Portland Breakers

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For information on the Women's United Soccer Association team of the same name, see Boston Breakers

The Portland Breakers were a professional American Football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. The team started out in 1983 as the Boston Breakers. They had hoped to play at Foxboro Stadium, then the home of the NFL's New England Patriots. When this failed to materialize, they were forced to play at Nickerson Field on the campus of Boston University, a rather antiquated facility that seated only 21,000.

This was an untenable situation for an organization that was attempting to be part of a major sports league; when no suitable solution to the venue problem could be found in the Boston area, the team's management decided to move. They relocated for the 1984 season to New Orleans, Louisiana and became the New Orleans Breakers. Here, they played in the Louisiana Superdome, also home to the NFL's New Orleans Saints. Seeking a better market for his USFL franchise, owner Joseph Canizaro moved the team to Portland, Oregon for the 1985 season. Near the end of that season, the owners of the USFL teams, lead by Donald Trump, decided to move to a fall schedule in hopes of obtaining a TV contract. The proposed fall play never happened as the team, and the entire league, folded in 1986 when the USFL's antitrust suit resulted in its being awarded only $3 in damages.

Among the top "name" players that the Breakers had were Marcus Dupree, Tim Mazzetti, Matt Robinson, Buford Jordan, Jeff Gossett, and Dan Ross. The Head Coach for all three seasons was Dick Coury. Defensive Coordinator was the late Pokey Allen. The team president for the Portland Breakers was the legendary John Ralston, who was also a founder of the USFL. The front office included Jack Galmiche, Dream Weaver, and John Brunelle.

Unlike many other USFL teams, the Breakers never changed their name, logo or colors when they relocated

For information on the Women's United Soccer Association team of the same name, see Boston Breakers.