The Chicago Blitz were a professional indoor football team based in

Villa Park, Illinois Villa Park is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County, Illinois, United States, within the Chicago metropolitan area. The population as of the 2020 Census was 21,113. History When Ovaltine established its factory, it needed a wa ...

. The Blitz were members of

American Indoor Football American Indoor Football (AIF) is a professional Indoor American football, indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America. The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the ...

(AIF) in 2015 and 2016 and the

Continental Indoor Football League The Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) was an indoor American football, indoor American football, football league based along the Midwestern United States region that played nine seasons from 2006 to 2014. It began play in April 2006 as ...

(CIFL) in 2014. They played their home games at the Odeum Expo Center. The Blitz briefly joined the regional Midwest Professional Indoor Football (MPIF) for the 2018 season, but ceased operations once again after three games.

Franchise history

2014

The Blitz came into existence in January 2014, after the

Chicago Slaughter The Chicago Slaughter were an American professional football team based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Having been inactive since 2013, the franchise was a part of the CIFL from 2007 to 2009, winning the championship in 2009. The Slaughter joine ...

announced that they would be sitting out the 2014 season just one month before the regular season began. The team's name and logo (but not the colors) are an adaptation of the

United States Football League The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...

franchise of the same name. On February 9, 2014, the Blitz played their first ever game, losing 42–25 to the Saginaw Sting.

2015

On October 4, 2014, the Blitz announced they were joining

X-League Indoor Football X-League Indoor Football (X-League) was a professional indoor American football minor league that began play in 2014 in the United States. The league was co-chaired by Michael Mink and Kacee Smith. On September 19, 2015, the league announced a mer ...

for the 2015 season. Shortly after, the team was removed from the X-League website, and was no longer affiliated with the X-League. On October 15, 2014, the Blitz joined

(AIF), following former CIFL team, the Sting. The Blitz finished the regular season 6–2, earning the 3 seed in the AIF playoffs. They defeated the 2nd seeded Saginaw Sting 63–45 in the AIF semifinals, earning a berth in the 2015 AIF Championship Game. The Blitz traveled to

York, Pennsylvania York is a city in York County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. Located in South Central Pennsylvania, the city's population was 44,800 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in ...

to take on the York Capitals for the AIF crown. The Blitz fell to the Capitals 30–58.

2016

The Blitz played their second season in the AIF as members of the Northern Division. The team earned a 3–3 record but cancelled their final game of the season at the West Michigan Ironmen and team owner Mike Oliver immediately announced that the team was for sale. After the season ended, the AIF removed the Blitz from its team listings.

2018

The Blitz returned for the 2018 season as members of the regional Midwest Professional Indoor Football (MPIF). The Blitz began their season on the road, defeating the Cincinnati Flex 46–33. The Flex folded shortly afterwards. The Blitz then lost to the Midway Marauders (28–38) and West Michigan Ironmen (41–68). On March 30, 2018, the Blitz announced they had left the MPIF stating: "This is not the brand of football the Chicago Blitz has been accustomed to in the past, nor is it a brand we want to be associated with, from league standards to their flagship team." The Blitz then canceled the rest of their 2018 games.

Season-by-season results

Notable players

Final AIF roster

Awards and honors

The following is a list of all Chicago Blitz players who have won league awards

All-League players

The following Blitz players have been named to All-League Teams: * QB Juice Williams (1) * RB Bryant Pascascio (1) * WR David Brown (1), Kent McDonald (1), Brian Miles (1) * OL Anthony Bullock (1) * DL DeAndre Mosely (2), Shonn Bell (1), Tyrone Saunders, Jr. (1) * LB Sam Fornelli (1) * DB Chris Muhammad (1) * K Julie Harshbarger (2)

Coaches of note

Head coaches

Coaching staff

References

External links

Chicago Blitz official website
{{AIF 2014 establishments in Illinois 2016 disestablishments in Illinois 2018 establishments in Illinois Events in Villa Park, Illinois American football teams established in 2014 American football teams established in 2018 American football teams disestablished in 2016