1984 Chicago Blitz Season Recap
The 1984 Chicago Blitz, under head coach George Allen, delivered another strong campaign, finishing 12-6 and securing second place in the USFL’s Central Division. The season began with a tough loss to the Michigan Panthers but quickly rebounded with a five-game winning streak, highlighted by a statement 42-28 victory over the explosive Houston Gamblers. The offense, led by quarterback Tim Landry (3,883 yards, 30 TDs) and a dominant rushing duo of Kevin Long (1,317 yards, 12 TDs) and Marcus Spencer (1,321 yards, 22 TDs), was one of the league’s most balanced. Wide receivers Trumaine Johnson (1,057 yards, 11 TDs) and Greg Willis (1,365 yards, 14 TDs) provided big-play ability, while kicker Frank Coral was nearly perfect on extra points (97.2%).
Despite their offensive firepower, the Blitz struggled against elite teams, dropping key games to the Philadelphia Stars, New Jersey Generals, and Oakland Invaders. Their most concerning loss came in Week 16 against the Houston Gamblers, who torched Chicago’s defense in a 50-28 rout. The Blitz closed the regular season strong with blowout wins over Arizona and Michigan, but their inability to slow down Houston’s “Run-and-Shoot” offense proved fatal in the playoffs. In the first round, they were overwhelmed 34-14 by the Gamblers, ending their season in disappointing fashion.
Defensively, the Blitz were aggressive but inconsistent. Linebackers John Minniefield (86 tackles, 7 INTs) and Bruce Bradley (90 tackles, 3 INTs) anchored the unit, while defensive end Don Lee (7 sacks, 6 forced fumbles) provided pressure. However, the secondary was vulnerable against high-powered passing attacks, and the Gamblers exposed them twice. While 1984 wasn’t the championship year Chicago hoped for, it reinforced the Blitz as a perennial contender—one that would return even stronger in 1985.
1984 Chicago Blitz Roster
Quarterbacks (QB):
- Landry
- Risher
Running Backs (RB):
- Boatner
- Jonnson
- Long
- Spencer
Wide Receivers (WR):
- Buggs
- Johnson, T
- Willis
Tight Ends (TE):
- Douglas
- Ricker
Offensive Line:
Center (C):
- Levelis
Guards (G):
- Norman
- Pesuit
- Thomas
Tackles (T):
- Eyre
- Kersten
- Robinson
- Yil-Renko
Special Teams
Kicker/Punter (K-P):
- Coral
Return Specialists (RET/KR):
- Brown
- Clark, A
- Dennison (RB-WR/KR)
- Tolbert (DB/KR)
Defense
Defensive Line:
Defensive Ends (DE):
- Buben
- Lee
- Lorch
Defensive Linemen (DL):
- Ehrman
- Hickman
- Lathrop
- Marshall
Linebackers (LB):
- Brown
- Fanhorst
- Ray
- Smith, E
- Smith, O
- Young
Defensive Backs:
Cornerbacks (CB):
- Allen
- Minniefiel
- Sanchez
Safeties (S):
- Bradley
- Laird
- White