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The Chicago Rush were a professional arena football team based in
Rosemont, Illinois Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Located immediately northwest of Chicago, as of the 2010 census it had a population of 4,202. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that. Whi ...
. The team played at the
Allstate Arena Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and Interstate 90, adjacent to the city limits of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened i ...
from 2001 to 2013. They were a member of the Central Division of the National Conference of the
Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...
(AFL). Founded in 2001, the team qualified for the playoffs 11 out of 12 seasons and won one AFL championship, ArenaBowl XX in 2006. During their history, the Rush won five divisional titles and competed in the AFL Conference Championship six times, including four consecutive appearances from 2004 to 2007. They also had the largest market in the AFL. After the 2013 season, the Rush announced that their operations were suspended and are currently not part of the Arena Football League. The team's roster was liquidated in a dispersal draft.AFL Issues Statement on Rush, Blaze
Chicago Rush Media Relations, ArenaRush.com, September 9, 2013


History


Founding

The Rush made its AFL debut in 2001. The team played its home games at the
Allstate Arena Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and Interstate 90, adjacent to the city limits of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened i ...
(formerly known as the Rosemont Horizon), the same venue previously used by the
Chicago Bruisers The Chicago Bruisers were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They were founded in 1987 as a charter member of the Arena Football League (AFL). They played their home games at Rosemont Horizon. History Founding (1987) ...
, one of the four original Arena Football League teams.


