Arizona Rattlers

Arizona Rattlers
Current season
Established 1992
Play in Talking Stick Resort Arena
in Phoenix, Arizona
AZRattlers.com
HelmetLogo
League/conference affiliations

Arena Football League (1992–present)

  • American Conference (1992–2008)
  • National Conference (2010–present)
Team colors

Black, Copper, Teal, White

                   
Mascot Fang and Stryker
Personnel
Owner(s) Ron Shurts
President Chris Presson
General manager Kevin Guy
Head coach Kevin Guy
Team history
  • Arizona Rattlers (1992–present)
Team nicknames
Snakes
Championships

League championships (5)

Conference championships (4)
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Prior to 2005, the AFL did not have conference championship games

Division championships (10)

Playoff appearances (20)
1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Home arena(s)

The Arizona Rattlers are a professional arena football team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the National Conference in the Arena Football League (AFL). The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team, and are the third oldest active franchise in the AFL. They play their home games at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Rattlers are led by Head Coach Kevin Guy. Since the team's establishment in 1992, the Rattlers have won ten division titles and have played in nine ArenaBowl Championship games, winning championships in 1994, 1997, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

History

Founding and White era (1991–2004)

In 1987, it was speculated that the Phoenix, Arizona, area would be a target for the newly formed Arena Football League (AFL).[1]

On September 11, 1991, it was announced that Jerry Colangelo had been awarded an expansion franchise in the AFL in Phoenix.[2] Colangelo, owner of the NBA's Phoenix Suns, first approached Frank Kush to coach his team, but Kush declined the invitation.[3] In October 1991, the team announced that former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White would be the franchise's first head coach.[4] In December 1991, the team announced that they would be named the Arizona Rattlers after more than 250 people suggested that the team's nickname should be the Rattlers, while 55% of their responders picked "Arizona" over "Phoenix".[5]

In 1992, the Rattlers began with their first two games on the road, and won their home debut in front of a sell-out crowd of 15,505 at America West Arena by a score of 56–31 over the Sacramento Attack.[6]

In 1994, the Rattlers captured their first ArenaBowl championship, with a 36–31 victory over the Orlando Predators.[7]

In December 1999, Gene Nudo, White and Will Meris pursued the purchase of the Rattlers from Colangelo.[8]

Kevin Guy coaching era (2008–present)

Rattlers helmet from 2013 to 2015

In 2008, it was announced that Brett Bouchy would become the new owner of the Arizona Rattlers. After the Rattlers had a 4–12 record in 2007, Brett Bouchy hired Kevin Guy as the new Arizona Rattlers head coach in the 2008 season and the Rattlers improved to an 8–8 record and cliched playoff berth for the first time since 2006, but lost in the first round. In August 2009, numerous media outlets began reporting that the AFL was folding permanently and would file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The league released a statement on August 4 to the effect that while the league was not folding, it was suspending league operations indefinitely. Despite this, several of the league's creditors filed papers to force a Chapter 7 liquidation if the league did not do so voluntarily.[22] This request was granted on August 7, though converted to a Chapter 11 reorganization on August 26. However Brett Bouchy and a group of investors planned to launch a new league called Arena Football 1 and helped the Arizona Rattlers and the Orlando Predators to become two of the four teams to survive and return in 2010 with Arena Football 1. In early 2010, it was announced that Arena Football 1 was granted the trademarks to the AFL brand and was renamed the Arena Football League. In 2011, after Brett Bouchy was able keep both the Arizona Rattlers and the Orlando Predators alive, he was forced to let go of ownership to one of the teams and that became the Arizona Rattlers.

On May 12, 2011, Ron Shurts became the new majority owner of the Rattlers franchise.[9]

In 2011, the Rattlers won 16 games in the regular season, a league-record for wins in a single regular season. In the playoffs, by winning the National Conference championship, they clinched a berth in ArenaBowl XXIV. They lost the game to the Jacksonville Sharks when Jacksonville quarterback Aaron Garcia threw a game-winning touchdown pass on the game's final play. The Rattlers redeemed themselves the following season, winning ArenaBowl XXV over the Philadelphia Soul to win their first title in 15 years.[10]

In 2013, the Rattlers and Soul met again in ArenaBowl XXVI, with the Rattlers winning yet again, 48-39. This made them the first team since 1995 to win back-to-back championships, and the first team in history to beat the same team for both titles.[11][12]

In 2014, the Rattlers went 15–3 in the regular season after a 14-game winning streak to start the season, and defeated the Cleveland Gladiators in ArenaBowl XXVII by a score of 72–32, becoming the first team in AFL history to win three consecutive AFL championships since the Detroit Drive of 1988–1990, as well as establishing the largest margin of victory (40 points) in an ArenaBowl.[13]

In 2015, the Rattlers went 14-4 in the regular season and made it to the Conference Championships but lost to the San Jose Sabercats 70-67, a team which had twice beaten them in the regular season. This ended their streak of consecutive ArenaBowl appearances at four.

