yards: 1327 (1983), Trumaine Johnson
Trumaine Johnson
Trumaine Johnson is a retired American football player who played in the National Football League and the United States Football League.-Career:...



Passing Yards: 2624 (1984), Vince Evans
Vince Evans
Vincent Tobias Evans is a former professional American football quarterback who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft...


Season-by-season

|-
|1983 || 12 || 6 || 0 || 2nd Central || Lost Divisional (Philadelphia
Baltimore Stars
The Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars were a professional American football team which played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s. They were owned by real estate magnate Myles Tanenbaum. They were the league's dominant team, playing in all three championship games and winning two of...

)
|-
|1984 || 5 || 13 || 0 || 5th WC Central || -
|-
!Totals || 17 || 20 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)

External links

  • http://www.usfl.info/blitz/
  • http://www.remembertheusfl.8m.com/teams/chicago.html
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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