Michigan Panthers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michigan Panthers |
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| Established 1982 Folded 1984 Played in Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan |
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| League/conference affiliations | |
United States Football League (1983–1985)
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Current uniform
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| Team colors | Royal Plum, Champagne Silver, Light Blue, White |
| Personnel | |
| Owner(s) | 1983–1984 A. Alfred Taubman |
| Head coach | 1983–1984 Jim Stanley (24–15) |
| Team history | |
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| Championships | |
| League championships (1) 1983 |
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| Conference championships (0) |
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| Division championships (1) 1983 |
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| Playoff appearances (2) | |
| 1983, 1984 | |
| Home stadium(s) | |
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The Michigan Panthers were an exciting professional American football team from the Detroit, Michigan area. They played in a league called the United States Football League (USFL). Their home games were held at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. The Panthers made history by winning the very first USFL Championship!
After the 1984 season, the team joined with the Oakland Invaders in 1985. They then played under the Invaders' name.
The Panthers' Story
The Michigan Panthers became a founding team of the United States Football League (USFL) on May 11, 1982. A successful real estate developer named A. Alfred Taubman led the group that owned the team.
The Panthers hired Jim Stanley as their Head Coach on November 18, 1982. Stanley had a lot of coaching experience from both college and professional teams. He was the only head coach the Panthers ever had.
The Pontiac Silverdome was the Panthers' home stadium. It was a great place for them to play their games.
Drafting Top Talent
The USFL held its first player draft on January 4, 1983. The Panthers picked Wisconsin player David Greenwood as their first choice.
They also chose Michigan wide receiver Anthony Carter. This was part of a special "Territorial Draft" where USFL teams could pick players from local universities. The Panthers had rights to players from the University of Michigan and other Michigan schools.
The Panthers signed some of the best young college players in 1983. These included Anthony Carter, running back Ken Lacy, and quarterback Bobby Hebert. They also had some experienced players who had played in the NFL, like Ray Pinney and Tyrone McGriff.
Key Players on the Team
- Anthony Carter: A star wide receiver from the University of Michigan.
- Bobby Hebert: A talented quarterback who led the team to victory.
- Ken Lacy: A strong running back from Tulsa.
- Ray Pinney and Tyrone McGriff: Offensive linemen who helped protect the quarterback.
- John Corker: A linebacker who had played in the NFL.
- Ray Bentley: A future NFL linebacker who also played for the Panthers.
1983 Season: From Slow Start to Champions!
The Panthers started their first season with a 9–7 win against the Birmingham Stallions on March 7, 1983. This was the first professional football game ever shown on ESPN.
After that first win, the Panthers lost their next four games. Their offensive line was having trouble. To fix this, the team signed more experienced offensive linemen. They also made rookie Bobby Hebert their starting quarterback.
These changes helped a lot! The Panthers then won 11 of their next 13 games. They finished the season with a great 12–6 record. They even won their division title!
Winning the First USFL Championship
In the playoffs, the Panthers played against the Oakland Invaders. A huge crowd of over 60,000 fans came to watch! The Panthers won 37–21, which sent them to the first-ever USFL Championship Game.
On July 17, 1983, the Panthers won the USFL's first championship! They beat the Philadelphia Stars 24–22. Quarterback Bobby Hebert threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Carter late in the game. This play helped them win! Hebert was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game.
The Panthers' amazing finish to the season showed how strong they had become. Many people thought they could even play well in the NFL!
1984 Season: A Tough Finish
The Panthers were expected to have another great season in 1984. They started strong, winning their first six games! But then, something tough happened. Star receiver Anthony Carter broke his arm and couldn't play for the rest of the season.
Without Carter, the team struggled. They lost eight of their next ten games. They finished the season with a 10–8 record. They had to win their last two games just to make the playoffs, and they did!
The Longest Game Ever
In the first round of the playoffs, the Panthers played against the Los Angeles Express. This game became the longest professional football game in history! It went into three overtimes.
The Panthers had chances to win, but their kicker missed field goals. Finally, in the third overtime, the Express scored a touchdown and won 27–21. The game lasted for 93 minutes and 33 seconds of play time!
The End of the Original Panthers
After the 1984 season, the USFL owners started talking about moving the league to the fall. This would mean competing directly with the NFL. The Panthers' owner, A. Alfred Taubman, believed in spring football. He also didn't want to compete with the Detroit Lions, an NFL team he supported.
Because of this, the Panthers merged with the Oakland Invaders. The Invaders became the surviving team, and the Michigan Panthers name was retired for a while.
A New Beginning
The USFL eventually stopped playing. However, on November 22, 2021, a new version of the USFL announced that the Michigan Panthers would be one of eight teams in the league's return in the spring of 2022! This brought the Panthers' name back to professional football.
