“Winning changes the city. When you see jerseys on kids, when people are stopping you at the grocery store, when you feel that excitement start to build every season — that’s when you understand why this matters.” -- Ja’Vonte Johnson
The Minnesota Monsters have hired legendary veteran football executive and longtime coach Jaysen “Yogi” Howard-Smith as the team’s special teams coordinator. Howard-Smith arrives with a uniquely broad resume across the 50-yard game and the football industry, having served in roles ranging from player personnel manager and head coach to
With Derrizett Croop coaching both offensive and defensive fronts, Minnesota also gains a unified voice — consistent technique standards, shared terminology and a system built around player development rather than roster churn.
Stability is the real product. If teams stay in their markets, if players get paid on time, if the community sees the league year after year, the perception changes. But you can’t fix 30 years of history overnight.
The Minnesota Monsters AF1 team reshuffled its roster this week, signing a Division I defensive lineman and releasing a wide receiver. Minnesota signed Shaki Holines, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive lineman from UMass, on Dec. 3. Holines played four seasons at UMass, working primarily along the defensive line and producing steadily
Javonte Haynes, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound defensive back, returns to the Minnesota Monsters as one of the most productive defensive players from the former Harbor Monsters roster, bringing championship pedigree and a reputation as a ball hawk in the secondary. The former Indiana University of Pennsylvania standout earned co-MVP honors in
Note: This is the second column in six-part series on the state of arena football — from the sport’s bruised past to its uncertain future — with a sharp focus on AF1, the upstart league the Duluth-based Minnesota Monsters will join when they relaunch in Spring 2026.
Arena Football One saw steady roster movement this week, as Minnesota continued reshaping its defense, Oregon added an SEC-tested defensive back and Beaumont released an offensive lineman. Minnesota signed linebacker/defensive lineman Robert Fuentes, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound product of Central Oklahoma, along with defensive back Jalen Hicks, a 5-9, 175-pound
AF1 is trying to prove that there’s still room for stable, professional arena football in mid-sized American markets — if the game is built more deliberately, more honestly and more humbly than the leagues that came before it.
The AF1 remained active through the Thanksgiving weekend, with several teams adding depth on both sides of the ball. Albany and Michigan bolstered their defenses, Kentucky added help in the secondary, and expansion club Oceanside made a significant roster push with five signings, including additions at quarterback, wide receiver, the
While the league office is playing whack-a-mole with arenas, contracts and owners who suddenly discovered how much hotels cost, the Minnesota Monsters are just sitting there like the adult at the kids’ table.
The Arena Football One league released its November 25 transaction report Tuesday, highlighted by roster moves in Minnesota’s secondary, two league suspensions in Nashville and a significant offensive line addition in Michigan. Minnesota released defensive back Bikembe Kearney, a 6-foot, 195-pound product of UNC Pembroke. The Monsters added two
Minnesota signed wide receiver Jahmal Banks, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound target from Nebraska. Banks brings size and catch-radius to the Monsters’ evolving offensive system, adding another option for a team that has emphasized physical receivers throughout the offseason.
Minnesota officials framed the signing as another example of the franchise’s aggressive push under new owner Jacob Lambert, who has vowed to go “all-in” as the former, rebranded Duluth Harbor Monsters — winners of two straight league titles — move up to the stronger AF1.
Randall played last year for the Orlando Predators in AF1 and emerged as one of the league’s premier defensive threats. He led AF1 in interceptions and became a centerpiece of the Predators’ secondary, routinely matching up with top receivers in tight coverage.
Arena Football One teams completed three signings and one release Monday as roster activity resumed across the league. Oregon signed defensive back Kevin Walker Jr., a 5-foot-11, 205-pound product of Central Missouri. Nashville added Justin Alexandre, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound linebacker/defensive lineman from Incarnate Word. Beaumont signed defensive back Kameron
