Oklahoma Outlaws
| Oklahoma-Arizona Outlaws | |
|---|---|
 
|
|
| Founded | 1984 |
| Folded | 1986 |
| Based in |
Tulsa, Oklahoma (1984) Tempe, Arizona (1985) United States |
| Home field |
Skelly Stadium (1984) Sun Devil Stadium (1985) |
| League | USFL |
| Conference | Western Conference |
| Division | Central Division (1984) Western Division (1985) |
| Team History | Oklahoma Outlaws (1984) Arizona Outlaws (1985) |
| Team colors | Black, red, white (1984 – as Oklahoma Outlaws) Black, Red, Copper, White (1985 – as Arizona Outlaws) |
| Head coaches | 1984 Woody Widenhofer (6-12) 1985 Frank Kush (8-10) |
| Owner(s) | 1984–1986 William R. Tatham Sr., William R. Tatham Jr. |
The Arizona Outlaws were a professional American football team that played in the United States Football League in the mid-1980s. They were owned by Fresno banker and real estate agent William Tatham, Sr., who had briefly owned the Portland Thunder of the World Football League.
The Outlaws were originally slated to play in San Diego. However, under pressure from baseball's Padres, the NFL's Chargers and the NASL's Sockers, the city refused to grant Tatham a lease for Jack Murphy Stadium.
Scrambling for a home, Tatham seriously considered playing in Honolulu for its inaugural 1984 season, but settled on Tulsa, Oklahoma—even though the city had not even been included in a list of possible expansion sites for the USFL. However, Tatham had roots in Oklahoma (his father had moved to California during the Great Depression), and felt that putting his team there would give something back to the state. He christened his team the Oklahoma Outlaws. The club was the second major-league sports team to play in the state, after the North American Soccer League's Tulsa Roughnecks, and played at Skelly Stadium.
On July 7, 1983, at the same time the USFL announced the expansion team, Tatham introduced Hall of Fame member Sid Gillman, who came out of retirement at age 71 to serve as the Director of Operations. Gillman signed a roster of players, including former Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting QB Doug Williams, but Gillman was fired by Tatham in December in a dispute over finances.
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