Roster
| 2017 Columbus Lions roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams | Reserve lists
Rookies in italics | |||
| 2017 Columbus Lions season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Rick Jacobson Skip Seda Duke Liberatore Jan McBarron Keith Norred John Hargrove Kike Seda |
| Head coach | Jason Gibson |
| Home field | Columbus Civic Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 9–3 |
| Conference place | 3rd |
| Playoff finish | Won NAL Semifinals 52–50 (Steelhawks) Lost NAL Championship 21–27 (Sharks) |
The 2017 Columbus Lions season was the eleventh season for the professional indoor football franchise and first in the National Arena League (NAL). The Lions were one of eight teams that competed in the NAL for its inaugural 2017 season.
Led by head coach Jason Gibson, the Lions played their home games at the Columbus Civic Center.
| 2017 National Arena League standings | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | PCT | PF | PA | GB | STK | |
| z – Jacksonville Sharks | 11 | 1 | .917 | 697 | 299 | — | L1 |
| y – Lehigh Valley Steelhawks | 9 | 1 | .900 | 610 | 349 | 1.0 | W7 |
| x – Columbus Lions | 9 | 3 | .750 | 689 | 412 | 2.0 | W6 |
| x – Monterrey Steel | 7 | 4 | .636 | 478 | 364 | 3.5 | W1 |
| High Country Grizzlies | 3 | 7 | .300 | 449 | 484 | 7.0 | L4 |
| Georgia Firebirds | 2 | 9 | .182 | 372 | 576 | 8.5 | L5 |
| Dayton Wolfpack | 0 | 7 | .000 | 125 | 478 | 8.5 | L7 |
| Corpus Christi Rage | 0 | 9 | .000 | 166 | 624 | 9.5 | L9 |
z – clinched home field advantage
y – clinched home playoff game
x – clinched playoff spot
The 2017 regular season schedule was released on December 9, 2016 [1]
Key: Win Tie Loss Bye
All start times are local time
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | ||||||
| 1 | Friday | March 17 | 7:00pm | Jacksonville Sharks | L 41–56 | 0–1 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 2 | Sunday | March 26 | 7:00pm | at Corpus Christi Rage | W 85–18 | 1–1 | American Bank Center |
| 3 | Sunday | April 2 | 7:00pm | Georgia Firebirds | W 63–50 | 2–1 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 4 | Sunday | April 9 | 7:00pm | at Lehigh Valley Steelhawks | L 54–60 | 2–2 | PPL Center |
| 5 | BYE | ||||||
| 6 | Saturday | April 22 | 7:00pm | High Country Grizzlies | W 57–44 | 3–2 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 7 | Saturday | April 29 | 7:00pm | at Jacksonville Sharks | L 28–37 | 3–3 | Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena |
| 8 | Saturday | May 6 | 7:00pm | Monterrey Steel | W 48–18 | 4–3 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 9 | BYE | ||||||
| 10 | Saturday | May 20 | 7:00pm | Dayton Wolfpack | W 77–0 | 5–3 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 11 | Saturday | May 27 | 7:00pm | at High Country Grizzlies | W 56–41 | 6–3 | George M. Holmes Convocation Center |
| 12 | Saturday | June 3 | 7:00pm | Corpus Christi Rage | W 81–12 | 7–3 | Columbus Civic Center |
| 13 | Monday | June 12 | 7:00pm | at Monterrey Steel | W 49–42 | 8–3 | Arena Monterrey |
| 14 | Saturday | June 17 | 7:00pm | at Georgia Firebirds | W 50–34 | 9–3 | Albany Civic Center |
| Round | Day | Date | Kickoff | Opponent | Results | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | ||||||
| First Round | Friday | June 23 | 7:30pm | at Lehigh Valley Steelhawks | W 52–50 | 1–0 | PPL Center |
| Championship | Monday | July 10 | 7:00pm | at Jacksonville Sharks | L 21–27 | 1–1 | Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena |
| 2017 Columbus Lions roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams | Reserve lists
Rookies in italics | |||
The Columbus Lions are a professional indoor football team based in Columbus, Georgia and are a member of the American Indoor Football Alliance. The were 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 Jacksonville Sharks are a professional indoor football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, playing their home games at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Beginning in 2017, the Sharks began play as charter members of the National Arena League (NAL). They were members of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2010 to 2016 and won the championship of their division in the first four seasons of their existence.
