 | |
| Founded | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Closed | 2007 |
| Based in | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Home field | Amsterdam Arena |
| Head coach | Bart Andrus |
| League | NFL Europe |
| Colors | Admirals Blue, Orange, Green, White, Light Blue |
| Mascot(s) | Albert the Albatross |
| World Bowls (1) | World Bowl XIII (2005) |
The Amsterdam Admirals were a professional American football team based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, playing in the NFL Europe.
The Admirals were formed in 1995 as part of the NFL's plan to restart the World League of American Football, to be based entirely in Europe. The Admirals were one of three new teams, the others being the Scottish Claymores based in Edinburgh and the Rhein Fire based in Düsseldorf, Germany, to join the old World League's European Division teams: the Barcelona Dragons, the Frankfurt Galaxy, and the London Monarchs.
The Admirals began playing their home games at the old Olympisch Stadion, built in 1928 for the Summer Games. They played there for two years until the Amsterdam ArenA was completed in 1996. When the Admirals were forced to schedule their last home game of the 2000 season against the Claymores away from the ArenA as Euro 2000 preparations were finalized, they made a return to the Olympisch Stadion in what turned out to be one of the most unusual games in American football history. The end zone at the north end of the stadium was ruled unsafe by the officials as the surface was in poor condition, so it was decided that the teams would change ends at every change of possession and play towards the other end zone.
They qualified for the 1995 World Bowl with a 9–1 regular season record, but lost to the Frankfurt Galaxy by a score of 26–22. Ten years later, on their 11th year of existence, the Admirals won their first World Bowl by defeating the defending champion Berlin Thunder 27–21 in the championship game's 13th edition. The next season, they failed to defend their title against the Frankfurt Galaxy 22–7 in World Bowl XIV.
Under the "Player Continuity Program", the Admirals contracted linebacker Derrick Ballard and running back Jonathan Smith for the 2007 season.
| Season | League | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| 1995 | WLAF | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | 1st (League) | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Frankfurt Galaxy in World Bowl III |
| 1996 | WLAF | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 3rd (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 1997 | WLAF | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 4th (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 1998 | NFLE | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 3rd (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 1999 | NFLE | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 4th (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 2000 | NFLE | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 4th (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 2001 | NFLE | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 5th (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 2002 | NFLE | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 5th (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 2003 | NFLE | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 5th (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 2004 | NFLE | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 3rd (League) | – | – | — | — |
| 2005 | NFLE | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | 2nd (League) | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | World Bowl XIII champions |
| 2006 | NFLE | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 1st (League) | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Frankfurt Galaxy in World Bowl XIV |
| 2007 | NFLE | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 5th (League) | – | – | — | — |
| Total | 68 | 62 | 0 | .523 | 1 | 2 | .333 | |||
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Postseason | Achievements | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | GC | Won | Lost | Win % | ||||
| 1 | Al Luginbill | 1995–2000 | 60 | 34 | 26 | 0 | .567 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — |
| 2 | Bart Andrus | 2001–2007 | 70 | 34 | 36 | 0 | .486 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | World Bowl XIII championship NFL Europe Coach of the Year (2005) |
Source: Kenn.com
| Year | Games | Total | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam Admirals (World League) | |||
| 1995 | 5 | 72,767 | 14,553 |
| 1996 | 5 | 50,094 | 10,019 |
| Amsterdam Admirals (NFL Europe) | |||
