The Jacksonville Sharks are a professional indoor football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, playing their home games at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. As of 2024, they are members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). They were members of the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2010 to 2016 and won the championship of their division in the first four seasons of their existence. The Sharks joined the AFL for the 2010 season, following the league's complete reorganization the previous year. In their inaugural season, they set the league record for most regular season wins by an expansion team, winning twelve of their sixteen games, and ranked third in the league in ticket sales and average attendance. They advanced to the 2010 AFL playoffs, claiming the South Division title. In their second year in the league, they advanced to the ArenaBowl XXIV, defeating the

Arizona Rattlers The Arizona Rattlers are a professional indoor American football team based 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 ...

73–70, for the first AFL Championship in franchise history. The Sharks left the AFL after the 2016 season and became charter members of the National Arena League (NAL). They left the NAL after the 2023 season.

History

Arena Football League (2010–2016)

The Arena Football League originally wanted to place a franchise in Jacksonville in the 1990s, citing the city's historical support for football. The proposal drew the attention of Wayne Weaver, then owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but the league decided that the Jacksonville Coliseum was too small for AFL standards. In 2000, the

Jacksonville Tomcats The Jacksonville Tomcats were an arena football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They were an inaugural franchise in af2, the developmental league of the Arena Football League (AFL), and played for three seasons, from 2000 to 2002. They p ...

began play in the af2, the AFL's developmental league. The AFL and Tomcats ownership anticipated the completion of the new 15,000-seat Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, but the Tomcats folded after the 2002 season, before construction of the Arena was completed. Interest in placing an arena football team in Jacksonville remained. In 2010, following the restructuring of the AFL and the cancellation of the 2009 season, the AFL announced it would place an expansion team in Jacksonville. The ownership group would be Jacksonville Sports Group, led by Jeff Bouchy, formerly part owner of the Orlando Predators AFL team under his brother Brett Bouchy. On May 3, 2014, it was officially announced that former

Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...

front man

Vince Neil Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961), best known by the stage name Vince Neil, is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, which he fronted from their 1981 forma ...

purchased a minority stake in the team.

National Arena League (2017–2023)

On October 12, 2016, the Sharks announced that they were leaving the AFL for a rival league beginning with the 2017 season. The Sharks were rejected from their first choice of league, the Indoor Football League (which itself is the home of several former AFL franchises), as the IFL was focused on a regional footprint that did not include Florida. On November 18, 2016, Sharks owner Jeff Bouchy announced the team has joined the newly formed National Arena League (NAL). He also announced the hiring for former Toronto Phantoms head coach Mark Stoute as their second head coach in franchise history, replacing interim head coach Bob Landsee. After going undefeated through eight games, Stoute was fired. Siaha Burley was immediately hired as his replacement after serving as the offensive coordinator of the AFL's Cleveland Gladiators. The Sharks nearly went undefeated throughout their inaugural NAL season before losing their home finale against the Monterrey Steel 44–37. They avenged the loss by beating the Steel one week later in the playoff semifinal 43–32 to advance to the championship game. The Sharks won the inaugural NAL championship game 27–21 over the Columbus Lions. In 2018, the Jacksonville Sharks went 10–7 under returning head coach Burley. The Sharks advanced to the National Arena League playoffs, but lost on the road to the Carolina Cobras 73–48. The Cobras won the 2018 championship over the Columbus Lions. Following the season, operating manager and majority owner Jeff Bouchy resigned and sold his interest in the team to the other owners on March 11, 2019. The Sharks added another minority owner in Nick Furris on April 26, 2019. The Sharks finished the 2019 season with a 13–1 record and won the league championship. After the 2019 season, the Sharks did not come to terms with head coach Burley on a contract extension and replaced him with former Maine Mammoths head coach James Fuller. The 2020 season was then cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the league returned in the delayed and shortened 2021 season, Fuller led the team to a 2–6 record and the Sharks missed the playoffs for the first time since joining the NAL. Burley was re-hired as head coach for the 2022 season. The Sharks won the league championship in the

2023 season 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

Indoor Football League (in 2024)

On August 22, 2023, the Sharks announced they were joining the Indoor Football League (IFL) beginning with the 2024 season.

