Arizona Hotshots:

Stadium: 

Sun Devil Stadium: 53,599 enrollment. Sun Devil Stadium is located in Tempe, Arizona directly on the main campus of Arizona State University. The stadium is named after the University mascot where they play their homes games. Sun Devil Stadium is currently undergoing a $304 million renovation that is scheduled to be completed after the season in June 2019.

General Manager: 

Phil Savage: In May 2012, Savage began a six-year stint as the executive director of the Senior Bowl where he served until May 2018. Savage also played and coached in college, coached in the NFL, ran the Cleveland Browns as senior VP and GM from 2005-08, and also worked in the front offices of the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles.

“Phil’s experience as an NFL coach, scout, player personnel executive and general manager is exactly what is needed to build a championship-caliber team from scratch,” –J.K. McKay, The Alliance’s Head of Football Operations.

Head Coach: 

Rick Neuheisel: Neuheisel is familiar with start-up leagues as he was a former pro QB with the San Antonio Gunslingers of the USFL in 1984 and ’85, and had some NFL time in 1987 with the San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He began coaching in college football at Colorado (1995-98), won a Rose Bowl as head coach of Washington (1999-2002), and most recently coached UCLA (2008-11). He also spent time as the QB coach and Off. Coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Since he last coached UCLA in 11′  he spent his time working as a college football analyst for CBS and SiriusXM Radio.

Neuheisel is ready to demonstrate his passionate spirit full of energy, alongside the rest of his staff toward leading a young group of men towards achieving their goals.

“I’m really, really proud to represent my hometown here “This is homegrown stuff, and I think that’s the idea behind this. … “We’re thrilled. Looking forward to the challenge,” -HC Rich Neuheisel on representing his hometown.

His standard and motto he’s set for his team is simply; “work hard and have fun”, which seems to be the best strategy in any case towards motivating others while still working hard.

Neuheisel’s main objective for his staff is figuring out how to get these players closer and ultimately ready to achieve their dreams of playing in the NFL.

“If we can do that and leave our egos at the door and give those guys the best possible chance to exhibit what they have, then we can have fun and enjoy this immensely. And that’s what I want it to be,” -Hotshots HC Rick Neuheisel.

Offense:

Offensive Coordinator:

Hugh Freeze: Freeze bring 17 years of head coaching experience; most notably Freeze as the head coach for the University of Mississippi (2012-16). In five seasons at Ole Miss he guiding the Rebels to a 39-25 record during his time, including an appearance in a major bowl for the first time in 45 years.

Quarterbacks:

“If we had been able to just go shopping for quarterbacks with no draft, we got the guys that we would’ve taken on our own choosing,” -GM Phil Savage.

Trevor Knight: Trevor continued to chase his dream after college when he signed on as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals after the 2017 NFL draft, then later went on to join the Atlanta Falcons practice squad.

Originally, Trevor was set to return home when he decided to join The Alliance because he was allocated to the San Antonio Commanders, but when he wasn’t protected in The Alliance Quarterback Draft, the Arizona Hotshots selected him in the first round.

The Hotshots really were looking for an athletic quarterback who could fit into how they believe The Alliance will unfold, especially with the usage of only two point conversion attempts.

“He’s a great fit for us given that he’s able to make all the throws, and he has the athleticism,” -Savage on Hotshots QB Trevor Knight’s fit.

“I’m a guy that has a lot of energy and I wear that on my sleeve, I have a leadership style that’s outgoing.” -Hotshots QB Trevor Knight on his leadership.

The 6 foot 1 Knight redshirted his freshman year at Oklahoma University before going on to have an awesome start to his career of 3,424 yards and 25 touchdowns, where even pop-singer Katy Perry was shouting him out on ESPN College Game Day. He memorably posted a 348-yard, four touchdown performance at the 2013 Sugar Bowl to defeat Alabama and win MVP Honors. During his final season of eligibility, he opted to transfer to Texas A&M, where he led the Aggies to an 8-5 record.

Following his collegiate career, he attended the 2017 NFL Combine where he had the best vertical jump, broad jump, and 40-yard dash time (4.54) out of all quarterbacks. He then signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals but was released prior to the start of the season.

