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115-553: The AF2 announced their expansion into the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area on July 24, 2001. Ownership would comprise a Baltimore-based group, Smith Sports International, and NFL legend Johnny Unitas . The team signed a 10-year lease with the First Union Arena at Casey Plaza (later Wachovia Arena and now Mohegan Sun Arena) and would begin play with the 2002 season in the league's Northeast Division. Terry Karg

230-430: A Louisville Cardinal , Unitas completed 245 passes for 3,139 yards and 27 touchdowns. Reportedly, the 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Unitas weighed 145 pounds (66 kg) on his first day of practice. His first start was in the fifth game of the 1951 season against St. Bonaventure (quarterbacked by future NFL player and coach Ted Marchibroda ), where Unitas completed 11 consecutive passes and three touchdowns to give

345-434: A 1–3 record as a starter, Unitas retired in the preseason of 1974. Unitas won three NFL championships (1958, 1959, 1970), and three MVP awards (1959, 1964, 1967). He was first-team All Pro five times (1958, 1959, 1964, 1965, 1967), and second team All-Pro three times (1957, 1960, 1963). He was also chosen for ten Pro Bowls (1957—1964, 1966, 1967). He was the league's passing yards leader four times (1957, 1959, 1960, 1963), led

460-645: A 29–22 Colts win. Namath threw 62 passes and broke his hand on the final play of the game, ending his season. Unitas threw for 390 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in AFC playoff victories over the Cincinnati Bengals and the Oakland Raiders. In Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys , he was knocked out of the game with a rib injury in the second quarter, soon after throwing

575-527: A 75-yard touchdown pass (setting a then-Super Bowl record) to John Mackey . However, he had also thrown two interceptions before his departure from the game. Earl Morrall came in to lead the team to a last-second, 16–13 victory. In 1971, Unitas split playing time with Morrall, throwing only three touchdown passes. He started both playoff games, a win over the Cleveland Browns that sent the Colts to

690-475: A 90 rating. Thus, it has been said that the records from the two eras cannot be fairly compared. More rules aimed at protecting quarterbacks from physical harm also have been implemented since Unitas retired. In describing Unitas in 2002 after his death, Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman observed of this earlier era, "The NFL hadn't liberalized the passing rules. His receivers could get mugged downfield. Defensive linemen could head-slap their way into

805-530: A broken leg against the Chicago Bears . In his first serious action, Unitas's initial pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Then he botched a hand-off on his next play, resulting in a fumble recovered by the Bears. Unitas rebounded quickly from that 58–27 loss, leading the Colts to an upset of Green Bay and their first win over Cleveland. He threw nine touchdown passes that year, including one in

920-505: A collapsing Louisville program, but Unitas was loyal and stayed at Louisville. Instead, Unitas attended the University of Louisville , under coach Frank Camp , after being recruited by young assistant coach Frank Gitschier. Gitschier would later teach Unitas the basics of quarterback play, give the introduction speech at Unitas's Hall of Fame induction in 1979, and in 2002 give a eulogy at Unitas's funeral. In his four-year career as

1035-559: A complete revitalization of the organization, drastically lowering ticket prices in an attempt to boost their average game attendance. The team set a new single game attendance record of 7,184 in the season finale against Louisville. The team experienced an improvement on the field as well, going into the final game of the 2006 regular season tied with the Louisville Fire for first in the East Division at 9–6. This set up

1150-656: A disappointing 8–5–1 record and missed the playoffs. In 1970, the NFL and AFL had merged into one league, and the Colts moved to the new American Football Conference , along with the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers . He threw for 2,213 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading the Colts to an 11–2–1 season. In their first rematch with the Jets, Unitas and Namath threw a combined nine interceptions in

1265-524: A fake pitch to the running back and ran the ball 23 yards for a touchdown. His also kicked off and punted that day. When one of his teammates was injured in the third quarter, Unitas lifted him up and carried the injured man off the field. Unitas himself was hurt later in the fourth quarter while trying to run the ball, and was helped off the field. As described by Bob Wilson of the Knoxville News-Sentinel , "'Battered and bruised, Unitas

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1380-399: A field goal attempt, which (if successful) would have cut the Jets' lead to 16–10. Despite not playing until late in the third quarter, he still finished the game with more passing yards than the team's starter, Earl Morrall. After an off-season of rehabilitation on his elbow, Unitas rebounded in 1969, passing for 2,342 yards and 12 touchdowns with 20 interceptions. But the Colts finished with

1495-591: A game against the San Diego Chargers on October 7, 2012. Unitas finished his 18 NFL seasons with 2,830 completions in 5,186 attempts for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns, with 253 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,777 yards and 13 touchdowns. Plagued by arm trouble in his later seasons, he threw more interceptions (64) than touchdowns (38) in 1968–1973. After averaging 215.8 yards per game in his first 12 seasons, his production fell to 124.4 in his final six. His passer rating plummeted from 82.9 to 60.4 for

1610-588: A noticeably different note than the previous two seasons. In a first-time matchup against the Columbus Wardogs , the Pioneers won their home and season opener. The team would continue to win, going 5-0 until suffering their first loss to the Albany Conquest . The Pioneers went on to lose only two more games, ending with a 13-3 record. They had not only secured a playoff spot, but they had won

