In the 1964 season, the Joliet Explorers played the final season of the eight–team
United Football League and had a winless season. Joliet finished the 1964 season with a record of 0–14. The head coaches were Joe Petruzzi (0–4), Rocco Tarsitano (0–6) and
Jack Morton (0–3). The Explorers placed fourth in the Eastern Division, won by Indianapolis Warriors with a 10–4 record. The PFLA began play in 1965, with the Joliet Explorers becoming a charter franchise in the six–team league. The
Des Moines Warriors,
Grand Rapids Blazers, Lincoln Comets and
Omaha Mustangs and
Rock Island Raiders franchises joined the Joliet Explorers as charter members of the league. The PFLA evolved from the disbanded United Football League and began play in the fall of 1965. In their first season of play, the Joliet Explorers won the 1965 Pro Football League of America championship. The Explorers ended the regular season with a record of 8–1–1 record, playing under head coach
Jesse Vail. The Explorers tied for 1st place with the Grand Rapids Blazers, who also had an 8–1–1 record. During the season, Joliet had defeated Grand Rapids 34–16 in their season opener at home and tied the teams 10–10 playing at Grand Rapids on October 7, 1965. Following the regular season, two teams played a two-game playoff for the championship. On November 7, 1965, at
Joliet Memorial Stadium, Joliet won the first game 7–3 in front of 4,600 fans. On November 14, 1965, Joliet captured the championship with a 12–6 victory at Grand Rapids. LeRoy Adams, Chuck Billings, Art Dillard, Ed Francois, Ken McGhie, Bill Mundee, Walt Nichols, Ron Parr and Togo Silvani of Joliet were named to the 1965 All–PFLA team In their final season of play, the Joliet Chargers captured the Pro Football League of America championship and fullback Paul Hudson of Joliet was named the PFLA's Most Valuable Player. To begin the 1967 season, the PFLA expanded, adding the
Alabama Hawks,
Chicago Owls and Oklahoma City Plainsmen franchises as expansion members. The 1967 league played in two divisions and
Jesse Vail returned to coach Joliet. In May 1967, the Joliet franchise became an affiliate of the
San Diego Chargers of the
American Football League and changed their moniker to become the Joliet "Chargers" for the 1967 season. In 1967, the Alabama Hawks won the Western Division with a 9–3 record and hosted the league's championship game at Milton Frank Stadium, losing 31–20 to the Joliet Chargers, who had won the Eastern Division with a 10–2 record. LeRoy Adams, Paul Hudson, Walt Nichols and Sam Parham of the Chargers were named to the 1967 All–PFLA team. The Pro Football League of America permanently folded following the 1967 season. In February 1968, the
Continental Football League expanded to include some PFLA teams, but the Joliet franchise did not continue play in the Continental Football League. ==The stadium==