San Antonio Commanders
Defunct American football franchise
 | |
| Established | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2019 |
| Based in | San Antonio, Texas |
| Home stadium | Alamodome |
| Head coach | Mike Riley |
| General manager | Daryl Johnston |
| Team president | Vic Gregovits |
| League | Alliance of American Football |
| Division | Western Conference (2019) |
| Colors | Maroon, red, silver & white |
The San Antonio Commanders were a professional American football franchise based in San Antonio, Texas, and one of the eight members of the Alliance of American Football (AAF).[1] The league began play in February 2019. The team played their home games at the Alamodome.[1][2] The team was led by head coach Mike Riley.
On April 2, 2019, the league's football operations were reportedly suspended,[3][4] and on April 4 the league allowed players to leave their contracts to sign with NFL teams.[5] The league filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on April 17, 2019.[6] The league left debts of over $1.4 million to three local hotels and $200,000 to a catering business.[7]
History
The Alliance San Antonio charter team of the Alliance of American Football spring league was announced on June 21, 2018. Also, the league announced former San Diego Chargers coach Mike Riley as head coach and former Dallas Cowboys fullback Daryl Johnston as General Manager of the team.[8][9] The western four teams' names and logos were revealed on September 25 with San Antonio as the Commanders.[10] The name is a tribute to San Antonio's military history, with maroon and silver representing the city and the small swords carried by military officers, respectively.[11][12]
The final 52-man roster was set on January 30, 2019.[13] The team's first game was a 15–6 win at home against the San Diego Fleet on Saturday, February 9, 2019.[14]
The Commanders, who drew an average of approximately 27,720 fans to each home game, were by far the best-attended team in the AAF.[7]
The league was suspended on April 2, 2019, with about 20 minutes left in the Commanders' practice. "It ended in the blink of an eye. Like that," Riley said later.[15]
The next year, the XFL began discussions about relocating one of its eight teams to San Antonio;[16] this would eventually bear fruit with the San Antonio Brahmas in 2023.[17]
Final roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
| Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
| Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
| Reserve lists
Rights list
|
Allocation pool
The team's assigned area, which designated player rights, included the following:[18]
| Colleges | National Football League (NFL) Canadian Football League (CFL)
|
Staff
|
| |||||
2019 season
| 2019 San Antonio Commanders season | |
|---|---|
| General manager | Daryl Johnston |
| Head coach | Mike Riley |
| Home field | Alamodome |
| Results | |
| Record | 5–3 |
| League place | 1st (tie), Western Conference |
San Antonio Commanders | |
Final standings
| |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||
| Club | W–L | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | DIFF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| (x) – Orlando Apollos | 7–1 | .875 | 5–0 | 236 | 136 | 100 | .406 | .375 | W2 |
| (x) – Birmingham Iron | 5–3 | .625 | 3–2 | 165 | 133 | 32 | .406 | .300 | W1 |
| (e) – Memphis Express | 2–6 | .250 | 1–4 | 152 | 194 | -42 | .578 | .500 | L1 |
| (e) – Atlanta Legends | 2–6 | .250 | 1–4 | 88 | 213 | -125 | .609 | .438 | L3 |
| Western Conference | |||||||||
| Club | W–L | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | DIFF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| San Antonio Commanders | 5–3 | .625 | 3–2 | 158 | 154 | 4 | .516 | .450 | L1 |
| Arizona Hotshots | 5–3 | .625 | 3–2 | 186 | 144 | 42 | .469 | .500 | W3 |
| San Diego Fleet | 3–5 | .375 | 2–3 | 158 | 161 | -3 | .469 | .417 | L3 |
| Salt Lake Stallions | 3–5 | .375 | 2–3 | 135 | 143 | -8 | .547 | .417 | W1 |
| (x)–clinched playoff berth; (e)–eliminated from playoff contention | |||||||||
Schedule
Preseason
| Week | Day | Date | Opponent | Results | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | |||||
| – | Monday | January 28 | Atlanta Legends | W 37–11 | Alamodome | |
Regular season
All times Central
| Week | Day | Date | Kickoff | TV | Opponent | Results | Location | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | ||||||||
| 1 | Saturday | February 9 | 7:00 p.m. | CBS | San Diego Fleet | W 15–6 | 1–0 | Alamodome | 27,857 |
| 2 | Sunday | February 17 | 3:00 p.m. | CBSSN | Orlando Apollos | L 29–37 | 1–1 | Alamodome | 29,176 |
| 3 | Sunday | February 24 | 7:00 p.m. | NFLN | at San Diego Fleet | L 11–31 | 1–2 | SDCCU Stadium | 14,789 |