Arena

Since 2010, the Sharks' home arena has been VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, a $130 million facility.

Notable players

Current roster

Individual awards

All-Arena players

The following Sharks players have been named to All-Arena Teams: *QB Aaron Garcia (1) *FB Derrick Ross (1) *WR

Jeron Harvey Jeron E. Harvey (born June 25, 1984) is an arena football wide receiver who is a free agent. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Houston Cougars football, Houston. Harvey ha ...

(1), Tiger Jones (1), Joe Hills (2) *OL

Randy Degg Randy Degg (born September 28, 1984) is a former American football player. He played as a Center (American football), center for Northwood University. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Fort Wayne Fusion in 2007. College career He ...

(1),

Moqut Ruffins Moqut Ruffins (April 6, 1984 – August 16, 2022) was an American football offensive lineman. He played college football at Louisiana Tech University. He has also been a member of the Lakeland Thunderbolts, Laredo Lobos, Lubbock Renegades, Bossier ...

(1), Cornelius Lewis (1) *DL Derrick Summers (1),

Scooter Berry Richard "Scooter" Berry (born June 28, 1986) is a professional football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He played college football for the West Virginia Mountaineers. He was originally signed by the Houston Texans of the National Fo ...

(1), Jerry Turner (1), Joe Sykes (1) *LB

Aaron Robbins Aaron Robbins (born July 16, 1983) is a former American football linebacker. He played as a tight end and defensive end for the University of Wyoming. In 2007, Robbins signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent. Early life ...

(2),

Alvin Ray Jackson Alvin Ray Jackson (born September 27, 1980) is an American football/arena football linebacker who is currently a free agent. Early life Born the son of Alvin and Sherry Jackson, Alvin prepped at North Panola High School in Sardis, Mississippi ...

(1), Dexter Jackson (1) *DB

Micheaux Robinson Micheaux Robinson (born April 3, 1983) is an arena football defensive back who is currently a free agent. He attended training camp with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Otterbein College. In ...

(2),

Terrance Smith Terrance Smith (born February 9, 1987) is an American football defensive back / wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He played college football at South Carolina State. Smith was signed by the Jacksonville Sharks as an undrafted free a ...

(1), Greg Reid (2)

All-Ironman players

The following Sharks players have been named to All-Ironman Teams: *WR/KR

Jeff Hughley Jeffrey Hughley (born March 3, 1985) is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tulsa Talons in 2010. He finished the season with over 1,000 and 28 touchdowns as a receiv ...

(1) *WR/DB

(1)

All-NAL players

The following Sharks players have been named to All-NAL Teams: *RB Derrick Ross (1) *WR

Moe Williams Maurece Jabari Williams (born July 26, 1974) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens. He attended the University of Kentucky. High sc ...

(1) *OT Cornelius Lewis (1),

(1) *C

A. J. Harmon A. J. Harmon (born January 5, 1989) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Columbus Lions of the National Arena League (NAL). Harmon also played in the National Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seatt ...

(1) *DL Jeremiah Price (1), Daylou Pierson (1) *LB Charles Hunt (1) *DB Erick McIntosh (1),

Marvin Ross Marvin Ross (born 5 May 1990) is an American football defensive back for the Jacksonville Sharks of the National Arena League (NAL). Ross started out with the Lions from 2013 to 2015 as part of the Professional Indoor Football League. As an Arena ...

(1),

(1) *K Nick Belcher (1),

Notable coaches

Head coaches

''Note: Statistics are correct through the 2022 National Arena League season.''

Staff

Season-by-season results

References

External links

Jacksonville Sharks official website
{{Florida Sports National Arena League teams American football teams in Florida American football teams in Jacksonville, Florida 2010 establishments in Florida American football teams established in 2010