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Rock Island Independents FAQ

Quick answers about the Rock Island Independents, the NFL charter team from Rock Island, Illinois.

Who were the Rock Island Independents?
The Rock Island Independents were a professional football team from Rock Island, Illinois. The team played its first game on record in November 1901, its first full season on record in 1907, and its last games in 1928. Counting every game on record, the Independents went 112-35-27.
Were the Rock Island Independents an original NFL team?
Yes. Rock Island was one of the charter members of the American Professional Football Association, formed in Canton, Ohio, in September 1920. The league was renamed the National Football League in 1922. The Independents played in it from 1920 through 1925.
Where did the Rock Island Independents play their home games?
Douglas Park in Rock Island was their home from 1917 through 1925. Before that they played at Island City Park, and in 1926 they moved to Browning Field.
Which Hall of Famers played for the Rock Island Independents?
Five members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame played for Rock Island: Jim Thorpe, Joe Guyon, Jimmy Conzelman, Ed Healey and Duke Slater. Slater, the great tackle from Iowa, was inducted in 2020.
What was the Rock Island Independents' best season?
The 1919 team went 9-1-1 and outscored its opponents 309 to 12, and the 1912 team won all eight of its games without allowing a point. In the NFL years, the 1924 team went 13-2-2 counting its Texas tour and exhibition games.
What was Rock Island's record against the Chicago Bears?
Counting games against the Decatur Staleys and Chicago Staleys, which became the Bears, Rock Island went 2-8-4 against George Halas's team, scoring 39 points and allowing 88. Against the Green Bay Packers they went 3-1-1.
Why did the Rock Island Independents leave the NFL?
After the 1925 season the Independents joined the first American Football League, started in 1926 around Red Grange. That league folded after one season. The club went back to playing independent football in 1927 and 1928, its last two seasons on record.
Where do these records come from?
Game results come from the Professional Football Researchers Association's Pre-NFL Committee game lists, checked against the Rock Island Argus. Player seasons come from the QC Player Database, compiled from Quad Cities newspapers. See the About page for details.