Mascot Leo the Lion Founded 2006 | Head coach Jason Gibson Arena/Stadium Columbus Civic Center | |
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Team colors Blue, Black, Silver, White Owner(s) Rick Jacobson
Skip Seda
Duke Liberatore
Jan McBarron
Keith Norred
John Hargrove
Kike Seda | ||
The Columbus Lions are a professional indoor football team based in Columbus, Georgia and a founding member of the National Arena League (NAL) for the 2017 season. The Lions were founded in 2006 as an expansion team of the World Indoor Football League (WIFL). After the WIFL went under in 2007, the Lions joined the American Indoor Football Association (AIFA) where they played for two seasons. When the AIFA broke apart, the Lions joined the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL). The Lions joined the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2012 when the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) teams split up into two new leagues. After the 2015 season, the PIFL broke apart, and the Lions joined American Indoor Football for 2016.
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In their ten years of existence, the Lions have compiled a record of 83-37 with division championships in 2009, 2011 and 2016. They have made three championship appearance during the 2010 season where they defeated the Louisiana Swashbucklers in President's Cup II, in 2015 when they defeated the Richmond Raiders in PIFL Cup IV and in 2016 where they defeated the West Michigan Ironmen in the AIF Championship Game.
Columbus lions fall tryouts
History
The Lions' inaugural game on February 26, 2007 was marred by tragedy when opposing defensive back Javon Camon of the Daytona Beach Thunder was killed after a hard but clean hit by Lions fullback Cedric Ware during the fourth quarter.
For the Lions' impressive inaugural season, head coach Jason Gibson won the league's inaugural Coach of the Year Award.
Following the Lions' 2015 PIFL Cup IV Championship, the Lions moved to American Indoor Football.
The Lions move to the AIF proved to be fruitful for the Lions, and they completed the regular season 8-0 and won the 2016 AIF Championship Game with a perfect record. One week after winning the championship, the Lions announced they were leaving the AIF for the 2017 season.
In July 2016, Lions' owners Skip Seda and his father, Keke Seda, announced the formation of a new league called the Arena Developmental League to begin play in spring 2017. They named former Canadian Football League, Arena Football League, and af2 coach John Gregory as the league's commissioner. In November 2016, they changed the name of the new league to National Arena League.
Awards and honors
The following is a list of all Lions players who have won league awards:
Season-by-season results
Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.
* Season currently in progress