1725-531: A record of 3–13; 2018 season To open the 2018 season, the Blizzard started out 0–5 which lead to coach Chris Williams being relieved of his duties following the Week 6 bye, in which he was replaced by Corey Roberson as interim head coach. The Blizzard finished the season 2–12. Corey Roberson was named head coach for the 2019 season. Under Roberson, the Blizzard had a 9–5 regular season record and qualified for

1840-531: A record of 6–8. 2016 season On November 3, 2015, Williams and the Blizzard agreed to part ways. On December 7, 2015, Chris Williams was hired as the head coach of the Blizzard. The team finished with a record of 5–11, losing all but one road game. 2017 season For the 2017 season, the Blizzard had a home record of 1–7 with the only home win being the last home game against the Salt Lake Screaming Eagles . The Blizzard finished with

1955-574: A reorganized, one-tier Arena Football League that year.) In multiple episodes of the American television comedy, The Office , Michael Scott and other characters are seen wearing Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers sweatshirts and undershirts. The Office takes place in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Also in some episodes, the gold AFL football with the blue stripe is seen on some of the employees' desks. In 2024, arena football returned to Wilkes-Barre with

2070-478: A second-round game, losing 55–54 on a last minute Manchester two-point conversion. After beginning the season by defeating the defending ArenaCup Champion Tennessee Valley Vipers . The Blizzard failed to capture a consecutive Midwest Division title and finished the season 10–6, earning the #6 seed in the 2009 af2 playoffs. The Blizzard advanced to their third American Conference Championship, losing to #1 seed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers 72–67. In October 2009,

2185-636: A showdown between the two teams at the Resch Center for the East Division title, which the Blizzard won 54–53. The Blizzard earned a first round bye before facing the 2005 ArenaCup Champion Memphis Xplorers in the Blizzard's inaugural home playoff game, which they won 67–50. This victory sent them to the American Conference Championship Game against the Florida Firecats , which they won 60–47, capturing

2300-407: A team for the 2010 season. No one was found to step in as owner, and the team announced that it was in the process of shutting down the team offices and would not field a team in 2010, though any potential investors were still encouraged to step up and begin negotiations to purchase the franchise. (As it would turn out, the entire league would disband in 2010, with several of its teams "moving up" into

2415-453: A team open house on November 17, 2009, the Blizzard announced their new head coach would be Rik Richards. On December 5, 2009, the Blizzard announced a name-the-team contest. The Blizzard name and intellectual property was held by the then-defunct Arena Football League (AFL), which was the parent of the Blizzard's former league, af2 . The assets of the former AFL were purchased by the newly formed Arena Football 1 . The team ownership group

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2530-427: A transaction that originally had future considerations returning to Baltimore. The deal's only obstacle was the personal services contract he had signed with the Colts in 1970 which would have kept him employed within the organization on an annual salary of $ 30,000 over ten years once his career as an active player ended. The pact had been signed when the ballclub was owned by Carroll Rosenbloom who subsequently acquired

2645-551: A victory over the Steamwheelers but lost in the conference semifinals to eventual ArenaCup champion Tennessee Valley . The 2009 campaign began in the same way the 2008 season did: rebuilding a strong team with the ArenaCup in sight. Several key players returned to the team in 2009, including Ryan Vena, David Davis, and Micheaux Robinson. The Pioneers began the season with two home wins over division opponents but dropped

2760-566: A waning passion for the game. For the fourth straight season, the Pioneers opened with a win, this time against Manchester. In their second game, against the Cincinnati Jungle Kats expansion team, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's 94-25 win set a team record for most points scored in a game; the 69 points of separation was also the fourth-highest margin of victory in league history. The Pioneers would extend their winning streak to 13 games before losing to Albany in week 16. They finished

2875-724: A win over the Green Bay Blizzard , the Pioneers advanced to the Conference Semifinals to face Florida, the top-seeded team in the conference. Their championship aspirations would die in the second round in a 59-45 loss. Following the season, Coach Moss signed a three-year contract with the Orlando Predators as an assistant coach, leaving the Pioneers to find their fifth coach in as many seasons. Pittsburgh native Rich Ingold , former Quad City Steamwheelers coach and Dallas Desperados coordinator,

2990-639: Is one of only six players to be named to the NFL's 50th , 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, one of the others being his Baltimore Colts teammate Gino Marchetti . He led the league in fourth quarter comebacks in six seasons, more than any other quarterback. He is credited with perfecting the two-minute drill . John Constantine Unitas was born during the Great Depression on May 7, 1933 in Pittsburgh to Francis J. Unitas and Helen Superfisky,

3105-670: The 2004 season, the Blizzard replaced Jose Jefferson with former Green Bay Packers linebacker Brian Noble . Despite the team improving during the 2004 season, the Blizzard finished 6–10. In 2005 , the team moved from the National Conference to the American Conference of AF2 . The Blizzard became a member of the American Conference's East division. The team also replaced Noble with veteran Arena Football League Bob Landsee . The team continued their trend of improvement in 2005 finishing 9–7, good for 3rd in

3220-545: The AFC Championship game against Don Shula and the Miami Dolphins , which they lost by a score of 21–0. Unitas threw three interceptions in the game, one of which was returned for a touchdown by safety Dick Anderson . The 1972 season saw the Colts declining. After losing the season opener, Unitas was involved in the second and final regular season head-to-head meeting with "Broadway" Joe Namath. The first

