Alliance of American Football

The Alliance of American Football, or AAF, starts its inaugural season on February 9. The league will have many former college football stars playing this first season.

AAF games will be broadcast and streamed across CBS, CBS Sports Network, NFL Network, TNT and B/R Live. See a full schedule here.

Big names include former quarterbacks Aaron Murray (Georgia) and Denard Robinson (Michigan). Read on for a rundown about them and eight other former college football stars playing in the AAF:

   

Arizona Hotshots: QB Trevor Knight (Texas A&M, Oklahoma)

Knight was Oklahoma's starting quarterback until eventual Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield took the job. Knight than transferred to Texas A&M.

With the Aggies in 2016, Knight passed for 2,432 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 614 yards and 10 scores as A&M started 6-0 before finishing 8-5.

   

Arizona Hotshots: LB Scooby Wright (Arizona)

Wright won the Nagurski, Lombardi, Bednarik and was Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2014. That season, Wright made 163 total tackles and had 29 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. He also finished ninth in the Heisman voting.

The Alliance begins. #JoinTheAlliance pic.twitter.com/oGnt9fBOl8

— The Alliance (@TheAAF) February 3, 2019

Wright then played in only three games in 2015 because of injury before getting drafted in the seventh round in the 2016 NFL draft. 

   

Atlanta Legends: QB Aaron Murray (Georgia)

Murray ended his UGA career as the SEC's career touchdowns list. Playing for Georgia from 2010 through 2013, Murray passed for 13,166 yards in his four seasons, though he sustained a season-ending torn ACL injury against Kentucky his senior season.

In 2012, Murray and the Bulldogs went 12-2 and tied for No. 5 in the final AP Poll. He was the No. 2 AAF pick in the draft. 

   

Atlanta Legends: QB/RB Denard Robinson (Michigan)

Robinson both rushed and passed for 200 yards in a game three times and also led the Wolverines to an 11-win season in 2011.

He ended his Michigan career passing for 6,250 yards (49 touchdowns, 39 interceptions) and rushing for 4,495 yards (42 touchdowns).

More football. More ways to catch the action in our inaugural season. 🏈 #JoinTheAlliance

📰 | https://t.co/hsyC0mPJjS pic.twitter.com/rbuG8i0e2q

— The Alliance (@TheAAF) February 5, 2019

In his sophomore season, Robinson broke the single-season FBS record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,702 yards. In his second start at quarterback, Robinson totaled 502 yards of offense in a win against rival Notre Dame. 

   

Birmingham Iron: RB Trent Richardson (Alabama)

Drafted No. 3 overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2012 NFL draft, Richardson rushed for 3,243 yards in his Alabama career.

In 2011, his final collegiate season, Richardson ran for 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns. He won the Doak Walker Award as the top running back in the country, finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting and helped the Crimson Tide win the BCS National Championship Game against LSU.

   

Birmingham Iron: QB Scott Tolzien (Wisconsin)

Tolzien won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award in 2010 as the country's top senior or fourth-year starting quarterback. That season, Tolzien passed for 24,59 yards and led to an 11-2 season and a Rose Bowl appearance.

Tolzien completed 72.9 percent of his passes his final season. Though he went undrafted, he's passed for 1,000 yards in the NFL, seeing time on the field with the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts.

   

Memphis Express: QB Christian Hackenberg (Penn State) 

Hackenberg was Penn State's career passing leader until Trace McSorley passed him this past season. Hackenberg started three seasons for the Nittany Lions, throwing for 8,318 yards, 48 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. He also broke the program record for passing yards in a game when he threw for 454 yards against UCF in 2014.

He went No. 51 overall (second round) to the New York Jets in the 2016 NFL draft. 

   

Memphis Express: QB Zach Mettenberger (LSU)

Truly a league of opportunity.

Take an all-access look into The Alliance with 'The Uncuttables' tonight 8:30 p.m. CT on @CBSSportsNet. | #JoinTheAlliance pic.twitter.com/u1hhQdIpPH

— Memphis Express (@aafexpress) February 5, 2019

After seeing limited action at LSU in 2011, Mettenberger started in 2012 and 2013. He passed for 2,609 yards his first full season in charge before improving to 3,082 yards with 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2013.

