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The AF2 was the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like its parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup championship in August. The AF2 continued to operate while the AFL suspended operations for its 2009 season. The league was effectively disbanded in September 2009 when no team committed to playing in 2010, but several of the stronger franchises transferred into the reconstituted AFL.
The Cleveland Gladiators were an arena football team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and members of the Arena Football League (AFL). The Gladiators played their home games at Quicken Loans Arena, which they shared with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. The franchise was originally based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and then later in Las Vegas, Nevada, before relocating to Cleveland for the 2008 AFL season. The Gladiators qualified for the playoffs eight times in their history, reaching the ArenaBowl in 2014.
The Alabama Steeldogs, originally known as the Birmingham Steeldogs, were incorporated in 2000 as one of the charter teams in the AF2, the developmental league of the Arena Football League. Entering their eighth season as of 2007, they were the longest running of many professional football franchises in the city of Birmingham. Management announced that it would not field a team in 2008 but had hopes of returning in 2009. But the team's front office has since been dissolved, and with no announcements of further plans, the team is defunct.
The Alabama Vipers were a professional arena football team, that played in the Arena Football League. For most of their history, the Vipers played as the Tennessee Valley Vipers in the now-defunct af2, the minor league for the original Arena Football League, where they won ArenaCup IX in 2008. They played their home games at the Von Braun Center. They were coached by Dean Cokinos.
Mark Lewis is an arena football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He has also played for the Tennessee Valley Vipers, Detroit Fury, Las Vegas Gladiators, Columbus Destroyers, Austin Wranglers, Dallas Vigilantes, Orlando Predators, Tampa Bay Storm and Baltimore Brigade. His no. 19 worn during his time with the Brigade is a tribute to the late Baltimore Colts great Johnny Unitas, who wore that number.
Matthew Louis D’Orazio is a former American football quarterback who played in the Arena Football League (AFL). He played college football at Otterbein College.
Aaron Gibson is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. He also was a member of the Austin Wranglers and Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin.
Marquis Floyd is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the Tennessee Valley Vipers, Rio Grande Valley Dorados, San Jose SaberCats and Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Valley Vipers as a street free agent in 2004. He played college football at West Georgia.
Kevin Guy is an arena football coach and former wide receiver and defensive back who is the head coach for the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League (IFL). He played his college football at the University of West Alabama, and was an AFL wide receiver and defensive back from 1996 to 1999. He has been a football coach since 2000, and first served as a head coach in 2000 as the interim head coach for the New Jersey Red Dogs. After being the defensive coordinator for the San Jose SaberCats from 2006 to 2007, he became the Rattlers head coach in 2008. In 2018, he and his wife Cathy became two of the co-owners of a new Tucson-based IFL franchise, called the Tucson Sugar Skulls, set to play in 2019.
Stephen "Steve" Wasil is a former Arena football quarterback who played for the Muskegon Thunder, Texas Copperheads, Albany Firebirds, Alabama Vipers, Kansas City Command and Tampa Bay Storm. He is currently the Offensive Coordinator at Albion College.
Anthony Glenn Herron is an American football commentator and former defensive end. Originally from Bolingbrook, Illinois, Herron played college football at Iowa. Following the 2001 NFL Draft, Herron signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent and spent three seasons with the team, in addition to short stints with the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Atlanta Falcons. Although Herron played in only one NFL game, he had a more productive career in the Arena Football League with the Indiana Firebirds in 2004 and Nashville Kats in 2006 and 2007. A regular starter for the Kats in 2006, Herron played a total of 26 games in the Arena Football League.
Derrick L. Shepard is a former American arena and indoor football defensive lineman. Shepard grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and attended Meadowdale High School. His football ability earned him a scholarship to Georgia Tech, where he participated in football for four years.
Jay McDonagh is a former American football quarterback who played four seasons in the Arena Football League with the Buffalo Destroyers, New Jersey/Las Vegas Gladiators and Columbus Destroyers. He played college football at Western Michigan University. He was also a member of the Bologna Phoenix, Green Bay Bombers, Madison Mad Dogs, Quad City Steamwheelers, Colorado Crush and Bologna Warriors.
Andrico Hines is a former American football quarterback who played three seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) with the Cleveland Gladiators and Pittsburgh Power. He first enrolled at Middle Georgia College before transferring to Southwest Mississippi Community College and then Middle Tennessee State University. He attended Riverdale High School in Riverdale, Georgia. Hines was also a member of the South Georgia Wildcats, Chattahoochee Valley Vipers, Spokane Shock, Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings and Alabama Vipers.
Joe Minucci is a former American football defensive lineman who played four seasons in the Arena Football League with the Nashville Kats and Cleveland Gladiators. He played college football at University of Delaware. He was also a member of the New York Jets, Tennessee Valley Vipers, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens.
Ronald R. Selesky, Jr. is a former American football center and arena football coach. He played college football at North Central College and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He also served as the Director of Football Operations for the Birmingham Iron of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), and held the same position with the Tampa Bay Vipers of the XFL in 2020 prior to the league folding.
Sharif Jarel Gregory Wayne Finch is an American football linebacker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Temple, where he played 53 career games, which is tied for the most career games in Temple football history. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He has also played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, and New York Jets.
Sidney Haugabrook is a former Canadian football and Arena football defensive back who played for one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and two seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Las Vegas Gladiators and Columbus Destroyers. He played college football for Delaware.
Kristian Michael Shaw Fulton is an American football cornerback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU.
References
- ↑ "New Jersey Red Dogs". ArenaFan.com. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ↑ "Las Vegas Gladiators". ArenaFan.com. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ↑ "Bailey to Return to Vipers". OurSportsCentral.com. January 14, 2003. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ↑ "Vipers News & Notes (June 7th vs Stealth)". ArenaFan.com. June 3, 2003. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
- ↑ "af2 Names Players of the Week". OurSportsCentral.com. June 10, 2003. Retrieved September 15, 2019.