Greg Barton

Portland Storm

Greg Barton earned Junior College All America honors playing quarterback at Long Beach City College and played quarterback at Tulsa where he was recognized as one of the best passers in collegiate ball in 1966 and 1967. Drafted by the Lions in the ninth round of the 1968 draft, but was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. In response to the trade, Barton signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in 1971. The Argos had also drafted Joe Theismann of Notre Dame. Barton and Theismann fought for the starting position. Theismann broke his ankle right off the bat and Barton took over, but did not play well.

Barton signed with the Portland Storm for the 1974 season. With the Storm, Barton was completing less than fifty percent of his passes when the team picked up NFL veteran, Pete Beathard, who had called it quits after the 1973 season and it was Beathard who led the Storm in passing by the end of the season.

As the Storm entered the 1975 season, Barton worked to save the franchise. When Bob Brodhead was hired as President and General Manager of the newly named Portland Thunder, his first act was to name Greg Barton, at twenty-eight years of age, the youngest head football coach in the sport. Unfortunately, Barton was fired late in the season.

WFL Career Statistics

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