NFL 86: The Road To The Super Bowl

[KO'BBF]

This is the longest running project that I have been involved with during my time playing Madden. This is a project I began for the first time back in 2008 on Madden NFL 07 using baghdad bob's 1986 roster that he posted on football-freaks.com years ago for 08. I loaded it up in my trusty old Madden 07 and have been tweaking on his original roster for the last 8 years. I started a 'chise once before and a journal following NFL 86 on football-freaks back when, but I never made it past week 6. Years later, and three or four tries after that .... here is my definitive version of NFL 86: The Road to the Super Bowl.

I was pleased when I discovered baghdad bob's 1986 roster and 1987 and 1988 draft classes he made for 08. Like I've said before, Madden 07 is my personal favorite and the game I feel most comfortable with. So I loaded his roster and ran my fingers over every player and changed pretty much everything. He did a good job filling the Ravens, Jaguars, Texans, and Panthers with real players of the era. I swapped the rosters of the Texans and the Titans and created an Oilers team to replace the Texans (his Titans). I also created my own Buccaneers creamsicle team mostly because of the pewter laced Raymond James Stadium. Using Custer, Nza's Editor, the DB Editor, and Madden Amp I created this franchise from his roster.

1986 was a very important year for me personally. I was somewhere in second or third grade and I was really into football. The National Football League instantly became my favorite football outlet because of its fast and clean game play. I knew who Joe Montana was before I knew who any football player was. I grew up with him, and Tom Rathman, and Elway, and Ken O'Brien [ko'bbf?] and Phil Simms and even a little bit of Neil Lomax. I was super thrilled with the idea of playing with Vince Ferragamo and Jim Plunkett, too. I want to take them out in style. So I am really excited about finally putting this together and playing these games, because the late 80's up to 1994ish was my most endearing era of pro football. This is my favorite project and franchise to play because of the chance to play with those players I admired when I was a football neophyte and this game was all new to me. Mostly, too, I play it on Madden 07. I have a lot of issues with 08, and 07 is smooth and comfortable for me. It's even better than Madden 04! (and that's saying something)

In this journal I would like to share the action of NFL 86: The Road to the Super Bowl. Every game will be played, human vs. human. I have some friends that play, my wife is quite the madden gamer too, and I participate in every game and monitor for league quality control.

... one of my favorite parts of doing these journals is the famous "alternate history" that we all delve into. Some people like science fiction, I like pro football fiction. So here is all the "alternate history" you will need to catch up to the way I see the 1986 NFL Season playing out .....




NFL 86 was bound to be the most unique season in the 66 year history of the National Football League. The league had recently merged two leagues into our current NFL, expanded to 16 game schedules, and revolutionized pass blocking and football scheming, and fought off smaller leagues looking for a piece of the pro football pie. So what could possibly be next for the league? NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle was instantly dissatisfied at the dual purpose stadiums that arose in the 70s. Rozelle publicly stated that he was not interested in seeing the National Football League take a backseat to Major League Baseball anymore. He vowed to use all available resources at his disposal to help each of the 28 NFL franchises build, or maintain immaculate and state of the art football fields. Pete declared these to be "Football Cathedrals" and the phrase was instantly coined by the football press. Pete Rozelle and several league officials set out to actively recruit financial sponsorship and open up relations with city officials to make their NFL stadiums the most important landmark for its citizens. This announcement in February 1980 put the league into action to renovate the National Football League as the most modern and available sports entity in the world. Both on the field and off. Threats of player strikes around the 1982 season were promptly thwarted when Rozelle opened up the free agency conversation and hiked up base salaries league wide. These movements were the first of the big news stories that resulted in the dramatic changes in the league's lineup and landscape long before the kickoff of NFL 86. Shortly after, it was the sudden movement of the Baltimore Colts franchise during the 1983-84 off season that caused the National Football League into an aggressive makeover.

Al Davis had strained his relationship with the city of Oakland and tried to shake them up by moving his team to Los Angeles. As Al was preparing to take Rozelle and the league to court, the city of Oakland stepped up and pleaded with Al Davis to keep the Raiders in Oakland where they belong. The league lent a hand and help upgrade The Alameda County Coliseum up to a first class stadium and a great host to its Raiders faithful. Robert Irsay had strong interest in the court case Al Davis was preparing for his intended relocation. Irsay used it as an ignition switch to leave behind Baltimore and his strained relationship with its city's officials. Irsay yanked the team in the middle of the night, and a bitter Baltimore city council fought both the National Football League and Robert Irsay in court for control of an NFL franchise in Baltimore. [this ofcourse is inspired by the real life events when Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore] The court case opened up several loop holes in team ownership and league franchise boundaries and this allowed K.S. "Bud" Adams to swoop out of the city of Houston. In the spring of 1984 the courts decided Irsay had the right to move the Colts into the open arms of the city Indianapolis and it's brand new Hoosier Dome. The same rules that K.S. "Bud" Adams found the league had violated allowed the court to award the city of Baltimore a replacement NFL franchise if proper funding could be found. Adams knew if he could raise the required money he could sell his team and acquire a new NFL franchise with less funds and litigation than if he moved the Oilers. By spring 1984 the league was unaware of Adams' plan and were preparing to wrap up the Baltimore situation. The Baltimore Ravens were soon named the league's 29th team scheduled to take the field at the start of the 1986 season. Pete Rozelle and the league was a little shaken up by this sudden announcement of Irsay's and were blindsided when the Bidwill family slipped the Cardinals right out from underneath St. Louis. The League did award that merger with Super Bowl commitments for its state of the art stadium due to the Arizona area's financial and enthusiastic support of pro football. Still unaware of K.S. "Bud" Adams' plan of moving on from the Houston franchise, league officials did not want to leave the teams uneven with 29 so they sought out a likely candidate for a 30th expansion team. Charlotte, North Carolina's Carolina Panthers were the surprise winners of the NFL Franchise Lottery. Jacksonville and Nashville were other teams that pursued the opportunity.

Following the Cardinals departure from St. Louis, Georgia Frontiere quickly contacted St. Louis city officials about the progress of their proposed dome stadium being built to keep the Cardinals. The Cards were gone but the stadium was almost done, and Georgia Frontiere offered up the Rams to be the tenants. Amidst all of this turmoil on the NFL front, the Rams quietly moved out of Orange County, California following the 1985 season. As the league looked to be settled for 30 teams to take the field at the start of the 1986 season, K.S. "Bud" Adams pulled the trigger on his plan to ditch out of Houston and threaten to file litigation with the league for the right to start a new franchise from scratch for 1986 as well. With strained legal support for the league, and lots of cash being offered up, an exhausted Pete Rozelle approved the movement of Adams to Nashville. Wishing the league show its stability, league officials promptly met with Jacksonville to see if they could pony up the cash to hit the field for NFL 86. Making the league a 32 team entity powerhouse.

