Jerry Summers: Chattanooga's Pro Football (1963-1966)
Friday, May 21, 2021 - by Jerry Summers
Jerry Summers
Local businessman Charles O. Ragan, Sr., had visions of making Chattanooga a hot bed of professional football when he created the Chattanooga Cherokees in 1962.
Ragan believed that the high interest in both high school and college teams in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia could be developed into professional football at one level below that of the National Football League (NFL).
The Cherokees played three seasons in the semi-professional Southern Football League in 1963-1965 and then merged with the North American Football League in 1966.
The team was comprised of many former high school and college players from the Chattanooga area with University of Chattanooga players being a large component of the 40-man roster.