1985 NAFL season (Jayverse)

The 1985 NAFL season was the 26th Regular Season of the North American Football League.

Major Rule Changes

 * Whenever a team time out is called after the two-minute warning of each half or overtime, it should only last a minute instead of 90 seconds.
 * A play is immediately dead anytime the quarterback performs a kneel-down (the quarterback immediately kneels down after receiving the snap) after the two-minute warning of each half, or whenever the player declares himself down by sliding feet first on the ground. The ball is then spotted at the point where the player touches the ground first.
 * Pass interference is not to be called when a pass is clearly uncatchable.
 * Both "Roughing the kicker" and "Running into the kicker" fouls are not to be called if the defensive player was blocked into the kicker.
 * The definition of a valid fair catch signal is clearly defined as one arm that is fully extended above the head and waved from side to side.
 * Goaltending (leaping up to deflect a kick as it passes through the goal posts) is illegal.
 * The officials' uniform changed slightly. Instead of wearing black stirrups with two white stripes over white sanitary hose, the officials began wearing a one-piece sock similar to those worn by players, black with two white stripes on top and solid white on the bottom.
 * Defensive backs were ruled to have an "equal right to the ball", meaning that pass interference would not be called if the defensive player was looking back attempting to intercept the ball, and that any contact with the receiver did not materially affect the receiver's ability to catch the ball.

Expanding the NAFL to 56 Teams
The NAFL added 6 More Teams as the Kansas City Kings moved to the AFC South from the AFC West as a result the league expanded to Six More Teams to add the following

AFC East: Halifax Schooners

AFC North: Columbus Wild Dogs

AFC West: Oakland Invaders

NFC East: New Jersey Generals

NFC North: Iowa Barnstormers (Des Moines, IA)

NFC South: Oklahoma City Wranglers

Rookie Draft
The 1985 NAFL Draft First Pick went to the Winnipeg Bombers they chose FS Eugene Robinson from Colgate, The Oakland Invaders took the 2nd pick to draft DE Bob Standifer from Tennessee-Chattanooga, The 3rd Pick went to the Washington Sentinels in which they get FS Tory Nixon, The Vancouver Lumberjacks took the 4th pick to take WR Andre Reed from Kutztown, 5th pick selected to the Toronto Huskies draft LB Alex Troop from Wilfrid Laurier, Tampa Bay Buccaneerrs went for their 6th pick in the 1985 NAFL Draft to select DE Ron Holmes from Washington, 7th Pick was chosen in the draft went to the St. Louis Gunners when they chose DE Freddie Joe Nunn from Mississippi

Other Picks taken in the draft are as follows

San Francisco 49ers draft Jerry Rice (WR)

San Diego Destroyers draft Jim Lachey (T)

Sacramento Condors draft Ron Sally (QB)

Pittsburgh Steelers draft Darryl Sims (DE)

Philadelphia Eagles draft Kevin Allen (T)

New York Giants draft George Adams (RB)

New York Jets draft Al Toon (WR)

New Orleans Saints draft Alvin Toles (LB)

Iowa Barnstormers draft Jonathan Hayes (TE)

Minnesota Vikings draft Chris Doleman (DE)

Miami Dolphins draft Lorenzo Hampton (RB)

Oklahoma City Wranglers draft Steve Sewell (RB)

Los Angeles Rams draft Jerry Gray (CB)

Columbus Wild Dogs draft Kirk Lowdermilk (C)

Kansas City Kings draft Ethan Horton (TE)

Indianapolis Racers draft Duane Bickett (LB)

Houston Oilers draft Ray Childress (DT)

Honolulu Raiders draft Jessie Hester (WR)

Hamilton Tiger-Cats draft Bruce Smith (DE)

Green Bay Packers draft Ken Ruettgers (T)

Detroit Lions draft Lomas Brown (T)

New Jersey Generals draft Jesse Penn (LB)

Denver Broncos draft Vance Johnson (WR)

Dallas Texans draft Kevin Brooks (DT)

Cincinnati Chargers draft Eddie Brown (WR)

Chicago Bears draft William Perry (DT)

Calgary Stampeders draft Randy Ambrosie (T)

Buffalo Bills draft Derrick Burroughs (SS)

Brooklyn Barons draft Lee Rouson (RB)

Boston Patriots draft Trevor Matich (C)

Birmingham Vulcans draft Kevin Allen (T)

Baltimore Colts draft Chris Burkett (WR)

Southern California Sun draft James Maness (WR)

Montreal Beavers draft Kevin Greene (LB)

Cleveland Browns draft Bernie Kosar (QB)