His recently stops on the Cardinals and Falcons practice squad gave him the opportunity to learn from players like Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer both on and off the field.

“When you take the intangibles and the natural ability and combine it with the coaching that he’s going to get from Rick, we think we can maximize the untapped potential that has always been there but hasn’t quite come to the surface yet,” -GM Phil Savage on Trevor Knight’s ability. 

John Wolford: There’s might be no apparent quarterback controversy, but if nothing else Wolford could ultimately be the guy someone like Neuheisel would like to trust running the offense. Wolford has caught the coaches attention due to his ability to extend to play as an athletic quarterback.

“The way football is going, you need guys that can create because sometimes the windows are small and you’ve gotta roll out and make a play,” -Hotshots QB John Wolford on ability to extend plays.

Wolford spent time this past offseason with the New York Jets, and says learning from a a veteran QB like Josh McCown was extremely beneficial towards his growth.

“You pick up on why guys are able to make things work, what makes them successful, and you try to bring that with you as you go,” –Wolford on learning from Josh McCown.

“He’s tough. He’s got a quick arm, quick feet, he’s a quick processor and just sees things well. Our hope was that we would be in position to get him, and ultimately, he was still there in the second round, so we were really excited that John was available to you.” -GM Phil Savage on QB John Wolford.

Jack Heneghan: Heneghan is an 6’4″ 230 lbs. undrafted rookie out of Dartmouth. He spent time with the San Francisco 49ers this past preseason.

“He knows everything inside-and-out, and he’s worked as hard as anyone in learning the offense. He’s a talented guy who deserved the opportunity based on his ability also the way he handled himself,” -San Francisco 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan.

Running Backs:

Tim Cook: The Hotshots would be wise to utilize former Jacksonville Jaguars RB’s powerful running style. Cook is listed at 6’1″ 233 lbs at spent time with the Jaguars but mostly on the practice squad due to Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon.

Now, at 24-years-old Cook is looking for another opportunity, but he is no stranger to facing adversity. His freshman year he played at a community college and was was shot in the leg while trying to intervene after a teammate was robbed. He returned to football four months after getting shot, transferred to another community college, where he ended up at Oregon State. After playing his Junior year, he was tore his pectoral muscle tear on the bench press ending his college career, which caused him to go undrafted.

Justin Stockton: Justin Stockton speed and ability to catch balls out of the backfield to the offense is extremely valuable. Stockton has all the tools to be a dangerous weapon for the Hotshots, and very possibly the NFL. Stockton played collegiately for Arizona Cardinals new head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s pass-heavy offense at Texas Tech.

Stockton’s athleticism is eye-opening and his numbers at his Pro Day a year ago illustrated that. At 5’10” 205 lbs, Stockton posted a 4.45 40-time, and his pro-day workout compares very alike Patriots RB Rex Burkhead when he came out of Nebraska at 5’10” 215 lbs. Stockton had 19 Bench Press Reps, 6.88 3-Cone Drill, 4.13 20-yard shuttle; comparing with Burkhead’s 23 Bench Reps, 6.85, 4.09 20-YD Shuttle. Stockton was very productive in the passing game catching 82 passes over the course of his college career.

“A guy obviously with great running instincts. Got the vision, got the low pads, the ability to be a break-tackles type of runner. That goes without saying. But then also a receiver, a guy that understands pass protection. It’s a multi-faceted job,” -HC Rick Neuheisel on Justin Stockton’s ability.

Jhurell Pressley: Pressley would be considered as the veteran of their RB group at age 26. After going undrafted from the University of New Mexico in the 2016 NFL Draft, Pressley signed with Vikings, and was later released in their final cuts. The same story happened as well the following two seasons where Pressley was released in final cuts.

Larry Rose: Rose was highly affective throughout his four years at New Mexico State, rushing for a total of 4558 career yards. Rose was with the Rams for June workouts and a few days of training camp last August before his release in September. Rose is only 23-years-old and should benefit from game reps fro the Hotshots.

Wide Receivers:

“We have put together a group of wide receivers with lots of variety. We have some with size, others with speed, some who can play on the perimeter, still others who should excel in the slot. “In putting our offense together, we think that the red zone and the two-point conversion tries will be critical to our success, so our emphasis has been on mismatch candidates due to size and separation quickness in a confined area,” –GM Phil Savage on the variety of the Hotshots receivers.