3335-664: The Bloomfield Rams for $ 6 a game. In 1956, Unitas joined the Baltimore Colts of the NFL under legendary coach Weeb Ewbank , after being asked at the last minute to join Bloomfield Rams lineman Jim Deglau, a Croatian steelworker with a life much like Unitas, at the latter's scheduled Colts tryout. The pair borrowed money from friends to pay for the gas to make the trip. Deglau later told a reporter after Unitas's death, "[His] uncle told him not to come. [He]

3450-465: The Chicago Bears . Unitas once said that Bears coach George Halas offered $ 500 to any player knocking Unitas out of the game. In the same game, Gino Marchetti said he was hit high and at the knees by two Bears, the hardest he was ever hit in a football game, one of the Bears later apologizing that Halas had told them to do it. With 17 seconds left in the game (Bears up 20-17), Unitas said that hall of fame Bears middle linebacker Bill George had Unitas by

3565-589: The Continental Indoor Football League , but the United Conference continued to have five teams with the expansion Bemidji Axemen . In September 2013, Titletown Football Group, LLC sold their majority ownership stake in the team to Larry and Kathy Treankler. The Blizzard began the 2014 season under head coach Chad Baldwin. After the team began the season 0–6, Baldwin was replaced by offensive coordinator Tommie Williams for

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers - Misplaced Pages Continue

3680-731: The La Crosse Spartans , Chicago Slaughter and Bloomington Extreme . The Blizzard won the Central North Division, but lost their first round playoff game against the Chicago Slaughter . For the 2011 season, the Blizzard competed in the United Conference, Great Lakes Division, which was a renamed Central North Division (the Spartans, Slaughter, and Extreme, along with the Blizzard). The Blizzard won

3795-715: The Los Angeles Rams on July 13, 1972, in a franchise swap with Robert Irsay . The deal was completed when the Chargers purchased that contract. Eager to sever all ties with the Colts, Unitas signed a new two-year contract with the Chargers on June 8, 1973. He succeeded John Hadl who had requested and was granted a trade to the Rams. Unitas started the season with a 38–0 loss to the Washington Redskins . He threw for just 55 yards and three interceptions and

3910-643: The Mohegan Wolves the following week. Both the Pioneers and Wolves lost, ending Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's hopes for a playoff spot. Their season came to a close with a 6-10 record. Following the season, head coach Karg resigned and left the Pioneers. Larry Kuharich , who had played for the AFL 's Tampa Bay Storm and was running back coach for the New Orleans Saints , was hired as the team's second head coach. The Pioneers’ second season got off to

4025-622: The NFL's Most Valuable Player by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA). Unitas continued his prowess in 1958 passing for 2,007 yards and 19 touchdowns as the Colts won the Western Conference title. The Colts won the NFL championship under his leadership on December 28, 1958, by defeating the New York Giants 23–17 in sudden death overtime on a touchdown by fullback Alan Ameche . It

4140-744: The Pro Football Hall of Fame on numerous occasions (including on Roy Firestone 's film Up Close ) to remove his display unless it was listed as belonging to the Baltimore Colts. The Hall of Fame has never complied with the request. Unitas donated his Colts memorabilia to the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore. They were on display at the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards until its closure in 2015. Unitas

4255-466: The " Mel Blount Rule " limiting the amount of physical play a defender can use against a receiver, and the rule allowing offensive lineman to extend and grab while blocking instead of keeping their fists closed. The top four hall of fame quarterback ratings from the dead ball era are Sonny Jurgenson (82.62), Len Dawson (82.56), Bart Starr (80.47), and Unitas (78.2). There are 34 modern quarterbacks with ratings higher than Jurgenson, with thirteen above

4370-504: The 30 touchdown mark in a season. Early in his career he broke the single season records for completion percentage by a rookie (1956), total passing yards (1960), total completions (1963), and yards per passing attempt (1964). His 47-game consecutive touchdown streak between 1956 and 1960 was a record considered by many to be unbreakable. He led the league in touchdown passes from 1957 to 1960. The streak stood for 52 years before being broken by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in

4485-410: The Blizzard to an 11–5 record and a Midwest Division title. The Blizzard set a single-game record for attendance against Lexington with 7,258 and had the largest average attendance in team history with an average of 6,125 fans per game. In the first round of the playoffs the Blizzard defeated Lexington 65–37 after having lost twice to them in the regular season. The Blizzard then hosted Manchester in

4600-544: The Cardinals a 21–19 lead. Louisville ended up losing the game 22–21 on a disputed field goal, but found a new starting quarterback. Unitas also played safety on defense. Unitas completed 12 of 19 passes for 240 yards and four touchdowns in a 35–28 victory over Houston (a 19-point favorite), including a 92-yard touchdown pass. The team finished the season 5–4 overall and 4–1 with Unitas starting. He completed 46 of 99 passes for 602 yards and nine touchdowns (44). In 1952,

4715-537: The Catholic "B" League, under coach Max Carey. Hundreds of fans would come to his games to watch Unitas throw his "jump pass", which could be as far as 60 yards in the air. In his senior year, Unitas was named quarterback on Pittsburgh's All-Catholic High School Team. In his younger years, Unitas dreamed about being part of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, but when he tried out for

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers - Misplaced Pages Continue

4830-456: The Cleveland Browns in the 1964 NFL Championship Game , losing 27–0. Unitas resumed his torrid passing in 1965, throwing for 2,530 yards, 23 touchdowns and finishing with a league-high and career-best 97.1 passer rating. But he was lost for the balance of the season due to a knee injury in a week 12 loss to the Bears. Backup quarterback Gary Cuozzo also suffered a season-ending injury the following week, and running back Tom Matte filled in as

