1983 NAFL season (Jayverse)

The 1983 NAFL season was the 64th Regular Season of the North American Football League.

Rebranding San Antonio
In 1983, Oil Magnate Clinton Manges purchased the San Antonio Wings and rebranded the team into the San Antonio Gunslingers

Major Rule Changes

 * In the last 30 seconds of a half (but not overtime), with the defensive team behind with no more time outs, a defensive foul cannot prevent the half to end except for the normal options that are available to the offensive team.
 * Pass interference will not be called if there was incidental contact, or if when players make simultaneous attempts to catch, tip, block, or bat the ball.
 * Players may not use a helmet, that is no longer worn by anyone, as a weapon to strike or hit an opponent; they risk disqualification if they do.

Draft
The 1983 NAFL Draft Occured and the Baltimore Colts took the first pick to draft T Blake Nill from the University of British Columbia, The Pittsburgh Steelers went to pick next to draft DT Gabe Rivera from Texas Tech, The Los Angeles Rams went 3rd to acquire SMU RB Eric Dickerson, The 4th Pick went to the Miami Dolphins and selected QB Dan Marino from Pittsburgh, The Detroit Lions round out the Top 5 to select FB James Jones from Florida

Other Picks Selected in the '83 NAFL Draft

Atlanta Falcons draft Dave Lutz (T)

Green Bay Packers draft Tim Lewis (CB)

Hamilton Tiger-Cats draft Mike Pitts (DE)

Minnesota Vikings draft Joey Browner (FS)

Winnipeg Bombers draft Jason Riley (G)

New York Jets draft Ken O'Brien (QB)

Montreal Beavers draft Chris Hinton (T)

Ottawa Canadians draft Richard Dent (DE)

Denver Broncos draft Demetrious Johnson (CB)

Boston Patriots draft Tony Eason (QB)

Seattle Orcas draft Curt Warner (RB)

Indianapolis Racers draft Karl Mecklenburg (LB)

New York GIants draft Terry Kinard (FS)

Southern California Sun draft Ray Horton (CB)

Honolulu Raiders draft Don Mosebar (C)

Las Vegas Gamblers draft Wymon Henderson (CB)

Washington Sentinels draft Darrell Green (FS)

Saskatchewan Roughriders draft Scott Redl (DE)

Portland Storm draft Mike Walter (LB)

New Orleans Saints draft Steve Korte (C)

Cincinnati Chargers draft Dave Rimington (C)

Philadelphia Eagles draft Michael Haddix (RB)

Brooklyn Barons draft John Elway (QB)

San Francisco 49ers draft Gill Byrd (CB)

Houston Oilers draft Bruce Matthews (G)

Calgary Stampeders draft Greg Vavra (QB)

Dallas Texans draft Jim Jeffcoat (DE)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft Randy Grimes (C)

Edmonton Elks draft Blake Dermott (T)

Vancouver Lumberjacks draft Jim Mills (T)

St. Louis Gunners draft Leonard Smith (CB)

Jacksonville Sharks draft Henry Ellard (WR)

San Diego Destroyers draft Billy Ray Smith (LB)

Memphis Steamers draft Steve Moore (T)

Cleveland Browns draft Ron Brown (WR)

Chicago Bears draft Jimbo Covert (T)

Sacramento Condors draft Glen Young (WR)

Kansas City Chiefs draft Todd Blackledge (QB)

Kentucky Bourbons draft Mark Clayton (WR)

Birmingham Vulcans draft Reggie Collier (QB)

Buffalo Bills draft Tony Hunter (TE)

Baltimore Colts draft Darryl Talley (LB)

Pittsburgh Steelers draft Riki Ellison (RB)

Los Angeles Rams draft Craig James (RB)

Miami Dolphins draft Reggie Roby (P)

Detroit Lions draft Mike Cofer (LB)

Green Bay Packers draft Greg Townsend (DE)

Minnesota Vikings draft Carl Lee (CB)

Saskatchewan Roughriders draft Ray Elgaard (WR)

New Orleans Saints draft Albert Lewis (FS)

