View source for Orlando Rage

{{short description|Defunct American football team}}
{{for|the 2023 XFL team|Orlando Guardians}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox American football team 
| name = Orlando Rage
| logo = Orlando rage logo.png
| logosize = 200
| founded = 2001
| folded  = {{start date and age|2001}}
| league = [[XFL (2001)|XFL]]
| division = Eastern
| location = [[Orlando, Florida]]
| stadium = [[Florida Citrus Bowl|Citrus Bowl]] 
| colors = Red, navy blue, gold, white<ref>{{cite web|title=Orlando Rage Logo Sheet|url=http://ssur.org/research/XFLLogoSheets/images/OrlandoRage_CL.jpg|website=SSUR.org|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128160309/http://ssur.org/research/XFLLogoSheets/images/OrlandoRage_CL.jpg|archive-date=November 28, 2010|access-date=December 4, 2019}}</ref><br />{{color box|#C60C30}} {{color box|#041E42}} {{color box|#FFB612}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}
| coach = [[Galen Hall]]
| manager = [[Tom Veit]]
| league_champs = 
| div_champs = 1 (2001)
}}

The '''Orlando Rage''' was an [[American football]] team based in [[Orlando, Florida]] as part of the [[XFL (2001)|XFL]], begun by [[Vince McMahon]] of the [[World Wrestling Entertainment|World Wrestling Federation]] and by [[NBC]], a major television network in the United States.

==History==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Orlando Rage Helmet Logo.png|150px|left|thumb|Orlando Rage helmet]] -->
The team's colors were scarlet, yellow, navy blue and white with jersey numbers in a unique jagged font. They played their home games at Orlando's [[Florida Citrus Bowl]], which was configured so that the upper deck was closed off and all fans were seated in the lower bowl to give a better appearance for television (a move that was effective, as the Rage had one of the stronger fan bases in the league, with average attendance at over two-thirds of the lower bowl's capacity; the team sold out all 36,000 lower bowl seats for its home opener).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Simmons |first1=Roger |title=XFL, fast-paced and fan-friendly, returning in 2020; Orlando interested in getting team |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/from-the-sports-editor/os-xfl-orlando-rage-0125-story.html |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=January 25, 2018}}</ref> The team's General Manager was Tom Veit a former Major League Soccer Vice-president and were coached by former [[Florida Gators football|Florida Gators]] head coach [[Galen Hall]]. They were in the XFL's Eastern Division with the [[New York/New Jersey Hitmen|NY/NJ Hitmen]], [[Chicago Enforcers]] and [[Birmingham Thunderbolts]].

The Rage were one of the two teams who opted not to don nicknames on the back of their jerseys. In the Rage's case, the decision was made by a majority vote of the players (despite the objections of starting quarterback [[Jeff Brohm]], who openly embraced the XFL's approach to sports entertainment and wanted to wear "J Bro" on his jersey).<ref name=letsplayfootball>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressconnects.com/story/sports/college/purdue/football/2017/07/27/lets-play-football-follows-purdues-jeff-brohm/514924001/|title=Jeff Brohm's XFL mic drop moment follows him to Purdue|work=Gannett News Service|first=Mike|last=Carmin|date=July 27, 2017|access-date=29 November 2017}}</ref>

[[Jeff Brohm]], at the time also under contract to the [[Cleveland Browns]], was the quarterback of the Rage for most of the regular season, amassing a 6–0 record as starter during his first time at the helm.  The team looked to be the league's powerhouse franchise under Brohm and was on pace for a [[perfect season]] (coincidentally, Orlando's next professional football team, the [[Florida Tuskers]], would also win their first six games in a row before losing the seventh). He showed his toughness after he suffered an injury from a devastating hit by at the hands of Memphis Maniax defensive end [[Shante Carver]] in Week 5.  Despite suffering a concussion in the hit and doctors' advice not to play, Brohm came back a week later against Las Vegas, giving a rousing speech stating that he was returning because it was the XFL and he still had a pulse.<ref name=letsplayfootball/> The following week he suffered a shoulder injury against the Los Angeles Xtreme and his season (and playing career) was done for good. It led to him being replaced by [[Brian Kuklick]] after six games. While Kuklick filled in the role of quarterback acceptably, the team lost a valuable leader on offense. The team went 2–2 in Kuklick's care; Kuklick, despite only starting four games, led the league in interceptions with 10.