| 1997 | 5 | 73,425 | 14,685 |
| 1998 | 5 | 79,263 | 15,853 |
| 1999 | 5 | 61,444 | 12,289 |
| 2000 | 5 | 54,985 | 10,997 |
| 2001 | 5 | 66,292 | 13,258 |
| 2002 | 5 | 58,322 | 11,664 |
| 2003 | 5 | 57,208 | 11,442 |
| 2004 | 5 | 62,496 | 12,499 |
| 2005 | 5 | 64,386 | 12,877 |
| 2006 | 5 | 67,106 | 13,421 |
| Amsterdam Admirals (NFL Europa) | |||
| 2007 | 5 | 58,390 | 11,678 |
| 13 | 65 | 826,178 | 12,710 |
Mike Evans – DE (1995–1997) Adam Vinatieri – K (1995) Jonathan Kirksey – DT (1995, 1998–2001)
Frank Temming – RB (1995–2000) Silvio Diliberto – K (1997–2004) Kurt Warner – QB (1998) Derrick Levake – OL (1999–2000) Rafael Cooper – RB (2002) Mike Evans – DE (1995–1997) Jamie Martin – QB (1995) Brad Lebo – QB (1995)
Darren Bennett – P (1995) Adam Vinatieri –K (1996) Will Furrer – QB (1995–1996) Mario Cristobal – OG (1995–1996) Jay Fiedler – QB (1997) Ta'ase Faumui – DE (1998) Kurt Warner – QB (1998) Jake Delhomme – QB (1998) Tom Nütten – OG (1998) Joe Douglass – WR (1998–1999) Dan Gonzalez – QB (1999) Jim Kubiak – QB (1999–2000) Ron Powlus – QB (2000)
José Cortéz – K (2000)
Francesco Biancamano – P/K (1999–2000) Spergon Wynn – QB (2001) Kevin Daft – QB (2002) Shaun Hill – QB (2003) Clint Stoerner – QB (2004) Gibran Hamdan – QB (2004–2006) Kurt Kittner – QB (2005) Jarrett Payton – RB (2005) Ruvell Martin – WR (2005) Cory Peoples – S (2005) Norman LeJeune – S (2005) Jeff Roehl – OL (2006) Jared Allen – QB (2006) Glenn Pakulak – P (2006–2007) Shawn Morgan – LB (2006) Derrick Ballard – LB (2005–2007) 2007 contract player Jonathan Smith – RB (2005 & 2007) 2007 contract player Chris Wing – DE/LB (1999)
Carl-Johan Björk – LB (2005–2007)| Highest pass rating, season (qualifiers) | Most passes attempted, season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Year | Rating | Player | Year | Attempted | |
| Gibran Hamdan | 2006 | 113.4 | Will Furrer | 1996 | 368 | |
| Most passes completed, season | Highest average gain, season (qualifiers) | |||||
| Player | Year | Completed | Player | Year | Average | |
| Shaun Hill | 2003 | 220 | Gibran Hamdan | 2006 | 10.06 | |
| Most consecutive passes attempted, none intercepted | Most games, 100 or more yards pass receiving, season | |||||
| Player | Year | Attempted | Player | Year | Games | |
| Ron Powlus | 2000 | 156 | Skyler Fulton | 2006 | 6 | |
| Most consecutive games, 100 or more yards pass receiving | Most yards gained, career | |||||
| Player | Year | Games | Player | Year | Yards | |
| Matthew Hatchette | 2003 | 4 | Joe Douglass | 1998–1999 | 624 | |
| Longest punt return | Most Opponents' Fumbles Recovered, season | |||||
| Player | Year | Yards | Player | Year | Fumbles | |
| Matthew Hatchette | Amsterdam vs. Berlin, 5/31/03 | 101 | Karmeeleyah McGill | 1995 | 4 | |
| Longest Fumble Return | ||||||
| Player | Year | Yards | ||||
| Derrick Ballard | Amsterdam vs. Berlin, 3/18/06 | 95 | ||||
| Most passes completed, season | Fewest Passes Completed, season | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Completed | Year | Completed | |
| 2003 | 271 | 1997 | 116 | |
| Fewest Yards Gained, season | Fewest rushing touchdowns, season | |||
| Year | Yards | Year | Touchdowns | |
| 1997 | 1208 | 2000 | 1 | |
| Most Points, Both Teams, game | Most punt returns, season | |||
| Year | Points | Year | Yards | |
| 5/31/03 (vs. Berlin) | 94 (51–43) | 1998 | 39 | |
| Most yards gained on Punt Return, game | Most yards gained on Punt Return, Both Teams, game | |||
| Year | Yards | Year | Yards | |
| 5/11/96 (vs. London) | 175 | 5/11/96 (vs. London) | 201 | |
| Fewest Yards Gained on Kickoff Return, game | Most yards gained on Kickoff Return, Both Teams, game | |||
| Year | Yards | Year | Yards | |
| 5/28/00 (vs. Frankfurt) | 2 | 5/31/03 (vs. Berlin) | 451 (188–263) | |
| Fewest Fumbles, season | Fewest Fumbles Lost, season | |||
| Year | Fumbles | Year | Fumbles | |
| 2003 | 7 | 2003 | 2 | |
| Most Fumbles Lost, Both Teams, game | Most Opponents' Fumbles Recovered, season | |||
| Year | Fumbles | Year | Fumbles | |
| 5/13/95 (vs. Barcelona) | 8 (4–4) | 1995 | 20 | |
| Most Opponents' Fumbles Recovered, Both Teams, game | Fewest Yards Penalized, Both Teams, game | |||
| Year | Fumbles | Year | Yards | |
| 5/13/95 (vs. Barcelona) | 8 (4–4) | 5/18/97 (vs. Scotland) | 25 (15–10) | |
| Most Yards Penalized, Both Teams, game | Fewest yards allowed by Defense, rushing, season | |||
| Year | Yards | Year | Yards | |
| 6/1/02 (vs. Frankfurt) | 294 (116–178) | 2000 | 654 | |
Source: NFLEurope.com
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The 2006 Amsterdam Admirals season was the 12th season for the team in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL). The team was led by head coach Bart Andrus in his sixth year, and played its home games at Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in first place with a record of seven wins and three losses. In World Bowl XIV, Amsterdam lost to the Frankfurt Galaxy 7–22.