Notable players

Current roster

Arizona Rattlers roster
Quarterbacks

Fullbacks

Wide receivers

 Offensive linemen
  • 55 Lamar Mady
  • 70 Jordan Mudge
  • 72 Dionte Savage
  • 52 Michael Simons

Defensive linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive backs

Kickers

  •  5 Kenny Spencer
Injured reserve
  • 23 Antonio Dennard DB
  •  6 Cliff Dukes DL
  • -- Joe Matthews WR
  • -- Deuce Robinson DL
  • 87 Chris Summers WR
  • -- Antonio Vaughan WR
  • 76 David Wang OL
  • -- Jeffrey Whitaker DL

League suspension

  • 21 Qua Cox DB
  • 19 Marquis Floyd DB
  • -- Sam Meredith DL
  •  4 Alex Zendejas K

Other league exempt

Refused to report

Inactive reserve

Recallable reassignment

  • Currently vacant

Rookies in italics
Roster updated May 2, 2016
24 Active, 21 Inactive

→ More rosters

Retired uniform numbers

Arizona Rattlers retired numbers
N° Player Position Seasons Date Retired Ref.
13 Sherdrick Bonner QB 1993-2007 June 16, 2010 [14]
14 Hunkie Cooper WR/LB 1993-2005 May 6, 2005 [15]
17 Randy Gatewood WR/DB 1996-2007 May 9, 2008 [16]

Arena Football League Hall of Famers

Arizona Rattlers Hall of Famers
No. Name Year Inducted Position(s) Years w/ Rattlers
13 Sherdrick Bonner 2012 QB 1993–2007
14 Hunkie Cooper 2011 WR/LB 1993–2005
17 Randy Gatewood 2012 WR/DB 1996–2007
44 Bob McMillen 2013 FB/LB 1995–2000
-- Gene Nudo 2011 Executive/Head Coach 1993–2007
-- Danny White 2002 Head Coach 1994–2002

Individual awards

AFL MVP
Season Player Position
1993Hunkie CooperWR/LB
2011Nick DavilaQB
2014Nick DavilaQB
AFL Offensive Player of the Year
Season Player Position
1998Calvin SchexnayderOS
2014Nick DavilaQB
AFL Ironman of the Year
Season Player Position
1999Hunkie CooperWR/LB
2000Hunkie CooperWR/LB
2003Randy GatewoodWR/DB
2006Randy GatewoodWR/DB

AFL Rookie of the Year
Season Player Position
2010Rod WindsorWR
ArenaBowl MVP Winners
ArenaBowl Player Position
VIIISherdrick BonnerQB
XIDonnie DavisQB
XXVNick DavilaQB
XXVIRod WindsorWR
XXVIINick DavilaQB
Offensive Lineman of the Year
Season Player Position
2013Billy EisenhardtOL

Kicker Player of the Year
Season Player Position
2013Garrett LindholmK
Defensive Back of the Year
Season Player Position
2014Marquis FloydDB
2015Jeremy KellemDB

All-Arena players

The following Rattlers players have been named to All-Arena Teams:

All-Ironman players

The following Rattlers players have been named to All-Ironman Teams:

All-Rookie players

The following Rattlers players have been named to All-Rookie Teams:

Notable coaches

Head coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2014 Arena Football League season.

Name Term Regular Season Playoffs Awards
W L T Win% W L
Danny White 1992–2004 121 55 0 .688 20 10 1993 Coach of the Year
Todd Shell 2005 7 9 0 .438 0 0
Gene Nudo 2006–2007 12 20 0 .375 1 1
Kevin Guy 2008–present 77 27 0 .740 11 3 2011 Coach of the Year

Staff

Arizona Rattlers staff
Front Office
  • CEO/Majority Owner – Ron Shurts
  • President - Chris Presson
  • Director of Team Operations – J. T. Thompson
  • Sidewinders Dancers Director – Angie Baker
  

Head Coach

Offensive Coaches

Defensive Coaches

Team ownership

The Arizona Rattlers introduced Ron Shurts as the team’s new majority owner on May 12, 2011.[9]

"I have been an Arizona Rattlers season ticket holder since day one and attended the first Arizona Rattlers game at America West Arena. I believe in the team and the Arena Football League," said Shurts. "I want to bring the passion and excitement for Rattlers football back to US Airways Center and the Valley."

