The NFL’s season is over and the Super Bowl decided, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have any football, thanks to the intervention of the Alliance of American Football.
The AAF will begin its inaugural season of play this week, offering football fans a potential option to get their fill of the game in the NFL offseason, and the city of Atlanta will have a direct rooting interest.
Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick signed on to serve as the offensive coordinator of the AAF’s Atlanta Legends, which will begin their season on Saturday, Feb. 9 on the road against the Orlando Apollos.
Vick will be running an offense that has former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Aaron Murray and former Michigan football standout Denard Robinson, among others. The Legends are coached by Kevin Coyle, who was formerly the defensive backs coach for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Vick, who spent the summer of 2017 as a coaching intern under Andy Reid with the Kansas City Chiefs, has previously stated that he was interested in coaching.
“I think my heart is really into teaching the game of football,” Vick told the Adam Schefter Podcast last season. “I feel like I’ve learned so much from so many great coaches over the years. I don’t want to bottle up a lot of knowledge.”
The former No. 1 overall selection by Atlanta back in 2001, Vick would establish his reputation in NFL history over the next seven seasons of play, and is renowned for having transformed the quarterback position with a combination of efficient passing and athletic, agile rushing when handling the ball.
Named to four eventual Pro Bowls, Vick holds the record for the most career rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history (6,109), and the most rushing yards ever by a quarterback in a single season (1,039).
Bill Polian says the AAF will provide an outlet for the nation’s surplus of football players.
“There is a significant amount of football talent looking to begin or extend their professional careers,” Polian, a co-founder of the AAF, said in a news release. “The Alliance will provide those players with a new opportunity to compete at a high level.”
The new league will introduce some rule changes to distinguish itself from the NFL.
In particular, kickoffs will be eliminated entirely, with offensive teams lining up on the 25 yard line to begin drives. Onside kicks will also be removed from play, with instead trailing teams receiving the ball on their own 35 and face a fourth and 10. The extra point has also been removed as teams will be required to attempt two point conversions after every touchdown.
In all, the AAF will play a 10 game schedule, followed by a four team playoff. It already boasts a national television deal, with its season opener to be broadcast on CBS, with one regular season game to appear each week on CBS Sports Network.