A sixth-round NFL draft pick in 2014, Mettenberger is the only LSU quarterback to throw for at least 2,500 yards in consecutive seasons. 

   

San Antonio Commanders: LB Joel Lanning (Iowa State)

Lanning started his Cyclones career at quarterback, totaling 2,537 yards with 19 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in two seasons.

But he then moved to linebacker, where he starred. Lanning had 114 total tackle in 2017, picking up All-Big 12 and All-American honors.

   

San Diego Fleet: QB Josh Johnson (San Diego)

The No. 1 pick in the AAF draft, Johnson starred for FCS San Diego. 

Johnson came in third in Walter Payton Award voting his senior year, when he passed for 2,988 yards, 43 touchdowns and only one interception.

Johnson ended his time at San Diego with the record for the highest career passing efficiency (176.88) by any player in NCAA Division I history.

Pro football is coming to B/R Live.

Live game coverage, highlights and shows from the Alliance of American Football will be available across Bleacher Report platforms. When the season kicks off in February, you'll be able to see plays designed by Steve Spurrier and defenses coached by Mike Singletary.

The AAF and Turner Sports announced a multiyear partnership Thursday that will feature TNT televising one regular-season game and one playoff game each year, while B/R Live will be the exclusive home of one game each week. Other games will be shown on CBS, CBS Sports Network and reportedly NFL Network.

The new professional football league will showcase developing talent and will complement the NFL, rather than attempt to rival it. Teams will also feature local talent.

For example, the team based in Atlanta will feature many players with ties to Georgia and Georgia Tech. Alabama's Trent Richardson is set to play for the Birmingham team. The league will mostly adopt NFL rules, but there will be no extra-point kicks, no kickoffs and a shorter play clock, and the only replays will be initiated by coaches' challenges.

TNT will televise the Salt Lake Stallions vs. the Birmingham Iron on Feb. 16. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. ET and be followed by TNT's coverage of NBA All-Star Saturday Night. In April, TNT will also broadcast an AAF playoff game.

B/R Live will begin its AAF coverage with a special one-hour program on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. to introduce fans to the new league. B/R Live will air its first game on Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. when the Arizona Hotshots take on the Salt Lake Stallions.

Sign up for a B/R Live account

And if you miss a game, all AAF games distributed through B/R Live will be available on demand.

"This is a true partnership and The Alliance will have our full support in the distribution of its live game coverage and content across the Turner Sports portfolio," Lenny Daniels, president of Turner Sports, said in a release.

The leadership behind the Alliance of American Football includes TV and film producer and director Charlie Ebersol, longtime NFL front office executive Bill Polian, and former Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl champions Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu.

The Alliance of American Football sets final rosters for 2019 season.

📰 | https://t.co/3MCRKMVaFY pic.twitter.com/n3sB2hCAMS

— The Alliance (@TheAAF) January 31, 2019

Ebersol, the co-founder and CEO of the Alliance, said in a release:

"Our focus has always been, and will always be, to create an Alliance of players, fans and the game. Joining forces with world-class partners like Turner Sports allows us to keep our mission moving forward and reach thousands of sports fans across their Turner family of platforms. Turner's focus on providing high-quality live event programming and their commitment to digital with B/R Live, fits seamlessly into our distribution model, and ultimately offers fans the opportunity to watch more football." 

In its first season, the AAF will feature eight teams with rosters of 52 players. Teams will be based in Orlando, Atlanta, Memphis, Salt Lake City, San Diego, Birmingham, San Antonio and Phoenix.

The 10-week regular season schedule will end with a championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on April 27.

Former NFL star Michael Vick will remain the offensive coordinator of the Alliance of American Football's Atlanta Legends, according to The Athletic's Jeff Schultz (h/t Pro Football Talk).

Earlier Thursday, FootballScoop (h/t Schultz) reported Vick had resigned from the role one day after former Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress stepped down as head coach of the Legends. 

The Atlanta Falcons' No. 1 pick in the 2001 NFL draft, Vick spent 13 years in the NFL with four teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers.

