The
Frankfurt Galaxy was an professional
American footballAmerican football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, and often as Gridiron or Tackle football outside North America, is a competitive team sport known for combining strategy with physical play. The objective of the game is to score points by advancing the ball into the...
team that originally played in the
World League of American FootballThe 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...
and later in the resurrected
NFL EuropeNFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
. The team was based in
FrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2008 population of 670,000. The urban area had an estimated population of 2.26 million in 2001...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
and played in the
Commerzbank-ArenaThe Waldstadion is a 52,300 seat football stadium in Frankfurt, Germany. It is the home of Eintracht Frankfurt of the Bundesliga. The Waldstadion was first opened in 1925 and during World War II it was used for political events of the Nazi Party.The stadium has been named "Commerzbank-Arena"...
, formerly called the Waldstadion.
History
In 1991, the Galaxy was a founding member of the
World League of American Football (
WLAFThe 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...
). They hosted the first ever WLAF game against the
London MonarchsThe 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. In 1999, they were replaced by the new Berlin Thunder.-Early years:The WLAF...
at the Waldstadion on March 23, 1991 and scored the first ever WLAF points with a
safetyA safety or safety touch is a type of score in American football and Canadian football and is worth two points . In American football, it is the only means by which a team not in possession of the football can score points...
, but lost the game.
When the World League resumed in 1995, the Galaxy, the Monarchs, and
Barcelona DragonsThe 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...
were the only former WLAF teams that continued playing. Before it folded, Frankfurt Galaxy was the oldest pro football team outside of the
NFLThe National Football League is the largest 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 its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
and
CFLThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located entirely in Canada.Its eight teams, which are located in eight cities, are divided into two divisions of four teams each . The league's nineteen-week regular season runs from mid-June to early November. Each team plays...
.
Frankfurt won the
World BowlThe World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
four times in
1995World Bowl '95 was the World League's third World Bowl and the first World Bowl that was played since the league suspended operations in 1993. The game was played at Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on June 17, 1995. This match-up was between the 6-4 Frankfurt Galaxy and the 9-1...
,
1999World Bowl '99 was NFL Europe's 1999 championship game. It was played in Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf, Germany on June 27, 1999. The match-up was between the 6-4 Frankfurt Galaxy and the 7-3 Barcelona Dragons...
,
2003World Bowl XI was NFL Europe's 2003 championship game. It was played at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland on June 14, 2003. The game was between the 6-4 Rhein Fire and the 6-4 Frankfurt Galaxy. The Fire was hoping to avenge last year's loss to Berlin, while the Galaxy was looking for their first...
and
2006World Bowl XIV was NFL Europe's 2006 championship game. It was played at the LTU Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on Saturday, May 27, 2006.The game was between the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy and the defending World Bowl Champion Amsterdam Admirals . 36,286 people were in attendance, as the Galaxy stripped...
, but had been unable to defend it, as they also lost four times, in
1996World Bowl '96 , the championship game of American football's WLAF, took place at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 23 1996. The 7-3 Scottish Claymores defeated the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy 32-27 and, led by head coach Jim Criner, completed the league's first ever worst to first...
,
1998World Bowl '98 was NFL Europe's 1998 championship game, located at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany. On June 14, 1998, the 7-3 Rhein Fire went up against the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy for the NFL Europe title...
,
2004World Bowl XII was NFL Europe's 2004 championship game. The game was played at Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on June 12, 2004. In this game, the defending champion Frankfurt Galaxy returned to try and protect their title after going through a 7-3 regular season...
, and
2007World Bowl XV was NFL Europa's 2007 championship game, and the final game in the league's history. It was played at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Germany on Saturday, June 23, 2007. The defending World Bowl champion Frankfurt Galaxy hosted the Hamburg Sea Devils in their own home stadium.The...
.
Season-By-Season
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |
Frankfurt Galaxy (WLAF)
|-
|1991 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 3rd European Division || --
|-
|1992 || 3 || 7 || 0 || 2nd European Division || --
|-
|1993 || colspan="5" rowspan="2" valign="middle" align="center" |
Did Not Play
|-
|1994
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |
Frankfurt Galaxy (World League)
|-
|1995 || 6 || 4 || 0 || 2nd League || Won
World Bowl IIIWorld Bowl '95 was the World League's third World Bowl and the first World Bowl that was played since the league suspended operations in 1993. The game was played at Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on June 17, 1995. This match-up was between the 6-4 Frankfurt Galaxy and the 9-1...
