Arena Football Hall of Fame

The Arena Football Hall of Fame is the official Hall of Fame of the Arena Football League (AFL). The inaugural class was announced in 1998 and the Hall was not formally organized until 2011. Prior to 2011, there were four classes: 1998–2000 and then another in 2002. The Arena Football Hall of Fame is the highest honor for players, coaches, and contributors involved in the AFL. The voting process consists of fans and current Hall of Fame members voting on the finalists. The finalists are selected by the League Office in which they collect ballots from the Arena Football Hall of Fame Advisory Board, a group which consisted of former players, executives, journalists and media personnel with a long-time involvement in the league.[1][2] The league began to decline in 2015, so no Hall of Fame announcements have been made since this year. The league folded for a second time in 2019. After the league's second closure, ArenaFan, a long-running fan site, announced it had taken over operations of the Arena Football Hall of Fame.[3]

Arena Football Hall of Fame
Established1998
Websitewww.arenafootball.com/hallfame

Qualifications

In order to be nominated for the Arena Football Hall of Fame, a candidate must meet at least one of four criteria (as of 2015, depending upon whether he is being considered as a player, a coach, or a contributor). A player who has played after the 1989 season must have played a minimum of three seasons. A player must be retired for a minimum of three full seasons. A coach must have been active for a minimum of five seasons but does not need to be retired. There is no minimum number of seasons required for contributors but rather contribution to the significant advancement of the AFL.[4]

Location

There is currently no physical location for the Arena Football Hall of Fame. Unlike the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there is not a museum associated with Arena Football, but there is, however, within the Pro Football Hall of Fame a relatively small exhibit that features the history of the Arena Football League.[5]

Ceremony and Hall of Fame Game

Much like the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Arena Football League has a weekend dedicated to the inductees and during a selected Hall of Fame Game the inductees will partake in a Hall of Fame ceremony. This ceremony takes place prior to the game and will feature highlights as well as speeches from each of the inductees. Recent Hall of Fame Games were aired on CBS Sports Network prior to the termination of the league's agreement with CBSN following the 2018 season.[6]

Inductees

The list is complete up to date 2014 Hall of Fame class.