And while his playing days are behind him, the four-time Pro Bowler made it clear last year that he had a passion for coaching:

Vick added last October, per AAF.com's Joel Poiley:

"My heart is really into teaching the game of football. I feel like I've learned so much from so many great coaches over the years. I would definitely love to work with young quarterbacks and develop them and compete for a championship.

"(The Alliance) is a process about what it takes to become a complete football player, on and off the field. You’re not in college anymore; you're not going to class. Your full-time job is football. And that creates structure for you.

"But at the same time, you have to know what you want out of the game. As players and coaches, we've all experienced the importance of being a professional. That’s a responsibility we take seriously, and we look forward to watching these young men grow from college to pro and continue their careers as long as they want."

His first opportunity to coach came as the Legends' offensive coordinator.

Atlanta's season does not kick off until Feb. 9.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Simms and ex-Jacksonville Jaguar Denard Robinson are among the players on the Legends roster.

The Alliance of American Football is a developmental league that includes eight teams.

Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress' time with the Alliance of American Football's Atlanta Legends has ended before a single game.

"Coach Childress has stepped away from his role as head coach of The Atlanta Legends," AAF head of football operations J.K. McKay said in a statement (h/t ESPN.com). "We are grateful for his leadership, contribution to building The Alliance, and wish him well in his next endeavour."

The Legends turned to Kevin Coyle as their replacement head coach before the league begins its inaugural season on Feb. 9.

Childress was the head coach of the Vikings from 2006 until 2010, when he was fired after Week 11. He went 39-35 with two NFC North titles and reached the NFC Championship Game during the 2009 season with Brett Favre as his quarterback and Adrian Peterson as his running back.

He was also the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles before taking the Vikings job and was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016.

Eric Mandel of the Atlanta Business Chronicle noted Childress was "a lynchpin to many of the team's major additions" and pointed to his influence in hiring Michael Vick as the offensive coordinator and Jen Welter, the first female coach in NFL history, as a defensive specialist.

Mandel noted former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray previously cited Childress as the primary reason he joined the AAF as the signal-caller for the Legends.

As for Coyle, he was the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins from 2012 through 2015 and was most recently a defensive analyst for LSU in 2018.

Just 74 days from the Alliance of American Football kicking off its inaugural season, the league's eight teams finalized their rosters with a draft.

The San Diego Fleet had the honor of making the first pick and opted to protect quarterback Josh Johnson:

Let's get this round started.

First off the board. @AAFFleet protects Josh Johnson with the 1st selection in @TheAAF history. #ProtectOrPick pic.twitter.com/wOWqjQEVec

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) November 28, 2018

Johnson shared his enthusiasm about staying in the San Diego area:

https://twitter.com/Fam1stFamilyQB/status/1067602336799846401

The Atlanta Legends protected University of Georgia product Aaron Murray in the first round. He will get to work with another legendary Atlanta quarterback:

This thing is moving, y’all. Keep up! @aaronmurray11 goes to the Atlanta Legends, where the Georgia star will be coached by head coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Michael Vick. That’s 2 for 2 on teams opting to Protect. #ProtectOrPick is live on @CBSSportsNet

— The Alliance (@TheAAF) November 28, 2018

With the 2nd Pick of @TheAAF Draft...@ATL_AAF selects our very own @aaronmurray11. #ProtectOrPick pic.twitter.com/bh8o2NBbUG

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) November 28, 2018

Here's how all eight first-round picks played out:

The opening round of @TheAAF QB Draft is in the books. pic.twitter.com/orG7y6VSNs

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) November 28, 2018

Among the notable names taken in the second round, former Penn State star Christian Hackenberg will try to jump-start his professional career with the Memphis Express:

.The @aafexpress make their pick: Christian Hackenberg is headed to Memphis in the inaugural @TheAAF QB Draft. pic.twitter.com/cSHJtGdqTN

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) November 28, 2018

Unlike the NFL draft, which features players at all positions up for grabs, the AAF only made quarterbacks available from a pool of more than 50 names. The rest of the rosters were set by putting players on the team using a three-phase process:

Here is everything you need to know about The Alliance Player Allocation process.

