World Football League

NFL Jumpers

Several NFL players signed contracts, or in some cases, future contracts with teams in the World Football League. In the case of a future contract, this was when a player entering the final years of a contract with an NFL team would sign a contract with a WFL team that goes into effect the moment the player's obligation with his NFL club is finished. Each signing is broken down by team, said players previous NFL club, and year player signed a contract. Just because a player signed doesn't mean he ever played for that team. L. C. Greenwood, for instance, never played a down of football for Birmingham. No one shown with a date after 1975 ever actually played for the WFL team listed due to the league's insolvency as of that year. (Note that the two Mike Taylors listed below are two different players.)

Birmingham: Ross Brupbacher, LB (Chicago Bears) 1974; L. C. Greenwood, DE (Pittsburgh Steelers) 1975; Charley Harraway, RB (Washington Redskins) 1974; Ron Jessie, WR (Detroit Lions) 1975; George Mira, QB (Montreal CFL) 1974; Jim Mitchell, TE (Atlanta Falcons) 1975; Mike Montgomery, RB (Dallas Cowboys) 1975; Joe Profit, RB (New Orleans Saints) 1974; Jethro Pugh, DT (Dallas Cowboys) 1976; Paul Robinson, RB (Houston Oilers) 1975; Ken Stabler, QB (Oakland Raiders) 1976; Larry Willingham, DB (St. Louis Cardinals) 1974; Rayfield Wright, T (Dallas Cowboys) 1977

Chicago: Virgil Carter, QB (San Diego Chargers) 1974; Bob McKay, T (Cleveland Browns) 1975

Detroit: Warren McVea, RB (Kansas City Chiefs) 1974; Mike Taylor, LB (New York Jets) 1974

Florida: Bill Bergey, LB (Cincinnati Bengals) 1976; Bob Davis, QB (New Orleans Saints) 1974; Fred Hoaglin, C (Baltimore Colts) 1975; Cecil Turner, WR (Chicago Bears) 1975; Perry Williams, RB (Green Bay Packers) 1975

Hawaiians: Vince Clements, RB (New York Giants) 1975; John Douglas, LB (New York Giants) 1975; Ron East, DT (San Diego Chargers) 1974; Ed Flanagan, C (Detroit Lions) 1975; John Gilliam, WR (Minnesota Vikings) 1975; Edd Hargett, QB (Houston Oilers) 1975; Calvin Hill, RB (Dallas Cowboys); John Isenbarger, WR (San Francisco 49ers) 1975; Randy Johnson, QB (New York Giants) 1975; Ted Kwalick, TE (San Francisco 49ers) 1975; Jim Sniadecki, LB (San Francisco 49ers) 1975; John Wilbur, G (Washington Redskins) 1975; Greg Wojcik:, DT (San Diego Chargers) 1974

Houston: Bob Creech, LB (Philadelphia Eagles) 1974; Richmond Flowers, DB (New York Giants) 1975; Craig Morton, QB (Dallas Cowboys) 1975

Jacksonville: Guy Dennis, OG (Detroit Lions) 1975; Chip Glass, TE (Cleveland Browns) 1975; Fair Hooker, WR (Cleveland Browns) 1975; Ray Nettles, LB (British Columbia Lions CFL) 1975; Bob Parrish, DE (New York Jets) 1975; Larry Smith, RB (Los Angeles Rams) 1975; Harmon Wages, RB (Atlanta Falcons) 1975

Memphis: Larry Csonka, RB (Miami Dolphins) 1975; John Harvey, RB (Montreal CFL) 1975; Jim Kiick, RB (Miami Dolphins) 1975; D. D. Lewis, LB (Dallas Cowboys) 1975; Paul Warfield, WR (Miami Dolphins) 1975

New York: Al Barnes, WR (Detroit Lions) 1975; Carter Campbell, DE (New York Giants) 1975; Brian Dowling, QB (New England Patriots) 1976; John Elliott, DT (New York Jets) 1974; John Fuqua, RB (Pittsbugh Steelers) 1976; Gerry Philbin, DT (New York Jets) 1974

Philadelphia: Steve Chomyszak, DT (Cincinnati Bengals) 1975; Ron Holliday, WR (San Diego Chargers) 1975

Portland: Hise Austin, DB (Green Bay Packers) 1975; Ron Billingsley, DT (New Orleans Saints) 1975; Levert Carr, T (Houston Oilers) 1975; Tom Drougas, T (Baltimore Colts) 1976; Rocky Rasley, G (Detroit Lions) 1976; Mike Taylor, T (St. Louis Cardinals) 1974; Steve Thompson, DT (New York Jets) 1975; Clancy Williams, DB (Washington Redskins) 1974

Southern California: Curley Culp, DT (Houston Oilers) 1975; Daryle Lamonica, QB (Oakland Raiders) 1975; Bob Newton, T (Chicago Bears) 1976; Dave Williams, WR (Pittsburgh Steelers) 1974; Dick Witcher, TE (San Francisco 49ers) 1975

Many other players jumped as well. Dallas running back Duane Thomas signed with the Hawaiians in 1975 after being released by the Washington Redskins. Longtime Cleveland Browns running back Leroy Kelly signed with Chicago. Other players joined the WFL despite being drafted by NFL squads, such as quarterback Danny White, who signed with Memphis before eventually joining the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

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