(
AdmiralsThe Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
)
|-
|1996 || 6 || 4 || 0 || 2nd League || Lost
World Bowl IVWorld Bowl '96 , the championship game of American football's WLAF, took place at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 23 1996. The 7-3 Scottish Claymores defeated the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy 32-27 and, led by head coach Jim Criner, completed the league's first ever worst to first...
(
ClaymoresThe Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, alternately playing home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and Hampden Park, Glasgow...
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |
Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe)
|-
|1997 || 4 || 6 || 0 || 6th League || --
|-
|1998 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 2nd League || Lost
World Bowl VIWorld Bowl '98 was NFL Europe's 1998 championship game, located at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany. On June 14, 1998, the 7-3 Rhein Fire went up against the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy for the NFL Europe title...
(
FireThe Rhein Fire were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
)
|-
|1999 || 6 || 4 || 0 || 2nd League || Won
World Bowl VIIWorld Bowl '99 was NFL Europe's 1999 championship game. It was played in Rheinstadion in Düsseldorf, Germany on June 27, 1999. The match-up was between the 6-4 Frankfurt Galaxy and the 7-3 Barcelona Dragons...
(
DragonsThe 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...
)
|-
|2000 || 4 || 6 || 0 || 5th League || --
|-
|2001 || 3 || 7 || 0 || 6th League || --
|-
|2002 || 6 || 4 || 0 || 3rd League || --
|-
|2003 || 6 || 4 || 0 || 1st League || Won
World Bowl XIWorld Bowl XI was NFL Europe's 2003 championship game. It was played at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland on June 14, 2003. The game was between the 6-4 Rhein Fire and the 6-4 Frankfurt Galaxy. The Fire was hoping to avenge last year's loss to Berlin, while the Galaxy was looking for their first...
(
FireThe Rhein Fire were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
)
|-
|2004 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 2nd League || Lost
World Bowl XIIWorld Bowl XII was NFL Europe's 2004 championship game. The game was played at Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on June 12, 2004. In this game, the defending champion Frankfurt Galaxy returned to try and protect their title after going through a 7-3 regular season...
(
ThunderThe Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
)
|-
|2005 || 3 || 7 || 0 || 5th League || --
|-
|2006 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 2nd League || Won
World Bowl XIVWorld Bowl XIV was NFL Europe's 2006 championship game. It was played at the LTU Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on Saturday, May 27, 2006.The game was between the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy and the defending World Bowl Champion Amsterdam Admirals . 36,286 people were in attendance, as the Galaxy stripped...
(
AdmiralsThe Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team in NFL Europe based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.-History:The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe...
)
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |
Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europa)
|-
|2007 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 2nd League || Lost
World Bowl XVWorld Bowl XV was NFL Europa's 2007 championship game, and the final game in the league's history. It was played at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Germany on Saturday, June 23, 2007. The defending World Bowl champion Frankfurt Galaxy hosted the Hamburg Sea Devils in their own home stadium.The...
(
Sea DevilsThe Hamburg Sea Devils were an American football team that began play in NFL Europa from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg's AOL Arena . They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions...
)
|-
!Totals || 85 || 72 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
Head coaches
| # |
Name |
Term |
Regular season |
Postseason |
Achievements |
Reference |
| GC |
W |
L |
T |
Win% |
GC |
W |
L |
Win% |
| Frankfurt Galaxy |
| 1 |
Jack Elway John Albert "Jack" Elway, Sr. was an American football coach, and the father of the Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway....
|
1991 The 1991 Frankfurt Galaxy season was the inaugural season for the team in the World League of American Football.-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:-Staff:-Honors:...
–1992The 1992 Frankfurt Galaxy season was the second season for the team in the World League of American Football.-Standings:-Staff:...
|
20 |
10 |
10 |
0 |
.500 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
| 2 |
Ernie Stautner Ernest Alfred Stautner was a German-born American football player and coach who starred as a defensive tackle with the Pittsburgh Steelers.-Biography:...
|
1995–1997 |
30 |
16 |
14 |
0 |
.533 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
.500 |
|
|
| 3 |
Dick Curl Richard "Dick" Curl is an American football coach who is currently the assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League.-External links:*...
|
1998–2000 |
30 |
17 |
13 |
0 |
.567 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
.500 |
|
|
| 4 |
Doug Graber Doug Graber is an American football coach. He is currently the defensive coordinator of the Ball State Cardinals college football team. He was hired to the position in January 2009.-External links:*...
|
2001–2003 |
30 |
15 |
15 |
0 |
.500 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1.000 |
|
|
| 5 |
Mike Jones Michael Anthony Jones is a former professional American football wide receiver. Currently, he is the Receivers coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.-Playing career:...