2001–2005

The Rush have made the playoffs every year in the franchise's short history, and so far, they have made one ArenaBowl appearance. Mike Hohensee was the franchise's first coach, and he remained the Rush's only coach until becoming the head coach of the Philadelphia Soul in 2011. One year after, Hohensee left the Soul to coach the Iowa Barnstormers. In their inaugural year (2001), the Rush finished the regular season 7–7 and won their very first playoff game, beating the
Orlando Predators The Orlando Predators were a professional arena football team based in Orlando, Florida and member of the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was most recently owned by Orlando Predators LLC, a company owned by David A. Siegel, and played its ...
41–26, but lost to the eventual ArenaBowl XV champion
Grand Rapids Rampage The Grand Rapids Rampage was an arena football team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The team began play in 1998 in the Arena Football League as an expansion team. They were last coached by Steve Thonn. Their home arena was the Van Andel Arena. ...
53–21. The team featured young players that would become Rush fixtures and fan favorites in the years to come, such as quarterback
Billy Dicken Billy Charles Dicken (born December 28, 1974) is a former arena football quarterback who is currently the defensive quality coach for the NC State Football team. Dicken played in the Arena Football League from 2001 to 2006 for the Chicago Rush, ...
,
Joe Douglass Joe Douglass (born January 21, 1974) is a former American football wide receiver/linebacker. He most recently played for the Las Vegas Gladiators in the Arena Football League. High school career At South Salem High School, Douglass rushed for 2 ...
, Damien Porter and Jamie McGourty, and Riley Kleinhesselink, Cedric Walker, and Anthony Ladd. In 2002, the Rush won the Central division with a 9–5 record and received a bye in the playoffs. Dicken returned at quarterback and Chicago added
Antonio Chatman Antonio Tavaras Chatman (born February 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Cincinnati. Chatman also ...
who was named to the All-Rookie team as the team's main wide receiver and return man. Chicago added defensive linemen
John Moyer John Moyer (born November 30, 1973) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Disturbed. Taking over in 2004 after Steve "Fuzz" Kmak was fired, Moyer has played bass guitar with the group s ...
and
James Baron James Baron (born June 8, 1973) is a former arena football defensive lineman in the Arena Football League. He was the Arena Football League Players Association's (AFLPA) president as well. In his career, Baron has played for the Detroit Lions, ...
. They defeated the Dallas Desperados 60–47, but fell in the semifinals to 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 ...
46–35. In 2003, the AFL expanded from 14 games to 16. Dicken was the team's quarterback, but missed time after breaking his jaw in the middle of the season.
Antonio Chatman Antonio Tavaras Chatman (born February 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Cincinnati. Chatman also ...
broke Rush franchise records for All-Purpose and Return Yards. He caught 123 passes for 1,636 yards and 29 touchdowns. On special teams, he netted 2,062 return yards and got into the end zone seven times. Chicago also signed DeJuan Alfonzo early in the season from the Indiana Firebirds. Alfonzo would be with the team until 2010. Chicago also signed FB/LB Bob McMillen, who would play with the team until 2007 and became the Rush's head coach in 2011. After starting the season 0–3, the Rush finished 8–5 and got into the playoffs as a Wild Card Team. After the team's 0-3 start, Chicago squared off against the 3-0 Los Angeles Avengers, facing off against Tony Graziani and the league's top ranked offense. Dameon Porter sealed the win with a key interception at the goal line with one minute left to play. The victory turned around the Rush season. But to make the postseason, Chicago needed to defeat the Indiana Firebirds on the final day of the regular season, the Rush won 46–43, in overtime. For the first time in franchise history, Chicago did not win a playoff game, and fell in the Wild Card Game to the New York Dragons 48–45. After the season, Chatman went to the NFL, signing with the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
. In 2004, the Rush signed Raymond Philyaw as its franchise quarterback. Philyaw was known for his efficiently and record touchdown-interception ratio, a crucial stat in the AFL, where turnovers are key. In 2004, Philyaw threw just four interceptions. Chicago started the year 4–0, its best start in franchise history. The Rush won the Central division with an 11–5 record. They won their first-round game 59–49 over the
Orlando Predators The Orlando Predators were a professional arena football team based in Orlando, Florida and member of the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was most recently owned by Orlando Predators LLC, a company owned by David A. Siegel, and played its ...
, but they fell in the semifinals to the eventual ArenaBowl XVIII champion San Jose SaberCats 49–35. Chicago led early in the game, but Philyaw tore his ACL on a scramble, and the Rush could not overtime the injury. In 2005, they went to the AFL playoffs as the #3 seed in the American Conference. They won the conference semifinal over the Los Angeles Avengers 52–45, but ended up losing the American Conference Championship Game to the eventual
ArenaBowl XIX ArenaBowl XIX was the 2005 championship game of the Arena Football League (AFL), and was played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. The first neutral-site title game in AFL history drew 10,822 fans to see the Colorado Crush defeat th ...
Champion Colorado Crush in overtime, with a final score of 49–43. That game became known as the "Confetti Game", due to an arena employee firing a confetti cannon prematurely, when the game was extended due to a defensive penalty on the final play. After a ten-minute delay to clean the confetti, the Rush were able to tie the game on the untimed down, forcing the overtime period.


2006: ArenaBowl XX champions

In 2006, despite their first losing record of 7–9, the Rush got into the playoffs, receiving the #5 seed in the American Conference. In the off-season, signed former
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
finalist Michael Bishop and Matt D'Orazio to fight to be the team's starting quarterback, and D'Orazio got the game. During the regular season, Chicago started the year at 0–2, but during the season, the Rush picked up defensive back
Jeremy Unertl Jeremy Dale Unertl (born September 15, 1978) is a former gridiron football safety. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He had a 10-year professional career in multiple leagues. He played college football at ...
and offensive specialist
Bobby Sippio Robert Lee "Bobby" Sippio, Jr. (born December 4, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Peoria Pirates in 2002. He played college football at Western Kentucky. During Sippio's professional career, he played for t ...
. Both made huge impacts on their respective sides of the ball. With a 5–9 record, the Rush won its last two games of the regular season to get a playoff spot. In the playoffs, the Rush managed to pull off key upsets. In the Wild Card Round, the Rush defeated the fourth-seeded Nashville Kats 55–47. In the Divisional Round, Chicago managed to pull off a huge upset by taking down the defending champion Colorado Crush, 63–46. In the Conference Championship they upset the second-seeded San Jose SaberCats 59–56, giving the Rush their very first ArenaBowl appearance in franchise history. In ArenaBowl XX, the Rush defeated the
Orlando Predators The Orlando Predators were a professional arena football team based in Orlando, Florida and member of the Arena Football League (AFL). The team was most recently owned by Orlando Predators LLC, a company owned by David A. Siegel, and played its ...
, 69–61, to give Chicago their first Arena Bowl title. Quarterback Matt D'Orazio was Offensive Player of the Game, wide receiver/defensive back Dennison Robinson took Defensive Player of the Game honors, and fullback/linebacker Bob McMillen was named the Ironman of the Game. With the win, the Rush became the first team with a losing regular-season record to win a championship in any sport since the 1937–38
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
.