The team finished their only regular season with an 8–2 record, the best in the league, but were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the 5–5 [[San Francisco Demons]]. Orlando had an early 16–0 advantage but allowed San Francisco to pull ahead and take a 26–16 lead by the fourth quarter. Using the XFL's newly introduced three-point conversion rule on a subsequent touchdown, the Rage got within one point but the Demons successfully ran out the clock and won 26–25. San Francisco would go on to lose the XFL Championship Game versus Los Angeles 38–6. Many in the league were disappointed, hoping for a match-up against the two division champions. NBC dropped the XFL after the first season (2001) due to dismal ratings, and the league folded soon afterward.

===XFL returns to Florida===
{{main|Orlando Guardians}}
In December 2018, the [[XFL (2020)|revival of the XFL]] announced that it would return to Florida. Because the [[Alliance of American Football]]'s [[Orlando Apollos]] already laid claim to the Orlando market, the XFL opted to place the new team in [[Tampa, Florida]], {{convert|80|mi}} southwest of Orlando and connected to that city by way of [[Interstate 4]]. The league was exploring relocating the Vipers to Orlando shortly before the league suspended operations and went bankrupt in April 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/SB-Blogs/Breaking-News/2020/04/XFL.aspx|title=Last Call for the XFL|first=Ben|last=Fischer|work=Sports Business Journal|date=April 17, 2020|access-date=April 18, 2020}}</ref> In 2022, the league, under new ownership, announced that the New York Guardians would relocate to Orlando as the [[Orlando Guardians]]. The team took the field on February 18, 2023. Following the XFL merger with the USFL that was the last season in Orlando

===Season-by-season===
{{Start NFL SBS}}
|-
|2001 || 8 || 2 || 0 || 1st Eastern || Lost Semifinals ([[San Francisco Demons|San Francisco]])
|-
!Totals || 8 || 3 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
{{s-end}}

===Schedule===

====Regular season====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Week
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Date
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Opponent
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Result
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Record
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Venue
|-{{Game-won}}
! 1
| {{dow tooltip|February 3, 2001}}
| [[Chicago Enforcers]]
| '''W''' 33–29
| 1–0
| [[Florida Citrus Bowl]]
|-{{Game-won}}
! 2
| {{dow tooltip|February 10, 2001}}
| [[San Francisco Demons]]
| '''W''' 26–14
| 2–0
| Florida Citrus Bowl
|-{{Game-won}}
! 3
| February 18
| at [[New York/New Jersey Hitmen]]
| '''W''' 18–12
| 3–0
| [[Giants Stadium]]
|-{{Game-won}}
! 4
| {{dow tooltip|February 24, 2001}}
| [[Birmingham Thunderbolts]]
| '''W''' 30–6
| 4–0
| Florida Citrus Bowl
|-{{Game-won}}
! 5
| March 4
| at [[Memphis Maniax]]
| '''W''' 21–19
| 5–0
| [[Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium]]
|-{{Game-won}}
! 6
| {{dow tooltip|March 10, 2001}}
| [[Las Vegas Outlaws (XFL)|Las Vegas Outlaws]]
| '''W''' 27–15
| 6–0
| Florida Citrus Bowl
|-{{Game-lost}}
! 7
| March 18
| at [[Los Angeles Xtreme]]
| '''L''' 6–31
| 6–1
| [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]]
|-{{Game-won}}
! 8
| March 25
| New York/New Jersey Hitmen
| '''W''' 17–12
| 7–1
| Florida Citrus Bowl
|-{{Game-won}}
! 9
| {{dow tooltip|March 31, 2001}}
| at Birmingham Thunderbolts
| '''W''' 29–24
| 8–1
| [[Legion Field]]
|-{{Game-lost}}
! 10
| April 8
| at Chicago Enforcers
| '''L''' 6–23
| 8–2
| [[Soldier Field]]
|}