4945-451: The Colts ran off 10 straight victories to finish with a 12–2 record. The season was one of Unitas's best as he finished with 2,824 yards passing, a league-best 9.26 yards per pass attempt, 19 touchdown passes and only 6 interceptions. He was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player by the AP and UPI for a second time. However, the season ended on a disappointing note for the Colts, as they were upset by

5060-430: The East Division, and reaching the postseason for the first time. They fell in the first round to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton . Blizzard head coach Bob Landsee became the first coach in team history to return for their second season. The Blizzard also came under new ownership as former coach Brian Noble lead an investment group that purchased the team. Noble became the new President of the four-year-old franchise and began

5175-830: The Edge in the first round, but again lost to the Storm for the United Conference Championship. With the Beef, Edge, and Steelhawks leaving the IFL for other leagues and the Express suspending operations, the United Conference was reduced to five teams for the 2013 season, with the Blizzard, Slaughter, Titans, and Storm all returning and the newly renamed Texas Revolution (formerly the Allen Wranglers) moving from

5290-538: The Intense Conference. Junior Aumavae , a nose tackle who spent the 2012 season playing for the Blizzard, was signed by the New York Jets in late March 2013. After compiling a 1–5 record in the season's first six games, head coach Robert Fuller was replaced by defensive coordinator Chad Baldwin. They finished the season 4–10. 2014 season After the 2013 season, the Chicago Slaughter moved to

5405-459: The NEA), Unitas had a league-high 58.5 completion percentage and passed for 3,428 yards and 20 touchdowns. He openly complained about having tennis elbow and he threw eight interceptions and only three touchdown passes in the final five games. Once again, the season ended in loss for the Colts, as they were shut out of the newly instituted four-team NFL playoff after losing the divisional tiebreaker to

5520-583: The NFL in passing yards (2,899), touchdown passes (32), and completions (193). He then led the Colts to a repeat championship, sparking a fourth quarter comeback to beat the Giants again 31–16 in the title game. With the Colts fresh off back-to-back championships, Unitas was lauded by rookie head coach of the Green Bay Packers , Vince Lombardi , who said of the 26-year-old signal caller: "Without him, they're just ordinary. With him, they're great. He's

5635-414: The NFL in touchdown passes four times (1957–1960) and led the NFL in passer rating twice (1958, 1965). Unitas led the NFL in fourth quarter comebacks six times (1958, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1967, and 1970), more than any other quarterback. He is credited with laying the foundation for the two-minute drill. His 32 touchdown passes in 1959 were a record at the time, making Unitas the first quarterback to hit

5750-586: The NFL over the upstart AFL . Although the Colts won an NFL Championship in 1968 , they lost the Super Bowl to the AFL Champion New York Jets, thus becoming the first-ever NFL champions that were not also deemed world champions. Unitas helped put together the Colts' only score, a touchdown late in the game. Unitas also drove the Colts into scoring position following the touchdown and successful onside kick, but head coach Don Shula eschewed

5865-482: The NFL's Western Conference, but they did end the season on a strong note by winning their final three games. The season was very successful for Unitas personally, as he led the NFL in passing yards with a career-best total of 3,481 and also led in completions with 237. In the 1964 season the Colts returned to the top of the Western Conference. After dropping their season opener to the Minnesota Vikings ,

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5980-555: The NFL’s 50th Anniversary Team, the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He was selected Player of the Decade for the 1960s, and named "Greatest Player in the First 50 Years of Pro Football". Unitas played his entire career in what is sometimes called the "dead ball" era, before the 1978 NFL rule changes made to favor passing offense. The two key rules being

6095-673: The Northeast Division and earned a first-round bye. Their first playoff game, against divisional rival Cape Fear Wildcats , resulted in a win, propelling them to the Conference Championships. The Pioneers would lose the championship game to the Florida Firecats , ending their first postseason run. Following their first playoff season, Coach Moss was named the AF2 Coach of the Year. He also signed on to coach

6210-515: The Pioneers in 2005, becoming the first Pioneers coach to remain for a second season. The Pioneers returned to action in 2005 with nine players returning from the 2004 roster, including 2004 AF2 Rookie of the Year J. R. Thomas . With nine scores on ten possessions, the Pioneers won their season and home opener over the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgs . Wilkes-Barre/Scranton won two more games before 2004 starting quarterback Tim Hicks

6325-618: The Pioneers lost ArenaCup X, owner Cosmo DeNicola announced that he had put the team up for sale. DeNicola, a resident of the Philadelphia area, cited his other business responsibilities and length of time away from home during the AF2 season as the reasons for putting the team on the market. He had hoped that an owner could be found in northeast Pennsylvania to keep the team in Wilkes-Barre and that an owner could be found in time to field

6440-646: The Quad City Steamwheelers. After winning handily over the Daytona Beach ThunderBirds , the Pioneers began their season at Wachovia Arena with a win over the Mahoning Valley Thunder. The Pioneers lost only one game in their division in 2008 and won all of their home matches, giving them seventeen straight regular season home victories dating back to the 2006 season. The Pioneers began their playoff run with

