Tag Archives: proset wlaf 1991

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Najarian, Pete

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v. Sacramento Surge

After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1987, Pete spent time on the rosters of the Minnesota Vikings, the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1988-89). He’d finish second on the Bucs in special teams tackles in ’89 with 14. Out of football in 1990, the Sacramento Surge would make Pete their #1 pick among linebackers in the WLAF draft.

Najarian went on to earn All World League Second Team honors in 1991. As team captain he called the Surge’s defensive signals, finishing second on the team with 54 tackles, and a FF. He’d miss one game after he sustained a broken thumb. He returned to the Surge for the 1992 season and captain the defense to a victory in World Bowl II over the Orlando Thunder.

After the WLAF decided to reorganize at the conclusion of the season, Pete was badgered into options trading by his brother Jon. He currently is head of tradeMONSTER and appears from time to time on CNBCs Fast Money.

G/Gs 20/19      Tac  N/a   Sac   0     Fum  1      Int     0        Yds  0     Avg -.-    Td 0   Lg -.-

CFL, NFL, WLAF

Johnson, Mike

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v Ohio Glory
Failure: TTM 1993, C/o BC Lions, TTM 2010, C/o The San Fransisco 49ers
See Also: Mike Johnson (2)

Mike Johnson was a quarterback of the Akron Zips during the late 80s amassing 1819 passing yards, 9 touchdowns and 429 yards rushing as a senior, helping the squad put together their first winning record.

Signed by the Phoenix Cardinals in 1990 as a free agent, Mike Johnson was cut coming out of camp that season. A second round choice in the WLAF positional draft by the Montreal Machine in 1991, Johnson found himself on the Team Dallas Taxi Squad at the start of the season, but with injuries and ineffectiveness plaguing the San Antonio Riders at quarterback, the Riders snapped him up during the second week. Mike started 6 games his rookie season, winning 4 of them. A dangerous scrambler (in the mold of Randall Cunningham) who was at his best outside the pocket, Johnson averaged 6.6 yards a carry while throwing for 1137 yards and 6 touchdowns for the team in 91.  He’d return in 1992 to the Riders and have an even better season, throwing for 1760 yards (5th in the league)  and 8 touchdowns leading the team to a 7-3 record.

A perfect fit for the Riders ball control offense, Mike never really got his due- always battling to keep his job competing with Jason Garrett in 1991, and Craig Cupp and Brad Goebel (in 1992).  Johnson in the end finished as the Riders career leading passer in nearly every category.

I got his autograph and took a photo or two with Mike during his playing days with the Riders back in 1992, but I had hoped to get his Ultimate and Wild Card eventually signed.  Mike signed with the British Columbia Lions of the CFL and played there in 1992 and 1993. I wrote him for his autograph there, but never got it. In 1994, Johnson signed with the Shreveport Pirates, throwing for 1259 yards and 4 touchdowns.  He’d play for the team through 1995 when the team was folded after the season.

Johnson began his coaching career in 1997 at Oregon State under his former head coach of the San Antonio Riders, Mike Riley.  He’d remain there through 1999 and then move to the Chargers with Riley.  Staying there through 2001, Mike has had stops at Atlanta, Baltimore, and San Fransisco in a variety of offensive capacities, before returning to the college level in 2011 where he was signed to be offensive coordinator of the UCLA Bruins.

G/Gs  18/16    Att  434   Comp 224   Yds  2897     Pct  51.6
Td  14    Int  16   Rat  68.3  |
Rush 58     Yds  343    Avg 5.9    Td   1

NFL, WLAF

Stephens, Richard “Shake”

Card: ProSet WLAF 1991
Acquired: In Person 1992, San Antonio Riders v Sacramento Surge

At 6″7′, 308, Richard Stephens was considered one of the WLAFs top 10 prospects. A strong drive blocker from the University of Tulsa, Stephens was taken in the 9th round of the 1989 draft by the Bengals. He’d also see time in the training camps of the Redskins and Jets before being drafted in the 2nd round of the WLAF positional draft in 1991 by the Sacramento Surge.

Richard would play two seasons for the Surge at tackle and help the team win World Bowl II blocking for All World runningback and future CFL HoFer Mike Pringle. He’d go on to play in the NFL starting one game for both the Los Angeles Raiders in 1993 and  the Oakland Raiders in 1995.