1974 NAFL season (Jayverse)

The 1974 NAFL Season was the 55th Regular Season of the North American Football League. Players held a strike from July 1 until August 10, prior to the regular season beginning; only one preseason game (that year's College All-Star Game) was canceled, and the preseason contests were held with all-rookie rosters.

New Officials
There were two new referees in 1974, Cal Lepore and Gordon McCarter. Lepore replaced the retired John McDonough, the referee for Super Bowl IV. McCarter succeeded Jack Reader, who left the field to become chief lieutenant to NFL Director of Officiating Art McNally at league headquarters in New York.

Draft
The St. Louis Gunners got the First Pick in the 1974 NAFL Draft to select Colorado RB Bo Matthews, The Dallas Texans got the 2nd pick to draft DE Ed "Too Tall" Jones from Tennessee State then Nebraska DE John Dutton was chosen as the 3rd pick in the 1974 NAFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts

Other Selections Chosen in the Draft Are

Los Angeles Rams draft John Cappelletti (RB)

Miami Dolphins draft Don Reese (DT)

New York Giants draft John Hicks (G)

Chicago Bears draft Waymond Bryant (LB)

Denver Broncos draft Randy Gradishar (LB)

Pittsburgh Steelers draft Lynn Swann (WR)

Cleveland Browns draft Mark Ilgenfritz (DE)

Portland Storm draft Jack Lambert (LB)

New Orleans Saints draft Rick Middleton (LB)

Kansas City Kings draft Woody Green (RB)

Brooklyn Barons draft Mike Webster (C)

New York Jets draft Carl Barzilauskas (DT)

Boston Patriots draft Steve Nelson (LB)

Kentucky Bourbons draft Keith Fahnhorst (T)

Buffalo Bills draft Reuben Gant (TE)

San Francisco 49ers draft Wilbur Johnson (RB)

Edmonton Elks draft Dave Fennell (DT)

Oakland Raiders draft Henry Lawrence (T)

Los Angeles Chargers draft Bill Sandifer (DT)

Atlanta Falcons draft Gerald Tinker (WR)

Philadelphia Eagles draft Mitch Sutton (DE)

Washington Capitals draft Ray Rhodes (FS)

Houston Oilers draft Steve George (DT)

Green Bay Packers draft Barty Smith (RB)

Montreal Beavers draft Gary Chown (LB)

Minnesota Vikings draft Fred McNeill (LB)

Jacksonville Sharks draft Donnie Shell (SS)

Detroit Lions draft Ed O'Neil (LB)

San Diego Destroyers draft Steve Riley (T)

Toronto Huskies draft Larry Uteck (CB)

Los Angeles Rams draft Efren Herrera (K)

Miami Dolphins draft Nat Moore (WR)

New York Giants draft Dave Jennings (P)

Memphis Steamers draft Danny White (QB)

Pittsburgh Steelers draft John Stallworth (WR)

Cleveland Browns draft Doug Smith (C)

Kentucky Bourbons draft Mike Boryla (QB)

San Francisco 49ers draft Delvin Williams (RB)

Oakland Raiders draft Dave Casper (TE)

Philadelphia Eagles draft Frank LeMaster (LB)

Houston Oilers draft Billy Johnson (WR)

Green Bay Packers draft Steve Odom (WR)

Minnesota Vikings draft Matt Blair (LB)

San Francisco 49ers draft Claudie Minor (T)

Oakland Raiders draft Mark van Eeghen (RB)

Atlanta Falcons draft Don Goode (LB)

Cleveland Browns draft Brad Dusek (LB)

Standings
NFC North: Indianapolis Racers (11-7), Green Bay Packers (10-8), Detroit Lions (7-11), St. Louis Gunners (6-12), Chicago Bears (4-14)

NFC South: Kentucky Bourbons (13-5), Dallas Texans (12-6), Baltimore Colts (9-9), Jacksonville Sharks (8-10), New Orleans Saints (7-11)

NFC East: New York Giants (11-7), Philadelphia Eagles (10-8), Toronto Huskies (8-10), Washington Capitals (8-10), Montreal Beavers (8-10)

NFC West: Denver Broncos (12-6), Seattle Orcas (12-6), Los Angeles Rams (11-7), Portland Storm (11-7), San Francisco 49ers (2-16)

AFC North: Edmonton Elks (12-6), Cleveland Browns (9-9), Calgary Stampeders (8-10), Pittsburgh Steelers (7-11), Minnesota Vikings (5-13)

AFC South: Birmingham Vulcans (14-4), Houston Oilers (12-6), Atlanta Falcons (12-6), Memphis Steamers (9-9), Miami Dolphins (4-14)

AFC East: Ottawa Canadians (12-6), Brooklyn Barons (10-8), New York Jets (9-9), Boston Patriots (8-10), Buffalo Bills (3-15)

AFC West: San Diego Destroyers (11-7), Oakland Raiders (10-8), Kansas City Kings (10-8), Vancouver Lumberjacks (8-10), Los Angeles Chargers (7-11)

Playoffs
AFC Wildcard: Atlanta def. Edmonton 24-14, San Diego def. Houston 30-15

NFC Wildcard: Seattle def. Indianapolis 24-10, NY Giants def. Dallas 48-19

AFC Divisional: Atlanta def. Ottawa 25-24, San Diego def. Birmingham 23-9

NFC Divisional: Seattle def. Denver 19-10, NY Giants def. Kentucky 26-13

AFC Championship: Atlanta def. San Diego 51-14

NFC Championship: NY Giants def. Seattle 16-7

Super Bowl IX (at LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA): Atlanta def. NY Giants 30-6

NAFL All-Star Game (at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL): AFC def. NFC 31-6

League Leaders
Passing Yards - Jason Robertson (Toronto) 5,198

Passing TD's - Loyd Clark (LA Chargers) 46

Passing Rating - Brian Wood (Seattle) 104.4

Rushing Yards - Derrick Haney (Philadelphia) 1,883

Receiving Yards - Glenn Whitlow (Denver) 2,072

Total Points - Mark Crenshaw (Atlanta) 154

Tackles - Roger Wehrli (St. Louis) 148

Sacks - John Mathis (Memphis) 21

Interceptions - Dexter Baker (Atlanta) 9