Indoor Football League Hall of Fame
 | This article needs to be updated. (April 2021) |
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| Established | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Website | www.goifl.com/ifl-hall-of-fame |
The Indoor Football League Hall of Fame is the official Hall of Fame of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The creation and inaugural class for this Hall was formed in 2014 and consisted of three inductees. All classes between 2014 and 2019 have consisted of three inductees which have contributed to the league in a significant way. There were no inductees for 2020; however, the 2021 class included four inductees. The Hall of Fame is the highest honor for players, coaches, and contributors involved in the IFL. The league was formed out of the merger of two indoor football leagues United Indoor Football and Intense Football League, which qualifies players who have also contributed at a high level to these former leagues prior to the merger. This Hall of Fame only incorporates contributors to the IFL, and its former leagues, so no other indoor or arena football leagues factor into the inductions. The Arena Football League has its own corresponding Hall of Fame. There is currently no physical location for the Indoor Football League Hall of Fame. Unlike the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Canadian Football Hall of Fame, there is no museum to view the inductees. Instead, it is more similar to the Arena Football Hall of Fame in that the inductees are enshrined online and without a physical location.
Qualifications[edit]
In order to be nominated for the Indoor Football League Hall of Fame, a candidate must have contributed in some significant fashion to be enshrined in the Hall. There is no official criteria that must be met other than the self-explained significant contributions to the league. Unlike other football Hall of Fames, the IFL Hall of Fame is far more new and laxed. To qualify, a member would need to significantly contribute to a franchise that played in the IFL, United Indoor Football, or Intense Football League during their tenure.
Ceremony and Hall of Fame Game[edit]
Starting with the 2021 season, the league added a new tradition of a Hall of Fame game. Similar to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, the first game of the season will now commemorate and recognize the hall of fame class for that year. Before this, the inductees were celebrated during the United Bowl championship game.[1]
Inductees[edit]
The list is complete up to date 2021 Hall of Fame class.
| Inductee | Class | Position | Team(s) | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Benizio | 2014 | Commissioner, Owner, Co-founder | Odessa Roughnecks | 2004–2008 |
| Commissioner | 2008–2012 | |||
| Rich Roste | 2014 | Announcer | Sioux Falls Storm | 2000–present |
| Terrance Bryant | 2014 | Quarterback | Sioux Falls Storm | 2005–2010, 2013 |
| LaRon Council[5] | 2015 | Running Back | La Crosse Spartans | 2011 |
| Green Bay Blizzard | 2012 | |||
| Cedar Rapids Titans | 2013–2014 | |||
| Chris Dixon[6] | 2015 | Quarterback | Black Hills Red Dogs | 2005 |
| Billings Mavericks/ Outlaws | 2005–2010 | |||
| Sioux Falls Storm | 2011–2012, 2014, 2019 | |||
| B. J. Hill | 2015 | Defensive back/Kick return | Green Bay Blizzard | 2010–2013, 2018–2019 |
| Mark Blackburn | 2016 | Linebacker | Sioux Falls Storm | 2003–2010 |
| Lionell Singleton[7] | 2016 | Defensive back | Tri-Cities Fever | 2010–2015 |
| Tom Wigley | 2016 | Owner | Colorado Ice/ Crush | 2010–2016 |
| Robert Fuller | 2017 | Head Coach | Omaha Beef | 2005–2006 |
| Fairbanks Grizzlies | 2011 | |||
| Green Bay Blizzard | 2012–2013 | |||
| Bemidji Axemen | 2014 | |||
| Cory Johnsen | 2017 | Defensive lineman | Sioux Falls Storm | 2006–2015 |
| James Terry | 2017 | Wide receiver | Sioux Falls Storm | 2006–2015 |
| Pig Brown | 2018 | Linebacker | RiverCity Rage | 2009 |
| Nebraska Danger | 2012–2015 | |||
| Charlie Sanders | 2018 | Offensive lineman | Billings Outlaws | 2010 |
| Sioux Falls Storm | 2011–2016 | |||
| Jameel Sewell | 2018 | Quarterback | Green Bay Blizzard | 2011 |
| Nebraska Danger | 2012–2016 | |||
| Javicz Jones[8] | 2019 | Linebacker | Texas Revolution | 2014 |
| Iowa Barnstormers | 2015–2017 | |||
| Myniya Smith | 2019 | Offensive lineman | Billings Outlaws | 2009–2010 |
| Sioux Falls Storm | 2011–2017 | |||
| Bryan Pray[9] | 2019 | Wide receiver | West Michigan ThunderHawks | 2010 |
| La Crosse Spartans | 2011 | |||
| Green Bay Blizzard | 2012 | |||
| Ceder Rapids Titans | 2013–2015 | |||
| Spokane Empire | 2016 | |||
| Iowa Barnstormers | 2017 | |||
| Fred Jackson | 2021 | Running back | Sioux City Bandits | 2004–2005 |
| Heron O'Neal[10][11] | 2021 | Head coach | Billings Outlaws | 2006–2010 |
| Colorado Ice/ Crush | 2012–2016 | |||
| John Pettit | 2021 | General manager/vice president | Iowa Barnstormers | 2008–2020 |
| Kurtiss Riggs | 2021 | Head coach | Sioux Falls Storm | 2003–present |
Class of 2021 Finalists:[12]
- Kurtiss Riggs head coach for the Sioux Falls Storm from 2004-present.