Freddie Martino: Martino, who caught a touchdown pass and had 238 receiving yards for 13 receptions for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers between 2016 and 2017. The 27-year old arrived in a roster move after camp began, but is looking forward to having fun with his teammates and regaining his confidence.

“For me, just kind of get the ‘I might get cut’ out of my head and just think about being consistent and making plays every day. “Might not catch a long bomb every play or every practice, but just come out here and catch the little passes just to get the quarterbacks’ confidence so they can come to me whenever I’m open,” –Alliance WR Freddie Martino on gaining confidence.

Josh Huff: Huff was selected in the third round by his former college head coach Chip Kelly, who at the time was the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was let go by the Eagles in 2016, after an arrest involving possession of a firearm. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him the following season, and the New Orleans Saints cut him right before this regular season. Huff now will look to continue to stay out of trouble and showcase his skills this season for the Hotshots.

Marquis Bundy: A big target at 6-5, 220 pounds, Bundy should be an excellent red-zone and two-point conversion target. Bundy started his NFL career with the Cardinals in 2016 and was active for one game with the New York Giants last season. He’s a Phoenix area native where he played in college at New Mexico, where he was a mismatch for defenses with shorter cornerbacks.

Rashad Ross: Ross is no stranger to trying to prove he can earn an NFL roster spot, as he is the one receiver of the group with the most NFL experience. The 29-year old receiver has been apart of 9 NFL organizations despite only receiving nine passes in his entire career. Ross most recently he was in Cardinals training camp but was an early cut. Now he will finally have the chance to show NFL teams he’s capable of being more than just a practice squad type of player.

Richard Mullaney: Mullaney is 25-years old receiver who played collegiate ball at Oregon State, then transferred to the University of Alabama. Despite graduating in 2016, Mullaney is seeking his first opportunity to catch passes in an actual regular season professional football game.

Tight Ends:

Thomas Duarte: Duarte played collegiate ball at UCLA and decided to forego his final season of eligibility to declare for the 2016 NFL Draft. He was selected later in the 7th round by the Miami Dolphins, despite having the best 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, 3 cone drill and 20-yard shuttle of any tight end at the Combine. He has never received any real significant opportunities in Miami, spending most of his time mainly on their practice squad.

Gerald Christian: The Arizona Cardinals selected Gerald Christian with the last draft pick selection of the 2015 NFL Draft, coining him as “Mr. Irrelevant”. He was unable to prove himself in his rookie season due to a Torn MCL forcing him to be placed on injured reserve. After being cut the following year by Arizona, he signed with the Buffalo Bills, had one catch, then was cut following the season. He later resigned with the Cardinals in 2017 then was cut again, which was Christian’s last appearance in the NFL.

Connor Hamlett: Hamlett a former Oregon State tight end played in 47 games with 29 starts in college, recording career totals of 104 receptions for 1,109 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was the fifth Oregon State tight end to record at least 1,000 career receiving yards, also finished third most receptions and fifth most receiving yards in school history for a tight end. Hamlett was last released by the Dallas Cowboys in August, 2017.

Bryce Williams: The 6’6″ former East Carolina University tight end has been apart of five different NFL organizations’ practice squads. Williams signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2016, and was last released by the Arizona Cardinals this past preseason. Williams is a huge body tight end who can demonstrate some matchup problems against smaller linebackers.

Offensive Linemen:

Tackles:

Andrew Lauderdale: Lauderdale is a 25-year old offensive tackle listed at 6 foot 6. Lauderdale has spent the past two seasons in the San Francisco 49ers organization. He most recently signed with the Buffalo Bills practice squad in December, so he definitely should garner even more NFL interest with a strong performance this season for the Hotshots.

Pierce Burton: The 6-6, 300-pound offensive lineman played for three CFL teams. In 2017, he tore his patellar tendon in his left knee when he was on the Ottawa Redhawks, ending his season before it ever began. Burton also previously played on five NFL teams; Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons.

Brant Weiss: 6’6″ 290 lbs. played at Toledo where he was a First-Team All-MAC performer in 2017. Weiss spent time with the Arizona Cardinals this past offseason where he signed as undrafted rookie free agent after the draft.

