Injury Report: Week 10

ATLANTA, GA – After nine weeks of off the net arena football the National Arena League enters week 10 with seven weeks left in the season allowing teams opportunities to rise and fall before the playoffs are finalized. One team that looks to be destined for the playoffs is the #1 ranked San Antonio Gunslingers (6-1) they will enter week 11 with only one loss as they have a bye week. The rest of the teams are forced to battle as two teams in need of the win face off at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL the (1-5) Orlando Predators play host to the (1-5) Albany Empire on Friday night. The Fayetteville Mustangs (4-3) will take on the Jacksonville Sharks (5-2) in the Shark Tank on Saturday night, June 10. Over in Texas, the Carolina Cobras (4-2) travel to face the West Texas Warbirds (2-5). With plenty of arena football this weekend, see our full injury report and notes below for each team.


ALBANY EMPIRE (1-5)
After a much needed bye week the Empire regrouped at the team level and front office level. This week, the Empire named former Empire player Maurice Leggett as the team’s new head coach. Leggett enters his first season as the head coach of the Empire as the 1-5 team that hasn’t seen a win since April has relieved all of its former head coaches from the role. Leggett, fresh off the turf as a player, has great familiarity with his team and maybe the right fit to finally get this 2023 Albany team to move in the right direction as they have seemed to derail following their back to back championship seasons. The Empire hit the road against the Orlando Predators (1-5) another team that hasn’t found success on the field this year. This game will be a great proving ground for the Empire and their new head coach. See Empire injuries for this week.


WR - Farrean Toney (Out, Long-Term Injury Reserve)

OL/DL - Dante Reynolds (Out, Long-Term Injury Reserve)


ORLANDO PREDATORS (1-5)

With a great arena and a great fan base you can’t help to think this is the weekend that the Predators wow their fans on the field. With the complete rebuild of the Albany Empire from staff to players the Predators may have found their perfect prey for their next home game. This could be a huge win for Orlando and coach Herky Walls or a devastating loss if the Predators can’t take care of business on their home turf. See full injury report below.


LB/FB - Nick Hagg (Probable, Finger)

DL/FB - Freddie Booth (Probable, Foot)

OL/DL - David Beale (Probable, Finger)

WR - Darius Prince (Probable, Shoulder)

DB - Delvon Randall (Probable, Shoulder)

OL/DL - Brandon Fuentes (Probable, Leg)




FAYETTEVILLE MUSTANGS (4-3)

After a great win against their rival the Mustangs found new life and confidence that will likely follow the Mustangs down to Florida as they face another tough opponent the Jacksonville Sharks (5-2). The Mustangs know the Sharks have lost multiple times at home this year and if Jacksonville enters the game slow like Carolina did last week, the high-scoring Mustangs offense will be ready to light up the score board. Coach Gunnings game plan will be key as the Sharks only losses have come from close games and Jacksonville is currently on a three game win streak it will take another incredible week by Fayetteville to break this Shark streak. See Mustangs injury report below.


WR/DB - Chris Page (Active, Short-Term Injury Reserve)


WR - Julius Gregory (Out, Long-Term Injury Reserve)


WR/DB - Herb Waters (Out, Season-Ending Injury Reserve)


JACKSONVILLE SHARKS (5-2)

In week 10, the Sharks seem to be the new hottest team in the league as Carolina fell at home and the Gunslingers failed to defeat the Sharks in their latest matchup. Coach Gibson and his Jacksonville team seem to be swimming up the standings snagging player of the week awards left and right. Jacksonville seems to have the coaching staff and player lineup in place to make a run at the 2023 playoffs but will they stay in the top four? Only the following weeks will determine that, this weekend they face a really good Mustangs team on a revenge tour as they torched their rival last week and now look to come into the Sharks house to avenge the 73-53 defeat Fayetteville suffered earlier this season to Jacksonville. See the Sharks injury report below.


QB - Connor Blount (Out, Long-Term Injury Reserve)

WR/DB - Darien Townsend (Out, Long-Term Injury Reserve)

WR/LB - Khalil McClain (Out, Long-Term Injury Reserve)



CAROLINA COBRAS (4-2)

Coach Fuller and the Cobras had a great run at home winning three-straight wins in a row in the Snake Pit but all good things come to an end, it has to sting that it was an in-state rival that broke that streak. However, the Cobras are still dangerous at 4-2, they are a serious playoff contender with a 2-4 opponent this week. The Cobras can prove that they learned from the loss as they hit the road to Texas. Expect a big bounce back game from the Carolina Cobras, see full injury report below.


WR/LB - Jalen Rima (Questionable)


WEST TEXAS WARBIRDS (2-5)

Coach Smith had a close game against the Jacksonville Sharks and now gets a second crack at another top four team with the Carolina Cobras coming to town. The Warbirds have made a lot of great moves this season collecting talent and moving forward with a great line up. With seven weeks left in the season it is time for the Warbirds to make a run towards a playoff seed or to settle and prepare for next season. See Warbird injury report.


OL/DL - Accente Hill (Out, Long-Term Injury Reserve, Calf)



SAN ANTONIO GUNSLINGERS (6-1)

Coach Shaw and the San Antonio Gunslingers continue to have a great season. Their schedule really helps them further as they enter a bye week to recover and get ready for seven more weeks of regular season football. At 6-1 the second year NAL franchise is standing on the top of the standings but San Antonio must be wise as they begin to deliver their team into the post-season every position will count and a they can’t afford any devastating weeks they need to stay healthy and continue to keep winning if they want to host a playoff game this season as they have the fans & city behind them. See Gunslingers injury report.


DL - Justin Alexandre (Active, Ankle)


All three games can be watched online at the National Arena League’s YouTube Channel or by going directly to nationalarenaleague.com.



ABOUT NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE

The National Arena League was founded in 2016 and hosted its inaugural season in 2017 as the premier league in arena football. For more information regarding expansion opportunities or partnerships, contact Commissioner Chris Siegfried at chris@nationalarenaleague.com . For more information about the NAL visit www.nationalarenaleague.com, facebook.com/nationalarenaleauge, twitter.com/NALfootball, Instagram.com/nationalarenaleague