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Professional Football Returning to San Antonio

June 21, 2018
Brian Kirkpatrick
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Texas Public Radio
Former Dallas Cowboys star Daryl “The Moose” Johnston is surrounded by reporters during a news conference to announce pro football returning to the Alamo City.";s:

The San Antonio Alliance is bringing pro football back to the city in February 9, 2019.

The San Antonio Alliance is part of the American Alliance of Football, which includes seven other teams from Atlanta; Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis; Orlando, Florida; Phoenix; Salt Lake City; and San Diego.

The Alliance will play a 10 game season in the Alamodome. The season concludes with a four-team playoff and then a championship game.

Credit Brian Kirkpatrick / Texas Public Radio
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Texas Public Radio
San Antonio Alliance unveils its uniform

Former Dallas Cowboys star Daryl “The Moose” Johnston says the league will feature players who could not land a spot, or blew their chances, in the NFL. He said a certain Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, who now plays in the Canadian Football league, is one such example.

“I think Johnny Manziel is kind of the ideal guy that you are looking for, who has little bit of star power to bring to an Alliance franchise, but also a guy who really, really wants that second shot to prove that first time around he wasn’t mature enough, made some mistakes and wants to show everyone the true person he really is,” Johnston said.

San Antonio has played host to pro football teams from leagues in the past, including the World League of American Football and the Canadian Football League. Mike Riley, the coach of one of those past teams, the San Antonio Riders of the WLAF, has been named head coach of the Alliance.

San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg says this new team and league has more going for it than past teams, including vast NFL experience at top levels of management. The Alliance features former NFL coaches, including Mike Singletary, Steve Spurrier and Mike Martz.The mayor also says San Antonio is hungrier than ever for pro football.

“We are football ready here in the Alamodome — they have selected us,” he said. “There’s only an upside for us economically. So, I think they are firing on all cylinders.  

“This is a real chance to be an institution for spring football that we have never seen before.”

The San Antonio Alliance team members will sport red, white, and blue uniforms.

Brian Kirkpatrick can be reached at brian@tpr.org