# 2003 Arena Football League season

The 2003 Arena Football League season was the 17th season of the Arena Football League. It was succeeded by 2004. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Arizona Rattlers in ArenaBowl XVII. The AFL expanded its season from 14 games to 16 games.

## Standings

| Team | Overall | Overall | Overall | Division | Division | Division |
| Team | Wins | Losses | Percentage | Wins | Losses | Percentage |
| National Conference |||||||
| Eastern Division |||||||
| New York Dragons | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Detroit Fury | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Las Vegas Gladiators | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Buffalo Destroyers | 5 | 11 | 0.312 | 1 | 5 | 0.167 |
| Southern Division |||||||
| Tampa Bay Storm | 12 | 4 | 0.750 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Orlando Predators | 12 | 4 | 0.750 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Georgia Force | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Carolina Cobras | 0 | 16 | 0.000 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 |
| American Conference |||||||
| Central Division |||||||
| Dallas Desperados | 10 | 6 | 0.625 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Grand Rapids Rampage | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Chicago Rush | 8 | 8 | 0.500 | 2 | 4 | 0.333 |
| Indiana Firebirds | 6 | 10 | 0.375 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Western Division |||||||
| San Jose SaberCats | 12 | 4 | 0.750 | 5 | 1 | 0.833 |
| Los Angeles Avengers | 11 | 5 | 0.687 | 4 | 2 | 0.667 |
| Arizona Rattlers | 10 | 6 | 0.625 | 3 | 3 | 0.500 |
| Colorado Crush | 2 | 14 | 0.125 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 |
* Green indicates clinched playoff berth
* Purple indicates division champion
* Grey indicates best regular season record

## Playoffs

All games televised by NBC.
| Wild Card Round | Wild Card Round | Wild Card Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | ArenaBowl XVII | ArenaBowl XVII | ArenaBowl XVII |
| | | | 1 | San Jose | 69 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Georgia | 48 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Dallas | 45 | 12 | Georgia | 48 | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Georgia | 49 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Georgia | 49 | | | | 1 | San Jose | 49 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | Arizona | 66 | | | | |
| 6 | Arizona | 69 | | | | | | | 6 | Arizona | 66 | |
| 11 | Las Vegas | 26 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Las Vegas | 26 | 4 | Los Angeles | 63 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Arizona | 70 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Arizona | 29 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Tampa Bay | 43 |
| | | | 2 | Tampa Bay | 52 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 10 | Detroit | 48 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Grand Rapids | 54 | 10 | Detroit | 48 | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Detroit | 55 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Detroit | 55 | | | | 2 | Tampa Bay | 60 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Orlando | 50 | | | | |
| 8 | New York | 48 | | | | | | | 3 | Orlando | 50 | |
| 9 | Chicago | 45 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Chicago | 45 | 3 | Orlando | 69 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | New York | 62 | | | | | | | |
Source:

## All-Arena team

| Position | First team | Second team |
| Quarterback | Sherdrick Bonner, Arizona | Jim Kubiak, Dallas |
| Fullback/Linebacker | Keala Keanaaina, San Jose | Rodney Filer, New York |
| Wide receiver/Defensive back | Randy Gatewood, Arizona Barry Wagner, San Jose | Will Pettis, Dallas Evan Hlavacek, Indiana |
| Wide receiver/Linebacker | Greg Hopkins, Los Angeles | Lawrence Samuels, Tampa Bay |
| Offensive specialist | Chris Jackson, Los Angeles | Antonio Chatman, Chicago |
| Offensive lineman/Defensive lineman | Tom Briggs, Dallas John Moyer, Chicago Jermaine Smith, Georgia | B.J. Cohen, Tampa Bay Ernest Allen, Orlando Sam Hernandez, San Jose |
| Defensive specialist | Clevan Thomas, San Jose Kenny McEntyre, Orlando | Dwaine Carpenter, Buffalo Omarr Smith, Tampa Bay |
| Kicker | Clay Rush, Indiana | Steve Videtich, Las Vegas |