San Antonio Gunslingers draft Issiac Holt (CB)

Portland Storm draft Daryl Smith (CB)

Memphis Steamers draft Henry Williams (WR)

Ottawa Canadians draft Lance Chomcyc (K)

Atlanta Falcons draft Bill Fralic (G)

Seattle Orcas draft Owen Gill (RB)

St. Louis Gunners draft Ron Wolfley (RB)

San Diego Destroyers draft Ralf Mojsiejenko (P)

New York Giants draft Mark Bavaro (TE)

New Orleans Saints draft Jack Del Rio (LB)

Mexico City Diablos draft Jay Novacek (TE)

Los Angeles Rams draft Dale Hatcher (P)

Halifax Schooners draft Brett Maxie (FS)

Detroit Lions draft Kevin Glover (C)

New Jersey Generals draft Herschel Walker (RB)

Denver Broncos draft Greg Kragen (DT)

Buffalo Bills draft Steve Tasker (WR)

Boston Patriots draft Audray McMilan (FS)

Memphis Steamers draft Fuad Reveiz (K)

Las Vegas Gamblers draft Randall Cunningham (QB)

New Orleans Saints draft Eric Martin (WR)

Los Angeles Rams draft Steve Bono (QB)

New Jersey Generals draft Doug Flutie (QB)

Los Angeles Rams draft Duval Love (G)

Final Standings
NFC East: New York Giants (10-6), Baltimore Colts (8-8), Philadelphia Eagles (8-8), Washington Redskins (6-10), Montreal Alouettes (6-10), New Jersey Generals (2-14)

NFC Central: Dallas Cowboys (13-3), Green Bay Packers (10-6), Minnesota Vikings (10-6), Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7), Chicago Bears (6-10), Cleveland Browns (4-12)

NFC Mountain: Denver Broncos (11-5), Calgary Stampeders (11-5), Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-6), Boise Steelheads (9-7), Salt Lake City Pioneers (8-8), Edmonton Eskimos (5-11)

NFC West: Honolulu Hawaiians (9-7), Portland Loggers (9-7), Los Angeles Rams (9-7), Las Vegas Gamblers (8-8), San Francisco 49ers (7-9), Tokyo Samurai (7-9), Reno Rhinos (5-11)

CFC East: Halifax Schooners (12-4), Ottawa Northmen (8-8), Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-8), New York Empire (7-9), Boston Patriots (5-11), London Monarchs (3-13)

CFC Central: Toronto Argonauts (13-3), Indianapolis Checkers (10-6), Cincinnati Bengals (9-7), Buffalo Bills (6-10), Detroit Lions (6-10), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-11)

CFC South: Birmingham Vulcans (13-3), New Orleans Breakers (9-7), Atlanta Falcons (8-8), Houston Oilers (5-11), Miami Dolphins (5-11), Memphis Grizzlies (4-12)

CFC West: Seattle Jets (11-5), Los Angeles Express (11-5), Phoenix Firebirds (10-6), Oakland Invaders (9-7), British Columbia Cardinals (9-7), San Diego Chargers (8-8), Sacramento Raiders (6-10)

Playoffs
Halas Cup Quarterfinal

New York Giants 27, Green Bay Packers 20

Honolulu Hawaiians 35, Calgary Stampeders 31

Grey Cup Quarterfinal

Indianapolis Checkers 30, Halifax Schooners 0

Seattle Jets 50, Los Angeles Express 14

Halas Cup Semi-Final

Denver Broncos 45, New York Giants 24

Dallas Cowboys 30, Honolulu Hawaiians 18

Grey Cup Semi-Final

Toronto Argonauts 33, Indianapolis Checkers 7

Birmingham Vulcans 45, Seattle Jets 28

Halas Cup Final

Dallas Cowboys 45, Denver Broncos 42

Grey Cup Final

Birmingham Vulcans 52, Toronto Argonauts 31

26th World Series of Pro Football (at Legion Field in Birmingham, AL)

Dallas Cowboys 20, Birmingham Vulcans 17

The 1986 NAFL All-Star Game (at Mara Stadium in New York, NY)

Continental All-Stars 21, National All-Stars 17

Awards
League MVP: Steve Young (QB - Boise Steelheads)

Playoff MVP: Joe Montana (QB - Dallas Cowboys)

Offensive POTY: Steve Young (QB - Boise Steelheads)

Defensive POTY: Justin Purvis (LB - Cleveland Browns)

Offensive ROTY: Randall Cunningham (QB - Las Vegas Gamblers)

Defensive ROTY: Enrique Jolley (DE - Ottawa Northmen)