New Jersey Rams

New York Football Conference (1977-1978)
Mid-East Football Conference (1979-1984)

Background

The New Jersey Rams were one of the nation’s top semi-pro football teams during the early 1980’s. The former New York Rams moved to Bergen County, New Jersey ahead of the 1977 New York Football Conference season, initially setting up shop at County Park in Lyndhurst. The team would bounce between various home stadia in Bergen and Essex counties over the next eight seasons.

Ed O’Reilly served as the Rams’ head coach for the club’s entire run.

In Competition

During the 1980’s, the Rams were virtually unbeatable in competition against their Mid-East Football Conference foes, primarily other New York City and northern Jersey clubs. The Rams won the MEFC title in 1981, 1983 and 1984 while losing closely fought championship games to the Brooklyn Kings in 1980 and 1982.

The nation’s top semi-pro clubs of the era were also put into a national ranking by the Minor Pro Football Association. Beginning in 1980, the MPFA also organized national playoff competitions that saw the top-rated teams scrape together funds to travel outside their regions. In November 1983, the Rams advanced to the MPFA national championship game in Wisconsin, losing to the Racine Gladiators 30-13 before an estimated crowd of 3,000 fans.¹ASSOCIATED PRESS. “N.J. Rams fall in title game”. The Record (Hackensack, NJ). November 20, 1983

The following season, 1984, an undefeated Rams squad held the MPFA’s #1 national ranking for much of the year. But the team ultimately lost to the Scranton Eagles on the road in an MPFA playoff contest. This proved to be the Rams’ final appearance, as the club disbanded along with the rest of the Mid-East Football Conference the following summer.²Fox, Ron. “Rams fold with league”. The Record (Hackensack, NJ). July 17, 1985

Former Pace University quarterback Doug Woodward (Rams ’81) was a team success story. Woodward would go on the play three years in the United States Football League as the back-up quarterback for the Boston-New Orleans-Portland Breakers franchise from 1983 to 1985, earning himself his very own Topps football card in the process.

Linebacker John Joyce (Rams ’82) also enjoyed three USFL seasons with the local New Jersey Generals franchise, playing alongside former Heisman winners Herschel Walker and (later) Doug Flutie from 1983 to 1985.

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Outsiders II

by Bob Gill with Tod Maher & Steve Brainerd

 

Outsiders II covers the independent minor leagues of professional football from 1951 through 1985. This volume contains histories and yearly statistical summaries for the top minor leagues of the period, plus the World Football League, which has a claim to major league status, and the United States Football League, which was clearly a major league. It also includes yearly summaries for the best of the lesser leagues, which featured a good number of interesting players in their own right.

 

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Downloads

10-20-1984 Rams vs. Marlboro Shamrocks Roster & Game Notes

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