2007–2008

In 2007, the team won the American Conference Central Division with a record of 12–4. D'Orazio was the team's quarterback and Bobby Sippio, in his first full season with the Rush caught 125 passes for 1,742 yards and 53 passes. After the season, Sippio would sign with the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
. They defeated the L.A. Avengers on June 9, 2007 in the divisional finals. They then played the San Jose SaberCats for the conference final, yet they came up short losing 61–49. In 2008, the Rush made a free agency splash by signing AFL legends
Sherdrick Bonner Sherdrick Deon "Sed" Bonner (born October 19, 1968) is a former American football quarterback who played fifteen seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL). High school years Bonner attended Azusa High School in Azusa, California and was a stude ...
and
Damian Harrell Damian Deron Harrell (born September 1, 1975) is a former arena football wide receiver. He played college football at Florida State University. In his career, Harrell had also played for the New England Sea Wolves, Toronto Phantoms, and Colora ...
. The Rush opened its 2008 campaign against the defending
ArenaBowl XXI ArenaBowl XXI was the 2007 championship game of the Arena Football League and was played at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sunday, July 29, 2007. It was the third-ever neutral site title game in league's history and the first h ...
champion San Jose Sabercats. Chicago convincingly defeated the Sabercats 70–47 in front of 15,409 fans at the
Allstate Arena Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and Interstate 90, adjacent to the city limits of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened i ...
. Injuries allowed
Russ Michna Russell Walter Michna (born February 3, 1981) is a former arena football quarterback. A two-time league champion of the United Football League (UFL), he is the only player that has been signed to a team in every current major professional footb ...
to become the team's starter over Bonner. Harrell, Donovan Morgan, and Travis LaTendresse would all post 1,000-yard receiving seasons. En route to an 11–5 season, Chicago locked up the conference's top seed and home field advantage for the entire playoffs. It was the first time Chicago had home field advantage and the Rush had never lost a home playoff game, going 3–0. The
Grand Rapids Rampage The Grand Rapids Rampage was an arena football team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The team began play in 1998 in the Arena Football League as an expansion team. They were last coached by Steve Thonn. Their home arena was the Van Andel Arena. ...
drew Chicago in the divisional round. The Rampage finished the regular season 6–10 but stunned the Rush and 14,338 fans 58–41. The Rampage would lose a week later to the Sabercats at the HP Pavilion.


2009: Arena Football League restructuring

In 2009, the
Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...
suspended operations to refinance and restructure its business plan. After a one-year layoff, the AFL and Chicago Rush returned in 2010 with a single entity model.


