On April 7, 2018, The Massachusetts Pirates of the National Arena League will have their first home game during their inaugural season. Many people thought that they were joining the XFL. But, they are starting in 2020 and the XFL has not yet named team cities yet. That voting is estimated to be done this summer.
The Pirates will be lead by Griswold High Native Quarterback Sean Brackett. Brackett has played for 4 different Arena Football teams throughout his career and signed with the team on January 27th of this year. He has thrown 2,996 passing yards, 58 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, a 57 completion percentage and a 94.6 passer rating throughout his career.
Sean Brackett attended the Ivy Leagues Columbia University in New York State from 2009 to 2012 and went undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft.
The Massachusetts Pirates first head coach will be Amir Ishmael, who is also the General Manager for this franchise, didn’t have any previous head coaching experience before this team. He went out and signed Brackett for two reasons, to win football games, and have a player with leadership ability and playing experience indoors.
The Pirates will face off against the Maine Mammoths. They are also in its inaugural season as an arena football franchise. Their Quarterback will be Jonathan Bane, Bane played in the National Arena League last season with the High Country Grizzlies of North Carolina. Bane has been a career backup in the Arena Football league so far and he signed with the mammoths to prove that he can be a solid starting Quarterback indoors.
Jonathan Bane appeared in a few games for the Tampa Bay Storm as a 2nd string and has so far thrown 526 yards, 8 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, a 67.6 passer rating and a 47.3 completion percentage throughout his career.