The Incredible Journey of El Paso’s Long-Lost Football Franchise

When you think of sports teams to come out of El Paso, Texas; obviously the Diablos/Chihuahuas, the Rhinos, & the Locomotive FC come to mind. And when you think of football teams El Paso has had, the most known are the UTEP Miners. But El Paso has never had a professional team...right? Actually we did over a decade ago: a professional indoor arena football team called the El Paso Generals.

Who were the El Paso Generals?

The Generals were actually the 2nd indoor team El Paso had; the first being the El Paso Rumble in 2004. They would hold their home games inside the El Paso County Coliseum. Although their season was not great: in their only season they had a 0-16 record. 5 years later El Paso would start up another team: the most successful team from El Paso to join the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2009. The team we would know as the EP Generals. They too would play their home games in the Coliseum.

How good were the El Paso Generals?

They only played one season; in 14 games, they would scores 12 wins & 2 losses. The team would enter the playoffs to take on the San Angelo Stampede Express in the Divisional Championship. They would win but lose in the Conference Championship against the Billings Outlaws. They end their season with a 13-3 record.

The owners would sell the team after the season. The general manager, Dart Clark, tried to bring the team back in 2011 but that would never happen.

There ARE highlights from that 2009 season on YouTube. The quality isn't the best but they DO serve a piece of El Paso history.

Did El Paso have another indoor arena football team?

There WERE attempts in 2021 to create another team called the West Texas Buccaneers. But as of 2022, hopes of another El Paso arena team fell through.

Until El Paso DOES get another indoor football team, we're left with the memories of the El Paso Generals & the fact that they were indeed champions.

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