The rebirth: 2010

On December 10, 2009, it was announced that the Rush would be returning for 2010 under new ownership as a member of Arena Football 1. The ownership obtained the rights to the name after a court auction granted the AF1 control of the AFL's assets. Two months later, the AF1 decided to adopt the former Arena Football League name. The 2010 Rush roster would feature many new faces. However, former Rush players
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Russ Michna Russell Walter Michna (born February 3, 1981) is a former arena football quarterback. A two-time league champion of the United Football League (UFL), he is the only player that has been signed to a team in every current major professional footb ...
, jack linebacker/wide receiver DeJuan Alfonzo, and linemen Joe Peters,
Robert Boss Robert L. Boss (born October 19, 1983) is a former American football coach and player. In 2006, he played for the af2's Green Bay Blizzard. Boss graduated from Northern Michigan University. High school years Boss attended Charlevoix High School ...
, and Beau Elliot rejoined the team. Also on the roster was wide receiver Samie Parker,
Thaddeus Coleman Thaddeus Coleman (born June 20, 1985) is an American professional Canadian football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Ariz ...
, and kicker
Chris Gould Chris Gould (born December 10, 1985) is a former American football placekicker. He currently serves as the assistant special teams coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, and is the brother of San Francisco 49ers placekicker Robbie Gould. Gould ha ...
. Chicago returned to the field on April 2, 2010 on the road against the
Iowa Barnstormers The Iowa Barnstormers are a professional indoor American football, indoor football team based in Des Moines, Iowa. They are currently members of the Indoor Football League (IFL). They play their home games at Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa) ...
. The game was broadcast on the NFL Network and Chicago won 61–43. The Rush began the season 4–0 and were in first place in the division at 10–4. However, the team lost its last two games, first to the 1–13 Dallas Vigilantes and then closed out the year on the road losing to the Spokane Shock. It cost the team a chance at the division title and forced the team to go on the road for the playoffs. The team ended the regular season at 10–6, and lost to the
Milwaukee Iron Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...
in the playoffs.


2011: Ten year anniversary

The Rush celebrated its 10th season in 2011. Bob McMillen replaced Mike Hohensee to become the team's second head coach in team history, and
Russ Michna Russell Walter Michna (born February 3, 1981) is a former arena football quarterback. A two-time league champion of the United Football League (UFL), he is the only player that has been signed to a team in every current major professional footb ...
returned at quarterback. Chicago finished the regular season with a 13–5 record and finished first in the Central Division. It was the most regular season wins in Rush history, breaking the 2007 team's 12-4 mark. Defensive back
Vic Hall Vicqual Renee "Vic" Hall (born September 24, 1986) is a former American football defensive back. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Virginia, where he played multiple position ...
broke AFL record for interceptions in a season with 15, doing it as a rookie. The Rush defense led the league in points allowed (46.3 per game) and broke league records for the most turnovers (56) and interceptions (42) in a season. Wide receiver
Reggie Gray Reggie Gray (born April 29, 1984) is an American football wide receiver and kickoff returner who is currently a free agent. High school Gray attended Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Illinois, where he was a team captain and led his team to ...
finished the year with the most catches (130) and receiving yards (1,969) in franchise history, and tied the Rush record with 53 total touchdowns.
Bobby Sippio Robert Lee "Bobby" Sippio, Jr. (born December 4, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Peoria Pirates in 2002. He played college football at Western Kentucky. During Sippio's professional career, he played for t ...
held the old records. Chicago defeated the Dallas Vigilantes at Allstate Arena in the first round of the playoffs, but the Rush season ended the following week, falling to 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 ...
in the National Conference Championship Game. Arizona advanced to
ArenaBowl XXIV ArenaBowl XXIV was the 24th edition of the championship in the Arena Football League (AFL). The American Conference champion, Jacksonville Sharks, defeated the National Conference champion, Arizona Rattlers, 73–70. It was played on August 12, 2 ...
, but lost to the Jacksonville Sharks in the championship. For the Rush, it marked the sixth time in franchise history the team had advanced to the AFL Conference Championships.