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The 1995 Amsterdam Admirals season was the inaugural season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team was led by head coach Al Luginbill, and played its home games at Olympisch Stadion and De Meer Stadion in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in first place with a record of nine wins and one loss. In World Bowl '95, Amsterdam lost to the Frankfurt Galaxy 26–22.
The 1996 Amsterdam Admirals season was the second season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team was led by head coach Al Luginbill in his second year, and played its home games at Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in third place with a record of five wins and five losses.
The 1997 Amsterdam Admirals season was the third season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team was led by head coach Al Luginbill in his third year, and played its home games at Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in fourth place with a record of five wins and five losses.
The 2004 Amsterdam Admirals season was the tenth season for the franchise in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL). The team was led by head coach Bart Andrus in his fourth year, and played its home games at Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in third place with a record of five wins and five losses.
The 2004 Frankfurt Galaxy season was the 12th season for the franchise in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL). The team was led by head coach Mike Jones in his first year, and played its home games at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany. They finished the regular season in second place with a record of seven wins and three losses. In World Bowl XII, Frankfurt lost to the Berlin Thunder 30–24.
The 2005 Amsterdam Admirals season was the 11th season for the franchise in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL). The team was led by head coach Bart Andrus in his fifth year, and played its home games at Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in second place with a record of six wins and four losses. In World Bowl XIII, Amsterdam defeated the Berlin Thunder 27–21. The victory marked the franchise's first World Bowl championship.
The 1996 Scottish Claymores season was the second season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team was led by head coach Jim Criner in his second year, and played its home games at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland. They finished the regular season in first place with a record of seven wins and three losses. In World Bowl '96, Scotland defeated the Frankfurt Galaxy 32–27. The victory marked the franchise's first World Bowl championship, in its second active season.
The 1995 Scottish Claymores season was the inaugural season for the franchise in the World League of American Football (WLAF). The team played its home games at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland. They finished the regular season in sixth place with a record of two wins and eight losses.
The 2004 Scottish Claymores season was the tenth and final season for the franchise in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL). The team was led by head coach Jack Bicknell in his first year, and played its home games at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland. They finished the regular season in sixth place with a record of two wins and eight losses.
The 1999 Frankfurt Galaxy season was the seventh season for the franchise in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL). The team was led by head coach Dick Curl in his second year, and played its home games at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany. They finished the regular season in second place with a record of six wins and four losses. In World Bowl '99, Frankfurt defeated the Barcelona Dragons 38–24. The victory marked the franchise's second World Bowl championship.
The 1999 Amsterdam Admirals season was the fifth season for the franchise in the NFL Europe League (NFLEL). The team was led by head coach Al Luginbill in his fifth year, and played its home games at Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. They finished the regular season in fourth place with a record of four wins and six losses.
The 1995 World League of American Football season was the third season of the professional American football league organized by the NFL. It was the league's first season with six teams based only in Europe.
