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.
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 Bowler (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 is currently on
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. 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.
Season-By-Season
|
| 2001 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
2nd Eastern |
Lost Semifinals (Los
Angeles) |
|
| Totals |
5 |
6 |
0 |
(including playoffs)
Chicago Enforcers Players
 Enforcers Helmet
- 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 Ivy 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.
- ?? 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 toungue 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)
- ?? Jaime Baisely ILB College (Indiana)
- ?? Chike Egbuniwe OLB college (Duke)
- ?? Charles Ward DE college (Kentucky)
- ?? Jason Bray DB college (Auburn)
- ?? Octavius Bishop T college (Texas)
Team Leaders
- Rushing Yards: 800 John Avery (league
leader)
- Receiving Yards: 546 Aaron Bailey
- Passing Yards: 4580 Tim Lester
- Passing Touchdowns: 48 Tim Lester
References
External links
- http://www.rememberthexfl.8m.com/teamspage.html (scroll
down)
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