"Downtown Phoenix continues to grow and the Rattlers will be an integral part of the affordable, family-fun entertainment that the Suns and the Mercury are providing the local community," Shurts added.

Season-by-season

Media

1999–2004

KASW-TV WB6 became the first ever broadcast home for the Arizona Rattlers beginning in the 1999 season. They continued the partnership until after the 2004 season.

2005–2008

After the 2004 season. The Arizona Rattlers announced a deal to move their broadcasts to Fox Sports Arizona beginning in the 2005 season as part of the new Arena Football League's Regional local broadcasts deal with the Fox Sports Networks.

2010

After the cancellation of the 2009 season and return of the Arena Football League. The Arizona Rattlers announced a new broadcast deal with KAZT-TV AZTV 7 to broadcast up to eight games of the 2010 season. The partnership ended after one season after KAZT would not renew their broadcast partnership with the Rattlers in the 2011 season.

2011

After major changes of ownership throughout the 2011 season the Arizona Rattlers announced a new broadcast deal in mid season to return to Fox Sports Arizona with some games carried on Fox Sports Arizona Plus.

2012–2014

As the 2012 season approached the Arizona Rattlers would again announced that they would be moving their broadcasts to a new home this time to Cox7 Arizona with longtime Arizona sports caster Kevin Ray and Dale Hellestrae calling the game in the booth with Chris Harris on the sidelines and Lindsay Smith on Social Media. Cox7 was known as the Rattlers best broadcaster by televising all nine of their home games including selected away games that were simulcasted to other teams broadcasts. Cox7 also did Pregame Shows with the Rattlers before every home game showing documentaries and Talking LIVE before the game. The Partnership became a major success for Cox7 the Arizona Rattlers later extended their contract with Cox7 through the 2014 season when the announcement was made in November 2012.

2015–present

After the major success with Cox7 Arizona the Arizona Rattlers would not renew with Cox7 Arizona after their contract expired in the 2014 season and announced they would move their broadcasts back to Fox Sports Arizona with broadcasting up to only three home games and one playoff game on Fox Sports Arizona Plus. However the Rattlers still carried over the same broadcast team from Cox7 Arizona with Kevin Ray, Dale Hellestrae, and Chris Harris calling the game. The Rattlers can also be seen on National broadcasts on ESPN2 and CBS Sports Network.

References

  1. ↑ "Phoenix may get indoor team". Mohave Daily Miner. July 24, 1987. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Arena expansion planned". The Daily Gazette. October 2, 1991. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Kush says no to new Phoenix team". The News. September 13, 1991. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Ex-Cowboy White new Arena coach". Spokane Chronicle. October 11, 1991. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Arena football team settles on 'Rattlers'". The Prescott Courier. December 8, 1991. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ Mel Relsner (June 17, 1992). "51-36? Doesn't seem like 'real' football". Kingman Daily Miner. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  7. ↑ Tim Hipps (September 3, 1994). "Rattlers bite Predators at ArenaBowl". The News-Journal. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Danny White interetsed in purchasing Arizona Rattlers". The Daily Courier. December 17, 1999. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  9. 1 2 Williams, Cory. "Arena Football: Arizona Rattlers Find New Majority Owner, Ron Shurts". SB Nation Arizona. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  10. ↑ "Game Statistics". www.arenafootball.com. Arena Football League. August 10, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Arizona Rattlers Repeat as ArenaBowl Champions". www.arenafootball.com. Arena Football League. August 17, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
  12. ↑ Joe Williams (August 17, 2013). "ArenaBowl XXVI: Rattlers win 2nd Arena Football League title in row". www.orlandosentinel.com. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  13. ↑ http://www.arenafootball.com/sports/arenabowl/spec-rel/082414aaa.html
  14. ↑ "Arizona Rattlers To Retire Shedrick Bonner's Jersey". www.boxscorenews.com. Stryker-Indigo. June 12, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  15. ↑ Darren Urban (May 6, 2005). "Rattlers to honor former star at halftime ceremony". www.eastvalleytribune.com. East Valley Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Rattlers To Retire Randy Gatewood's Number 17". www.oursportscentral.com. OurSports Central. April 29, 2008. Retrieved August 19, 2013.

External links

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