 
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Rattlers logo with script | |||
| League: | Arena Football League (AFL) (1992-2016) Indoor Football League (IFL) (2017-present) | ||
| Conference | Western | ||
| Founded | 1992 | ||
| Home arena(s) |
| ||
| Division Titles | 9: (AFL: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) | ||
| Championships | AFL:5 (1994, 1997, 2012, 2013, 2014) IFL: 1 (2017) | ||
| City | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | ||
| Owner | Ron Shurts | ||
| Team President | Joe Windham | ||
| Head Coach/General Manager | Kevin Guy | ||
| Dancers | Sidewinders | ||
| Mascot | Fang and Stryker | ||
| Team colors | Black, Copper, Teal, White | ||
The Arizona Rattlers are an arena football team in Phoenix, Arizona. They are currently members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). The Rattlers were founded in 1992 as an expansion team in the Arena Football League and were the third oldest active franchise in the AFL until their departure in 2016. They play their home games at Phoenix Suns Arena in downtown Phoenix, but have occasionally played at Gila River Arena in neighboring Glendale when their primary home has been unavailable. The Rattlers, as of the 2013 season, were led by arena football Hall of Fame head coach Kevin Guy.
History[]
The Arizona Rattlers are part of the Arena Football League (AFL) and compete in the Western Division of the National Conference. Since the team's establishment in 1992, the Rattlers have won six division titles and have played in five ArenaBowl Championship games, winning championships in 1994 and 1997. 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, 2014. The Rattlers also won the 2017 United Bowl in their first season in the IFL.
In early years, the Rattlers played their home games at America West Arena, which they shared with the Phoenix Suns. The arena was renamed US Airways Center in 2005 and the Rattlers continue to play their home games there and share the arena with the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury. They conduct practices at Gene Autry Park in Mesa, Arizona.
The coaching staff includes Head Coach Kevin Guy, Assistant Head Coach Kani Kauahi, Defensive Coordinator Omarr Smith and Wide Receivers Coach Siaha Burley.
The Rattlers current roster includes members of the National Football League such as San Francisco 49ers placekicker Fabrizio Scaccia and Cleveland Browns WR Rod Windsor.
The Rattlers remain one of the AFL’s leading franchises with the third longest tenure in one city followed only by the Tampa Bay Storm and the Orlando Predators.
Previous head coaches include Gene Nudo, Todd Shell and former Dallas Cowboys and Arizona State University quarterback, and punter, Danny White, who led the Rattlers to their ArenaBowl championships and was named 1993 AFL Coach of the Year.
Notable former Arizona Rattlers players include former Arizona Cardinal quarterback Sherdrick Bonner, former San Diego Chargers defensive specialist Cecille Doggette, former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Randy Gatewood, former New Orleans Saints lineman Mark Tucker and former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Chris Horn.
On May 12, 2011, Ron Shurts became the new majority owner of the Rattlers franchise.[1]
Team logos[]
Season By Season[]
| ArenaBowl/United Bowl Champions | ArenaBowl/United Bowl appearance | Division champions | Playoff berth |
| Season | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | Wins | Losses | ||||||
| Arizona Rattlers | ||||||||
| 1992 | AFL | — | Western | 3rd | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1993 | AFL | American | — | 2nd | 7 | 5 | Won Quarterfinal (Charlotte) 56–49 Lost Semifinal (Detroit) 34–38 | |
| 1994 | AFL | American | — | 2nd | 8 | 4 | Won Quarterfinal (Charlotte) 52–24 Won Semifinal (Albany) 40–33 Won ArenaBowl VIII (Orlando) 36–31 | |