All of the league's relocation issues and court cases were settled by July 1986, just in time to take the field. The influx of money into the league truthfully lead to all of the relocation and rebranding of the National Football League in the immediate years prior to 1986. The television contracts were escalating and corporate sponsorship was rampant and eagerly available. Each of the current 32 franchises were given equal money and league officials met with each team owner to be assured the days of franchise expansion and relocation were finished for the National Football League.

The National Football League also solidified it's NFL Properties with the partnership of Reebok. Reebok International paid an undisclosed sum in the seven figure mark to become the sole supplier of official NFL Properties merchandise. From the NFL Equipment on the field to the NFL Properties in the stands, Reebok has the official license. (i had a bunch of Reebok Jets hats for 15+ years, and they've held up through the years, solid. i have had two New Era hats recently, and they are junk) Reebok and their design team created the image and uniform design for the expansion teams in Baltimore and Nashville. The league also gave Reebok full control on designing a unique uniform for the National Football League on field officials. Concussions were a growing concern in the National Football League for years. The NFL safety team has partnered with medical personnel and Riddell Equipment to create safer pads and sounder helmets. Each player is required to wear the "new generation" Riddell helmet for NFL 86, meaning Largent and Super Duper need to turn in their 70's models. And, Rich Karlis is required to wear a shoe, I think we've all had enough of that barefoot kicking. With CBS, NBC, ABC, and with Reebok partnering with the National Football League, 1986 is the season the NFL is poised to be the pinnacle of the professional sports market.


The league now stable with 32 teams will be restructured and realigned. This new 8 division, 4 team format corrects some of the NFL's geography challenged division lineups. Seattle will move back to the NFC, and the three of the four expansion teams will sign up for the AFC. The realignment also preserves the classic AFC West lineup which had been together since 1960. Same with the AFC East adding the Dolphins a few years later. The AFC North preserves the Steelers, Bengals, and Browns rivalry. Sadly the Oilers were given the boot from the old central and sent to the new south. Rivalries are restored in both the potent NFC East and the famous black and blue NFC North. The new NFC West will host brand new rivalries! as will the expansion filled NFC South and AFC South. [the division lineups are as we know them today, the Oilers are the Texans] Instant Replay will be used for NFL 86. Each team will get the chance to challenge twice in each half, losing a timeout if they lose the challenge. The two point conversion has been lobbied for years to be a part of NFL football. For the 1986 season, it will be a legal 2 point scoring play.

Here is a closer look at the 32 teams in NFL 86....

1986_Roster_Mod_v1.0.ros

this is the original roster file that I started with by Baghdad bob

(2.04 MiB) Downloaded 229 times

[KO'BBF]

Fresh off their World Championship the Chicago Bears look to defend their title with the team almost intact. The most important piece of the Bears was the 46 Defense and its gone. Buddy Ryan has taken his defensive schemes over to Philadelphia to be the Head Coach. Mike Ditka returns as the Head Coach but he needs more than just one near perfect season to build his team into a football dynasty. Vince Tobin was recruited from the USFL to take Buddy's spot and add his own flavor to the New Monsters of the Midway. The Chicago Bears moved into the oldest stadium in the league, Soldier Field in Chicago in 1970. Since the early seventies several improvements were made in the last 15 years spearheaded by Pete Rozelle. Pete really opened up the pocket book to keep the NFL's flagship franchise happy and the city of Chicago picked up their share of the cost to make Soldier Field a true football cathedral for the 1986 season. The Halas family has insured their ownership and control over the Chicago Bears will continue for decades.



The Chicago Bears are an NFL flagship team. Soldier Field is the oldest stadium in the league, but it's facilities and playing field are right in line with the best in the league.



Jim McMahon returns to the Chicago Bears to captain them on their quest to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. McMahon brings to the Bears his undeniable toughness and leadership. If McMahon and Head Coach Ditka become more of a creative team, Chicago could be unstoppable. Ditka occasionally announces his support for backup Mike Tomczak and that could potentially cause distractions for the returning World Champions.



Richard Dent and Mike Singletary continue to be the emotional leaders of the Chicago Bears. With Buddy Ryan and the 46 scheme gone, both Singletary and Dent are expected to lead the way for the Bears in learning and executing Tobin's new style of defense.



Walter Payton is the one Chicago Bear that is truly irreplaceable. The man they call "Sweetness" has ran further than any other Running Back in NFL history. Payton is poised to be the NFL's leading ground gainer in NFL 86.



Maury Buford from Texas Tech is an accurate field flipper. With Buford, kicker Kevin Butler and Dennis Gentry, Dennis McKinnon, and Lew Barnes on the return team, Chicago boasts the NFC North's most potent Special Teams unit.








The city of Cincinnati embraced Pete Rozelle and his direction of taking the National Football League to the top of the sports market. The city was able to secure funds and to provide commodities to a new football stadium following the 1981 Super Bowl appearance of Paul Brown's Bengals. The city also took the cost of making Riverfront a baseball exclusive stadium. In return the league gathered funding from various private sources and matched the city's offer to help the Cincinnati Bengals Football Club in building their own football cathedral. The new stadium was named in honor of the team's founder and football legend Paul Brown. This season will be the stadium's debut. For 1986 the Cincinnati Bengals Football Club officially have a new logo of a bold, Bengal striped B. The B is also in homage for Brown, and doubles as the Bengals B. Paul Brown has continued to show his trust in Head Coach Sam Wyche. Sam will continue a similar West Coast style that his mentor Bill Walsh has materialized. Wyche needs to push the team over that .500 mark that he has been delivering since taking over the club.



The Cincinnati Bengals are very excited about beginning play in the brand new Paul Brown Stadium. The team is looking to return to the Super Bowl and will have the new artificial grass turf field as a home base.



The Bengals offense in NFL 86 is controlled by Quarterback Boomer Esiason with help from Setback James Brooks. Boomer is entering his third year in the league and has shown he is one of the most intelligent and athletic Quarterbacks in the league. Brooks is a veteran who has found a new life in Cincinnati after arriving from San Diego in a trade. Boomer and Brooks are the stars of the show at the new Paul Brown Stadium.



Nose Tackle Tim Krumrie is a fiesty scrapper who is the emotional barometer for the Cincinnati football club. He leads a young team on the field and is a team captain.



Veteran Tight End Rodney Holman is Boomer's favorite target and close friend. Holman's possession skills are key in the Bengals version of the West Coast offense.



Versatile Stanford Jennings is the star on the Special Teams unit. Jennings returns kicks and punts and works the kick coverage team. He also lines up on the line of scrimmage, in the back field, and played a little safety for the Bengals.











Founder of the Buffalo Bills, Ralph Wilson is a model owner for the league and is known to have his pockets continually stuffed by Pete Rozelle and the money the league generated from various advertising revenue. In return for Pete's loyalty, Ralph and the Orchard Park organization were given unlimited funds to continue to update their football home since the early 70's. Ralph Wilson could not reach an agreement with Rich Products to continue the naming rights, so the stadium became Ralph Wilson Stadium. Former Bills coach Hank Bullough resigned to pursue a further Head Coaching job we will see later on .... Marv Levy was proudly named the new Head Coach of the 1986 Buffalo Bills. Marv Levy is a true football folk hero and is looking forward to building a dynasty in a city starving for football success. The philosophy in Buffalo has to change to keep them from repeating a 2-14 record as they did in 1985.



