By Howie Hanson Defending champion Albany opened its 2026 Arena Football One season by overwhelming the Minnesota Monsters 50-23 on Saturday night, using a dominant second half to turn a competitive game into a runaway at MVP Arena. Albany led just 21-17 at halftime before seizing control after
The structure of the opening weekend leaves little room for gradual buildup. For Albany, it is a chance to reaffirm its position. For Minnesota and the rest of the field, it is an early test of whether preseason projections hold or begin to shift.
By Howie Hanson, 50 Yard Football Several teams in America Football One made roster moves Friday, adding size along the lines and adjusting depth at quarterback and defensive back. Washington signed defensive lineman Javier Edwards (6-foot-2, 350 pounds) out of Colorado. Oregon made five additions, including defensive lineman
A veteran emphasis may define the Monsters’ identity more than anything else. Clark said he deliberately avoided inexperienced arena players, opting instead to load camp with proven winners. At least 16 players on the current roster, he said, have won arena championships.
The looming television and streaming announcement may become the league’s most visible milestone yet. It will not just determine how fans watch games. It will determine how sponsors value the league, how players view its legitimacy and how teams recruit talent.
AF1’s approach — structured evaluation, real coaching, honest feedback and decisive action — has turned the National Scouting Combine into more than a showcase. It has become a proving ground. And for those who proved themselves once the pads went on, it has already paid off.
Week 1: vs. Minnesota Monsters — Apr. 11 Week 2: BYE Week 3: vs Oregon Lightning — Apr. 25 Week 4: vs Washington Wolfpack — May 2 Week 5: at Kentucky Barrels — May 9 Week 6: BYE Week 7: BYE Week 8: at Oceanside Bombers — May 30 Week 9: vs Beaumont Renegades — June
Week 1: vs Albany Firebirds — Apr. 11 Week 2: BYE Week 3: vs Michigan Arsenal — TBD Week 4: vs Oceanside Bombers — May 3 Week 5: vs Michigan Arsenal — TBD Week 6: BYE Week 7: at Nashville Kats — May 22 Week 8: at Kentucky Barrels — May 30 Week 9: vs Oceanside
✅ Week 1 * Saturday, April 11 * Minnesota Monsters vs. Albany Firebirds — 7 p.m. EDT * Sunday, April 12 * Michigan Arsenal vs. Kentucky Barrels — 5 p.m. EDT * Beaumont Renegades vs. Oceanside Bombers — TBD * Oregon Lightning vs. Washington Wolfpack — TBD ✅ Week 2 * Sunday, April 19 * Oceanside Bombers vs. Kentucky Barrels — 3 p.
For players attending this week’s event, the National Scouting Combine offers exposure to multiple professional pathways. For leagues such as AF1, it provides a centralized environment to identify talent, verify performance metrics and begin roster planning well ahead of training camps.
AF1’s real challenge is not production quality or rule tweaks or even competitive balance. It is relevance. And relevance, in 2026, is earned by showing up — consistently, freely, and without friction — in the lives of people who didn’t know they were fans yet.
Jerry Kurz on the Monsters: “Very strong franchise. We’re very selective. I get calls every week from people who want to join. But we have to be sure they’re giving something back to the community. Jake (Lambert, owner) and Steve (Walters, general manager and minority owner) want that."
The Monsters’ place in AF1 provides Duluth with a team competing at the highest level currently available in indoor football. It offers players a chance to prove themselves in a national setting, and it offers fans a more polished, credible product.
“We are not going anywhere. We are Duluth’s team. We came from Duluth, and Duluth got us to where we’re at right now.” -- Minnesota Monsters CEO Steve Walters