2012: AFL's Silver Anniversary

The 2012 season marked the AFL's 25th season and number 11 for the Rush. The ownership group, Chicago Gridiron LLC, declared bankruptcy before the season started and abandoned the team. The league stepped in and ran the Rush during the 2012 season. Chicago began the year with a 70–48 home victory against the Tampa Bay Storm on March 10 at Allstate Arena. In 2012, the Rush re-signed quarterback
Russ Michna Russell Walter Michna (born February 3, 1981) is a former arena football quarterback. A two-time league champion of the United Football League (UFL), he is the only player that has been signed to a team in every current major professional footb ...
, the franchises all-time leading passer, 2011 Second Team All-Arena WR
Reggie Gray Reggie Gray (born April 29, 1984) is an American football wide receiver and kickoff returner who is currently a free agent. High school Gray attended Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Illinois, where he was a team captain and led his team to ...
and 2011 AFL Defensive Player of the Year DB
Vic Hall Vicqual Renee "Vic" Hall (born September 24, 1986) is a former American football defensive back. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Virginia, where he played multiple position ...
, jack linebacker Kelvin Morris, and offensive lineman T.J. Watkins.


2013: New ownership and league takeover, twice each

On November 12, 2012, the Chicago Rush were purchased by a group, headed by Julee White of Testarossa Entertainment, but the purchase was terminated by the AFL three months later due to the ownership's failure to meet league obligations. On February 7, 2013, the Rush were purchased by Star Rush Football, LLC, an ownership led by private-equity firm manager David Staral Jr. Weeks later, they finalized a deal with Allstate Arena in Rosemont to play all but two home games. The other two home games (June 8 against the
Utah Blaze The Utah Blaze was a professional arena football team based in Salt Lake City, Utah and competed in the West Division (AFL), West Division of the Arena Football League. Home games were played at the EnergySolutions Arena. In 2013, the team did ...
and June 15 versus the San Antonio Talons) will be played at the
BMO Harris Bank Center The BMO Center (formerly known as BMO Harris Bank Center and Rockford MetroCentre) is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Rockford, Illinois. It is currently home to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs hockey team. The arena formerly served as th ...
in
Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, located in the far northern part of the state. Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (a small portion of the city is located in Ogle County). ...
, which hosted the first "test game" for the AFL in 1986. One week before the season opener, the new ownership group introduced the team's new logo and uniforms, which removed the gray from the logo and replaced it with red. In May 2013, David Staral Jr. bounced a check needed to secure Allstate Arena for two upcoming home games. Upon the news, the AFL took over control of the franchise. Staral later pleaded guilty to Federal bankruptcy and wire fraud charges for concealing that he was undergoing bankruptcy proceedings while in negotiations to buy the team. 2013 Playoffs: Rushed out of Spokane On August 1, 2013 the Rush traveled to
Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Canada ...
to play the 14-4 Spokane Shock in the first round of the AFL playoffs. They lost to Spokane, 69–47. Three costly turnovers in the fourth quarter sealed the deal. Spokane went on to win another playoff game. The league has announced that the Rush did not sign a two-year commitment form to play in 2014 or 2015, thus will sit out until further notice. The team's roster was liquidated in a dispersal draft.