Orchard Park is the home for the Buffalo Bills and Ralph Wilson Stadium. (if Frank Minnifield wasn't looking at the camera he might have stopped Ronnie Harmon from scoring)



The Buffalo Bills are being rebuilt for NFL 86. USFL stars are proving to be the essential ingredient in the resurgence of the Bills. Linebacker Ray Bentley spent three seasons banging heads in the spring league and has now become the defensive signal caller in the National Football League.



Punter John Kidd puts his foot in the ball providing a useful service to the Buffalo football club. With kicker Scott Norwood, Buffalo has a solid kicking crew.



Andre Reed from tiny Kutztown is the secret weapon in the Bills offensive attack. Reed will go from obscurity to becoming a household name for making plays.



Gunslinger Jim Kelly has been the most talked about addition to the Buffalo Bills for NFL 86. Buffalo finally has obtained the rights to Kelly, and signed the passer to a fruitful long term contract.











Pat Bowlen is in the process of building his own football dynasty with his Denver Broncos as NFL 86 arrived. Nestled in their home at Mile High, Bowlen and associates are fortunate enough to be holding hands with the Invesco investment management company. Their personal sponsorship has allowed the Denver football club to keep their stadium in state of the art condition. Officially named Invesco Field at Mile High (cause it is already on the default stadium) Dan Reeves and Joe Collier continue to mold their young players and veteran leaders toward their hopes of a winning football team. In 1985 they directed the Broncos to a 11-5 record but were unable to qualify for the playoffs.



Invesco Field at Mile High is the new handle for the Denver Broncos football compound.



John Elway is entering his fourth year as the great Quarterback who was supposed to set the league on fire. With a very large upside, John continues to find ways to make plays and win games for the Denver franchise.



Linebacker Tom Jackson is entering his 14th season in the league and with the Denver Broncos. Jackson is a veteran leader with an iron grip on the game of football. Jackson is famous for keeping his teammates in position and is the loudest member of the team.



The Denver Broncos have a very stable Special Teams unit. Kicker Rich Karlis will be forced to wear shoes this season, and punter Mike Horan is a Pro Bowl contender.



Cornerback Louis Wright is competing in his 12th season with the Denver Broncos and is still a playmaker.

[KO'BBF]

The Cleveland Browns has had a long tradition of football in the city and under the ownership of Art Modell. During the tenure of Pete Rozelle's "football cathedral" era, the league was a supporter of Art Modell and his desire to keep! Browns football alive and well in Cleveland forever. (*wink, wink, nudge, nudge*) remember this is "alternate history" and the story doesn't play out .... Since the late 70's the Browns have been playing in a constantly updated state of the art football arena dedicated to the city of Cleveland. Cleveland Stadium features a thick grass field and the Dog Pound. Marty Schottenheimer continues to have full control of the football operations of the Browns 1986 football club. Marty Ball is almost guaranteed to improve on the 5-11 1984 record and 1985's 8-8 record.




The Cleveland Browns were one of the first teams to abandon the idea of stadium sharing with baseball and have been playing at famous Cleveland Stadium since the 1978 season. Cleveland's commitment to their football team influenced Pete Rozelle to challenge other teams to build their own football stadiums of high caliber.



Bernie Kosar is Cleveland's Golden Boy. Entering his second season in the league, Kosar is the heady Quarterback needed to lead the Browns in Marty Ball.



Veteran team leader Clay Matthews is entering his 9th season with the team. Matthews is the defensive leader and signal caller and proud member of the Dawg Pound.



Pro Bowl canidates are the Special Teams players for Cleveland. Both punter Jeff Gossett and kicker Matt Bahr are ball kicking play makers. Cleveland also has zippy "Ice Cube" McNeil returing kicks.



The Cleveland Browns are deep with talent, and Chip Banks is one of the most underrated football players in the league.












The 1986 Tampa Bay Buccaneers football club is a team with great expectations. Owner Hugh Culverhouse approached Pete Rozelle to discuss his desire in building the Tampa team into a state of the art football dynasty. Culverhouse, with the help of league officials, developed a financial partnership with St. Petersburg based Raymond James Financial. The company began a pipeline into the team with the desire of building modern Raymond James Stadium. The National Football League played a significant role in the building of the stadium with a deal being signed to host Super Bowl 21 at the conclusion of the 1986 season. The city of Tampa and Raymond James Stadium also are signed to host Super Bowl 25. The pressure is on for Head Coach Leeman Bennett to install pride in the creamsicle and white. As he enters his second season at the helm he cannot repeat a 2-14 record again.



The Tampa Bay franchise will begin play in the brand new Raymond James Stadium for NFL 86. This new football field will be the site for Super Bowl 21 following the playoffs in NFL 86.



Keith Browner is a star on the Buccaneers defensive depth chart. Keith is the youngest of the three Browner brothers playing football in NFL 86.



BYU left handed Quarterback Steve Young has been acquired from the USFL to be team leader of the Tampa Bay football team.



Mike Prior is a key contributor on special teams for Tampa Bay, and will play at Strong Safety.



Tailback James Wilder is the power gear in the Tampa Bay offense. Wilder is the team's leading canidate for all pro honors.











Partnering with the Chicago Bears as the only two original NFL teams in current league play, the Cardinals football franchise experienced another upheaval prior to the kickoff of the 1986 season. Being a charter team in the league's premier season the football Cardinals called Chicago their home for forty years before the Bidwill family moved the crimson birds to St. Louis. With the claims that Robert Irsay had brought to court with his rights to move the Colts to Indianapolis, the Bidwell's partnered with Irsay and road his coattails in franchise relocation. The cities of Glendale and Phoenix and the support of the state of Arizona were open pockets to the Bidwill organization. Booming Phoenix, Arizona long awaited a professional football team and immediately begin to woo the Bidwill family following the announcements of both the Al Davis/Oakland agreement and the ruling to let the Colts move towns. Most importantly the announcement from the Bidwill's they were actively seeking to have the most advanced stadium in Pete Rozelle's vision, motivated Arizona officials. The city of St. Louis was unable to match the offer made by the officials from Glendale, Arizona. And the proposed Edward Jones dome being built in St. Louis for exclusive football purposes was unable to rival the layout the city of Glendale proposed to build for their interest in the football Cardinals. So with ease and the other team's lawsuits clearing the path the Cardinals franchise was moving addresses with the transition to Glendale, Arizona in the early spring of 1986. The National Football League showed much interest in this relocation and supported the building of the immaculate Phoenix Stadium which will host future Super Bowls and the weekly contest of the newly branded Arizona Cardinals football club. The Bidwill family, the National Football League, and the communities of Arizona form an enthusiastic and inseparable bond that will succeed in bringing professional football to the Grand Canyon state. Head Coach Jim Hanifan was not retained with the relocation and will be replaced by longtime Dallas Cowboys assistant, Gene Stallings. Gene is one of two NFL 86 Head Coaches who were proud members of Bear Bryant's Junction Boys.