====Post-season====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Round
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Date
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Opponent
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Result
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Record
! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2}};"|Venue
|- style="background:#fcc"
! Semi-final
| {{dow tooltip|April 14, 2001}}
| San Francisco Demons
| '''L''' 25–26
| 0–1
| Florida Citrus Bowl
|}

==Personnel==

===Staff===
{{NFL final staff
|Year=2001
|TeamName=Orlando Rage
|BC1=#C60C30
|FC1=#FFFFFF
|BDC1=#FFB612
|Front Office=
*Vice president/general manager – Tom Veit
*Director of player personnel – [[Will McClay]]
|Head Coaches=
*Head coach/director of football operations – [[Galen Hall]]
|Offensive Coaches=
*Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – [[Mike Kelly (Canadian football)|Mike Kelly]]
*Wide receivers – [[Mike Jones (wide receiver, born 1960)|Mike Jones]]
*Tight ends – [[Les Moss (American football)|Les Moss]]
*Offensive line – Whitey Jordan
*Quality control/offense – Matt Moore
|Defensive Coaches=
*Defensive coordinator/linebackers – [[Charlie Bailey (American football)|Charlie Bailey]]
*Defensive line – Mickey Mays
*Secondary – Steve Carson
*Quality control/defense – Tom Silvanic
|Special Teams Coaches=
*Special teams – Andy Cox
|Strength and Conditioning=
}}
Source:<ref>{{cite book |title=2001 Orlando Rage Media Guide |publisher=[[XFL (2001)|XFL]] |pages=4–12}}</ref>

===Roster===
{{NFL final roster
|Year=2001
|TeamName=Orlando Rage
|active=37
|inactive=1
|PS=8

|Quarterbacks=
{{NFLplayer|link=no|14|[[Brian Kuklick]]}}

|Running Backs=
{{NFLplayer|link=no|21|Michael Black}}
{{NFLplayer|43|Derrick Clark|d=American football}}
{{NFLplayer|link=no|20|[[Brian Shay]]}}

|Wide Receivers=
{{NFLplayer|&nbsp;5|Mario Bailey}}
{{NFLplayer|81|Dialleo Burks}}
{{NFLplayer|88|Scott Cloman|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|&nbsp;2|Shannon Culver}}
{{NFLplayer|&nbsp;1|Tony Gaiter|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|&nbsp;4|Kevin Swayne}}

|Tight Ends=
{{NFLplayer|85|Lawrence Hart|d=American football}}

|Offensive Linemen=
{{NFLplayer|65|Jeremy Akers|T|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|66|Dan Collins|d=American football|T}}
{{NFLplayer|57|Cal Dixon|C}}
{{NFLplayer|73|Jason Gamble|G}}
{{NFLplayer|68|Dan Goodspeed|T}}
{{NFLplayer|69|Sean Love|G}}
{{NFLplayer|60|Garin Patrick|C}}

|Defensive Linemen=
{{NFLplayer|97|Mark Campbell|d=defensive tackle|DT}}
{{NFLplayer|91|Sedric Clark|DE}}
{{NFLplayer|95|Bill Duff|DT}}
{{NFLplayer|72|Ben Huff|DT|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|99|Andre Purvis|DT}}
{{NFLplayer|90|James Roberson|d=American football|DE}}

|Linebackers=
{{NFLplayer|58|Patrise Alexander}}
{{NFLplayer|56|Shawn Banks|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|51|James Burgess|d=gridiron football}}
{{NFLplayer|54|Jimmy Clements|d=American football|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|46|Rich Young|d=American football|link=no}}