Notable players


Retired uniform numbers


Arena Football Hall of Famers


All-Arena players

The following Rush players were named to All-Arena Teams: * WR
Reggie Gray Reggie Gray (born April 29, 1984) is an American football wide receiver and kickoff returner who is currently a free agent. High school Gray attended Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Illinois, where he was a team captain and led his team to ...
(3),
Damian Harrell Damian Deron Harrell (born September 1, 1975) is a former arena football wide receiver. He played college football at Florida State University. In his career, Harrell had also played for the New England Sea Wolves, Toronto Phantoms, and Colora ...
(1),
Bobby Sippio Robert Lee "Bobby" Sippio, Jr. (born December 4, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Peoria Pirates in 2002. He played college football at Western Kentucky. During Sippio's professional career, he played for t ...
(1) * WR/DB Dameon Porter (2) * C
Billy Eisenhardt Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a young ...
(1), Beau Elliot (1) * OL/DL
John Moyer John Moyer (born November 30, 1973) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Disturbed. Taking over in 2004 after Steve "Fuzz" Kmak was fired, Moyer has played bass guitar with the group s ...
(4),
James Baron James Baron (born June 8, 1973) is a former arena football defensive lineman in the Arena Football League. He was the Arena Football League Players Association's (AFLPA) president as well. In his career, Baron has played for the Detroit Lions, ...
(1),
Khreem Smith Khreem Smith (born July 7, 1979) is a former gridiron football offensive lineman. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Oklahoma State. Smith has also played for the Memphis Xpl ...
(1) * JLB DeJuan Alfonzo (3), Kelvin Morris (1) * DB
Vic Hall Vicqual Renee "Vic" Hall (born September 24, 1986) is a former American football defensive back. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Virginia, where he played multiple position ...
(1), Dennison Robinson (1),
Jeremy Unertl Jeremy Dale Unertl (born September 15, 1978) is a former gridiron football safety. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He had a 10-year professional career in multiple leagues. He played college football at ...
(1) * K
Chris Gould Chris Gould (born December 10, 1985) is a former American football placekicker. He currently serves as the assistant special teams coach for the Los Angeles Chargers, and is the brother of San Francisco 49ers placekicker Robbie Gould. Gould ha ...
(1) * OS
Antonio Chatman Antonio Tavaras Chatman (born February 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Cincinnati. Chatman also ...
(1)


Notable coaches


Head coaches

''Note: Statistics are correct through the end of Week 1 the
2013 Arena Football League season The 2013 Arena Football League season was the 26th season in the history of the league. The regular season began on March 23, 2013, with a five-game slate, the first of which to kick off being between the Utah Blaze and the Pittsburgh Power, and e ...
.''


Media coverage

The Chicago Rush originally had games broadcast on the now defunct Fox Sports Net Chicago during its first two seasons from 2001–02 with mostly Saturday night telecasts. When the AFL signed with NBC from 2003–06, the Rush was one of the most prominently featured teams during the national NBC broadcasts as well as playoff games and the majority of Chicago's games moved to Sunday afternoons. A few of the games not picked up by NBC remained on FSN Chicago until 2006. Beginning in the 2007 season, the AFL began a TV partnership with
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
and FSN Chicago went under and
Comcast SportsNet NBC Sports Regional Networks is the collective name for a group of regional sports networks in the United States that are primarily owned and operated by the NBCUniversal division of the cable television company Comcast. The networks were origina ...
Chicago took its place. Once again the Rush were widely featured during the national ESPN telecasts on Monday nights and Sunday afternoons. The regional telecasts went to Comcast SportsNet. From 2001 to 2008, the Rush games were broadcast by
Tom Dore Tom Dore is a retired American basketball player and former Comcast SportsNet play-by-play announcer for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls. A native of Northlake, Illinois, the 7'2" (218 cm) Dore played basketball at East L ...
and former
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
offensive lineman James "Big Cat" Williams. The radio deals bounced between 670 The Score and
ESPN Radio ESPN Radio, which is alternately platform-agnostically branded as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN". ...
1000. When the Rush returned in 2010, the AFL signed its TV deal with NFL Network, but the Rush were not featured as often as they had been with ESPN and NBC, averaging between 2 and 3 telecasts a year on NFL Network in 2010 and 2011, but were shutout from the national spotlight in 2012. Occasionally region games air on
CSN ''CSN'' may refer to: Companies * CSN Stores, former name of Wayfair, American e-commerce company * CSN International (Christian Satellite Network), religious radio broadcaster based on radio station KAWZ in Twin Falls, Idaho * ''Centrala Studies ...
and WGN's CLTV, and all AFL games are streamed for free online through UStream. Online Radio and TV Broadcasts were handled by former
Chicago Bruisers The Chicago Bruisers were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They were founded in 1987 as a charter member of the Arena Football League (AFL). They played their home games at Rosemont Horizon. History Founding (1987) ...
Broadcaster Les Grobstein in 2010 through 2013 without a color commentator.


