The 2010 Orlando Predators season was the 19th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Pat O'Hara and played their home games at Amway Arena. The Predators clinched a playoff berth for the 18th consecutive season by finishing fourth in the American Conference. In the opening round of the playoffs, the Predators defeated the Jacksonville Sharks with a last-second touchdown to win 73–69. Orlando then traveled to Tampa Bay to face the rival Storm for the third time in the season in the conference championship, but lost 62–63 after a would-be game-winning field goal fell short as time expired.
The 2010 Tampa Bay Storm season was the 23rd season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Tim Marcum and played their home games at the St. Pete Times Forum.
The 2010 Jacksonville Sharks season was the inaugural season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Les Moss and played their home games at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. The Sharks put together a 12–4 record, winning the South division and was also the top team in the American Conference. However, the Sharks lost a back-and-forth game at home to the Orlando Predators in the opening playoff round by a score of 69–73.
The 2010 Alabama Vipers season was the 10th season for the franchise, and the first under their current name, as well as the first in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Dean Cokinos and played their home games at Von Braun Center. The Vipers failed to make the playoffs after posting a 7–9 record and finishing 5th in the American Conference.
The 2010 Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings season was the 9th season for the franchise, and the first in the Arena Football League, coming from the AF2, which dissolved following the 2009 season. The team was coached by Jon Norris and played their home games at CenturyTel Center. With a 3–13 record, the Battle Wings failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing last in the American Conference.
The 2010 Dallas Vigilantes season was the inaugural season for the franchise in the Arena Football League (AFL). With many players of the old Desperados team that put up a 15–1 record in recent years returning, Dallas fans had high hopes for the Vigilantes carrying on with the Desperados' success. However, after a 1–5 start and an altercation with one of his players, head coach Rich Ingold was fired, and replaced by James Fuller for the remainder of the season. Eventually Clint Dolezel was named as head coach for the 2011 season after the Vigilantes went 2–8 in their final ten games to finish the 2010 season 3–13, despite winning their last game of the season on the road, 62–56 against the Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings. Two of Dallas's three wins that season came on the road.
The 2010 Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz season is the 7th season for the franchise, and the first in the Arena Football League, coming from the AF2, which dissolved following the 2009 season. The team was coached by Sparky McEwen and played their home games at the Cox Convention Center. The Yard Dawgz did not qualify for the postseason after finishing with a 6–10 record and placing 6th in the American Conference.
The 2010 Tulsa Talons season was the 10th season for the franchise, and the first in the Arena Football League, coming from the AF2, which dissolved following the 2009 season. The team was coached by Mitch Allner and played their home games at BOK Center. Finishing first in the Southwest Division, the Talons were the only team from their division to make the playoffs, but lost 38–68 at home to the Tampa Bay Storm in the conference semifinals.
The 2010 Chicago Rush season was the tenth season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Mike Hohensee and played their home games at Allstate Arena. For the 10th consecutive season, the Rush qualified for the playoffs. In the conference semifinals, they lost to the Milwaukee Iron, 54–64.
The 2010 Cleveland Gladiators season was the 11th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League, and the second while in Cleveland. The team was coached by Steve Thonn and played their home games at Quicken Loans Arena. The Gladiators missed out on the playoffs by finishing 5th in the National Conference with a 7–9 record.
The 2010 Iowa Barnstormers season was the 10th season for the franchise, and the sixth in the Arena Football League, after three total seasons from 2001–2009 in the AF2, which dissolved following the 2009 season. The team was coached by John Gregory and played their home games at Wells Fargo Arena. The Barnstormers failed to make the playoffs when they finished the regular season 6th in the National Conference with a 7–9 record.
The 2010 Milwaukee Iron season was the second season for the franchise, and the first in the Arena Football League (AFL), coming from the AF2, which dissolved following the 2009 season. The team was coached by Bob Landsee and played their home games at Bradley Center. For the opening round of the playoffs, the Iron played at U.S. Cellular Arena. The Iron won the Midwest Division to qualify for the playoffs, and defeated the Chicago Rush in the conference semifinals, 64–54. Advancing to the National Conference Championship, their season ended after losing on the road to the top-seeded Spokane Shock, 57–60.
The 2010 Arizona Rattlers season was the 19th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Kevin Guy and played their home games at US Airways Center. The Rattlers made the playoffs with a 10–6 record, fourth best in the National Conference, but were defeated by the top-seeded Spokane Shock in the conference semifinals, 49–57.
The 2010 Utah Blaze season is the 4th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Ernesto Purnsley, who was fired on June 1, 2010, with Ron James named as his replacement. Home games are played at the Maverik Center, which was known as the "E Center" prior to being renamed on June 8, 2010. The Blaze missed out on the postseason after finishing the season 2–14, the worst record in the league.
NAPA Auto Parts ArenaBowl XXIII was an arena football game between the National Conference champion, Spokane Shock and the American Conference champion, Tampa Bay Storm. The Spokane Shock won the game successfully defending ArenaCup X of the former af2. The game was played on August 20, 2010, and was held at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington, the first non-neutral site since 2004. The game was shown live on the NFL Network, as well as a tape delay on Eurosport 2. The corporate sponsor was NAPA Auto Parts.
The 2011 Orlando Predators season was the 20th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Pat O'Hara. This was the Predators' first season at Amway Center. The Predators finished the regular season 11–7, qualifying for the playoffs for the 19th consecutive season. As the 4th seed in the American Conference, they lost to the Jacksonville Sharks in the conference semifinals, 48–63.
The 2011 Jacksonville Sharks season was the second season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Les Moss and played their home games at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. In the regular season, the Sharks went 14–4, qualifying for the playoffs as the top seed in the American Conference. After defeating the Orlando Predators in the conference semifinals, they beat the Georgia Force in the American Conference championship. Advancing to ArenaBowl XXIV, the Sharks triumphed over the Arizona Rattlers on a last-second game-winning touchdown pass to win their first ArenaBowl championship.
The 2011 Cleveland Gladiators season was the twelfth season for the franchise in the Arena Football League and the third while in Cleveland. The team was coached by Steve Thonn and played its home games at Quicken Loans Arena. The Gladiators finished the regular season 10–8 and qualified for the playoffs as the second seed in the American Conference. They lost to the Georgia Force in the conference semifinals, 41–50.
The 2011 Arizona Rattlers season was the 20th season for the franchise in the Arena Football League. The team was coached by Kevin Guy and played their home games at US Airways Center. In the regular season, the Rattlers won a league-record 16 games, having lost only two, to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They defeated the Spokane Shock in the conference semifinals before beating the Chicago Rush in the conference championship. In ArenaBowl XXIV however, they fell to the Jacksonville Sharks, giving up a game-winning touchdown with no time left on the clock.
The 2011 Spokane Shock season was the sixth season for the franchise, and the second in the Arena Football League, coming off of their victory in ArenaBowl XXIII. The team was coached by Rob Keefe and played their home games at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. The Shock finished the regular season 9–9, qualifying for the playoffs as the 4th seed in the National Conference. They lost to the Arizona Rattlers in the conference semifinals, 33–62.