|Defensive Backs=
{{NFLplayer|24|Ricky Bell|d=cornerback}}
{{NFLplayer|link=no|22|Greg Haren|S}}
{{NFLplayer|link=no|26|Reginald Doster|CB}}
{{NFLplayer|link=no|35|Stephen Fisher|CB}}
{{NFLplayer|link=no|41|Cory Gilliard|S}}
{{NFLplayer|23|Kelly Malveaux|CB}}
{{NFLplayer|33|Louis Riddick|S}}

|Special Teams=
{{NFLplayer|10|Jay Taylor|K|d=placekicker}}

|Reserve Lists=
{{NFLplayer|11|Jeff Brohm|QB|IR}}

|Practice Squad=
{{NFLplayer|16|Jim Arellanes|QB}}
{{NFLplayer|76|Cheston Blackshear|OG|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|--|Patrick Bonner|d=American football|QB|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|86|Terrance Huston|TE|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|--|Corey Mayfield|DT}}
{{NFLplayer|--|Vincent Ruddy|Water Boy}}
{{NFLplayer|--|Vince Marrow|TE}}
{{NFLplayer|64|Jeff Miller|d=American football|OT|link=no}}
{{NFLplayer|30|Hassan Shamsid-Deen|DB}}
}}

==Standings==
{{2001 XFL East standings}}
Source:<ref>{{cite web |title=XFL Standings |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/xfl/standings.htm |work=[[USA Today]] |date=May 12, 2001 |access-date=February 18, 2011 }}</ref>

==Statistical leaders==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league
|}

=== Passing ===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="text-align:center;{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2|color=white}};"colspan="12"|Passing statistics
|-
! NAME !! GP !! GS !! Record !! Cmp !! Att !! Pct !! Yds !! TD !! Int !! Rtg 
|-
| [[Brian Kuklick]] || 5 || 3 || 2–1 || 68 || 122 || 55.7 || 994 || 6 || style="background:#cfecec;"|10 || 64.7 
|-
| [[Jeff Brohm]] || 7 || 7 || 6–1 || 69 || 119 || 58.8 || 993 || 9 || 3 || 99.9 
|-
! colspan="1"| [https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/t-XFLORL/y-2001 Totals] !! 10 !! 10 !! 8–2 !! 137 !! 241 !! 56.8 !! 1,987 !! 15 !! 13 !! 82.1  
|}

=== Rushing ===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="text-align:center;{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2|color=white}};"colspan="8"| Rushing statistics
|-
! NAME !!  Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD 
|-
| [[Derrick Clark (American football)|Derrick Clark]] || 94 || 395 || 4.2 || 19 || style="background:#cfecec;"|7 
|-
| Michael Black || 83 || 320 || 3.9 || 20 || 0 
|-
| [[Brian Shay]] || 36 || 198 || 5.5 || 28t || 2 
|-
| [[Brian Kuklick]] || 17 || 31 || 1.8 || 9 || 1  
|-
| [[Jeff Brohm]] || 16 || 67 || 4.2 || 33t || 1   
|-
| [[Mario Bailey]] || 2 || 15 || 7.5 || 11 || 0 
|-
! colspan="1"| [https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/t-XFLORL/y-2001 Totals] !! 248 !! 1,026 !! 4.1 !! 33 !! 11
|}