Awards and records

This section contains all records, awards, and honors acquired by Rush players in individual seasons. Career records weren't included as not all players spent career with Rush


Team awards

* Chicago Rush ** Commissioner's Award *** 2004, 2007


Player awards

* DeJuan Alfonzo ** 2006 *** All-Ironman Team WR/LB ** 2007 *** Assists Season Leaders, 49 *** Fumble Returns Season Leaders, 5 *** Interception Yards Season Leaders, 147 *** Interception TDs Season Leaders, 3 *** First Team All-Arena JLB *** All-Ironman Team WR/LB **2010 ***AFL Ironman of the Year ***AFL All-Arena First Team, Jack Linebacker ***AFL All-Arena First Team, Ironman *
James Baron James Baron (born June 8, 1973) is a former arena football defensive lineman in the Arena Football League. He was the Arena Football League Players Association's (AFLPA) president as well. In his career, Baron has played for the Detroit Lions, ...
** 2002 *** First Team All-Arena OL/DL *
Antonio Chatman Antonio Tavaras Chatman (born February 12, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at Cincinnati. Chatman also ...
** 2002 *** All-Rookie Team OS ** 2003 *** Kick Returns Season Leaders, 84 *** Kick Return Yards Season Leaders, 2062 *** Kick Return TDs Season Leaders, 7 *** Second Team All-Arena OS * Matt D'Orazio ** 2006 *** Completion Percentage Season Leaders (min. 150 Attempts), 70.3% *** ArenaBowl XX Offensive Player of the Game ** 2007 *** QB Rating Season Leaders (min. 150 Attempts), 126.24 *** Completion Percentage Season Leaders (min. 150 Attempts), 69.1% *
Dan Frantz Daniel Lee Frantz (born July 9, 1977) is a former American football kicker. He was released by the Chicago Rush on June 3, 2008. He has also played for the San Jose SaberCats. High school years Frantz attended Columbia River High School in Va ...
** 2007 *** Extra Points (1 pt) Season Leaders, 104 * Keith Gispert ** 2003 *** All-Rookie Team K ** 2005 *** FG Percentage Season Leaders (min. 15 Attempts), 61.1% * Jamie McGourty ** 2002 *** TD/Rush Pct. Season Leaders (min. 25 rushes), 34.5 * Bob McMillen ** 2004 *** Rushes Season Leaders, 79 *** Rushing Yards Season Leaders, 285 *** Rushing TDs Season Leaders, 22 *** All-Ironman Team FB/LB ** 2006 *** ArenaBowl XX Ironman of the Game *
Etu Molden Etu Baraka Molden (born January 18, 1979, in Sacramento, California) is a former Arena Football League (AFL) wide receiver/linebacker. He attended the University of Montana. High school years Molden attended Jesuit High School in Carmichael, Cal ...
** 2004 *** All-Rookie Team WR/LB ** 2005 *** All-Ironman Team WR/LB * John Moyer ** 2002 *** Second Team All-Arena OL/DL ** 2003 *** Sacks Season Leaders, 9.0 *** First Team All-Arena OL/DL *** All-Ironman Team OL/DL ** 2004 *** Sacks Season Leaders, 9.0 *** Blocked Kicks Season Leaders, 3 *** First Team All-Arena OL/DL *** All-Ironman Team OL/DL *** Lineman of the Year ** 2005 *** Blocked Kicks Season Leaders, 3 *** Second Team All-Arena OL/DL * Raymond Philyaw ** 2004 *** TD/Rush Pct. Season Leaders (min. 25 rushes), 32.4 * Dameon Porter ** 2001 *** Yards/Reception Season Leaders (min. 40 receptions), 16.3 *** Interceptions Season Leaders, 12 *** First Team All-Arena WR/DB *** All-Ironman Team WR/DB *** Breakout Player of the Year *** Ironman of the Year ** 2002 *** Interceptions Season Leaders, 10 *** First Team All-Arena WR/DB *** All-Ironman Team WR/DB * Dennison Robinson ** 2006 *** ArenaBowl XX Defensive Player of the Game ** 2007 *** Tackles Season Leaders, 95 *
Bobby Sippio Robert Lee "Bobby" Sippio, Jr. (born December 4, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Peoria Pirates in 2002. He played college football at Western Kentucky. During Sippio's professional career, he played for t ...
** 2007 *** Receiving Yards Season Leaders, 1742 *** Receiving TDs Season Leaders, 53 TDs *** TD/Reception Pct. Season Leaders (min. 40 receptions), 42.4 *** First Team All-Arena WR *
Khreem Smith Khreem Smith (born July 7, 1979) is a former gridiron football offensive lineman. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Oklahoma State. Smith has also played for the Memphis Xpl ...
** 2006 *** Forced Fumbles Season Leaders, 5 *** Second Team All-Arena OL/DL *** All-Rookie Team OL/DL *
Jeremy Unertl Jeremy Dale Unertl (born September 15, 1978) is a former gridiron football safety. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He had a 10-year professional career in multiple leagues. He played college football at ...
** 2007 *** Second Team All-Arena DB