Guards:

Josh Allen: Allen is a 27-year old guard whose been apart of 6 NFL organizations including the Arizona Cardinals this past preseason.

Malcolm Bunche: Bunche is another 27-year old guard looking for an opportunity to play. Bunche was most recently released by the New York Giants right before this past regular season.

Alex Thompson: Thompson recently signed with Hotshots after signing with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted rookie free agent. Thompson was placed on the ‘Non Football Injury Reserve List’ before the preseason. In 2017, he was a Third-Team FCS All-American where he played at Monmouth University in New Jersey.

Centers:

Patrick Lewis: Lewis played collegiate football at Texas A&M where he went undrafted after the 2013 NFL Draft. Lewis has spent time on 5 different NFL organizations, playing in 16 NFL games, and starting in 13. Lewis was last released by the Buffalo Bills in July, 2017.

Jacob Ohnesorge: The 6 foot 3 center undrafted rookie had a tremendous college career for the FCS-powerhouse South Dakota State. Ohnesorge was a 1st-Team FCS All-American in 2017. 2x 1st Team All-Conference (16′ & 17′), and participated in the East-West Shrine Game.

Defense:

Defensive Coordinator:

Nick Aliotti: After 36 seasons of coaching in college and the NFL, joined the group of football analysts with the Pac-12 Networks in 2014. He worked with Neuheisel there before Neuheisel went to CBS for a more featured role.

Defensive Linemen:

Defensive Ends:

Bunmi Rotimi: Rotimi is easily the most intriguing prospect of the entire Hotshots defense. He is a 6’4″ 275 lbs defensive end that went undrafted last year out of Old Dominion. His 35″ arm length and 82″ wingspan is absurd, and he dominated in college; racking up 19 career sacks.

Rykeem Yates: Yates is a 6’2″ 280 lbs. defensive end who played collegiate ball at the University of Nevada. At Nevada he played in 45 career games at Nevada with 120 tackles, 23.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, seven passes defended and three takeaways. Yates has yet to play for an NFL team, and has only seen time professionally in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos.

Defensive Tackles:

Will Sutton: Sutton was a star at Sun Devil stadium playing for Arizona State where he earned the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-American in 2012. Sutton was selected in the third round in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

He was cut by Chicago in 2017, then signed and cut by the Minnesota Vikings, and last was released by the San Fransisco 49ers before the 2018 regular season. Sutton will have a chance to be a leader of the defense, and hopefully rejuvenates his professional career at a place where he once starred at.

Marcus Hardison: Hardison is another former Arizona State defensive linemen looking for a new opportunity. Hardison was a former 4th round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft selected by the Cincinnati Bengals. Hardison played in the preseason for the Houston Texans and was cut, picked up by the Los Angeles Chargers, and then cut again.

Hardison is very optimistic of the Hotshots roster, and feels good about the team.

“It feels good. Now we have a complete team. “Coaches think these are the guys that are going to fit the mold to come in and win a championship.” -Hotshots DT Marcus Hardison on defense.

Trenton Thompson: Regarded as one of the top high school recruits in the country, Thompson was named USA Today’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2014. After foregoing his final year of collegiate eligibility at the University of Georgia, he decided to turn pro and enter the 2018 NFL Draft.

Thompson’s decision ultimately did not pan out in his favor whatsoever as he went undrafted, and then was released by the Cleveland Browns before the season. Thompson will look for his chance to show NFL teams he is still the same player that every college was drooling over to sign in high school.

Chunky Clements: Clements played at the University of Illinois where he signed with the Houston Texans after going undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft. Clements bounced around on the practice squad and active roster for Houston, and then signed with the Los Angeles Rams in March. Clements was let go by the Rams right before the season in August, and now is seeking a chance to prove NFL teams he’s capable of making it in the league.

Siupeli Anau: Anau is familiar with the area as he was a former defensive linemen at Northern Arizona. Prior to Northern Arizona, he attended Scottsdale Community College, where he was awarded the Defensive MVP. At 25-years-old Anau will look to make an impact this season for the Hotshots.

