Montreal Machine

The Montreal Machine was the sole Canadian team in the World League of American Football, a springtime developmental professional league set up by the National Football League that played in 1991 and 1992. There were also three European teams and six U.S.-based teams. Like all WLAF teams, the Machine played by American football, 11 per side on a 100-yard field, rather than Canadian football rules.

The Machine filled a void created by the folding of the Montreal Alouettes in 1987 and were thus the only Canadian team in the WLAF; they were the first American football team in Canada since the Montreal Beavers and Toronto Rifles played in the Continental Football League in 1967. The NFL had also played two international preseason games in Montreal in 1988 and 1990 during the Alouettes' absence.

After two stumbling years, the Machine, and the entire WLAF, were put on "hiatus" by the NFL. After three years, the three European-based franchises (and three more) were reconstituted as the World League (later known as NFL Europe); the North American teams were never heard of again. The Machine played their home games at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

The Machine's average game attendance dropped from 31,888 in their first year of play, to 25,254 in their second (and final) year.

Pro football would not return to Montreal until 1996 when the Montreal Alouettes were revived as the Baltimore Stallions relocated to Montreal.

Punter Chris Mohr was among the Machine's most notable players.

Season-by-season

1991 season

Personnel

Staff

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Roster

Results

• Week 1: Montreal 20, Birmingham Fire 5
• Week 2: Barcelona Dragons 34, Montreal 10
• Week 3: Montreal 23, Birmingham Fire 10
• Week 4: New York/New Jersey Knights 44, Montreal 0
• Week 5: London Monarchs 45, Montreal 7
• Week 6: Frankfurt Galaxy 17, Montreal 7
• Week 7: Montreal 26, Sacramento Surge 23 (OT)
• Week 8: Montreal 15, Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks 6
• Week 9: San Antonio Riders 27, Montreal 10
• Week 10: Orlando Thunder 33, Montreal 27 (OT)

1992 season

Results

• Week 1: San Antonio Riders 17, Montreal 16
• Week 2: Montreal 31, Orlando Thunder 29
• Week 3: Sacramento Surge 14, Montreal 7
• Week 4: Montreal 31, Ohio Glory 20
• Week 5: Orlando Thunder 16, Montreal 8
• Week 6: New York/New Jersey Knights 34, Montreal 11
• Week 7: Sacramento Surge 35, Montreal 21
• Week 8: Birmingham Fire 23, Montreal 16 (OT)
• Week 9: London Monarchs 45, Montreal 13
• Week 10: New York/New Jersey Knights 41, Montreal 21

References