Biographies and statistics can be referenced at the Hall of Fame web site.[7]
Inductee Class Position Team(s) Years
Dwayne Dixon1998Wide receiver/Defensive backWashington Commandos1987
Detroit Drive1988–1991
Jim Foster1998League Founder/Executive, Commissioner, Team Owner/PresidentN/AN/A
Commissioner1987–1992
Iowa Barnstormers1995–2001
Jerry Kurz1998League Co-Founder/Executive, Commissioner, PresidentN/AN/A
CEO (AF2)2004–2009
Commissioner2010–2014
President2015–present
Tim Marcum1998Head CoachDenver Dynamite1987
Detroit Drive1988–1989, 1991–1993
Tampa Bay Storm1995–2010
Kansas City Command2011
New Orleans VooDoo (AHC)2012
Orlando Predators (AHC/DC)2013
Gary Mullen1998Wide receiver/Defensive backDenver Dynamite1987
Los Angeles Cobras1988
Detroit Drive1989–1992
Cincinnati Rockers1993
Milwaukee Mustangs1995
Tate Randle1998Defensive SpecialistDetroit Drive1988, 1990–1992
Alvin Rettig1998Fullback/LinebackerDetroit Drive1988–1993
Craig Walls1998Offensive lineman/Defensive linemanPittsburgh Gladiators1987–1988
Jay Gruden1999QuarterbackTampa Bay Storm1991–1996
Orlando Predators2002–2003
Durwood "Rock" Roquemore1999Defensive SpecialistChicago Bruisers1987–1988
Albany Firebirds1990
Orlando Predators1991–1996
Jon Roehlk[8]1999Offensive lineman/Defensive linemanWashington Commandos1987
Detroit Drive1988–1993
Miami Hooters1994
Iowa Barnstormers1995–1996
Gary Vitto1999General ManagerDetroit Drive1988–1993
Ben Bennett2000QuarterbackChicago Bruisers1988–1989
Dallas Texans1990
Orlando Predators1991–1995
San Jose SaberCats1996
Portland Forest Dragons1997
Carl Aikens2000Wide receiver/Defensive backChicago Bruisers1988–1989
Dallas Texans1990–1991
Orlando Predators1992–1993
Milwaukee Mustangs1994
Hercules "Herkie" Walls2000Wide receiver/Defensive backOrlando Predators1991–1996
Joe March2000Offensive lineman/Defensive linemanDenver Dynamite1991
Sacramento Attack1992
Milwaukee Mustangs1993
Tampa Bay Storm1993–1996
Nashville Kats1997
Perry Moss2000Head CoachChicago Bruisers1988
Detroit Drive1990
Orlando Predators1991–1997
Glenn Mazula2000Team OwnerAlbany/Indiana Firebirds1990–2002
Danny White2002Head CoachArizona Rattlers1992–2004
Utah Blaze2006–2008
Mike Ilitch2002Team OwnerDetroit Drive1988–1993
John Corker2002Offensive lineman/Defensive linemanDetroit Drive1988–1993
Miami Hooters1994–1995
Fred Gayles2002Wide receiver/Defensive backDenver Dynamite1989
Albany Firebirds1990–1997
New York CityHawks1997
Grand Rapids Rampage1998
Reggie Smith2002Offensive SpecialistChicago Bruisers1987–1989
Albany Firebirds1990
Orlando Predators1991
Barry Wagner2011Wide receiver/Defensive backOrlando Predators1992–1999, 2007
San Jose SaberCats2000–2006
George LaFrance2011Offensive SpecialistDetroit Drive1988–1993
Tampa Bay Storm1994–1999
New Jersey Red Dogs2000
Hunkie Cooper2011Wide receiver/LinebackerArizona Rattlers1993–2005
Eddie Brown2011Offensive SpecialistAlbany/Indiana Firebirds1994–2003
Sylvester Bembery2011Offensive lineman/Defensive linemanNew England Steamrollers1988
Albany Firebirds1990–1993
Tampa Bay Storm1994–1999, 2001
Buffalo Destroyers2000
Kurt Warner2011QuarterbackIowa Barnstormers1995–1997
Stevie Thomas2011Wide receiver/LinebackerTampa Bay Storm1991–1999
Orlando Predators2000
New Jersey Gladiators2001
Sam Hernandez2011Offensive lineman/Defensive linemanCharlotte Rage1992
Las Vegas Sting/Anaheim Piranhas1994–1997
San Jose SaberCats1998–2005
Darren Arbet2011Head CoachSan Jose SaberCats1999–2008, 2010–present
Gene Nudo2011ExecutiveChicago Bruisers/AFL League Office/Arizona Rattlers/Dallas Vigilantes/ Chicago Rush1987-2011
Sherdrick Bonner2012QuarterbackArizona Rattlers1993–2007
Chicago Rush2008
Mike Dailey2012Head CoachAlbany/Indiana Firebirds1997–2003
Colorado Crush2004–2008
Clint Dolezel[9]2012QuarterbackMilwaukee Mustangs1995–1996
Texas Terror/Houston ThunderBears1997–1999
Grand Rapids Rampage2001–2003
Las Vegas Gladiators2004–2005
Dallas Desperados2006–2008
Randy Gatewood2012Wide receiver/Defensive backArizona Rattlers1996–2007
Mike Hohensee2012Head CoachWashington Commandos1990
Albany Firebirds1994–1996
Anaheim Piranhas1997
New England Sea Wolves1999–2000
Chicago Rush2001–2008, 2010
Peoria Pirates (AF2)2009
Philadelphia Soul2011
Iowa Barnstormers2012–2014
Portland Thunder2015
William Niro2012League Co-Founder/ExecutiveN/AN/A
Cory Fleming[10]2013Wide receiver/LinebackerNashville Kats1994–1995, 2006
Carolina Cobras2002
Orlando Predators2003–2005
Darryl Hammond2013Wide receiver/LinebackerAlbany Firebirds1991–1994
St. Louis Stampede1995–1996
Nashville Kats1997–2001, 2005–2006
Georgia Force2003–2004
Austin Wranglers2004
Greg Hopkins2013Wide receiver/LinebackerAlbany/Indiana Firebirds1996–2001
Los Angeles Avengers2002–2006
Bob McMillen2013Fullback/LinebackerArizona Rattlers1995–2001
San Jose SaberCats2001–2002
Chicago Rush2003–2007
Carl Paganelli2013Official/Adviser/ContributorN/AN/A
Lawrence Samuels2013Wide receiver/LinebackerTampa Bay Storm1994–2000, 2002–2010
New Jersey Gladiators2001
Andre Bowden2014Fullback/LinebackerTampa Bay Storm1991–1993, 1997–2001, 2003–2004
Carolina Cobras2002
Damian Harrell2014Wide receiverNew England Sea Wolves/Toronto Phantoms1999–2002
Colorado Crush2003–2007
Chicago Rush2008
Milwaukee Mustangs2010–2011
Kyle Moore-Brown2014Offensive lineman/Defensive linemanAlbany/Indiana Firebirds1995–2003
Colorado Crush2004–2008
Omarr Smith2014Wide receiver/Defensive backSan Jose SaberCats2000–2002, 2004–2008
Tampa Bay Storm2003

Class of 2015 Finalists:[11]

These were the finalists for the 2015 Hall of Fame class; however, this was the year that began the decline of the league until its second bankruptcy in 2019. No future Hall of Fame announcements have been made since 2015.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Joe DeLamielleure was the first Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee to ever play with an Arena Football Team; as an apparent publicity stunt, he played two games for the Charlotte Rage in the 1992 season, seven years after he had retired from professional football.[12]

Kurt Warner, who played three seasons with the Iowa Barnstormers from 1995 to 1997 and was inducted into the Arena Football Hall of Fame in 2011, is the first player with substantial arena football experience to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as the first to be inducted into both halls. Warner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

The ownership group of the Colorado Crush has also been inducted: John Elway was inducted as a player in 2004, while Pat Bowlen was inducted as an owner in 2019. Both Elway and Bowlen were inducted almost entirely for their contributions to the NFL's Denver Broncos.

See also

References
  1. "Hall of Fame Voting Officially Opens". Arena Football. July 14, 2015. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  2. "Arena Football Hall of Fame Advisory Board Announced". arenafootball.com. June 5, 2014. Archived from the original on July 11, 2016. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
  3. http://www.arenafan.com/news/story.php?story=137953
  4. "Hall of Fame Voting Officially Opens". Arena Football League. July 14, 2015. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  5. "Hall of Fame features exhibit on Arena Football League". ESPN. March 2, 2007. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  6. "HYDRIVE Arena Football Hall of Fame Weekend Set to Kick Off Friday". Tampa Bay Storm. April 17, 2014. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  7. "Hall of Fame". Arenafootball.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  8. "Ex-Hawkeye, arena football pioneer Roehlk dies". The Quad City Times. March 16, 2016. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  9. "After HOF career, Clint Dolezel finds success as coach". csnphilly.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  10. Organ, Mike (April 26, 2014). "Kats' Cory Fleming goes to Arena Football Hall of Fame". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  11. "AFL Announces 2015 Arena Football Hall of Fame Finalists". Arena Football. July 11, 2015. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  12. "1992-1996 Charlotte Rage". Funwhileitlasted.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
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