|
2004–2007 The 2007 Frankfurt Galaxy season was the 15th and final season for the team in NFL Europa.-Schedule:-World Bowl XV:-Staff:-Honors:*Bobby Harris, All-NFL Europa League team selection*Rhys Lloyd, All-NFL Europa League team selection...
|
40 |
24 |
16 |
0 |
.600 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
.333 |
|
|
Notable players
| No. |
Player |
Position(s) |
Years Played |
Notable |
| 5 / 81 |
USA Mario Bailey Mario Bailey is a retired American football wide receiver who is the all-time reception leader in NFL Europe. He played for the Frankfurt Galaxy from 1995 through 2000 and was a favorite player for the local German fans. He was originally drafted by the Houston Oilers in the sixth round of the...
|
WR |
1995-2000 |
All-Time NFL Europe Receiving leader |
| 11 |
USA Paul Justin Paul Donald Justin is a retired National Football League quarterback.Justin, a graduate and football standout at Arizona State University, played with three different teams in his NFL career: the Indianapolis Colts , the Cincinnati Bengals , and the St. Louis Rams...
|
QB |
1995 |
WLAF Offensive Most Valuable Player In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
|
| 4 |
USA J. T. O'Sullivan |
QB |
2004, 2007 |
NFL Europa Co-Offensive Most Valuable Player In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
(2007) |
| 11 |
USA Mike Perez Michael Paul Perez is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 1988 NFL Draft...
|
QB |
1991-1992 |
First starting quarterback in team history |
| 32 |
USA Roger Robinson Roger Robinson was an American football running back who was signed by the Arizona Cardinals and allocated to NFL Europe in 2006....
|
RB |
2006 |
Led League in rushing, All-NFLEL team selection |
Jake DelhommeJake Christopher Delhomme is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1997...
- QB (1999)
Mark DixonMark Dixon is a former NFL offensive guard who played five seasons with the Miami Dolphins. Previously he had played in the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes. He was an All-American at Virginia. Prior to Virginia, Dixon attended Lucy C. Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, North Carolina where he was...
- G (1998)
Patrick GerigkPatrick Gerigk is a football wide receiver from Germany. He played for several World Bowl-winning teams, such as the Rhein Fire and the Frankfurt Galaxy . He stands 183 cm tall and weighs 90 kg.-External links:...
- WR (1999)
Quinn GrayQuinn F. Gray, Sr. is an American football quarterback for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
- QB (2003)
Werner HipplerWerner Hippler is a football tight end from Canada who was born in Germany. He plays for the Cologne Centurions, but the majority of his career has been with the Frankfurt Galaxy...
- TE (1995, 1997-2000)
Damon HuardDamon Paul Huard is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at Washington....
- QB (1998)
Corey IvyCorey Terrell Ivy was an American football cornerback. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Oklahoma....
- CB (2000, 2002)
Lewis KellyLewis Kelly is a former American football offensive guard for the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants ....
- T (2002)
Ralf KleinmannRalf Kleinmann is a German American football player who played as a placeckicker for NFL Europe team Frankfurt Galaxy from 1995-2000 and 2003-2004....
- K (1995-2000, 2003-2004)
Matt BryantSteven Matt Bryant is an American football placekicker for the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League....
- K (2002)
Martin LatkaMartin Latka is a Czech footballer who plays central defence for Panionios Athens. He began his career with SK Dynamo České Budějovice, joining Slavia Prague in 2003. On January 30 2006, he joined Birmingham City on loan until the end of the season. He played 6 full games...
- RB (2004-2007) Frank Messmer - DL (1995-1997)
Andy McCulloughAntowone McCullough is an Arena Football League wide receiver for the Cleveland Gladiators and a former National Football League wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals. He attended Meadowdale High School in Dayton and the University of Tennessee...
- WR (1999, 2001)
Steve PelluerSteven Carl Pelluer is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 5th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. A 6'4", 209-lb...
- QB (1996-1997) Ingo Seibert - RB (1995-1998)
Paul SpicerPaul Spicer is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 1998...
- DE (2001) James Taylor - CB (2005-2007)
Pat BarnesPat Barnes is a retired National Football League quarterback. He played from 1997 to 2003 in the NFL, XFL, and CFL....
- QB (1998-1999)
See also: :Category:Frankfurt Galaxy players
External links
- Frankfurt Galaxy web site (German
German is a West Germanic language, thus related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. It is one of the world's major languages and the most widely spoken first language in the European Union. Around the world, German is spoken by approximately 105 million native speakers and also by...
)
- NFL Europa: Frankfurt Galaxy (English
English is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
)
- Natures Images Photography - Photos of the Frankfurt Galaxy home games