CARLSTADT, NJ (Feb. 11, 1999) -- New Jersey Red Dogs President, Joe Morris, has announced that Head Coach/General Manager John Hufnagel has left the franchise to join the NFL Expansion Cleveland Browns as their new Quarterbacks Coach.
"I am very excited for John as this new opportunity arises for him in his coaching career," said Morris. "Although this is a great opportunity for John, it is also a sad day for the Red Dogs organization. In his years here he has brought competitive Arena Football to New Jersey."
In Hufnagel's two seasons as the Red Dogs head coach he has accomplished several tasks. The Red Dogs have established a 17-11 regular season record. Last season the team made it to the Arena Football League semifinal game vs. the top seed Tampa Bay Storm. In their "rookie" season the Red Dogs set a professional football record for points in a game when they scored 91 points against the Texas Terror at the Continental Airlines Arena on June 20, 1997. In Hufnagel's two seasons the Red Dogs have managed to become a talented and competitive Arena Football team this among one of the favorites to be playing in Arenabowl XIII this August.
"Although we have a great Assistant Coaching staff which will remain intact, we do have a short list of candidates that we are speaking to about becoming the next Head Coach of the New Jersey Red Dogs," said Joe Morris. "We are confident that the person we hire will be able to maintain the Red Dogs' high level of success that was achieved by John and lead us to an Arenabowl Championship in 1999."
The Red Dogs are looking forward to another exciting season of Arena Football in New Jersey. The teams' aggressive new ticket pricing policy has resulted in the season ticket sales more than doubling since last season. "Although I share in Joe Morris' sentiment that we are happy for John, I am also extremely excited about the direction this franchise is taking and looking forward to bringing a championship home to New Jersey," said Red Dog CEO Beth Colon.