Associated college and professional teams will be released by Alliance City Team. Get ready to #JoinTheAlliance pic.twitter.com/AtN2cMCrYi

— The Alliance (@TheAAF) July 12, 2018

The AAF draft also utilized a protect-or-pick method for the draft. Each team would have the option to protect a quarterback allocated to their roster or draft another one. If a team wants to draft a quarterback, it must wait until after the others make their decision in the first round before selecting.

Mile High Sports Radio's Benjamin Allbright noted Luis Perez and Josh Woodrum are the two quarterbacks who could benefit the most from their AAF exposure:

https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/status/1067607979329867776

Per the AAF's latest update released on Oct. 1, a total of 515 players have signed up to play in the league. The schedule will consist of four games every week over a 10-week period starting on Feb. 9. Full rosters consist of 50 players.

AAF founder Charlie Ebersol told Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith some of the players drafted on Tuesday shared similar stories with a Pro Football Hall of Famer:

"There are some Kurt Warner-esque stories. One guy worked at Costco, he's been a personal trainer, he's moved his family multiple times, and against the backdrop of all that he still has a dream, and he's going to have an opportunity because of us. ... That's why it was so important to me that Kurt Warner be the voice of our draft."

Comparing anyone to Kurt Warner sets the bar incredibly high, but no one knew who he was until Trent Green tore his ACL during the 1999 preseason.

With the exception of Week 10, two games will be played on Saturday and two on Sunday. The top four teams will make the playoffs, culminating in a championship game that will be played in Las Vegas on April 27.

Now that all of the rosters have been set, the only thing left is for teams to get ready to showcase their skills before stepping on the gridiron to prove which one is the AAF's best.

   

Full draft results via AAF.com.

Former NFL running back Trent Richardson signed with Alliance Birmingham of the Alliance of American Football (AAF), the league announced Wednesday. 

Richardson, the third overall pick in the 2012 draft, hasn't played an NFL regular-season game since 2014. The 28-year-old ran for 2,032 yards and 17 touchdowns over three seasons.

Prior to arriving in the NFL, Richardson was a star for the Alabama Crimson Tide, finishing third in the 2011 Heisman Trophy voting. Speaking with AL.com's Matt Zenitz, he said he was looking forward to playing in the state of Alabama again.

"Excited about this," Richardson said. "Another opportunity for my professional career. Happy to be doing something that I really love doing, especially in Alabama and in Birmingham, which is a home away from home for me."

AAF co-founder Bill Polian told ESPN.com's Darren Rovell in July the league would look to capitalize on any local college connections with incoming players, citing Richardson specifically.

"If the Birmingham team has Trent Richardson, we think that will be something that would be a significant gate attraction," Polian said.

Richardson is the fourth former Alabama player to sign with Alliance Birmingham, joining quarterback Blake Sims, offensive tackle Dominick Jackson and Bradley Sylve.

The AAF will launch with eight teams in February 2019.

The Alliance of American Football announced Saturday its first franchise will be located in Orlando, Florida, and that College Football Hall of Fame double inductee Steve Spurrier is set to serve as head coach.

CBS This Morning broadcast the news. Spurrier, who coached in college and the NFL, told the program what drew him back to the sideline.

"The new rules I really like: two-and-a-half-hour games, 30 seconds in between plays and so forth. And the fans want to see that," he said. "In life, we all need a challenge."

Spurrier, who's affectionately known as the Ol' Ball Coach, returns to the sport after he resigned from the University of South Carolina in October 2015 following 10-plus seasons with the Gamecocks.

The 72-year-old Florida native also coached the Duke Blue Devils and Florida Gators, for whom he played and won the 1966 Heisman Trophy, and guided the Washington Redskins during an ill-fated jump to the NFL. Spurrier was 228-89-2 across more than 26 seasons in college and 12-20 in the NFL.

The AAF will debut in February 2019 and will serve as a proving ground for fringe professional players.

"I think where businesses like this fail is that they expect to have ludicrous and unrealistic ticket and media deal projections in Year 1," AAF founder Charlie Ebersol told Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. "Our investors here understand that it's a seven- to 10-year plan."

It will be crucial to the success of the league to land star power to help get more eyes on its product. Spurrier was a major first step in that regard.