Phoenix Stadium is proudly dubbed the Ninth Wonder Of The world. The city of Glendale and Phoenix spared no expense in building a football stadium that made the Arizona Cardinals the class of the league.



Ottis Anderson is the biggest sprocket in the Cardinals offensive attack. O.J. is a power runner with break away speed.



Fullback Earl Ferrell will also be a star yard provider for the fresh Arizona football club. The Cardinals have the most stacked backfield in the entire league with Ferrell, O.J., Vai Sikahema, Ron Wolfley, Stump Mitchell, and young Broderick Sargent.



Neil Lomax from Portland State is the most underrated passer in the National Football League. His health is the key factor in the Cardinals fortunes in the new NFC West.



Play making Cedric Mack is a shutdown corner. I love the ball in Madden 07, one of my favorite things about this specific release.









Entering NFL 86 the San Diego Chargers and recent owner Alex Spanos were looking to create their own identity in the new age of the NFL's professional sports dominance. Mr. Spanos formed a surprising partnership with Qualcomm Inc. who only was a fledging company in the San Diego business community. Qualcomm Inc. became the official team sponsor and the moniker for the constantly refurbished stadium. Qualcomm and team officials also campaigned the league to be the host for Super Bowl 22. Spanos introduced sleek new uniforms for the San Diego football club prior to the commencement of the NFL 86 produced by league partner Reebok. The city was rocked with the sudden announcement of Head Coach Don Coryell retiring. Many speculated Coach Coryell could not agree with the football operations that were officiated by Mr. Spanos. Wide Receivers coach Al Saunders was promptly promoted to keep the Chargers football team in the playoff hunt.



Originally the famous Jack Murphy Stadium, the Chargers have a new partner and are playing their games for NFL 86 at Qualcomm Stadium.



Kellen Winslow has generated talk about his opportunity to finish his career in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But Kellen claims he is not done yet, and is looking for NFL 86 to be his career best.



Athletic Gill Byrd is the biggest playmaker on the Chargers roster.



Tackle Jim Lachey is the anchor in the new Chargers offense protecting Fouts' blindside.



Head Coach Al Saunders and Quarterback Dan Fouts will continue the philosophy laid out by Air Coryell, but will balance their attack more. They also will incorprate a lot of short yard underneath passes into the familiar bombs.

[KO'BBF]

Lamar Hunt endeared a long friendship and partnership with Pete Rozelle since the great merger of the AFL and the NFL. The Kansas City Chiefs football club was always supported by Rozelle and private industry companies that were focused on preserving the Chiefs professional football image. Arrowhead Stadium has been the Chiefs home field since 1972. The league made it a priority to keep Arrowhead updated and competitive with Rozelle's Football Cathedral vision. Bermuda grass was installed as the playing surface prior to the opening kickoff of the 1986 season. Head Coach John Mackovic has been rebuilding the team in his image for the prior 3 seasons, and reaches a pivotal season in his Chiefs coaching career.



Arrowhead has a brand new grass field for the Chiefs to attack opponents on.



The defensive backfield is the Chiefs strength in NFL 86. Lloyd Burruss, Kevin Ross, Albert Lewis, and leader Deron Cherry are smash mouth defensive backs.



Rich Baldinger and Irv Eatman (shown here with Brian Jozwiak filling in for John Alt) are solid blockers for the Chiefs to run a balanced attack.



Stephone Paige came into the league as an undrafted free agent and became a league record holder. Paige is the go to guy for the KC football club in NFL 86.



Bill Kenney continues to be the Quarterback in Kansas City despite the drafting of Todd Blackledge. Entering NFL 86, Kenney continues to rise to the top of the depth chart.










The National Football League has expanded and improved more during the decade of the 80s than the league has in any other prior decade of pro football. The catalyst to the league's new found alignment was the relocation of the Colts franchise. Team owner Robert Irsay had raised eyebrows ten years earlier when he initiated a direct trade with Carroll Rosenbloom for his Rams with Carroll's Colts. Prior to the 1984 season the Colts pulled out of Baltimore and moved to the spacious RCA Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis. NFL 86 will mark the third season for the Colts in America's Heartland. Rod Dowhower played Quarterback for Don Coryell at San Diego State and took over the Colts fortunes for the 1985 season. For NFL 86, Dowhower needs to improve on his debut 5-11 season.



The RCA Hoosier Dome became the home for the Colts when they moved to Indy in 1984. Even two years later, the new facility has a fresh and clean atmosphere.



Cornerback Eugene Daniel is a playmaker for the Indianapolis colts.



Tight End Pat Beach is an important contributor to the West Coast influenced offense Dowhower wishes to implement in Indy.



Punter Rohn Stark is currently the greatest punter in NFL history according to the stat sheet entering NFL 86. Kicker Dean Biasucci is solid inside the 40.



1985 Defensive Rookie of the Year Duane Bickett needs to step up to the next level to take the Colts to the playoffs.









The Dallas Cowboys are looking at NFL86 as their best chance to return to the Super Bowl since their last World Championship 8 years prior. Coming off a 12-4 1985 record, Tom Landry assures Cowboys fans that the bandwagon is running on full steam. Season tickets for Texas Stadium are again sold out, making the Cowboys the hottest ticket in sports.





Dallas is ready to use its explosive back field featuring Heisman Trophy winners Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker. Quarterback Danny White has a season of handing off ahead of him.



"The Manster!" Randy White is the muscle in the Cowboys defense after all of these years. White is still a pursuit and attack football player who is looking to return to the Pro Bowl in NFL 86.



Ed "Too Tall" Jones provides a perfect compliment on the line along side White.



Nose Tackle John Dutton (a long with unpictured Jim Jeffcoat) completes the Cowboys Doomsday D Line.










The Miami Dolphins are coming off a 12-4 season and were the only team to beat the defending Super Bowl champs, the Chicago Bears. With two recent Super Bowl losses in the last 5 season, Head Coach Don Shula and team owner Joe Robbie have prepared the Dolphins organization to move into a new stadium for the 1986 run. Joe Robbie Stadium is a state of the art football cathedral that will be sponsored by Pro Player Sportswear. It is signed to be the site for Super Bowl 23.



After playing in the Orange Bowl for the last 20 years, the Miami Dolphins have their own stadium. Joe Robbie Pro Player Stadium will host Super Bowl 23 and the weekly Dolphins games.



The Marks Brothers continue to be the playmakers for the Miami Dolphins. Mark Super Duper and Mark Clayton are the most dangerous combination in the league.



Entering his fourth season, Dan Marino is the most important Dolphin of all.



Rookie John Offerdahl is expected to be the middle linebacker and defensive captain for the next several years.



(i sure love that ball) Reggie Roby has the strongest punt leg in the league. Kicker Fuad Reveiz is accurate and reliable.

