Amsterdam Admirals

Amsterdam Admirals
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.

History

Following its completion in 1996, the Admirals moved into the Amsterdam ArenA (2000 image) in time for the 1997 WLAF season.

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, in their eleventh 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-by-season

The Admirals' first home ground was the Olympic Stadium (1995 image), built for the Summer Olympic Games of 1928. World Bowl '95–between Amsterdam Admirals and Frankfurt Galaxy–was also held there.

Season	League	Regular season					Postseason
Season	League	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)	–	–	—	Out of playoffs.
1997	WLAF	5	5	0	.500	4th (League)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
1998	NFLE	7	3	0	.700	3rd (League)	–	–	—	Out of playoffs.
1999	NFLE	4	6	0	.400	4th (League)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
2000	NFLE	4	6	0	.400	4th (League)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
2001	NFLE	4	6	0	.400	5th (League)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
2002	NFLE	4	6	0	.400	5th (League)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
2003	NFLE	4	6	0	.400	5th (League)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
2004	NFLE	5	5	0	.500	3rd (League)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
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)	–	–	—	No playoffs.
Total		68	62	0	.523		1	2	.333

Head coaches

#	Name	Term	Regular season					Postseason				Achievements
#	Name	Term	GC	Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	GC	Won	Lost	Win %	Achievements
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)

Attendance

Amsterdam's second home match of 1995 was played at De Meer (1937 photo) shortly before closure in 1996 and demolition in 1998.

The club twice returned to the Olympic Stadium–restored in the Admirals' absence–after the 1997 move: once for their last home match of the 2000 NFL Europe season, versus Scottish Claymores; and for a 2007 NFL Europa game against Berlin Thunder that proved to be the final match in their history.

Source: Kenn.com

Year	Games	Total	Average
Amsterdam Admirals (World League)
1995	5	72,767	14,553
1996	5	50,094	10,019
1997	5	73,425	14,685
Amsterdam Admirals (NFL Europe)
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

Ring of Honor

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)

Notable players

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)

League records (1995–2007)

Individual records

Note: NFLE had a 10-game season.

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

Team records

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

External links

NFL Europa: Amsterdam Admirals