Birmingham's New AAF Team Reveals Its Name

BIRMINGHAM, AL - In February 2019, Legion Field will see the Birmingham Iron kick off its inaugural season in the Alliance of American Football. The Iron is the name that has been chosen for Birmingham's AAF team, one of eight teams that will play in the upstart league.

The team name and logo were revealed Thursday, along with the names and logos for three other teams in the league. Joining the Birmingham Iron as newly-named teams are the Atlanta Legends, the Memphis Express and the Orlando Appolos. AAF founder Charlie Ebersol said the league sought team names for its franchises that "identify with the great cities we call home to our Alliance teams and positively represent the region and our fans."

“To be in Birmingham with the Birmingham Iron, I think that’s a very appropriate name for our team because of the people in the city of Birmingham,” Iron GM Joe Pendry said. “They citizens here are hard working and dependable, and the city is that way. It’s aggressive and progressive, from the mayor to the business community and football fans. I’m really excited about this.”

The league released an "introduction video" for each of the newly named teams:

Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Antonio and San Diego, the other cities with AAF teams, have yet to reveal their names or logos.

The Birmingham Iron will take the field with several familiar names wearing the silver and black uniforms. The team has signed former University of Alabama players Trent Richardson, Blake Sims, Dominick Jackson, Bradley Sylve and Chris Black; former Auburn players Chris Davis and Ike Powell and Ryan White; Brandon Barnes from Alabama State; Josh Barge, Eli Jenkins and Max Shortell from Jacksonville State; Steven Rowzee, Jonathan Massaquoi and Brandon Silvers from Troy; DeVozea Felton from Tuskegee and running back Marquell Beckwith, a former Lee-Montgomery prep standout who played at Troy and Alabama State.

Birmingham's roster also includes centers Aaron Cox and Cory Tucker, defensive backs Christian Bryant, Jacob Hagen, Aarion Penton, Max Redfield and JaCorey Shepherd; defensive ends Nelson Adams, Allen Edwards, Jake Payne, Dante Sawyer and Nick Seither; defensive tackles Josh Boyd, Harold Brantley, Nick James and Casey Sayles; guards Sam Lee, Kitt O'Brien, Bret Pierkarski and Garrison Wright; kicker Nick Novak, linebackers Shane Johnson, Deontae Skinner and Matthew Wells; quarterback John Gibbs, offensive tackles Darrell Brown and Tyler Howell, running backs Marshaun Coprich and Ty Isaac and wide receivers Amir Carlisle and L'Damian Washington.

Logo via Alliance of American Football