[KO'BBF]

Few teams are as excited about the kickoff of NFL 86 as the Philadelphia Eagles. This Philadelphia team is poised to be the rebirth of the historic franchise entering its 54th season in the league. Owner Norman Braman with the help of the league signed up with insurance and investment management company Lincoln Financial Group to fund a football only stadium for the Eagles, ditching the baseball diamond's "Field of Seams". With a brand spanking new stadium, Philadelphia hired Buddy Ryan to bring his 46 Defense and Wild West Atmosphere into a football club that needs a new identity to replace 1985's 7-9 record.



Philadelphia gave it's Eagles a football palace for their very own with Lincoln Financial Field.



Defense is king in Philly and Buddy Ryan has embraced Seth Joyner to be the leader of his 46 squad.



Reggie White, though, is the most effective defensive player for the Philadelphia Eagles.



All purpose back Keith Byars was the first round draft choice from Ohio State for Buddy Ryan. He is expected to be on the field for every offensive snap in NFL 86.



Randall Cunningham has been given the run of the offense and has the confidence to be the most dynamic player in the league.









Following Super Bowl 14, Pete Rozelle announced the National Football League will become the number one professional sports organization in the world and aggressively helped teams secure stadium upgrades or new football-purpose-only stadiums, leaving Major League Baseball behind with their baseball diamond built "dual purpose stadiums". The first of Pete's football cathedrals was the opening of the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the 1983 season. The city of Atlanta along with private donations provided by the league in association with the Peach Bowl committee funded and built the sixth domed stadium for National Football League play. That's about all that owner Rankin Smith has to be excited about with the kickoff of NFL 86. Head Coach Dan Henning is entering his fourth season with the club under the dome, and 7-9 in 83 is the best he produced so far.



The Atlanta Falcons are the headliners at the Georgia Dome.



Running Back Gerald Riggs is the majority of the Atlanta Falcons offense.



Rookie Tony Casillas was drafted to be an every down Defensive Tackle for the Falcons. Tony has the incorrect jersey number on here, but is given his proper #75 before the start of the regular season.



Scott Case is a versatile football player who plays both safety and corner for the Falcons D.



Undrafted Iowa State and Snow Junior College Quarterback David Archer has the opportunity to be the trigger man in Dan Henning's attack.










With the NFL in full swing of distancing itself from the shadow of baseball, only three stadiums were supported by the locals to remain as dual purpose stadiums. Other than the dome in Minneapolis, the Bay Area hosted the baseball and football duals. San Francisco had interwoven a deep love affair with Candlestick during the Niners last two Super Bowl runs. The league had ensured the stadium was being constantly upgraded to its high standards. Owner Eddie DeBartolo and Head Coach Bill Walsh are returning from a 10-6 season one year removed from being World Champions looking to become the team of the 80s.



Candlestick Park will continue to be the home for the San Francisco 49ers and their local baseball team in NFL 86.



Quarterback Joe Montana is returning from surgery and is heading into NFL 86 as the odds on favorite to win the league MVP.



Wide Receiver Jerry Rice is the hardest working player in the National Football League.



Linebacker Charles Haley is the Wild Card in the Niners defensive attack.



Safety Ronnie Lott is the most active defensive player for the San Francisco 49ers.











Bill Parcells and General Manager George Young built the New York Giants from the ground up to take them to a shutout loss to the Bears in the 1985 tournament. The New York Football Giants rallied as a team in the off season to avenge that loss. Only a trip to Tampa for Super Bowl 21 will satisfy these Football Giants. The Meadowlands was an early influence on Pete Rozelle to form a plan to build football super stadiums to support the league's undeniable fan base. Opened in 1976, the stadium continues to be upgraded to league specifications.



Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands has been kept in top condition for the fans of the New York football club.



Lawrence Taylor and Leonard Marshall are the fire and desire of the New York Football Giants.



Little Joe Morris had a breakout season in 1985, and could be the most valuable Giant on the offensive side of the ball in NFL 86.



Punter Sean Landeta has the potential to be a Pro Bowl regular.



Often under appreciated Quarterback Phil Simms is one of the most effective football players in NFL 86.

[KO'BBF]

The expansion to 32 teams was not an overnight venture. The process began with litigation in 1983 with the Colts franchise, and ended in the spring of 1986 with the announcement of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville was in the running for an NFL franchise from the very moment the league announced it was looking to expand. While other cities were selected instead, the drive of Jacksonville remained high. Jacksonville developer Tom Petway along with Wayne Weaver founded a conglomerate to bring pro football to north Florida. Following the immediate formation of the Tennessee Titans, the duo began securing television advertising deals with NBC and ABC to fatten up the case for Jacksonville to be added to the National Football League. With the NFL in the sudden Tennessee bind they quickly agreed to the group's terms and helped the team secure funds for a stadium. Within 8 months, the Gator Bowl was almost leveled and completely restructured into Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Walt Michaels was named the franchise's first Head Coach within days of the announcement of the Gator Bowl project. Michaels compiled a 64-58-1 record with six season with the Jets and two in the USFL.



Once the site of the Gator Bowl, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium was erected for the Jaguars to be a member of NFL 86.



Running Back James Jones was a third round draft choice of Dallas in 1980. After lingering on the bench behind TD, JJ gets his chance to carry the rock in Jacksonville.



Veteran World Class speedster Cliff Branch was a famous signing for the Jacksonville football club.



Linebacker Tom Briehl was a fourth round draft choice for Houston in 1985, and was signed by Jacksonville in 1986 to model their new unique jersery numbers designed by NFL Properties partner Reebok.



From the very beginning of the franchise, the Quarterback situation has been unsettled. Joe Theismann was originally introduced as the face of the team and was anticipating a comeback. Unfortunately Joe was not ready to play again, and after a few practice reps he retired to the television booth. The Jaguars signed young and unproven Ben Bennett from Duke and Robbie Bosco from BYU. Not satisfied, Walt Michaels recruited Richard Todd, shown here, to be the leader the Jacksonville football club needs. Keep your eye out for a new Quarterback to be added to the mix later on in NFL 86.









New York Jets owner Leon Hess replaced Walt Michaels with Joe Walton for the 1983 season. 83 was the last year the Jets played at Shea and Joe lead them to 7-9. They moved into the Meadowlands to share with the Giants for 1984 and Joe still only gave them a 7-9 record. Jets faithful hope the 1985 11-5 record with a playoff loss to Super Bowl bound New England was the new low point of the Joe Walton era. Joe needs to show his Jets can FINISH!!! a season before he proves it wasn't a fluke.



The New York Jets are preparing for their third season at the Meadowlands.



Ken O'Brien (hooray!) from the University of Cal Davis proved in 1985 that he was a worthy draft pick back in 83. O'Brien lead the league in passing in 1985, and his entire offensive squad is returning for NFL 86.



The Old War Horse, Jim Sweeney is the leader of the Jets offensive line. Sweeney plays every position up and down the line of scrimmage, and will be the blind side protector in NFL 86.



Wesley Walker is blind in his left eye and runs the 40 in 4.5 at the age of 31.



Al Toon is the most dangerous possession receiver in the game.