Panthers' Top Players
Here are some of the best single-season records for the Michigan Panthers:
- Rushing Yards: 1182 (1983) by Ken Lacy
- Receiving Yards: 1220 (1984) by Derek Holloway
- Passing Yards: 3368 (1984) by Bobby Hebert
Season Records
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
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| 1983 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1st Central | Won Divisional (Oakland) Won USFL Championship (Philadelphia) |
| 1984 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2nd WC Central | Lost Quarterfinal (Los Angeles) |
| Totals | 24 | 15 | 0 | (including playoffs) | |
Game Results
1983 Season Games
| Week | Day | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | TV | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | ||||||||
| 1 | Monday | March 7 | at Birmingham Stallions | W 9–7 | 1–0 | ESPN | Legion Field | 30,305 |
| 2 | Saturday | March 12 | at Tampa Bay Bandits | L 7–19 | 1–1 | ABC | Tampa Stadium | 38,789 |
| 3 | Saturday | March 19 | Oakland Invaders | L 27–33 | 1–2 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 28,952 |
| 4 | Sunday | March 27 | at Washington Federals | L 16–22 (OT) | 1–3 | ABC | RFK Stadium | 11,404 |
| 5 | Monday | April 4 | Denver Gold | L 21–29 | 1–4 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 11,279 |
| 6 | Sunday | April 10 | at New Jersey Generals | W 21–6 | 2–4 | ABC | Giants Stadium | 17,648 |
| 7 | Sunday | April 17 | Chicago Blitz | W 17–12 | 3–4 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 11,634 |
| 8 | Saturday | April 23 | Los Angeles Express | W 34–24 | 4–4 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 13,184 |
| 9 | Sunday | May 1 | at Boston Breakers | W 28–24 | 5–4 | ABC | Nickerson Field | 10,971 |
| 10 | Saturday | May 7 | at Arizona Wranglers | W 21–10 | 6–4 | Sun Devil Stadium | 20,423 | |
| 11 | Monday | May 16 | New Jersey Generals | W 31–24 | 7–4 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 32,862 |
| 12 | Monday | May 23 | Birmingham Stallions | L 20–23 (OT) | 7–5 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 20,042 |
| 13 | Monday | May 30 | Tampa Bay Bandits | W 43–7 | 8–5 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 23,976 |
| 14 | Sunday | June 5 | at Philadelphia Stars | L 20–29 | 8–6 | ABC | Veterans Stadium | 19,727 |
| 15 | Sunday | June 12 | at Los Angeles Express | W 42–17 | 9–6 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 16,023 | |
| 16 | Saturday | June 18 | Washington Federals | W 27–25 | 10–6 | Pontiac Silverdome | 26,418 | |
| 17 | Sunday | June 26 | at Chicago Blitz | W 34–19 | 11–6 | ABC | Soldier Field | 25,041 |
| 18 | Sunday | July 3 | Arizona Wranglers | W 33–7 | 12–6 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 31,905 |
| Playoffs | ||||||||
| Divisional Playoff |
Sunday | July 10 | Oakland Invaders | W 37–21 | — | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 60,237 |
| USFL Championship |
Sunday | July 17 | vs. Philadelphia Stars | W 24–22 | — | ABC | Mile High Stadium | 50,906 |
1984 Season Games
| Week | Day | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | TV | Venue | Attendance |
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| Preseason | ||||||||
| 1 | Bye | |||||||
| 2 | Saturday | February 4 | vs. Chicago Blitz | W 21–20 | 1–0 | Scottsdale, Arizona | ||
| 3 | Saturday | February 11 | vs. Los Angeles Express | W 10–0 | 2–0 | Tempe, Arizona | ||
| 4 | Saturday | February 18 | vs. Oakland Invaders | L 6–7 | 2–1 | Mesa, Arizona | ||
| Regular season | ||||||||
| 1 | Monday | February 27 | Chicago Blitz | W 20–18 | 1–0 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 22,428 |
| 2 | Saturday | March 3 | Pittsburgh Maulers | W 27–24 | 2–0 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 44,485 |
| 3 | Sunday | March 11 | at Denver Gold | W 28–0 | 3–0 | ABC | Mile High Stadium | 41,623 |
| 4 | Sunday | March 18 | Arizona Wranglers | W 31–26 | 4–0 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 43,130 |
| 5 | Monday | March 26 | at Houston Gamblers | W 52–34 | 5–0 | ESPN | Houston Astrodome | 38,754 |
| 6 | Sunday | April 1 | San Antonio Gunslingers | W 26–10 | 6–0 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 42,692 |
| 7 | Saturday | April 7 | at Oklahoma Outlaws | L 17–20 | 6–1 | Skelly Stadium | 21,510 | |
| 8 | Sunday | April 15 | Birmingham Stallions | L 17–28 | 6–2 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 42,655 |
| 9 | Monday | April 23 | Tampa Bay Bandits | L 7–20 | 6–3 | ESPN | Pontiac Silverdome | 31,433 |
| 10 | Sunday | April 29 | at New Jersey Generals | L 21–31 | 6–4 | ABC | Giants Stadium | 50,908 |
| 11 | Sunday | May 6 | Houston Gamblers | W 31–28 (OT) | 7–4 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 29,068 |
| 12 | Sunday | May 13 | at New Orleans Breakers | L 3–10 | 7–5 | ABC | Louisiana Superdome | 21,053 |
| 13 | Sunday | May 20 | at Los Angeles Express | L 17–24 | 7–6 | ABC | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 10,193 |
| 14 | Sunday | May 27 | Philadelphia Stars | L 13–31 | 7–7 | ABC | Pontiac Silverdome | 20,387 |
| 15 | Friday | June 1 | at San Antonio Gunslingers | W 23–17 (OT) | 8–7 | Alamo Stadium | 16,384 | |
| 16 | Saturday | June 9 | at Oakland Invaders | L 13–20 | 8–8 | ESPN | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 23,918 |
| 17 | Monday | June 18 | Oklahoma Outlaws | W 34–24 | 9–8 | Pontiac Silverdome | 15,838 | |
| 18 | Sunday | June 24 | at Chicago Blitz | W 20–17 | 10–8 | Soldier Field | 5,557 | |
| Playoffs | ||||||||
| Divisional Playoff(1) |
Saturday | June 30 | at Los Angeles Express | L 21–27 (3OT) | — | ABC | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 7,409 |
(1) – Longest game in professional football history.
