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Birmingham Iron AAF Betting
For years the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was the largest producer of iron and steel in the Southeast, so it only makes sense that the newest professional football team, staying true to the roots of the city, be named the Iron. A charter member of the Alliance of American Football, the Birmingham Iron was introduced on June 4, 2018.
Two days later the Iron introduced Tim Lewis as the first head coach in franchise history. Lewis is one of two in the AAF to have his first job at the position. Drafted by Green Bay in the first-round of the 1983 draft, Lewis played four years with the Packers, totaling 16 interceptions, before a serious neck injury ended his playing career. Lewis was defensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants in the NFL
The Birmingham area and state of Alabama has a rich history of college football success, but the professional leagues haven’t been able to sustain solid footing. Birmingham hosted two World Football League teams in the 1970s. The Americans won the WFL title in 1975, but folded due to financial difficulties.
The Vulcans rose from the ashes the next year under new ownership and management. However, the league wouldn’t make it, folding prior to the completion of its second season. The Vulcans were declared league champions since they held the best record before the WFL dissolved.
The Alabama Magic called Birmingham home for a solo season in the American Football Association, posting a 6-4 record in 1982. Poor attendance and the arrival of the Birmingham Stallions and the United States Football League in 1983 forced the Magic to disappear. The Stallions were one of the more successful USFL team, posting a 38-20 record with an average home attendance of over 32,000 while competing in all three seasons. The USFL eventually folded, leaving the city without a professional football team.
The World League of American Football came calling in 1991, sticking the Fire in Birmingham. That relationship lasted two years before the league disbanded. The Canadian Football League took a spin with the Barracudas in 1995 and the XFL had the Thunderbolts in 2001, both marriages lasted only one season.
One thing all the former teams have in common with the Iron is their home venue. Iconic Legion Field will once again house a minor professional football team. Built in 1927, Legion Field has hosted numerous events, including the college football rivalry between Alabama and Auburn, known as the “Iron Bowl” from 1948 to 1988. The venue is currently the site of the Birmingham Bowl with a capacity of 71,594.
The Iron debuted with the AAF’s first shutout, blanking the Memphis Express, 26-0, in front of an announced crowd of 17,039 at Legion Field. Former Alabama star Trent Richardson, the third overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, ran for a pair of touchdowns and Nick Novak booted four field goals, earning the league’s initial Special Teams Player of the Week.
2019 Birmingham Iron Schedule
Week 1: vs. Memphis Express, Sunday, February 10th
Week 2: vs. Salt Lake Stallions, Saturday, February 16th
Week 3: at Atlanta Legends, Sunday, February 24th
Week 4: vs. San Antonio Commanders, Sunday, March 3rd
Week 5: vs. Orlando Apollos, Saturday, March 9th
Week 6: at San Diego Fleet, Sunday, March 17th
Week 7: at Memphis Express, Sunday, March 24, 8 p.m. ET (NFLN)
Week 8: vs. Atlanta Legends, Sunday, March 31, 4 p.m. ET (CBSSN)
Week 9: at Arizona Hotshots, Sunday, April 7, 8 p.m. ET (NFLN)
Week 10: at Orlando Apollos, Sunday, April 14, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBSSN)
2019 Alliance of American Football Teams
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