| 4 | Sunday | March 3 | 3:00 p.m. | CBSSN | at Birmingham Iron | W 12–11 | 2–2 | Legion Field | 6,539 |
| 5 | Sunday | March 10 | 7:00 p.m. | NFLN | at Arizona Hotshots | W 29–25 | 3–2 | Sun Devil Stadium | 9,351 |
| 6 | Sunday | March 17 | 3:00 p.m. | CBSSN | at Atlanta Legends | W 37–6 | 4–2 | Georgia State Stadium | 10,619 |
| 7 | Saturday | March 23 | 7:00 p.m. | NFLN | Salt Lake Stallions | W 19–15 | 5–2 | Alamodome | 30,345 |
| 8 | Sunday | March 31 | 7:00 p.m. | NFLN | Arizona Hotshots | L 6–23 | 5–3 | Alamodome | 23,504 |
| 9 | Saturday | April 6 | 11:00 a.m. | CBS† KMYS | Memphis Express | Not played | Alamodome | ||
| 10 | Friday | April 12 | 7:00 p.m. | B/R Live KMYS | at Salt Lake Stallions | Rice–Eccles Stadium | |||
† Changed from original time and network.[19]
[20]
Game summaries
Week 1: San Diego
Week One: San Diego Fleet at San Antonio Commanders – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleet | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Commanders | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 15 |
at Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
- Date: February 9
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CT
- Game weather: Indoors
- Game attendance: 27,857
- Referee: Jeff Heaser[21]
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes, Trent Green, Tiki Barber, and Jamie Erdahl
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
With the win, the Commanders started 1–0.
Week 2: Orlando
Week Two: Orlando Apollos at San Antonio Commanders – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apollos | 0 | 17 | 3 | 17 | 37 |
| Commanders | 12 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 29 |
at Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
- Date: February 17
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CT
- Game weather: Indoors
- Game attendance: 29,176
- Referee: James Carter[22]
- TV announcers (CBS Sports Network): Ben Holden, Adam Archuleta, John Schriffen
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
First loss in Commanders history. San Antonio fell to 1-1.
Week 3: at San Diego
Week Three: San Antonio Commanders at San Diego Fleet – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commanders | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Fleet | 6 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 31 |
at SDCCU Stadium, San Diego California
- Date: February 24
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CT
- Game attendance: 14,789
- Referee: Tra Blake[23]
- TV announcers (NFL Network): Dan Hellie, Marvin Lewis, Maurice Jones-Drew
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
First time in Commanders history with consecutive losses. Commanders drop to 1-2.
Week 4: at Birmingham
Week Four: San Antonio Commanders at Birmingham Iron – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commanders | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 12 |
| Iron | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
at Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama
- Date: March 3
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CT
- Game weather: Storm warning[24]
- Game attendance: 6,539
- Referee: John O'Neill[25]
- TV announcers (CBS Sports Network): Ben Holden, Adam Archuleta, John Schriffen
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
First road win in Commanders history. Commanders improve to 2-2.
Week 5: at Arizona
Week Five: San Antonio Commanders at Arizona Hotshots – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commanders | 14 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 29 |
| Hotshots | 0 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 25 |
at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
- Date: March 10
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CT
- Game attendance: 9,351
- Referee: Brandon Cruse[26]
- TV announcers (NFL Network): Matt "Money" Smith, Marvin Lewis
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
First time in Commanders history with consecutive wins. Commanders improve to 3-2.
Week 6: at Atlanta
Week Six: San Antonio Commanders at Atlanta Legends – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commanders | 6 | 20 | 3 | 8 | 37 |
| Legends | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
at Georgia State Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
- Date: March 17
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CT
- Game attendance: 10,619
- Referee: James Carter[27]
- TV announcers (CBS Sports Network): Ben Holden, Adam Archuleta, John Schriffen
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Commanders improve to 4-2.
