Atlanta Havoc Sign Veteran Wide Receiver Thyron Lewis

The Atlanta Havoc have signed veteran wide receiver Thyron Lewis. Lewis played for the Jacksonville Sharks in 2017 during their inaugural season in the National Arena League (NAL).

Lewis began his professional career in 2006 with the Washington Redskins. In 2008, he joined the Arena Football League. He played for the Cleveland Gladiators from 2010-2016, He also played a stint with the Los Angeles KISS in 2015.

Last season in Jacksonville, Lewis recorded 442 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Both were third on the team. The Sharks finished with just one loss all season and won the first ever National Arena League title.

Atlanta will be playing their first ever season, as they are an expansion team. They were founded by the CEO of the American Arena League and owner of the Vermont Bucks, Tim Viens. The AAL formed in April when the Can-Am Football League and Arena Pro Football merged. A few teams from the Supreme Indoor Football League (SIF) also joined the new league.

The first ever AAL season kicks off on March 17 when teams kick off their season. The playoffs will begin with two semifinals on Saturday, June 23. The inaugural AAL title game will be played on the following Saturday, June 30.

2017 Arena Football League Season Preview

The 2017 Arena Football League season will kick off this Friday evening when the two expansion teams, the Washington Valor and Baltimore Brigade, square off at the Verizon Center. There will be five teams competing in the 2017 season.

The Philadelphia Soul are the defending ArenaBowl champions. They defeated the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XXIX. The Cleveland Gladiators and Tampa Bay Storm will also be returning for the 2017 season.

Each week, four teams will be in action during two games. One team will be on a bye week. Each team will have four bye weeks during the season.

The Arizona Rattlers left for the Indoor Football League after the offseason. The Jacksonville Sharks left for the National Arena League. Three teams, the Orlando Predators, Los Angeles KISS and Portland Steel, all folded.

The five teams will compete for the Foster Trophy. ArenaBowl XXX is scheduled to be played on Saturday, Aug. 26.

Baltimore Brigade Add Talent to Coaching Staff

The Baltimore Brigade announced that they hired 15 ArenaBowl championships worth of coaches to its inaugural coaching staff on Tuesday. The expansion franchise announced it had hired Walt Housman, Reggie Gray, James Roe, and Scott Bailey.

“We are enthusiastic with the addition of these talented coaches to our staff,” said head coach Omarr Smith. “I am excited that we have a staff that is committed to winning, teaching, and building a team. It is important for us to have championship pedigrees on our staff and we have been able to do that. Our staff will exemplify the standards we set for the Baltimore Brigade.”

Housman was the defensive coordinator for the Chicago Rush when it won ArenaBowl XX in 2006, while Bailey was the team’s assistant coach. Both men later joined the staff of the Los Angeles KISS. James Roe and Virgil Gray both played for the San Jose Sabercats, winning four ArenaBowls between them. Gray helped the Sabercats set an AFL record by going 20-1.

The Brigade are one of two AFL expansion franchises in 2017. They face the other one, the Washington Valor, on April 7.

Gladiators Add Five-Time All-Arena Defensive Back Rayshaun Kizer

The Cleveland Gladiators have added a familiar local name. Defensive back Rayshaun Kizer a native of Euclid Ohio and a five-time All-Arena star on the defensive side of the ball. Kizer, 31 is entering his eight season in the Arena Football League.

Kizer most recently played for the Los Angeles KISS the last two seasons. There, he totaled up 84 tackles, which put him over 500 for his entire career, he has also forced 62 interceptions and has taken 11 of them back for touchdows.

Kizer played his college ball at nearby Walsh University, where he also played defensive back. Kizer pulled down 14 interceptions, good enough for third all time at Walsh. In his senior season he was named first team All-American.

In all, Kizer has played for a total of four AFL teams. He even played in the China Arena Football League this past fall. Kizer was a member of the Qingdao Clipper who made it to the first ever China Bowl, setting him up to go head to head with the Beijing Lions and Cleveland Gladiators own wide receiver Collin Taylor.

The game came down to the final play with Beijing winning on a last second field goal. Kizer has also played in the Canadian Football League and in 2007 he was on the NFL’s New York Jets practice squad. He was also a member of the Green Bay Blizzard in 2009, the final season they were part of the Arena Football family, playing in af2.