Linebackers:

Outside Linebackers:

Obum Gwacham: Gwacham was a 6th round pick in 2015 NFL Draft selected by the Seattle Seahawks, where he was later released a few months following the draft in August. The New York Jets signed Gwacham off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad in 2017, where he was last released by the Jets prior to the 2018 regular season.

Edmond Robinson: Robinson was also selected in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Robinson played his collegiate ball at Newberry, and was the first player from Newberry since 1974 to be selected in the draft. Robinson saw some playing time in Minnesota, but was released in 2017 before final cuts, and has not played in a regular season game since.

Da’Sean Downey: Downey is an undrafted from the University of Massacheutss. Downey had an incredible career in college. He recorded 187 career tackles, to go along with 34 TFL, which 20 of them came just in his senior season in 2017.

Kaelin Burnett: On September 1, 2012, he was signed to the practice squad.^[1] On November 24, 2012, he was signed from the practice squad to the active roster. Burnett signed with the Arizona Cardinals practice squad on October 14, 2014. Burnett was signed to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ practice roster on October 25, 2016. He was promoted to the active roster on November 4, 2016. On May 24, 2017, Burnett signed with the Spokane Empire. He participated in The Spring League Showcase game in July 2017. On December 28, 2017, Burnett signed with the Massachusetts Pirates.

Sione Teuhema: Teuhema is linebacker with a ton of size on him listing at 6’4″ 260 lbs. He began his career at LSU, before transferring to a smaller college at SE Louisiana. Teuhema ran an impressive 40-time of 4.78 at his pro day.

Inside Linebackers:

Carl Bradford: 2nd team all Pac-12 at Arizona State. Bradford was selected in the fourth round (121st overall) by the Green Bay Packers in the 2014 NFL Draft. For the second straight season, Bradford was released by the Packers during final roster cuts. Bradford later spent time with the 49ers, Bills, Bears, and last waived by the Bengals in April. 5 NFL career tackles.

Scooby Wright: Wright, a former seventh-round NFL draft pick who starred at the University of Arizona. He spent time in 2016 and 2017 with the Arizona Cardinals. Wright was the heart of the defense at Arizona, in 2014 he had 163 tackles which won him the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player, and that same year was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Wright is excited to showcase his ability that recognized him as a “tackling machine” for the Hotshots.

“This is probably the most fun I’ve had in football in a very long time,” Wright said. “I’m very excited and happy about the opportunity to show my skills with my teammates on the field,” -Hotshots ILB Scooby Wright on enjoying his time here.

Steven Johnson: Walk-on at the University of Kansas and finished his four year career with 225 tackles, three sacks, six pass deflections, two forced fumbles and an interception. He did not hear his name called in the 2012 NFL Draft, and signed with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent. He and played three seasons with the Broncos, starting in seven games, then was released in 2015.

Johnson last played in 2017 with the Baltimore Ravens following stints with the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers. Johnson is ready to showcase his ability with the Hotshots, and appears to be making an impact.

“He’s been a cornerstone defender for us. He was fantastic.” -Hotshots HC Rick Neuheisel speaking of Steven Johnson’s play during camp.

Steve Beauharnais: The former four-year starter and captain at Rutgers University was selected by the New England Patriots in the 7th Round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Beauharnais signed a four-year, $2.2 million contract in 2013 with New England, but was used only on special teams. Beaharnais appears to just be ready to make an impact again, as he has not been on an NFL team since the Washington Redskins released him in August, 2015.

Nyles Morgan: Morgan went undrafted last year despite having a monster productive career at Notre Dame finishing with 243 career tackles. Morgan is a very long arm linebacker with 33″ arms, and 80″ wingspan, and ran a 4.76 40-time.

Defensive Backs:

Cornerbacks:

Dexter McDougle: McDougle was selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New York Jets, but tore his ACL in his rookie season. In 2017 he was traded by the Philadelphia Eagles before the season to the New Orleans Saints for Ron Brooks. He spent about a month this past regular season again with the Eagles, but was released in November.

Sterling Moore: Went undrafted in 2011 out of SMU and was picked up by the New England Patriots during the season. Moore’s biggest play of his career came during his rookie season in the AFC Championship against the Baltimore Ravens when he hit Lee Evans arm preventing a potential touchdown resulting in a victory. He then spent time playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New Orleans saints combining 186 tackles and 6 interception in his NFL career.

