 | |
| Sport | American football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1965 |
| Ceased | 1969 |
| No. of teams | 22 |
| Countries | United States Canada Mexico |
| Last champion(s) | Indianapolis Capitols |
| Most titles | Orlando Panthers (2) |
| Related competitions | United Football League, North Pacific Football League, Professional Football League of America, Texas Football League, Trans-American Football League |
The Continental Football League (COFL) was a professional American football minor league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Football League, and hoped to become the major force in professional football outside the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). It owed its name, at least in part, to the Continental League, a proposed third Major League Baseball organization that influenced MLB significantly, although they never played a game.
Four Continental Football League contributors are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the most of any league not considered a major league: coach Bill Walsh, quarterback Ken Stabler, Doak Walker and Steve Van Buren (the last two of whom were inducted as players but were coaches in this league). Sam Wyche, Bob Kuechenberg, Garo Yepremian and Otis Sistrunk were among the other players and coaches who would later gain fame in the NFL, while a few others, such as Don Jonas and Tom Wilkinson, would emerge as stars in the Canadian Football League.