6555-506: The Rams, a 34–10 rout in the regular season finale. In the final game of the 1968 preseason, the muscles in Unitas's arm were torn when he was hit by a member of the Dallas Cowboys defense. Unitas wrote in his autobiography that he felt his arm was initially injured by the use of the "night ball" that the NFL was testing for better TV visibility during night games. In a post-game interview the previous year, he noted having constant pain in his elbow for several years prior. He would spend most of

6670-444: The Seminole rush, Unitas, a right-hander, threw a left-handed pass between his legs for 15 yards, as reported by future Florida State quarterback Lee Corso who had seen film of the play and marveled at Unitas' quickness. The rest of the season was a struggle for the Cardinals, who finished 3–5. Unitas completed 106 of 198 passes for 1,540 yards and 12 touchdowns. The team won their first game in 1953, against Murray State , and lost

6785-424: The Spartans had ceased operations, the Blizzard's divisional rivals, the Slaughter and the newly renamed Bloomington Edge joined in the single-table United Conference along with the Reading Express, Sioux Falls Storm, Cedar Rapids Titans , Lehigh Valley Steelhawks and Omaha Beef . The Blizzard finished 11–3 again, for second place in the conference and three games behind the undefeated Storm. The Blizzard defeated

6900-412: The Tulsa Talons, the only team in the league with a better record, the Pioneers lost the championship 73-66 on a dropped touchdown pass to end the game. In 2008, the Pioneers began to reload to take another shot at the ArenaCup. The team re-signed several key players from the 2007 squad, including quarterback Ryan Vena. The season got off to a rocky start, however, when the team lost the season opener to

7015-431: The Week 3 contest to the Kentucky Horsemen . The Pioneers lost only two other games in 2009, one to Tulsa and one to Spokane . Wilkes-Barre/Scranton also kept up the tradition of winning at home, racking up another perfect season at Wachovia Arena and extending their regular season home win streak to 25. The Pioneers locked up the Eastern Division crown for the third straight year and held homefield advantage throughout

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7130-479: The Year, Franchise of the Year, and the owner Kathy Treankler won the John Petit Person of the Year award. Note: Statistics are correct through the 2022 Indoor Football League season Running backs Wide receivers Offensive linemen Defensive linemen Linebackers Defensive backs Special teams Reserve lists Rookies in italics Roster updated June 26, 2024 30 Active, 0 Inactive The following

7245-428: The backfield, and when they homed in on a quarterback they could hit him any way they wanted. None of today's cellophane-wrapper protection from the officials. ... And Unitas got hit plenty." Upton Bell , former Colts and Patriots executive and son of NFL Commissioner Bert Bell , in comparing Unitas to modern quarterbacks stated, "They damaged quarterbacks in previous eras. Today they try to preserve them." Bell observed

7360-417: The best quarterback I've ever seen." As the 1960s began, the Colts' fortunes (and win totals) declined. Injuries to key players such as Alan Ameche , Raymond Berry , and Lenny Moore were a contributing factor. Unitas's streak of 47 straight games with at least one touchdown pass ended against the Los Angeles Rams in week 11 of the 1960 season. In spite of this, he topped the 3,000-yard passing mark for

7475-454: The city hope.'" In 1999, NFL Films and HBO produced a documentary about Unitas. Pro Football Hall of Fame writer Ray Didinger , one of the program's writers and producers, emphasized that they wanted to show the relationship between the Colts and Baltimore as a powerful part of Unitas's story. After Robert Irsay moved the Colts franchise to Indianapolis in 1984, a move known to this day in Baltimore as "Bob Irsay's Midnight Ride," he

7590-413: The conference title and advancing to ArenaCup VII , where they lost to the Spokane Shock 54–37. Coach Bob Landsee had difficulties resulting from surgery and was forced to take a leave of absence for the 2007 season. He was replaced by defensive coordinator Doug Lytle, who led the Blizzard to a 9–7 season, remaining undefeated at home yet losing all but one road game. The Blizzard made the playoffs for

7705-416: The division title again and improved to 11–3 record. They defeated the Reading Express in their first round playoff game, but lost the United Conference Championship game to the eventual champions, the Sioux Falls Storm . Because of various teams leaving the IFL, either to join other leagues or cease operations altogether, the league played the 2012 season format in two conferences with no divisions. While

7820-421: The effects on a quarterback's passing if he knew he would be hit after throwing (old rules) or not (modern rules), and how the best quarterbacks of the modern era would not have been healthy enough to play at a high level into their later thirties if they had been subjected to the unchecked violent play of earlier eras. The Colts played the most brutal game in their history on November 13, 1960, in Chicago against

7935-505: The emergency quarterback for the regular season finale and in a playoff loss to the Packers. The Colts and Packers finished in a tie for first place in the Western Conference, and a one-game playoff was played in Green Bay to decide who would be the conference representative in the 1965 NFL Championship Game . The Colts lost in overtime 13–10 due in large part to a game-tying field goal by Don Chandler that many, including Colts hall of fame coach Don Shula and Chandler himself years later, say

8050-474: The field and gave it to offensive lineman Alex Sandusky (or Dick Syzmanski in other tellings) who shoved it into Unitas' nostrils. Unitas continued the game, throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to Lenny Moore for a Colts victory. However, the battered Colts did not win another game the rest of the season, and lost their opportunity for a third consecutive world championship. The 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and 257 lb (117 kg), Adkins stated it

8165-409: The first time and led the league in touchdown passes for the fourth consecutive season. After three middle-of-the-pack seasons, Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom fired Weeb Ewbank and replaced him with Don Shula , who at the time was the youngest head coach in NFL history (33 years of age when he was hired). The Colts finished 8–6 in Shula's first season at the helm, good enough for only third place in

