World Football League - NFL Jumpers

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.