The Oklahoma Thunder is a Professional NFL Rules football team formed in 2008 and based in Oklahoma. Starting with the 2011 season, the team competes in the National Gridiron Developmental Football League, playing in the Midwest Division in the GDFL's Impact Conference. Players include former major college standouts, and former NFL players including Willie Ponder from the NY Giants. The team's cheerleaders are known as the Thunder Cats. From its founding in 2008 through the 2011 season, the Thunder competed in the Central Division of the new World Football League. Through these three seasons, the team was undefeated with a 40–0 record and three consecutive league championships. Currently they are 53-1 with their first loss coming from the Chambersberg Cardinals in Atlanta, GA for the 2011 GDFL Championship.
2008 season
In their 2008 inaugural season, the Oklahoma Thunder finished with a perfect 16–0 regular season record. After beating the previously undefeated Texas Bulldogs 84-6 in the semi-final game, the Thunder rolled to 29–6 victory over the Austin Gamebreakers in World Bowl II on October 18, 2008, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. (The new minor-league WFL retained the numbering from the original 1970s WFL.) After the game, Thunder linebacker Joey Crawford was named WFL Player of the Year. The Oklahoma Thunder has 8 AAA World and National Championships 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.