Cincinnati Chargers draft Tim Krumrie (DT)

Philadelphia Eagles draft Wes Hopkins (CB)

San Francisco 49ers draft Roger Craig (RB)

Houston Oilers draft Keith Bostic (SS)

Dallas Texans draft Bill Bates (FS)

Vancouver Lumberjacks draft Dave Duerson (FS)

Boston Patriots draft Johnny Rembert (LB)

New York Giants draft Leonard Marshall (DE)

Southern California Sun draft Jesse Sapolu (C)

Honolulu Raiders draft Bill Pickel (DT)

Washington Sentinels draft Charles Mann (DE)

Chicago Bears draft Mark Bortz (G)

Kansas City Kings draft Jim Arnold (P)

Buffalo Bills draft Jim Kelly (QB)

Detroit Lions draft Anthony Carter (WR)

Houston Oilers draft Brian Sochia (DT)

Dallas Texans draft Mark Tuinei (T)

New York Giants draft Ali Haji-Sheikh (K)

Final Standings
NFC East: New York Giants (11-5), Baltimore Colts (9-7), Montreal Beavers (9-7), Toronto Huskies (9-7), Philadelphia Eagles (9-7), Washington Sentinels (5-11)

NFC North: Milwaukee Mustangs (10-6), St. Louis Gunners (8-8), Green Bay Packers (7-9), Indianapolis Racers (6-10), Detroit Lions (6-10), Chicago Bears (6-10)

NFC South: Mexico City Diablos (10-6), Kentucky Bourbons (9-7), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7), Jacksonville Sharks (9-7), Dallas Texans (8-8), New Orleans Saints (3-13)

NFC West: Portland Storm (13-3), San Francisco 49ers (10-6), Seattle Orcas (9-7), Sacramento Condors (9-7), Las Vegas Gamblers (7-9), Los Angeles Rams (5-11), Denver Broncos (4-12)

AFC East: Buffalo Bills (9-7), Brooklyn Barons (8-8), Boston Patriots (8-8), New York Jets (8-8), Ottawa Canadians (8-8), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-12)

AFC North: Saskatchewan Roughriders (11-5), Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8), Cleveland Browns (8-9), Winnipeg Bombers (7-9), Cincinnati Chargers (7-9), Minnesota Vikings (6-10)

AFC South: Birmingham Vulcans (14-2), San Antonio Gunslingers (11-5), Houston Oilers (8-8), Memphis Steamers (7-9), Miami Dolphins (6-10), Atlanta Falcons (6-10)

AFC West: Southern California Sun (12-4), Kansas City Kings (10-6), Vancouver Lumberjacks (9-7), Honolulu Raiders (8-8), Edmonton Elks (6-10), Calgary Stampeders (6-10), San Diego Destroyers (6-10)

Playoffs
AFC Wildcard: Saskatchewan def. Kansas City 42-25, San Antonio def. Buffalo 32-25

NFC Wildcard: Milwaukee def. Kentucky 34-24, Mexico City def. San Francisco 33-20

AFC Divisional: Saskatchewan def. Southern California 34-28, BIrmingham def. San Antonio 47-17

NFC Divisional: Milwaukee def. NY Giants 31-23, Portland def. Mexico City 47-13

AFC Championship: Saskatchewan def. Birmingham 31-21

NFC Championship: Milwaukee def. Portland 48-24

Super Bowl XVIII (at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC): Saskatchewan def. Milwaukee 27-13

NAFL All-Star Game (at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, FL): NFC def. AFC 21-20

League Leaders
Passing Yards - Jeremy Christopher (Kansas City) 4,999

Passing TD's - Jeremy Christopher (Kansas City) 41

Passing Rating - Dan Fouts (Birmingham) 124.0

Rushing Yards - Edward Maynard (Boston) 1,536

Receiving Yards - Timothy Tate (Birmingham) 1,868

Total Points - Tony Garza (San Antonio) 148

Tackles - Randy Gradishar (Denver) 150

Sacks - John Mathis (Memphis) 18

Interceptions - LeRoy Irvin (Cleveland) & Pat Thomas (Minnesota) 7