Week 7: Salt Lake
Week Seven: Salt Lake Stallions at San Antonio Commanders – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stallions | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 15 |
| Commanders | 6 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 19 |
at Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
- Date: March 23
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CT
- Game weather: Indoors
- Game attendance: 30,345
- Referee: John O'Neill[28]
- TV announcers (NFL Network): Dan Hellie, Steve Mariucci, Jason Fisher
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Commanders improve to 5-2. Also, this game marks the first time in league history that single game attendance was above 30,000.
Week 8: Arizona
Week Eight: Arizona Hotshots at San Antonio Commanders – Game summary
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotshots | 6 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 23 |
| Commanders | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
at Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
- Date: March 31
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CT
- Game weather: Indoors
- Game attendance: 23,504
- Referee: Tra Blake[29]
- TV announcers (NFL Network): Matt "Money" Smith, Marvin Lewis
- NoExtraPoints AAF
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Media
In addition to league-wide television coverage through NFL Network, CBS Sports Network, TNT, and B/R Live, Commanders' games were also broadcast on local radio by KZDC, an ESPN Radio affiliate.[30] The team also had a television agreement with local station KMYS of the Sinclair Broadcast Group to carry all Commanders' games that were not broadcast nationally.[31]
References
- ^ a b Bailey, W. Scott (June 20, 2018). "New pro football league to add San Antonio franchise". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ Marquez, RJ (June 21, 2018). "San Antonio's newest pro football team to be introduced on..." www.ksat.com. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ Kercheval, Ben (April 2, 2019). "AAF operations suspended, league's future in doubt after eight games of first season". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ "AAF to immediately suspend operations". ESPN. April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ Schwartz, Nick (April 4, 2019). "AAF star Keith Reaser becomes first player to sign NFL deal after league shutdown". USA Today. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "AAF files for bankruptcy, officially closes down", USA Today, April 17, 2019, retrieved April 17, 2019
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b Marquez, RJ (April 17, 2019). "San Antonio businesses at risk of losing big, AAF bankruptcy filings show". KSAT-TV. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ "San Antonio is 8th AAF franchise; Riley to coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ "San Antonio set to get Alliance of American Football team, but history is stacked against them". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
- ^ Benjamin, Cody (September 25, 2018). "LOOK: Here's a full list of team names and logos from the Alliance of American Football". CBSSports.com. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
- ^ Blietz, Lena (September 26, 2018). "New pro football team honor's San Antonio's military legacy". Spectrum News San Antonio. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ Yasin, Kareem (November 27, 2018). "The Alliance of American Football Unveils its Inaugural Uniforms". Alliance of American Football. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "San Antonio Commanders set final roster". Alliance of American Football. January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
- ^ "Alliance of American Football schedule released for Arizona Hotshots, other 7 teams". AZ Central. USA Today Network. October 16, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
- ^ Luca, Greg (April 12, 2020). "One year later, San Antonio Commanders' sudden departure remains a shock". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
- ^ Miketniac, Chuck (April 13, 2020). "SOURCES: XFL called about relocating team to San Antonio days before suspending operations". WOAI-TV. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
- ^ Kerr, Jeff (July 25, 2022). "XFL announces eight host cities for relaunch in 2023; no New York, California teams for first time in league". CBS Sports.
- ^ Inabinett, Mark (July 12, 2018). "Alabama, Auburn players to go on Birmingham AAF team's assignment list". AL.com. Alabama Media Group. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ "CBS SPORTS ELEVATES TWO ALLIANCE GAMES TO CBS TELEVISION NETWORK". Alliance of American Football. March 14, 2019. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ "2019 San Antonio Commanders Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (February 9, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 1, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (February 13, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 2, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (February 22, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 3, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ @NWSBirmingham (March 3, 2019). "SEVERE STORMS LIKELY for SE Central AL Counties" (Tweet). Retrieved March 3, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (February 27, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 4, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (March 9, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 5, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (March 14, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 6, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (March 21, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 7, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Filipe, Cameron (March 28, 2019). "Alliance of American Football: Week 8, 2019". Football Zebras. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
- ^ "SAN ANTONIO COMMANDERS ANNOUNCE ESPN SAN ANTONIO 1250 AM/94.5 FM AS OFFICIAL RADIO PARTNER". ESPN San Antonio. KZDC Radio. January 7, 2019. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "San Antonio Commanders Announce Sinclair Broadcast Group as Television Partner". oursportscentral.com. January 24, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
Further reading
- Mendoza, Madalyn (April 3, 2019). "Commanders break silence, thank San Antonio in reacting to end of AAF online". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