The Pontiac Silverdome opened in 1975 but almost from the beginning the stadium was hardly up to code with the NFL standards. Even before a snow storm damaged the roof in the spring of 1985, the Silverdome was already in the plans to be vacated by the Detroit Lions Football Club. William Clay Ford was very interested in seeing his name on the football stadium, so he and a group of private investors almost funded the construction of Ford Field out of their own pockets. The Detroit Lions officially moved into Ford Field midway through the 85 season. (i think the stadium looks like a quonset) Head Coach Darryl Rogers enters his second season under the head set following a 7-9 1985 campaign.



The Detroit Lions Football Club is looking forward to its first complete season playing at Ford Field.



Fullback James Jones (not the Jaguars James Jones) and rookie tailback Garry James will be the James and James backfield for the Lions in NFL 86.



Linebacker Mike Cofer is a ball hawking play maker who makes plays from sideline to sideline. Shown here with some turf stuck in the head gear.



Detroit Lions punter Jim Arnold is a directional ball placer with a strong leg.



The Detroit Lions and Darryl Rogers are putting their faith in first round draft pick Chuck Long from the University of Iowa.











Prior to the kickoff of NFL 86 the roof of the Astrodome was replaced [this is because i goofed up when I created the stadium and used the wrong roof] with the same material used a few years earlier on the Metrodome and the Hoosier Dome. K.S. "Bud" Adams had been feuding with city officials for years over the stadium. Behind closed doors in the winter of 1984-85, and completely unknown to Adams, the Houston Astros struck a deal with the city to build a baseball only Astro Park. This hastened the fall out with Adams and the city officials of Houston. With litigation still in courts and millions of loop holes in the league's rules and laws discovered during Irsay's moving the Colts, K.S. "Bud" Adams quickly sold his interest in the Oilers and an opened up a case threatening a suit that allowed him to build and own a new football franchise in a new city if he sells his interest in his current team. Houston business man Bob McNair headed a group recruited by Adams to be owners of the historic Houston Oilers franchise. With the sale, the city agreed to pay for several upgrades to the grounds around the stadium while the league paid the bill for the new roof and new seats. The league also used private funds for upgrades to the public address system, and replay screens. New ownership and the league's firm but helping hand with the city officials in Houston ensure that the Houston Oilers franchise has a long future ahead. With the 'stros gone, the Oilers are the headliners at the Astrodome. K.S. "Bud" Adams was a personal friend of Head Coach Jerry Glanville and ear marked a deal to keep Glanville on as the coach for a guaranteed 5 more seasons with the sale of the team. (you can say the guys who later in real life who bought the texans, could have got the oilers in nfl 86 for a thrift store price)



The Astrodome with its new roof is ready for play in NFL 86.



Head Coach Jerry Glanville says that he will uncuff Warren Moon and let him throw the ball over 500 times in NFL 86.



Rookie second round pick Ernest Givins will be a reliable target for Moon this season.



Ray Childress is expected to lead the Oilers defense to a new level in NFL 86.



Lee Johnson is a boomer who can flip the field easily for the Houston football club.

[KO'BBF]

The Green Bay Packers are the only publicly owned franchise in the NFL. The team entered the league in 1921, the second year of operations. Along with the Chicago Bears and the New York Football Giants, the league has adorned the Green Bay team as a flagship team. The support of the league has funneled private investors to keep the second oldest stadium right on par with football cathedrals sprouting around the landscape. Packer legend Forrest Gregg returns to Lambeau Field for his third season as Head Coach. After taking the Bengals to the Super Bowl, Gregg has finished 8-8 in each of his Packers campaigns.



Lambeau Field continues to be a first class football stadium in Green Bay.



Linebacker Brian Noble was a 5th round 1985 draft pick who turned out to be the surprise of the rookie class.



James Lofton continues to be the team's most legitimate Pro Bowl canidate.



Big Ed West is an over the middle warrior who can catch and block.



Quarterback Vince Ferragamo has been on a football odyssey that has taken him through Cal-Berkley, the University of Nebraska, on to the Los Angeles Rams, Montreal, and Buffalo ... leading to his finale here in Green Bay where he has earned the opportunity to be the team's Quarterback.








When the Baltimore Colts left their home city overnight, the courts got busy when the city and the league filed suit, and Robert Irsay followed countersuit after countersuit. It was ruled that Irsay could move and the city of Baltimore was to be given a franchise for league play if funding could be provided. With that announcement the National Football League did not want to schedule around an uneven league with 29 teams. So, the long search began and the announcement was made the National Football League will honor the Colts move to Indianapolis and the new franchise in Baltimore. Charlotte, North Carolina was a surprise to many out west when it was quickly awarded the 30th National Football League franchise. Former Baltimore Colts wide receiver and North Carolina businessman Jerry Richardson headed a group backed by Charlotte based Bank of America to promise the league a team and stadium without any funding by the league. The presentation given to Pete Rozelle and league officials was convincing and they easily won the race. The league did contribute funds in the building of Bank of America Stadium where the Carolina Panthers will play professional football. Hank Bullough was recruited by team officials to be their first Head Coach. Hank was mostly famous for being the mastermind behind the 3-4 defense at New England and Cincinnati and one season in Green Bay before taking the job in Buffalo in 1985. He walked away from a 2-14 Buffalo in need of repair to build his own legacy in Charlotte.



Bank of America Stadium is where the Carolina Panthers will play football.



Hank Bullough heavily recruited Jim Haslett to come to Charlotte with him. Haslett was a surprise team leader in Buffalo coming out of tiny Indiana Pennsylvania University.



Derek Holloway got the opportunity to play football in the USFL and was a big time signee for the Panthers club looking for instant offense.



Veteran Quarterback Joe Ferguson has over come a slow gait and color blindess to be a 13 year NFL veteran. He was signed with former Giants and Cardinals passer Scott Brunner to lead the first version of the Carolina Panthers.



Punter Tommy Barnhardt was a diamond in the dust signing for the Carolina football team. Barnhardt wore 10 on his jersey at the beginning of preseason, but was assigned the number 6 by preseason's end.













Brothers Joseph and William Sullivan founded the team as the Boston Patriots and continued to fund the team up to their embarrassment in Super Bowl 20. Rumblings around the league was that they were looking to sell out and retire from pro football after the conclusion of NFL 86. Ray Berry has the task of taking that playoff momentum they experienced in 1985 before the Super Bowl crash landing and keep it rolling. Berry and the Sullivan's each have the advantage of state of the art Gillette Stadium to help them get the job done. Gillette Stadium was mostly funded by the Gillette Company with fellowship from the league and began play in the 1985 season. They finished with an overall record of 11-5 in the regular season playing at Gillette Stadium.



The Patriots are looking to return to the Super Bowl in NFL 86 playing their home games in Foxborough at Gillette Stadium.



Cornerback Ronnie Lippett makes a play on that beautiful ball. Lippett (Lip-Pay) and Andre Tippett (Tip-pit) are the most valubale defenders for the Patriots football club.