Miscellaneous

* The Rush's official mascot was a construction worker named Grabowski, a reference to Chicago's blue collar background. The name was coined by Mike Ditka in January 1986 to describe the difference between his
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
and the
Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...
. * Dancin' Steve was the original unofficial mascot for the Chicago Rush Arena Football team. He made his first appearance at the premier game March 30, 2001. * Instead of the nickname Rush, the team was originally going to be called the Chicago Paytons to honor the late
Walter Payton Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1953Although most sources at the time of his death gave Payton's birth year as 1954, reliable sources subsequently state he was born in 1953. – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played ...
, who, along with Ditka, was to be part owner of the team. * The Rush shared the
Allstate Arena Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Rosemont, Illinois, United States. It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and Interstate 90, adjacent to the city limits of Chicago and O'Hare International Airport. The facility opened i ...
with the
DePaul Blue Demons The DePaul Blue Demons are the athletic teams that represent DePaul University, located in Chicago, Illinois. The Blue Demons participate in NCAA Division I and are a member of the Big East Conference. DePaul’s Athletic Director is DeWayne ...
men's basketball team and the
Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...
hockey team. In addition to pro sports, the arena often hosted the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, as well as concerts, rodeos and professional wrestling. * The Rush were the first Arena Football team to be featured in a "This Is
SportsCenter ''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...
" ad on
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
. In the ad, SportsCenter anchor John Anderson mediates a therapeutic sit-down discussion in which Rush receiver
Damian Harrell Damian Deron Harrell (born September 1, 1975) is a former arena football wide receiver. He played college football at Florida State University. In his career, Harrell had also played for the New England Sea Wolves, Toronto Phantoms, and Colora ...
tells
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Sherdrick Bonner Sherdrick Deon "Sed" Bonner (born October 19, 1968) is a former American football quarterback who played fifteen seasons in the Arena Football League (AFL). High school years Bonner attended Azusa High School in Azusa, California and was a stude ...
that he feels like he never gets the ball. When Bonner interrupts to tell him that he's not always open, Anderson chides him saying "Who has the ball right now?" "Damian has the ball." * On May 19, 2008, the Rush wore black jerseys, black pants and silver helmets in a game against the Los Angeles Avengers. The Rush won 72–28. The game was televised on ESPN2. Coincidentally, the Rush wore black jerseys for the second time in Week 2 of the 2011 season, March 18, 2011 against the Philadelphia Soul, and the games were very similar. The Rush blew out the Soul 62–28 after going up 40-14 by halftime. * On April 14, 2013, the Rush set a franchise record by holding the Pittsburgh Power scoreless in the first half en route to a 45–14 win. It was the first meeting in history between the two teams.


Season-by-season


References


General

*


Specific


External links


Chicago Rush at ArenaFan.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago Rush 2001 establishments in Illinois 2013 disestablishments in Illinois