- Heron O'Neal head coach for the Billings Outlaws and Colorado Ice.
- Fred Jackson running back for the Sioux City Bandits from 2004-2005.
- Nate Fluit defensive lineman for the Sioux Falls Storm from 2003-2007.
- Charlie Bosselman owner of the Nebraska Danger.
- Houston Lillard quarterback for the Tri-Cities Fever.
- Willie Copeland quarterback for the Green Bay Blizzard, Cedar Rapids Titans, and Colorado Ice/ Crush.
- Carl Sims wide receiver for the Bloomington Edge, Billings Outlaws, Sioux City Bandits, Sioux Falls Storm, Cedar Rapids River Kings, Billings Wolves, Green Bay Blizzard, Spokane Empire, and Nebraska Danger.
Other Hall of Fames and Leagues[edit]
Pro Football & Canadian Football Hall of Fame[edit]
As of 2020, only one Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee has played in the IFL. Terrell Owens played one season for the Allen Wranglers in 2012. Kurt Warner is the only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Arena Football Hall of Fame; however, he did not play for the Iowa Barnstormers after they left the AFL. No Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductees have played in the IFL.
Arena Football Hall of Fame[edit]
As of 2020, there are no members of both the Arena Football and IFL Hall of Fame; however, there have been ten members of the AFL Hall that have contributed to a franchise that at one point has played in the IFL. The Iowa Barnstormers and Arizona Rattlers are two teams that had played in the AFL at one point, but currently play in the IFL. Of these ten members, none had played when the team entered the IFL. The Rattlers have had six members enter the AFL Hall of Fame: head coach Danny White (1992–2004), wide receiver/linebacker Hunkie Cooper (1993–2005), quarterback Sherdrick Bonner (1993–2007), wide receiver/defensive back Randy Gatewood (1996–2007), fullback/linebacker Bob McMillen (1995–2001), and executive Gene Nudo. The Barnstormers have had four members enter the AFL Hall of Fame: owner Jim Foster (1995–2001), offensive/defensive lineman Jon Roehlk (1995–1996), quarterback Kurt Warner (1995–1997), and head coach Mike Hohensee (2012-2014). Hohensee had also coached the Peoria Pirates in 2009 when they were a member of the AF2; however, the Pirates were once a member of the United Indoor Football, prior to the merger to become the IFL.
Other Leagues[edit]
Current inductees of the IFL Hall of Fame have played for other indoor teams that were members of different leagues. Chris Dixon had played quarterback for the Everett Hawks in the Northwest Football League, the Orlando Predators, New Orleans VooDoo, and Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena Football League, and Texas Revolution in the Champions Indoor Football (before they left the IFL). Lionell Singleton played for the Alabama Vipers in the AFL (before they left the UIF). Jameel Sewell played for the Milwaukee Mustangs in the AFL. Myniya Smith played for the Utah Blaze in the AFL. Despite all of these inductees playing some time with other indoor football leagues, their contributions to these teams are irrelevant for induction. As of 2019, Heron O'Neal is the head coach of Salina Liberty in the CIF.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ "HALL OF FAME GAME". The IFL. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ↑ "IFL Hall of Fame". The IFL. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ↑ "Storm's Cory Johnsen, James Terry inducted into IFL Hall of Fame". Argus Leader. May 26, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Former Danger football players receive IFL Hall of Fame honor". Nebraska TV. May 4, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Council first Titan tabbed for IFL Hall of Fame". The Gazette. July 10, 2015. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Former Billings Outlaws quarterback Chris Dixon to coach Shepherd football". The Billings Gazette. January 9, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Former Tri-Cities Fever DB Lionell Singleton inducted into IFL Hall of Fame". Tri-City Herald. June 16, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "UMHB football alum inducted into IFL Hall of Fame". KCEN. July 15, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Former Cedar Rapids Titans fan favorite Bryan Pray selected for IFL Hall of Fame". The Gazette. June 15, 2019. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Salina Liberty coach Heron O'Neal named to Indoor Football League Hall of Fame". Salina Journal. May 7, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "O'Neal Agrees to 4-Year Extension with Liberty". KSAL.com. June 24, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
- ↑ "2021 IFL HALL OF FAME NOMINATIONS". The IFL. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
External links[edit]
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