8280-632: The founding of the Wilkes-Barre Arena Football One expansion team. Johnny Unitas John Constantine Unitas ( / j uː ˈ n aɪ t ə s / ; May 7, 1933 – September 11, 2002) was an American professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Baltimore Colts . Nicknamed " Johnny U " and " the Golden Arm ", Unitas

8395-579: The game 42-28, handing the Pioneers their first franchise loss and first loss at home. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton lost their next five games before finally taking a win against division rivals New Haven Ninjas in New Haven. With a 3-3 record following the win, the Pioneers were still in the playoff hunt and could secure a berth with a win against the Rochester Brigade or a loss by the Brigade to

8510-533: The greatest of all time isn't his arm or even his football sense. ... It's his courage.'" After his playing days were finished, Unitas settled in Baltimore where he raised his family while also pursuing a career in broadcasting, doing color commentary for NFL games on CBS in the 1970s. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. He was said to be in tune with the psyche of Baltimore, and former Mayland Governor and Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer said, "He never passed anybody by. ... He gave

8625-413: The legs after a blitz, the ball having been thrown, holding Unitas upright at the behest of hall of fame defensive end Doug Adkins whose ensuing tackle hit Unitas in the head. Unitas' nose was busted and blood was pouring out; he would have a scar on the bridge of his nose for the rest of his life. The trainers could not staunch the bleeding, and Unitas refused to leave the game. He scooped up mud from

8740-531: The more memorable moments in football history came on Unitas's last game in a Colts uniform at Memorial Stadium, in a game against the Buffalo Bills . He was not the starter for this game, but the Colts were blowing the Bills out by a score of 28–0 behind Marty Domres ; Unitas entered the game due to the fans chanting, "We want Unitas!!!", and a plan devised by head coach John Sandusky to convince Unitas that

8855-580: The now-defunct minor league of the Arena Football League . They play their home games at the Resch Center . The team's logo represents Bruiser, the team mascot. The Blizzard started out as an af2 expansion team in 2003 with Jose Jefferson as the team's head coach. The team finished 2–14, last in the National Conference Midwest Division. They only averaged 2,957 fans a game. At the beginning of

8970-460: The playoffs for the first time since 2012. Corey Roberson was named the IFL's Coach of the Year. The League started on March 7 with two games, but after the COVID-19 pandemic , the IFL postponed and later canceled all of their games for the season. After the hiatus from the previous season, the IFL returned and the Blizzard won only one road game, while they lost their last four games again for

9085-521: The playoffs. All of the Pioneers playoff games would be rematches from the 2009 regular season. The team took easy wins over Albany and Kentucky and won a nail-biter against Green Bay to advance to the ArenaCup . The Pioneers took a tie game into halftime against the Spokane Shock in the ArenaCup, but the game ended in disappointment again; the Pioneers were denied the ArenaCup. Shortly after

9200-485: The pre- merger era in 1958 , 1959 , and 1968 , and one in the Super Bowl era in Super Bowl V . His first championship victory is regarded as one of the league's greatest games and is credited with helping popularize the NFL. Between 1956 and 1960, he set the record for most consecutive games with a touchdown pass at 47, which held for 52 years. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. Unitas

9315-541: The product on the field, for moving games to Friday nights from Saturday nights; they vowed to return to Saturdays as often as possible in 2004. Following a tumultuous season that included the resignation of both the head coach and general manager, the Pioneers hired Les Moss , who had been working with the Orlando Predators of the AFL, as the team's fourth head coach. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's third season began on

9430-563: The regular season with a 14-2 record and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Pioneers defeated the Tri-Cities Fever in the first round of the playoffs. In the second round, they emerged victorious over the Central Valley Coyotes to advance to their second-ever American Conference Championship, where they overcame defending conference champions Green Bay to advance to ArenaCup VIII. Playing against

9545-417: The remainder of the season. They finished 2–12, losing all of their road games as well as losing their last four games. The Blizzard also introduced their new logo during this season. 2015 season Tommie Williams had his interim tag removed and was named the head coach of the Blizzard. The Blizzard brought back veteran quarterback Donovan Porterie and traded for Carl Sims. The Blizzard finished with

9660-485: The rest for a record of 1–7. One of the most memorable games of the season came in a 59–6 loss against Tennessee , which was played in Knoxville, Tennessee . Unitas completed 9 out of 19 passes for 73 yards, rushed 9 times for 52 yards, returned six kickoffs for 85 yards, fielded one punt for three yards, and had 86 percent of the team's tackles. The only touchdown the team scored was in the fourth quarter when Unitas made

9775-465: The same periods. Even so, Unitas set many passing records during his career. He was the first quarterback to throw for more than 40,000 yards, despite playing during an era when NFL teams played shorter seasons of 12 or 14 games (as opposed to today's 17-game seasons) and prior to modern passing-friendly rules implemented in 1978. Unitas was selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s ,

9890-572: The same start that their first one did with an opening game loss to the Greensboro Prowlers. Soon afterwards, Coach Kuharich resigned as head coach to be replaced by Dean Cokinos . The Pioneers would finish the season with a 6-10 record, the same as in 2002, and without a spot in the playoffs. Attendance for home games fell in 2003. After averaging nearly 6200 fans per game in 2002, attendance dropped more than 1000 to average 4975 per game in 2003. The ownership blamed itself, rather than

