All-Pro Football 2K8

Game Notes

Release date: July 16, 2007
Cover athletes: QB John Elway, RB Barry Sanders, WR Jerry Rice (PS3, Xbox 360)

The game features a fictional league called the "All-Pro League", or 'APL'. The APL consists of 24 teams that are grouped into six divisions of four teams each. The league runs a sixteen-game schedule and holds a championship game at the end of the playoffs, similar to the NFL.
Since the exclusivity deal the NFL has with EA Sports only covers active players, 2K contracted the individual rights to over 240 retired NFL players to appear in the game.

Full Roster

Teams

New Jersey Assassins - The team plays at DiMeo Stadium, named after the DiMeo Crime Family. The crime family is the one Tony Soprano works for on The Sopranos. The Sopranos is set in New Jersey. Possibly a reference to the New York/New Jersey Hitmen of the XFL.
New York Knights - Possibly a reference to the WLAF team, or the baseball team from the book and movie, The Natural. The team plays in a stadium that the game says was designed by G.L. Costanza, a reference to the Seinfeld character, who always wanted to be an architect.
Boston Minutemen - Thinly veiled reference to the New England Patriots.
Washington Federals - Possibly a reference to the former USFL team of the same name.
Detroit Firebirds - A reference to Detroit's nickname of 'The Motor City' and the Pontiac Firebird automobile. For many years, the Lions played at the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.
Pittsburgh Iron Men - Possibly a reference to an early name used by the Steelers, circa 1940. Pittsburgh is known for its steel and iron industries. The city's real life NFL team is named the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Iron Men play at "Steel Mill Park", which is constructed of over 30,000 steel rivets. However, the team's colors are similar to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ohio Red Dogs - Possibly a reference to an early NFL team known as the Canton Bulldogs and the former AFL team known as the New Jersey Red Dogs, which eventuality relocated to Cleveland. The Cleveland Browns have a section of fans known as "The Dawg Pound." The primary color of the Ohio State Buckeyes is red. It is fair to say that the Red Dogs are a nod to Ohio area sports culture.
Carolina Cobras - Possibly a reference to the former arena football team of the same name. They play in a stadium called "The Extensive Enterprises Stadium". Extensive Enterprises was a front company for the Cobra Organization in the G.I. Joe comic book and animated series.
Tampa Bay Top Guns - Possibly a reference to MacDill Air Force Base, which is in Tampa.
Atlanta Wasps - The in-game stadium is named "Van Dyne Field", which is a reference to Janet Van Dyne, the superhero Wasp.
Miami Cyclones - A reference to the vast amounts of hurricanes in Miami, and the Miami Hurricanes college football team.
Chicago Beasts - Their home stadium is named "Wolfram & Hart Stadium" after the law firm Wolfram & Hart in the TV series Angel.
Milwaukee Indians- In many Native American tribes, Milwaukee means meeting place. This could also be a reference to the Indian Packing Company, the namesake of the Green Bay Packers.
Seattle Sailors - A reference to the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball.
Minneapolis Werewolves - A reference to the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA.
Denver Cougars - veiled reference to the mascot of the NBA's Denver Nuggets, Rocky the Mountain Lion. The mountain lion is also known as the cougar.
Dallas Gunslingers - Veiled reference to the Dallas Cowboys and USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers
St. Louis Rhinos - A reference to the NFL's St. Louis Rams.
San Francisco Sharks - Their home stadium is called "Amity Stadium", named after the town Amity in Jaws. Presumably named after the San Jose Sharks hockey team.
Los Angeles Legends - Their home stadium is called "Miller Gold Stadium", presumably a reference to the HBO show Entourage and the Miller Gold Agency that is run by Ari Gold and Barbara Miller
Las Vegas Rollers- A reference to the many casinos in Las Vegas.
Texas Rustlers - A clear reference to the Wild West, which sports teams located in Texas often go for.
Arizona Scorpions A reference to the ABA team, "Arizona Scorpions"
Philadelphia Americans - Philadelphia was a key meeting point for the Founding Fathers of the United States; the Declaration of Independence was signed there in 1776. The city is often referred to as 'The Birthplace of America'.