The Albany Panthers were an indoor football team based in Albany, Georgia. The team joined the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) during their inaugural season in 2010. When the SIFL folded, the team joined the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2012. The Panthers' home games were played at the Albany Civic Center until 2014.
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.
Warren Smith is an American football quarterback for the Albany Empire of the National Arena League (NAL). He played college football at the University of Maine.
The National Arena League (NAL) is a professional indoor football league that began play in 2017. It consists of six teams, primarily based on the East Coast of the United States.
The Dayton Wolfpack were a professional indoor football team and a charter member of the National Arena League (NAL) in its inaugural 2017 season. Originally to be based in Dayton, Ohio, the Wolfpack had announced their home venue as the Nutter Center but apparently failed to reach a lease agreement. The Wolfpack were then listed as a traveling team by the NAL.
The Monterrey Steel was a professional indoor football team and a charter member of the National Arena League (NAL) that played in the 2017 season. Based in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, the Steel played their home games at Arena Monterrey.
The 2017 Jacksonville Sharks season was the eighth season for the professional indoor football franchise and first in the National Arena League (NAL). The Sharks were one of eight teams that competed in the NAL for its inaugural 2017 season
The 2017 National Arena League season was the inaugural season of the National Arena League (NAL). Playing with eight teams spread across the eastern and southern United States, the league's regular season kicked off on March 17, 2017, when the Columbus Lions hosted the Jacksonville Sharks and lost 41–56. The regular season ended 14 weeks later on June 17, 2017, with the Sharks hosting the Monterrey Steel and the Lions visiting the Georgia Firebirds. The playoffs were held in two rounds, with the top seed hosting the fourth seed and the second seed hosting the third seed, with the winners of these games facing in the 2017 NAL Championship hosted by the highest remaining seed.
The 2017 Lehigh Valley Steelhawks season was the seventh season for the professional indoor football franchise and first in the National Arena League (NAL). The Steelhawks were one of eight teams that competed in the NAL for its inaugural 2017 season
The 2017 Georgia Firebirds season was the second season for the professional indoor football franchise and first in the National Arena League (NAL). The Firebirds were one of eight teams that competed in the NAL for its inaugural 2017 season
The 2017 High Country Grizzlies season was the franchise's inaugural season as a professional indoor football franchise; they are an expansion team of the National Arena League. The Grizzlies were one of eight teams that competed in the NAL for its inaugural 2017 season.
The West Virginia Roughriders were a professional indoor football team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They were founded in 2016 as the Richmond Roughriders and played at the Richmond Coliseum in 2017 and 2018.
Mason Espinosa is a former professional American football quarterback and current coach for the DePauw Tigers football team. He has also played for the Albany Empire, the Erie Explosion and the Billings Wolves. Espinosa played college football for Ohio Wesleyan University. He currently holds 17 individual Ohio Wesleyan records, as well as being the all-time North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) career leader in passing yards and total yards, while also setting a single season NCAC record for completions.
The Massachusetts Pirates are a professional indoor football team of the Indoor Football League based in Worcester, Massachusetts, with home games at the DCU Center. The Pirates began play in the 2018 season as a member of the National Arena League (NAL).
The Carolina Cobras are a professional indoor football team in the National Arena League (NAL) and that began play for the 2018 season. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Cobras play their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.
Marvin Ross is an American football defensive back for the Jacksonville Sharks of the National Arena League (NAL). Ross started out with the Lions from 2013 to 2015 as part of the Professional Indoor Football League. As an Arena Football League player, Ross was the 2016 AFL Rookie of the Year with the Cleveland Gladiators before playing with the Atlantic City Blackjacks in 2019. In between these years, Ross played in the National Arena League with the Columbus Lions and the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders from 2017 to 2018. With the Lions, Ross was awarded the 2021 NAL Defensive Player of the Year and had the season record for most interceptions.
The 2022 National Arena League season was the fifth and most recent season of the National Arena League (NAL). The league played with only six teams from around the Eastern United States area, with one new team arriving from the American Arena League, which were the San Antonio Gunslingers. The season ended with the Albany Empire, Carolina Cobras, Columbus Lions, and Jacksonville Sharks all going into the playoffs. The season ended with the Albany Empire winning the championship. In July, the league announced that they will have a expansion team for the following season, which was shown to be given to Fayetteville, North Carolina.
The 2023 National Arena League season is the sixth season of the National Arena League (NAL). The league is going to have seven teams play, all of which are located in the Eastern area of the United States of America. In July 2022, the league announced an expansion team that will play this season, the Fayetteville Mustangs.