10005-489: The season finale that started his record 47-game streak. His 55.6-percent completion mark was a rookie record. In 1957, his first season as the Colts full-time starter at quarterback, Unitas finished first in the NFL in passing yards (2,550) and touchdown passes (24) as he helped lead the Colts to a 7–5 record, the first winning record in franchise history. At season's end, Unitas received the Jim Thorpe Trophy as

10120-501: The season sitting on the bench. The Colts still marched to a league-best 13–1 record behind backup quarterback and ultimate 1968 NFL MVP Earl Morrall . Although he was injured through most of the season, Unitas came off the bench to play in Super Bowl III , the famous game where Joe Namath guaranteed a New York Jets win despite conventional wisdom. Unitas's insertion was a desperation move in an attempt to retrieve dominance of

10235-581: The second time in five complete seasons. The team finished 5–9. In 2022, the IFL made the return of conferences for the first time since 2017, and the Green Bay Blizzard was selected to be in the Eastern Conference. The team finished 6–10. 2023 season In 2023, the Green Bay Blizzard won 4 of their 7 home games and only won 3 of their away games to finish 7-8 and missing playoffs. The Blizzard were awarded Community Relations of

10350-475: The starting quarterback was injured. Unitas came onto the field and threw two passes, one of which was a long touchdown to wide receiver Eddie Hinton which would be his last pass as a Colt. The Colts won the game by a score of 35–7. A small plane flew over the stadium trailing a banner that read, “Unitas We Stand”. Unitas was traded from the Colts to the San Diego Chargers on January 20, 1973, in

10465-522: The team announced that unless the team found additional investors that they would be forced to cease operations. The Blizzard found new investors in an ownership group named Titletown Football Group, LLC, led by Green Bay Bullfrogs president Jeff Royle, who purchased the team in late October. In November 2009, the team announced that they would play the 2010 season in the Indoor Football League (IFL) due to AF2 filing for bankruptcy. At

10580-414: The team to two-way football . Unitas not only played safety or linebacker on defense and quarterback on offense, but also returned kicks and punts on special teams. The Cardinals won their first game against Wayne State , and then Florida State in the second game. Unitas completed 16 of 21 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. In the next game against Florida State, Louisville won 41-14. While under

10695-418: The team's motto was, "Unitas We Stand, Divided We Fall". However, the university had decided to de-emphasize sports. The new president at Louisville, Dr. Philip Grant Davidson, reduced the amount of athletic aid and tightened academic standards for athletes. As a result, 15 players scholarships were terminated. Unitas maintained his by taking on a new elective: square dancing. In 1952, coach Frank Camp switched

10810-406: The team, but a victory over Albany in the season closer would propel them into the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Their season would end one week later, losing the first playoff round to Manchester. In the offseason, the Pioneers signed former Penn State quarterback Zack Mills to lead the offense. However, Mills only spent four days training with the Pioneers before departing from the team, citing

10925-505: The team, coach Frank Leahy said that he was just too skinny and he would "get murdered" if he was put on the field. Other sources say Leahy was not present at Unitas's workout for Notre Dame, and assistant coach Bernie Crimmins passed on Unitas, because he thought the team's fans could not accept a 135 pound quarterback. A later scholarship offer at the University of Pittsburgh was withdrawn. In 1952, Crimmins became Indiana University 's head coach and attempted to recruit Unitas away from

11040-526: The third consecutive year and surprised their rival and Midwest Division Champion Quad City Steamwheelers 39–34 in the first-round game. The Blizzard carried over their success at home from the regular season by defeating Louisville in the second round 37–27, but lost to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers in their second consecutive American Conference championship game, 46–43. Head coach Bob Landsee returned in 2008 and led

11155-500: The third of four children. Both parents were of Lithuanian descent; his surname was a result of a phonetic transliteration of a common Lithuanian last name Jonaitis . The elder Unitas ran a modest coal delivery business. Unitas grew up in the Mount Washington neighborhood with a Catholic upbringing. When Unitas was five years old, his father died of cardiovascular renal disease complicated by pneumonia , leaving

11270-479: The young boy and his siblings to be raised by their mother. When some relatives wanted to split up her children to different homes she refused, determined to keep the family together. She continued the coal delivery business, and worked as an office cleaner four nights a week, from 10 pm to 6 am. At St. Justin's High School in Pittsburgh, Unitas played halfback and quarterback, becoming the best quarterback in

11385-426: Was 247 for 502 passing, for 2,912 yards and 27 touchdowns. After his collegiate career, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL drafted Unitas in the ninth round. However, he was released before the season began as the odd man out among four quarterbacks trying to fill three spots. Steelers' head coach Walt Kiesling had made up his mind about Unitas; he thought he was not smart enough to quarterback an NFL team, and he

11500-425: Was considered the prototype of the modern era marquee quarterback and is regarded as one of the greatest NFL players of all time. During his professional career from 1956 to 1973, Unitas set many NFL records and was named Most Valuable Player three times in 1959, 1964, and 1967, in addition to receiving 10 Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro honors. He helped lead the Colts to four championship titles; three in

11615-442: Was elected captain for the 1954 season, but due to an early injury did not see much playing time. His first start was the third game of the season, against Florida State. Of the 34-man team, 21 were freshmen. The 1954 Cardinals went 3–6, with their last win at home against Morehead State . Unitas was slowed by so many injuries his senior year his 527 passing yards ended second to Jim Houser's 560. During his time at Louisville, Unitas