Veteran Stanley Morgan is the most reliable playmaker on the Patriots roster.



Irving Fryar compliments Morgan and is a threat returning punts.



Rich Camarillo is a coffin corner kicker.











With the National Football League landscape growing and changing, the classy Oakland Raiders were a league staple. Prior to the upheaval in Baltimore, Raiders owner Al Davis was ready to pull the plug on his association with Oakland. Davis and Rozelle began to butt heads on the matter before the city of Oakland stepped in and praised their love and obedience to the National Football League and the Oakland Raiders. The Super Bowl success of the Silver and Black gave the city of Oakland an identity that only the Packers and the Steelers could associate with. The city of Oakland did all they could do to keep the Raiders in Oakland and upgrade the Alameda County Coliseum to keep above the NFL's standards. Fans even donated their own money to the cause of keeping the Athletics baseball team and the Raiders football team together and happy in the Coliseum. The money raised by independent groups of fans was used to buy and install sod over the baseball diamond during football play. Networks Associates is a software company that was founded in 1987, but yet, somehow, they are able to secure funding to get their name on the stadium in the game. I don't know how, but a year before the company is founded in 1987, the Oakland Raiders are calling Network Associates Coliseum their home for NFL 86. The city of Oakland and Al Davis are best of friends now. Tom Flores returns from a 1985 12-4 record and a division crown. [in my personal opinion the city of Los Angeles has never really appreciated their football teams. Even the LA Raiders, if it wasn't for Ice Cube they wouldn't have sold so many hats. The Raiders belong in Oakland.]



The famous Oakland Alameda County Coliseum will continue to be the home for the Raiders and the Athletics.



Jim Plunkett is the stuff legends are made of.



Matt Millen is the leader of the aggressive Raiders defense.



Famous Ray Guy was the first punter ever drafted in the first round. NFL 86 will be Ray's finest of his Hall of Fame career.



Marcus Allen is a Super Bowl MVP, and a League MVP, and shows no signs of slowing down entering NFL 86.

[KO'BBF]

Los Angeles never seem to truly embrace professional football. Without much notice or fanfare, the Rams quietly left the city of Anaheim and it's baseball diamond in the broad daylight. The Bidwill's were interested in moving the Cardinals out of St. Louis for years and fell into love with the money from the city of Glendale, Arizona. The city of St. Louis, however, was very much in love with pro football and were on pace with Pete Rozelle's influence of building football cathedrals to take the National Football League to the top of the sports mountain. Edward Jones Investments is a firm near the St. Louis metropolis and was very interested in being a part of St. Louis Cardinals football. With the Colts and Irsay fiasco in full swing, the Bidwills jumped in Robert Isray's Cadillac and went for a ride to Glendale to sell their franchise for a larger bill than St. Louis could afford. Georgia Frontiere is the owner of the Rams and was looking to distance herself from her 7th husband at the beginning of 1986 and was disillusioned by Anaheim and Orange County's support of the Rams. When she learned of the Bidwill's spurning of the Edward Jones Dome currently under construction in her hometown in St. Louis, she placed a phone call. Not long after it was announced the Colts were moving, the Cardinals were moving, and Baltimore gets a new 'chise, and Charlotte! gets a team?! ..... the Rams just packed up and moved east to St. Louis and nobody noticed. Planners of the new Edward Jones Dome had learned that the Bidwill organization was looking at an enclosed stadium, which lead them to the Dome idea. Georgia Frontiere was very interested in her team playing in a dome stadium, hoping it would give her team a home field advantage without the Missouri weather hindering her once sun drenched Los Angeles Rams football team. Head Coach John Robinson was very outspoken about moving from his comfortable home in Southern Cal, but came along willingly with the rest of the organization looking to improve on it's 11-5 1985 season with a western division crown.



The new Edward Jones Dome was meant for the Cardinals Football Team, but fate lead the Rams to St. Louis where they will be the pride of the City.



Eric Dickerson is the single season rushing record holder, but has a strained relationship with Head Coach John Robinson which could hinder Dickerson's desire to win in St. Louis.



The debut of the St. Louis Rams will be lead by veterans Dennis Harrah and Jackie Slater. Shown with former Falcon great Steve Bartkowski.



Free Safety Vince Newsome is the leader of the Rams defense.



Wide Receiver Henry Ellard is the firecracker on the Rams roster.









As we have documented very thoroughly, when Robert Irsay transplanted the Colts franchise, the league went haywire and relocation and expansion became the theme for the 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986 NFL seasons. In the courts it was decided the Colts could play their football in the Hoosier Dome in Indiana, and Baltimore will be awarded a new franchise if the funding could be found. M&T Bank Corporation funded several Baltimore investors to create a new football team. Revenue and support for a new franchise was over whelming, and the city of Baltimore was able to construct a football stadium that would rival any professional sports venue in the world. M&T Bank Stadium is next to a remodeled Camden Yards and the grounds have been completely renovated to honor their teams and the Baltimore fans. Team officials agreed on the famous Raven mascot and put their faith in new league partner Reebok to design a unique uniform. The jersey numbers have caused some heated conversation in Baltimore, but they are here to stay. Winner, but controversial, Head Coach Ron Meyer was the only candidate sought out to be the Baltimore Ravens first Head Coach.



M&T Bank Stadium is the most modern and attractive stadium on the NFL landscape.



Tight End Casper 'Cap' Boso models the Baltimore jerseys for us. The number layout caused quite the stir when they were unveiled by Reebok.



Veteran defender Gary Green played in four pro bowls from 1981 to 1985 for Kansas City and the Rams. He provides leadership and clout to the Baltimore defense.



Punter Mike Black was cast off by Detroit, but is the most overlooked player that will provide an impact for the initial Ravens football team.



Bobby Bell Jr. doesn't have the physical tools that his famous father did in the NFL, but he has all of the heart needed to get him a job in Baltimore.



The Baltimore Ravens Quarterback job is an open race that will feature former Cleveland Brown Paul McDonald. Packers veteran Lynn Dickey was originally signed to be the first superstar in the Ravens history, but he did not play well in camp and preseason and was benched in favor of McDonald. The Ravens officials are still looking for their franchise Quarterback.











Jack Kent Cooke was inspired by Pete Rozelle and other team owners to expand and build a new stadium to push the NFL to the top of the professional sports world. The league awarded the owner's long loyalty to the league and begun to help finance a replacement to RFK. Originally slated to be Jack Kent Cooke Stadium for the start of the 1984 season, Federal Express came on board to help finance the project in order to get their name on the stadium. The famous delivery company was looking to rebrand itself under the moniker FedEx and partnered with the Redskins to deliver the news with FedEx Field. With all of the buzz about the Raiders and Niners in the 80s Joe Gibbs has been putting together his own argument for the team of the 80s with his high power offense and smash mouth D. Joe Gibbs and the Redskins are returning from a 1985 10-6 slide from their, 11-5 and 12-4 records from seasons past.



FedEx Field is the new name for the new Jack Kent Cooke Stadium and will be the home for the Washington Redskins.



