Tombstone
Born: June 13, 2000 – XFL founding franchise
Folded: May 10, 2001
First Game: February 3, 2001 (L 33-29 @ Orlando Rage)
Final Game: April 15, 2001 (L 33-16 @ Los Angeles Xtreme)
XFL Championships: None
Stadium
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: XFL
Attendance
Chicago had the lowest attendance in the 8-team XFL in 2001.
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Source: Kenn.com Attendance Project
OUR FAVORITE GEAR
Chicago Enforcers
XFL Replica Jersey
When it comes to Replica Jerseys, we turn to our friends at Royal Retros, who put extraordinary detail into their fully customizable USFL, WFL, XFL and WLAF jerseys.
Free Customization Included
Any name and number
Heavyweight sewn tackle twill
100% polyester
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Background
The Chicago Enforcers were one of eight franchises in the failed XFL, a joint venture between World Wrestling Entertainment and NBC Sports. Despite a national broadcast television contract, this spring football experiment lasted just a single season. The XFL folded immediately after its first and only championship game due to anemic TV ratings, big financial losses and the general dismissal by the American public and sporting press.
Chicago was the first XFL city announced in June of 2000. The Enforcers named Chicago Bears legend Dick Butkus as the team’s Head Coach a month later, although he later pulled out and took an XFL league office job instead. Chicago replaced Butkus with the rather less exciting appointment of former Patriots and Colts head man Ron Meyer.
Veteran Backfield
The Enforcers started feebly at 0-4, before winning five of their final six games to make the XFL playoffs at 5-5. Chicago’s strength was its league-leading rushing attack, led by NFL veterans John Avery and LeShon Johnson. Avery was an NFL 1st round draft bust (Miami 1998), but revived his career somewhat in the XFL, leading the league in rushing by a large margin with 800 yards. Avery never returned to the NFL, but was able to springboard from the XFL to a 6-year extension of his football life in the Canadian Football League. Johnson was a lymphoma survivor and, like Avery, he acquitted himself well in the XFL. Unlike Avery, the XFL was the end of the road for Johnson.
One and Done
In the playoffs, the Enforcers lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Xtreme 33-16 in the semi-final on April 15, 2001. This was the last game the team ever played. The XFL shut down less than a month later.
Chicago Enforcers Shop
Our Favorite Stuff
Chicago Enforcers
XFL Logo T-Shirt
“The color is bruise,” explained legendary ex-Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus at the press conference to unveil the Chicago Enforcers name, logo and colors in August 2000. Butkus was supposed to be the head coach of the XFL’s Chicago franchise that took its name after his own nickname. Unfortunately, he was shunted aside to a bland front office job before the XFL’s one and only season began. He may have been a terrible coach (he’d never done it before), but wasn’t the XFL supposed to be fun?!
This design is also available as a Hooded or Crewneck Sweatshirt and as a Women’s V-neck right now at Old School Shirts!
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XFL MINI-HELMETS
Chicago Enforcers
Mini-Helmet
This XFL Mini Helmet is available through Royal Retros.
15 oz. mini helmet
Style worn by the Enforcers in 2001
Available in the classic helmet style by Schutt or modern style by Riddell
Typically ships in 3-5 business days
Fulfilled by 417 Helmets
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Editor's Pick
This Was The XFL
ESPN Films 30 for 30 (DVD)
Directed by Charlie Ebersol
Charlie Ebersol, son of XFL co-founder Dick Ebersol (NBC Sports), directs this ESPN 30 for 30 documentary re-telling of the star-crossed 2001 season of Vince McMahon’s pro football/pro wrestling mash-up, the XFL. Weirdly, the process of making this film inspired Charlie Ebersol to try his own hand at running a spring football league. Ebersol’s equally messy Alliance of American Football would ultimately become a saga worthy of its own 30 for 30 treatment someday.
Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVTi1g1MTOg
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Chicago Enforcers Video
The Enforcers host the San Francisco Demons on March 18, 2001. Highlights from the UPN broadcast.
In Memoriam
Head Coach Ron Meyer suffered a fatal aortic aneurysm while playing golf on December 5, 2017. He passed away at the age of 76. New York Times obituary.
Links
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One Response
Nostalgia indeed how I wish league would have survived to me a most memorable Chicago Enforcers season followed teams progress with grand interest my friends and family did not understand this I would mention to them that this was real football these guys playing for the love of the sport I remember one enforces game played in a the rain oh the memories too much to bear