11730-454: Was helped off the field later in the final period as the [Tennessee] spectators saluted his gifted and courageous play with an ovation that resounded across Loudon Lake." When he got to the locker room he was so tired that his jersey and shoulder pads had to be cut off because he could not lift his arms. Louisville ended the season with a 20–13 loss to Eastern Kentucky . Unitas completed 49 of 95 passes for 470 yards and three touchdowns. Unitas

11845-533: Was hired as the team's first head coach. The team name was chosen on September 20 following a name-the-team contest. Of over 1500 entries, the name Pioneers was chosen in recognition of the early settlers of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Pioneers got off to a shaky start in the AF2. The team took a 21-10 lead into halftime against the Greensboro Prowlers , but the Prowlers would come back to win

11960-532: Was hired in this capacity for the 2006 season. Ingold's first game with the Pioneers began with new quarterback Mike Granieri throwing two interceptions against the Louisville Fire ; it ended with a score of 45-37 and a win. The Pioneers would continue their season-opening winning streak to 5-0 before losing to the Tulsa Talons . After two wins in the next four games, Ingold released receiver Thomas for "insubordination". A four-game losing streak would befall

12075-435: Was in 1970 (won by the Colts, 29–22). The last meeting took place on September 24, 1972, at Memorial Stadium . He threw for 376 yards and three touchdowns, but Namath upstaged him again, bombing the Colts for 496 yards and six touchdowns in a 44–34 Jets victory – their first over Baltimore since the 1970 merger. After losing four of their first five games, the Colts fired head coach Don McCafferty, and benched Unitas. One of

12190-507: Was incorrectly ruled good. Unitas, healthy once more, threw for 2,748 yards and 22 touchdowns in 1966 in a return to Pro Bowl form. However, he posted a league-high 24 interceptions. After once again finishing second in the Western Conference in 1966, the Colts rebounded to finish 11–1–2 in 1967 tying the Los Angeles Rams for the NFL's best record. In winning his third MVP award from the AP and UPI in 1967 (and his second from

12305-553: Was inducted into the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Green Bay Blizzard Indoor Football League ( 2010 –present) The Green Bay Blizzard is a professional indoor football team based in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin , founded in 2003. The Blizzard began play in the Indoor Football League in 2010, after having played the previous seven seasons in af2 ,

12420-468: Was not given any snaps in practice with the Steelers. Among those edging out Unitas was Ted Marchibroda , whom Unitas defeated in his first college game years earlier, future longtime NFL head coach. Out of pro football, Unitas—by this time married—worked in construction in Pittsburgh to support his family. On the weekends, he played quarterback, safety and punter on a local semi-professional team called

12535-583: Was not his intention to hurt Unitas, as his shoulder pad inadvertently got under Unitas' helmet. He said Unitas was the greatest of all the great players of that time, and the best player Adkins played against because Unitas was so tough. In describing Unitas' last second pass to Moore that day, Adkins said, "You had to beat [Unitas] the whole 60 minutes." Hall of Fame defensive tackle, and NFL 100th Anniversary All Time teammate of both Adkins and Unitas, Merlin Olsen said of Unitas, "'The thing that makes Johnny Unitas

12650-419: Was sacked five times. His final victory as a starter came against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. Unitas was 10–18 for 175 yards, two touchdown passes, and no interceptions in a 34–7 Chargers rout. Unitas threw two first-half interceptions, passed for only 19 yards, and went 2-for-9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers . He was then replaced by rookie quarterback and future Hall of Famer Dan Fouts . After posting

12765-605: Was so outraged that he cut all ties to the relocated team (though his No. 19 jersey is still retired by the Colts), declaring himself strictly a Baltimore Colt for the remainder of his life. Some other prominent old-time Colts followed his lead, although many attended the 1975 team's reunion at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in 2009. A total of 39 Colts players from that 1975 team attended said reunion in Indianapolis, including Bert Jones and Lydell Mitchell . Unitas asked

12880-410: Was still attempting to purchase the rights to the Blizzard name and had decided to continue with the contest in case the Blizzard name was not able to be purchased, but the owners were able to acquire the Blizzard name and imagery. On December 15, 2009, the IFL announced the divisional alignment and schedule for the 2010 season. The Blizzard competed in the United Conference, Central North Division with

12995-481: Was the first overtime game in NFL history, and is often referred to as the " greatest game ever played ". The game, nationally televised by NBC , has been credited for sparking the rise in popularity of professional football during the 1960s. In 1959, Unitas was named the NFL's MVP by the Associated Press (AP) for the first time, as well as United Press International 's player of the year, after leading

13110-571: Was traded to the Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings . The Pioneers then suffered three straight losses and the loss of star receiver Thomas to a broken leg. The Pioneers would endure a further hardship with the hospitalization of coach Moss due to a "weight-related issue". Despite the problems, the Pioneers would finish fourth in the Eastern Division with a 9-7 record and clinched a wildcard playoff berth. With

13225-412: Was worried that if he came down and the Colts passed on him, it would look bad (to other NFL teams)." The Colts signed Unitas, much to the chagrin of the Cleveland Browns , who had hoped to claim the former Steeler quarterback. Unitas made his NFL debut with an inauspicious "mop-up" appearance against Detroit, going 0–2 with one interception. Two weeks later, starting quarterback George Shaw suffered

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