Doug Williams and Joe Gibbs have a long history together before the kickoff of NFL 86. When Doug was looking to return to the NFL after a run in the USFL, Gibbs offered him an equal opportunity to earn the Redskins job. Williams easily beat out benchwarmer Jay Schroeder and rookie Mark Rypien to be the field general in Gibbs' system.



Art Monk is the league's most prolific receiver that is not named Jerry Rice. Monk along with Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders will be the key in Doug Williams success.



Charles Mann is the proven strongest man in the National Football League and a key contributor to the onfield success of the team.



Rookie Todd Bowles teams with fellow rookie Alvin Walton to play the safety positions in NFL 86.








Tom Benson has breathed a new life into the New Orleans Saints Football Club and installed USFL superstar Head Coach Jim Mora in command of his team. The city of New Orleans and the National Football League have a very long history of hosting Super Bowls and that relationship will continue with upcoming Super Bowl 24. The Superdome just hosted Super Bowl 20 with the Bears upending the Patriots. Tom Benson, Jim Mora, and support from the city of New Orleans and the National Football League ensure that New Orleans Saints football has an unending future.



The Super Bowl palace that is also known as the Lousiana Superdome.



The Saints have five rookie running backs on the roster. First pick was Rueben Mayes.



Dalton Hilliard is another rookie running back for the team. Gill Fenerty, Barry Word, and USFL player Mel Gray are the others.



Jim Wilks is the key to the Saints 3-4 attack.



Sam Mills proved he could play ball in the USFL and comes over with Jim Mora to be the leader of the powerful Saints defense.

[KO'BBF]

The Kingdome was a place where the National Football League found a home in the city of Seattle. The original twelfth man came from the Kingdome. Yet, it was decided by city officials a new football stadium was necessary for the Seattle Seahawks to maintain an equal footing in the league. With help from the league, city officials began seeking a corporate sponsor to fund the new home for the twelfth man. [when i was a kid in nebraska, our only phone line before we had cell phones was provided by US West who later became Qwest. It says Qwest on the game's stadium, so let's just say for undocumented reasons US West had already became Qwest] Local communications giant [*cough*cough*] Qwest became partners with the city of Seattle and team officials and are ready to open up Qwest Field by opening day 1986. Qwest Field has the most advanced artificial turf in the league today. Head Coach Chuck Knox is looking to improve from his 1985 8-8 record with his famous Ground Chuck Offense. With the realignment in the league created by the expansion, the Seahawks return to the National Football Conference where they began their league play in 1976.



Qwest Field features the most advanced artificial turf on the market.



Quarterback Dave Krieg and Running Back Curt Warner are the thunder and lightning in the Seahawks' aresenal. The key to Ground Chuck is just what you see here.



Kenny Easley is the premier head hunter in the National Football League.



Veteran corner Dave Brown is a shutdown cornerback and team leader in Seattle.



Steve Largent is bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The city of Seattle is a shining jewel in the crown of the National Football League.










The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to use their great success and four Super Bowl rings to recruit local Heinz Company to join as a team partner rescuing them from the confines of Three Rivers Stadium. With help from the National Football League, Heinz Field opened for play for the 1984 NFL season. That first year on the grass pitch, Chuck Noll lead his team to a 9-7 record beating the Central crown opponents in bouts of submission. The Rooney family and Chuck Noll followed that up with a 7-9 slide in 1985. The most exciting change for the Steelers in NFL 86 will be the new jersey numbers. The league has partnered with the Reebok Company and they have taken the liberty to install a fresh look into the league. One new idea is the jersey numbers for the Pittsburgh Steelers that emulate the famous numbers that have appeared on their helmets for years. General Manager Dick Haley is given credit for this change. Tony Dungy is the defensive mastermind who is working on a special Cover 2 style defense.



Heinz Field will be opening its third season in NFL 86.



John Stallworth is the essential element in Chuck Noll's Pittsburgh Steelers.



Rookie Quarterback Walter Andrew "Bubby" Brister, III unseated Mark Malone as the Steelers signal caller.



Dwayne Woodruff has overcome a preseason injury to return to the starting lineup in Pittsburgh. He is modeling the new jersey numbers for Pittsburgh.



Middle Linebacker David Little is the key to Tony Dungy's Cover 2 Defense.









Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, the building materials manufacturer, was involved in the formation of the Tennessee Titans from the very beginning of the franchise. K.S. "Bud" Adams had decided to sell out all interest in his Houston Oilers Football Club when he learned the city of Houston was going to support the Houston Astros baseball team's plan of a new ballpark. He also detested the idea of being "handed-down" the Astrodome. K.S. "Bud" Adams used some undocumented legal loopholes to dump his interest in the team, and use his position as a founding AFL franchisee, to be awarded a new football franchise in the National Football League with a city who could meet the league's criteria and have a playable football stadium. When the court filings were settled behind close doors with Pete Rozelle and K.S. "Bud" Adams, the sale for the Oilers began. K.S. "Bud" Adams partnered with the Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, to fund a stadium project. This lead to the partnership with the city of Nashville who was a finalist in the earlier expansion awarded to Charlotte. By the conclusion of the 1985 season, LP Field was close to being completed. The new team was dubbed the Tennessee Titans in honor of the support of the entire state in the arrival of K.S. "Bud" Adams and the National Football League to the Volunteer State. Jack Pardee was the finalist and early favorite to run the on field fortunes of the Tennessee Titans Football Club. Pardee, too, was a famous member of Bear Bryant's Junction Boys.



The famous LP Field where the Tennessee Titans will square off for NFL 86.



K.S. "Bud" Adams offered Earl Campbell a fat stack of bills to move to Nashville and be the face of the new Titans. When Earl is not at practice, he could be found around the state of Tennessee opening shopping malls or making personal appearances at local schools.



Matt Herkenhoff was signed to be the rock on the Titans offense.



The Tennessee Titans used a high draft pick to select Hugh Millen from the University of Washington. The strong armed passer quickly worked his way up the depth chart.



The Titans signed Jason Staurovsky to kick and scored huge when Joe Prokop shown to be a free agent steal.









Minnesota Vikings legend Bud Grant (see my signature?) retired for the final time at the conclusion of the 1985 season. Decimated by the Bears, the Vikings could only manage a 7-9 record to send Bud out with. Offensive Assistant with the Minnesota Vikings Football Club for 18 seasons, Jerry Burns was a natural fit to move into Grant's Head Coaching position. With Jerry the philosophy and football operations will remain the same as they did under the reign of Grant. The Minnesota Vikings head into their fifth season in the sleek and clean Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.



The Metrodome is the pro football stadium that I have personally been to the most. I was always impressed with how clean and bright it was.



Veteran Scott Studwell is the defensive signal caller.



The middle Browner brother is the most celebrated. Joey Browner is a Pro Bowl caliber Strong Safety.



Hassan Jones is looking to be the spark that Minnesota needs to win in the playoffs.



Darren Nelson is the best the Vikings have in the back field.

[Leeman67]

This looks great. Will definitely be following!