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Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. The team was founded in 2001 and played in the Arena Football League's Central Division. The Rush qualified for the playoffs in 11 of 12 AFL seasons, during which they won ArenaBowl XX in 2006 and captured five division titles. The Rush played home games at Allstate Arena from 2001 to 2012. The team struggled to find a permanent owner and later relocated to Rockford, Illinois in 2013 to play their final season. The AFL itself ceased operations in 2019. In 2023, Chicago-based music producer Ernest Clark acquired the Rush and announced plans to join a revived AFL in 2025. However, the AFL folded again in 2024.
The Rush made its AFL debut in 2001. The team played its home games at the Allstate Arena (formerly known as the Rosemont Horizon), the same venue previously used by the Chicago Bruisers, one of the four original Arena Football League teams.[citation needed] The Rush also shared the Allstate Arena with the DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball team and the Chicago Wolves hockey team. Dancin' Steve was the original unofficial mascot for the Chicago Rush Arena Football team, first appearing at the premier game March 30, 2001. 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 and the Los Angeles Rams.
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.
In their inaugural year (2001), the Rush finished the regular season with a 7–7 and won their first playoff game, beating the Orlando Predators 41–26. They lost to the eventual ArenaBowl XV champion Grand Rapids Rampage 53–21. The team featured young players that would become Rush fixtures and fan favorites in the years to come, including quarterback Billy Dicken, Joe Douglass, 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 who was named to the All-Rookie team as the team's main wide receiver and return man. Chicago added defensive linemen John Moyer and James Baron. They defeated the Dallas Desperados 60–47, but fell in the semifinals to the Arizona Rattlers 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 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. Chicago defeated the Indiana Firebirds on the final day of the regular season, 46–43 in overtime, to clinch a playoff berth. Chicago did not win a playoff game, and fell in the Wild Card Game to the New York Dragons 48–45. Chatman went to the NFL after the season, signing with the Green Bay Packers.
In 2004, the Rush signed Raymond Philyaw as their quarterback. Philyaw was known for his efficiency and record touchdown-interception ratio. In 2004, Philyaw threw just four interceptions. Chicago started the year 4–0, their 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 but 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 overcome 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 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.
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Chicago Rush
The Chicago Rush were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. The team was founded in 2001 and played in the Arena Football League's Central Division. The Rush qualified for the playoffs in 11 of 12 AFL seasons, during which they won ArenaBowl XX in 2006 and captured five division titles. The Rush played home games at Allstate Arena from 2001 to 2012. The team struggled to find a permanent owner and later relocated to Rockford, Illinois in 2013 to play their final season. The AFL itself ceased operations in 2019. In 2023, Chicago-based music producer Ernest Clark acquired the Rush and announced plans to join a revived AFL in 2025. However, the AFL folded again in 2024.
The Rush made its AFL debut in 2001. The team played its home games at the Allstate Arena (formerly known as the Rosemont Horizon), the same venue previously used by the Chicago Bruisers, one of the four original Arena Football League teams.[citation needed] The Rush also shared the Allstate Arena with the DePaul Blue Demons men's basketball team and the Chicago Wolves hockey team. Dancin' Steve was the original unofficial mascot for the Chicago Rush Arena Football team, first appearing at the premier game March 30, 2001. 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 and the Los Angeles Rams.
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.
In their inaugural year (2001), the Rush finished the regular season with a 7–7 and won their first playoff game, beating the Orlando Predators 41–26. They lost to the eventual ArenaBowl XV champion Grand Rapids Rampage 53–21. The team featured young players that would become Rush fixtures and fan favorites in the years to come, including quarterback Billy Dicken, Joe Douglass, 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 who was named to the All-Rookie team as the team's main wide receiver and return man. Chicago added defensive linemen John Moyer and James Baron. They defeated the Dallas Desperados 60–47, but fell in the semifinals to the Arizona Rattlers 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 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. Chicago defeated the Indiana Firebirds on the final day of the regular season, 46–43 in overtime, to clinch a playoff berth. Chicago did not win a playoff game, and fell in the Wild Card Game to the New York Dragons 48–45. Chatman went to the NFL after the season, signing with the Green Bay Packers.
In 2004, the Rush signed Raymond Philyaw as their quarterback. Philyaw was known for his efficiency and record touchdown-interception ratio. In 2004, Philyaw threw just four interceptions. Chicago started the year 4–0, their 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 but 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 overcome 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 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.