=== Receiving ===
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="text-align:center;{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2|color=white}};"colspan="9| Receiving statistics
|-
! NAME !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
| [[Dialleo Burks]]  || 34 || 659 || style="background:#cfecec;"| 19.4 || 81t || 7 
|-
| [[Kevin Swayne]] || 27 || 400 || 14.8 || 51t || 2 
|-
| [[Mario Bailey]] || 27 || 379 || 14.0 || 49t || 3 
|-
| [[Derrick Clark (American football)|Derrick Clark]] || 12 || 109 || 9.1 || 38 || 0 
|-
| [[Lawrence Hart (American football)|Lawrence Hart]] || 12 || 104 || 8.7 || 26 || 1 
|-
| [[Shannon Culver]] || 10 || 165 || 16.5 || 49t || 1 
|-
| Terrance Huston || 5 || 51 || 10.2 || 29 || 0 
|-
| [[Tony Gaiter]] || 4 || 62 || 15.5 || 22 || 0 
|-
| Mike Black || 3 || 31 || 10.3 || 14 || 0
|-
| [[Brian Shay]] || 3 || 27 || 9.0 || 12t || 1
|-
! colspan="1"| [https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/t-XFLORL/y-2001 Totals] !! 137 !! 1,987 !! 14.5 !! 81 !! 15 
|}

=== Scoring ===
''12-30 (40.0)% on extra point conversion attempts''<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.all-xfl.com/orlandorage/team/teamstats/week10.htm | title= 2001 Rage Final Regular Season Stats}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! style="text-align:center;{{Gridiron primary style|Orlando Rage|border=2|color=white}};"colspan="9| Total Scoring
|-
! NAME !! Rush !! Rec !! Return !! XPM !! FGM !! PTS
|-
| [[Derrick Clark (American football)|Derrick Clark]] || 7 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 47 
|-
| [[Dialleo Burks]] || 0 || 7 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 44
|-
| [[Mario Bailey]] || 0 || 3 || <abbr title="Kick return">1</abbr> || 2 || 0 || 26 
|-
| [[Jay Taylor (placekicker)|Jay Taylor]] || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 7 || 21 
|-
| [[Brian Shay]] || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 18  
|-
| [[Kevin Swayne]]  || 0 || 2 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 13 
|-
| [[Shannon Culver]] || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 7  
|-
| [[Jeff Brohm]] || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 6  
|-
| [[Omar Brown (defensive back, born 1975)|Omar Brown]] || 0 || 0 || <abbr title="Fumble return">1</abbr> || 0 || 0 || 6  
|-
| [[Sedric Clark]] || 0 || 0 || <abbr title="Fumble return">1</abbr> || 0 || 0 || 6  
|-
| [[Bill Duff]] || 0 || 0 || <abbr title="Fumble return">1</abbr> || 0 || 0 || 6  
|-
| [[Lawrence Hart (American football)|Lawrence Hart]] || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 6 
|-
| [[Brian Kuklick]] || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 6 
|-
| Mike Black || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 
|-
! colspan="1"| [https://www.all-xfl.com/orlandorage/team/teamstats/week10.htm Totals] !! 11 !! 15 !! 4 !! 12 !! 7 !! 213
|}

==Awards and honors==

===Awards===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
! width="80"| Season
! width="150"| Coach
! width="150"| Award
|-
| 2001
| [[Galen Hall]]
| [[Coach of the Year]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Orlando's Hall Picked As Coach Of The Year |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2001/04/20/orlandos-hall-picked-as-coach-of-the-year/ |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=April 20, 2001 |access-date=February 18, 2011 }}</ref>
|}

===Honors===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
! width="80"| Season
! width="150"| Player
! Position
! width="150"| Honor
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2001
| [[Jeff Brohm]]
| [[Quarterback|QB]]
| rowspan="3" | All-XFL team <ref>{{cite web |title=3 Rage Players Named To All-XFL Team |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2001/04/28/3-rage-players-named-to-all-xfl-team/ |work=Orlando Sentinel |date=April 28, 2001 |access-date=February 18, 2011 }}</ref>
|-
| [[James Burgess (gridiron football)|James Burgess]]
| [[Linebacker|LB]]
|-
| [[Jason Gamble]]
| [[Guard (American football)|G]]
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{XFL}}

[[Category:Orlando Rage| ]]
[[Category:XFL (2001) teams]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:2001 disestablishments in Florida]]
[[Category:American football teams established in 2001]]
[[Category:American football teams disestablished in 2001]]