Robert Nelson: Nelson was last released by the New Orleans Saints before the start of the regular season. Nelson is currently working on recovering from an injury, but he is optimistic on the league and future despite that he’s about to turn 29.

“It’s my job to take these guys under my wing,” he said. “You’ve got to lock down for the next three months. There’s no partying, no playing. It’s serious. This league is designed for us to get back into (the NFL). So if you don’t know how to be a pro now, you’re not getting back into the league, period,” –Hotshots CB Robert Nelson on the serious implications of the league.

Shaquille Richardson: Richardson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Shaquille Richardson’s cousin is wide receiver Paul Richardson, who currently plays for the Washington Redskins. He was let go by the Steelers and then spent time with five different NFL organizations practice squads, including the Raiders where he was last released on August 23, 2018.

SaQwan Edwards: The 6’1″, 200 lbs Edwards’ had a productive career at the University of New Mexico on the field, making the switch from WR to CB during his junior season. He finished his Lobos career with 65 tackles and 3 interceptions while on the defensive side of the ball. Edwards went undrafted in 2015, but signed with Oakland Raiders where he earned a spot on their practice squad. At just 25 years old, Edwards’ displayed ideal size and length for the CB position, and has great hands due to his WR days.

Erick Dargan: Dargan played most recently in 2017 for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL where he finished with 33 tackles. He is 26-years-old and played collegiately for the Oregon Ducks..

Safeties:

Rahim Moore: Moore’s story is a bit more unique compared to his teammates surrounding him on the Hotshots roster. Rahim Moore’s career has pretty much been a  roller coaster ride. Moore was drafted in the second round by the Denver Broncos, and saw significant playing time in each of his first two seasons in Denver.

In 2013, Moore suffered a near life-threatening leg injury which was diagnosed as “compartment syndrome”, which is pressure building in the limbs. Despite not playing in a regular season down since 2015, Moore definitely is ready for his second chance.

“The guy that was in the NFL, I don’t even know him anymore. This is Rahim Moore Sr. This is the guy that’s going to do whatever it takes to be a better football player and to provide for my family”, -Hotshots S Rahim Moore on seconds chance.

Randall Goforth: Gorforth was a 2nd Team All-Pac-12 performer at UCLA in 2015, where his career totaled 250 tackles and 10 interceptions. The Philadelphia Eagles signed Goforth as an undrafted free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft, but unfortunately he tore his ACL and was placed on IR the season the Eagles win the Super Bowl. He was eventually waived by the Eagles this past July, and now will look for his first shot to stay healthy in Arizona.

Kieron Williams: Williams is a 6’1″ 195 lbs. safety that was undrafted last year from the University of Nebraska. Williams only played 15 games in college, and will look to develop and learn behind some veterans.

Special Teams:

Kicker:

Nick Folk: Played 154 games over 11 seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, made his practice debut with the Hotshots on Saturday. Folk was one of several kickers the Chicago Bears worked out recently before they signed someone else. He got a few hours’ sleep, took a physical and was on the field with a set of pads the next day.

“We were elated that he was interested in coming to be with us,” Neuheisel said of Folk. “He had an opportunity with the Bears … obviously we wanted to take a look at him,” -Hotshots HC Rikc Neuheisel on signing Nick Folk.

Punter:

Jeff Locke: Locke was a 2013 fifth round draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings, where he spent four seasons with the Vikings before a year’s stint in the Detroit. He spent time with the San Francisco 49ers in training camp in 2018, but was released in the roster cutdown to 53 players. When the opportunities in the NFL grew slim, he decided to take the Hotshots up on the offer to play in Arizona.

“I just love that there’s another opportunity for the guys that don’t make the NFL, because there really hasn’t been, especially if you come out of college and don’t make it that first year, there really hasn’t been a way to develop and try to get back in,” Locke said.  “From what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to be a competitive experience on its own,” -Hotshots Punter Jeff Locke on new opportunity.

Check out the Hotshots in action this Sunday Feburary 9th, when they take on the Salt Lake City Stallions in their first game!