Roster
| 2016 Columbus Lions roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Kickers
| Injured reserve
Refuse to report
Exempt
Rookies in italics | |||
| 2016 Columbus Lions season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | John Hargrove Keith Norred Kike Seda Skip Seda Rich Jacobson |
| Head coach | Jason Gibson |
| General manager | Tanema Willock |
| Home field | Columbus Civic Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–0 |
| Division place | 1st |
| Playoff finish | Won Southern Semifinals (Stars) 49–37 Won Southern Championship (Tarpons) 79–66 Won AIF Championship (Ironmen) 74–32 |
The 2016 Columbus Lions season was the tenth season for the indoor football franchise, and their first in American Indoor Football. [1]
Key: Win Tie Loss Bye
All start times are local to home team
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | ||||||
| 1 | BYE | ||||||
| 2 | BYE | ||||||
| 3 | BYE | ||||||
| 4 | Sunday | March 20 | 4:00pm | Georgia Firebirds | W 86–0 [2] | 1–0 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 5 | Saturday | March 26 | 7:05pm | at Central Florida Jaguars | W 90–42 [3] | 2–0 | Lakeland Center |
| 6 | BYE | ||||||
| 7 | Saturday | April 9 | 7:05pm | Atlanta Vultures | W 65–8 [4] | 3–0 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 8 | Saturday | April 16 | 7:05pm | Myrtle Beach Freedom | W 65–15 [5] | 4–0 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 9 | Saturday | April 23 | 7:05pm | Florida Tarpons | W 68–54 [6] | 5–0 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 10 | Saturday | April 30 | 7:05pm | at Georgia Firebirds | W 73–18 [7] | 6–0 | Albany Civic Center |
| 11 | Saturday | May 7 | 7:05pm | Savannah Steam | W 100–21 [8] | 7–0 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 12 | BYE | ||||||
| 13 | Monday | May 23 | 7:05pm | at Myrtle Beach Freedom | W 52–15 [9] | 8–0 | Myrtle Beach Convention Center |
| 14 | BYE | ||||||
2016 AIF Southern standings | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | PF (Avg.) | PA (Avg.) | STK | ||
| Columbus Lions | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 599 | 174 | 74.9 | 21.8 | W8 | ||
| Florida Tarpons | 7 | 1 | 0 | .875 | 489 | 202 | 61.1 | 25.3 | W4 | ||
| Myrtle Beach Freedom | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 259 | 307 | 32.4 | 38.4 | L1 | ||
| Savannah Steam | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 264 | 336 | 33.0 | 42.0 | L1 | ||
| Georgia Firebirds | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 236 | 350 | 29.5 | 43.8 | L2 | ||
| Central Florida Jaguars | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 219 | 483 | 27.4 | 60.4 | L1 | ||
| Atlanta Vultures | 1 | 5 | 0 | .167 | 67 | 141 | 11.2 | 23.5 | L5 | ||
All start times are local to home team
| Round | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Score | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div. Semifinals | Saturday | June 4 | 5:05pm | New Mexico Stars | W 49–37 [10] | Columbus Civic Center |
| Div. Championship | Saturday | June 11 | 7:05pm | Florida Tarpons | W 79–66 [11] | Columbus Civic Center |
| AIF Championship | Saturday | June 18 | 7:00pm | West Michigan Ironmen | W 72–34 [12] | Columbus Civic Center |
| 2016 Columbus Lions roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Kickers
| Injured reserve
Refuse to report
Exempt
Rookies in italics | |||
American Indoor Football (AIF) was a professional indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America.
The Columbus Lions are a professional indoor football team based in Columbus, Georgia and a founding member of the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2017 season. The Lions were founded in 2006 as an expansion team of the World Indoor Football League (WIFL). After the WIFL went under in 2007, the Lions joined the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) where they played for two seasons. When the AIFA broke apart, the Lions joined the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL). The Lions joined the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2012 when the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) teams split up into two new leagues. After the 2015 season, the PIFL broke apart, and the Lions joined American Indoor Football for 2016.
The Georgia Firebirds were a professional indoor football team based in Albany, Georgia, and played their home games at the Albany Civic Center. Previously, the Firebirds played as an outdoor football team in various semi-pro leagues before going indoor. The Firebirds joined American Indoor Football (AIF) for the 2016 season but the league folded after one season. The Firebirds then joined the new National Arena League (NAL) for the 2017 season.
The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks were a professional indoor football team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The Steelhawks began play as an expansion team in the Indoor Football League (IFL) in 2011. The Steelhawks moved to the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2013, where they made their only championship game appearance to date, losing PIFL Cup III to the Nashville Venom. The team joined American Indoor Football for the 2016 season after the PIFL folded, which lasted one season before that league also folded. They joined the National Arena League for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The Steelhawks are the Lehigh Valley's second indoor football team, following the defunct Lehigh Valley Outlawz of the Continental Indoor Football League (2005–2008). Both teams played their home games at Stabler Arena. The Steelhawks played their home games at the PPL Center.
The Florida Tarpons were a professional indoor football team based in Lakeland, Florida, out of the RP Funding Center. Originally established in Estero, Florida, and playing out of Germain Arena, they began play in 2012 as an expansion team of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL). The Tarpons joined the X-League Indoor Football (X-League) during the 2015 season when the UIFL merged with the X-League. They played in the Arena Pro Football (APF) league in 2017 before the league became the American Arena League (AAL) for 2018. For 2019, there was an ownership transition that formed their own Florida-based league, called the A-League, and the team rebranded as the Lakeland Tarpons. The team was removed from the A-League schedule at the start of the 2019 season.
The 2015 Columbus Lions season was the ninth season for the indoor football franchise and their fourth in the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL). They won PIFL Cup IV over the Richmond Raiders.
The Southern Steam are a professional indoor football team and currently a member of Elite Indoor Football (EIF) since 2017.
The Atlanta Vultures were a professional indoor football team and a member of American Indoor Football (AIF) that played part of the 2016 season. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the Vultures were to play their home games at the Georgia International Convention Center.
The Central Florida Jaguars, commonly known as the Jags, were a professional indoor football team based in Lakeland, Florida.
The Myrtle Beach Freedom were a professional indoor football team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and played their home games at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. They were a member of American Indoor Football for one season until the league ceased operations in the summer of 2016.
The 2012 Florida Tarpons season was the first season for the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) franchise.
The 2012 Lakeland Raiders season was the first season for the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL) franchise.
The 2014 Florida Tarpons season was the 3rd season for the franchise as a member of the Ultimate Indoor Football League (UIFL).
The 2016 American Indoor Football season was the eleventh and final season of American Indoor Football (AIF). The regular season began February 27, 2016, and ended on May 23, 2016. Each team played a game schedule of varying lengths.
The 2016 Georgia Firebirds season was the first season for the American indoor football franchise, and their first in American Indoor Football.
The 2016 Florida Tarpons season was the fifth season for the American indoor football franchise, and their first in American Indoor Football.
The 2016 New Mexico Stars season was the fourth season for the indoor football franchise, and their first in American Indoor Football (AIF).
The 2016 Savannah Steam season was the third season for the indoor football franchise, and their second in American Indoor Football (AIF).
The 2015 Florida Tarpons season was the 4th season for the franchise and 1st as a member of X-League Indoor Football (X-League).
The National Arena League (NAL) is a professional indoor football league that began play in 2017. It consists of teams based on the East Coast of the United States and one team in California.