| 1995 | AFL | American | Western | 2nd | 7 | 5 | Lost Quarterfinal (Iowa) 52–56 | |
| 1996 | AFL | American | Western | 1st | 11 | 3 | Won Quarterfinal (Orlando) 65–48 Lost Semifinal (Tampa Bay) 54–55 | |
| 1997 | AFL | American | Western | 1st | 12 | 2 | Won Quarterfinal (Milwaukee) 46–29 Won Semifinal (Tampa Bay) 49–46 (OT) Won ArenaBowl XI (Iowa) 55–33 | |
| 1998 | AFL | American | Western | 1st | 10 | 4 | Won Quarterfinal (Houston) 50–36 Lost Semifinal (Orlando) 33–38 | |
| 1999 | AFL | American | Western | 1st | 10 | 4 | Won Quarterfinal (Nashville) 34–30 Lost Semifinal (Albany) 47–73 | |
| 2000 | AFL | American | Western | 2nd | 12 | 2 | Won Wild Card (Buffalo) 41–34 Won Quarterfinal (Albany) 53–50 Lost Semifinal (Orlando) 44–56 | |
| 2001 | AFL | American | Western | 2nd | 8 | 6 | Won Wild Card (Detroit) 52–44 Lost Quarterfinal (San Jose) 49–68 | |
| 2002 | AFL | American | Western | 2nd | 11 | 3 | Won Quarterfinal (Carolina) 61–59 Won Semifinal (Chicago) 46–35 Lost ArenaBowl XVI (San Jose) 14–52 | |
| 2003 | AFL | American | Western | 3rd | 10 | 6 | Won Wild Card (Las Vegas) 69–26 Won Quarterfinal (Los Angeles) 70–63 Won Semifinal (San Jose) 66–49 Lost ArenaBowl XVII (Tampa Bay) 29–43 | |
| 2004 | AFL | American | Western | 1st | 11 | 5 | Won Quarterfinal (Los Angeles) 59–42 Won Semifinal (Colorado) 45–41 Lost ArenaBowl XVIII (San Jose) 62–69 | |
| 2005 | AFL | American | Western | 4th | 7 | 9 | ||
| 2006 | AFL | American | Western | 2nd | 8 | 8 | Won Wild Card (Utah) 57–34 Lost Quarterfinal (San Jose) 48–62 | |
| 2007 | AFL | American | Western | 4th | 4 | 12 | ||
| 2008 | AFL | American | Western | 2nd | 8 | 8 | Lost Wild Card (Grand Rapids) 41–48 | |
| 2009 | The AFL suspended operations for the 2009 season.[2] | |||||||
| 2010 | AFL | National | West | 2nd | 10 | 6 | Lost Conference Semifinal (Spokane) 49–57 | |
| 2011 | AFL | National | West | 1st | 16 | 2 | Won Conference Semifinal (Spokane) 62–33 Won Conference Championship (Chicago) 54–48 Lost ArenaBowl XXIV (Jacksonville) 70–73 | |
| 2012 | AFL | National | West | 1st | 13 | 5 | Won Conference Semifinal (San Jose) 51–48 Won Conference Championship (Utah) 75–69 Won ArenaBowl XXV (Philadelphia) 72–54 | |
| 2013 | AFL | National | West | 1st | 15 | 3 | Won Conference Semifinal (San Jose) 59–49 Won Conference Championship (Spokane) 65–57 Won ArenaBowl XXVI (Philadelphia) 48–39 | |
| 2014 | AFL | National | West | 1st | 15 | 3 | Won Conference Semifinal (Portland) 52–48 Won Conference Championship (San Jose) 72–56 Won ArenaBowl XXVII (Cleveland) 72–32 | |
| 2015 | AFL | National | West | 1st | 14 | 4 | Won Conference Semifinal (Spokane) 72–41 Lost Conference Championship (San Jose) 67–70 | |
| 2016 | AFL | National | — | 1st | 13 | 3 | Won Conference Semifinals (Portland) 84–40 Won Conference Championship (Cleveland) 82–41 Lost ArenaBowl XXIX (Philadelphia) 42–56 | |
| 2017 | IFL | Intense | — | 1st | 12 | 4 | Won Conference Championship (Nebraska) 62–36 Won 2017 United Bowl (Sioux Falls) 50–41 | |
| 2018 | IFL | — | — | 2nd | 11 | 3 | Lost Semifinal (Sioux Falls) 68–69 OT | |
| 2019 | IFL | — | — | 1st | 14 | 0 | Won Semifinal (Nebraska) 62–45 Lost 2019 United Bowl (Sioux Falls) 53–56 | |
| 2020 | IFL | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||||
| Total | 281 | 125 | Regular season | |||||
| 38 | 18 | Postseason | ||||||
| 319 | 143 | Regular season and postseason | ||||||
References[]
- General
- Arizona Rattlers — Team history. Arena Fan. Retrieved on January 14, 2010.
- Specific
- ↑ Williams, Cory. Arena Football: Arizona Rattlers Find New Majority Owner, Ron Shurts. SB Nation Arizona. Retrieved on 2 May 2011.
- ↑ AFL suspends 2009 season. Arena Football League. Archived from the original on April 20, 2009. Retrieved on November 18, 2009.
