# 2022 National Arena League season

The 2022 National Arena League season was the fifth season of the National Arena League (NAL). The league played with only six teams mostly based in the Eastern United States, with one new team arriving from the American Arena League, the San Antonio Gunslingers, based in Texas. The season ended with the Albany Empire, Carolina Cobras, Columbus Lions, and Jacksonville Sharks qualifying for the playoffs and the Albany Empire winning the championship.

## Ironman football

For the season, the league re-introduced ironman football rules. This concept had previously been used by the Arena Football League from 1987 up to 2007. Ironman football is a variant that allows players to play in both the offense and the defense for the game. Only two players from the offense, two players from the defense, and one player from the special teams can have a player who has their position for just one side of the ball. The stated goal of the ironman football rules is to see players become more creative by showing their skills on offense and defense.

## Teams

For 2022, the NAL consisted of six teams without conferences or divisions. Each team played 12 games, six home and six away, with the exception of the Carolina Cobras and the Jacksonville Sharks who both played 14 games, seven home and seven away. During the season, there were two byes given out, with the exception of the Carolina Cobras and the Jacksonville Sharks, where they do not get a bye week.
2022 National Arena League Season :
| Teams | Location | Arena | Capacity | Founded | Joined | Head Coach |
| Albany Empire | Albany, New York | MVP Arena | 13,000 | 2020 | 2021 | Tom Menas |
| Carolina Cobras | Greensboro, North Carolina | Greensboro Coliseum Complex | 5,000 | 2018 | 2018 | Josh Resignalo |
| Columbus Lions | Columbus, Georgia | Columbus Civic Center | 10,000 | 2006 | 2017 | Jason Gibson |
| Jacksonville Sharks | Jacksonville, Florida | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | 15,000 | 2009 | 2017 | Siaha Burley |
| Orlando Predators | Orlando, Florida | Amway Center | 20,000 | 2019 | 2019 | Jeff Higgins |
| San Antonio Gunslingers | San Antonio, Texas | Freeman Coliseum | 11,700 | 2020 | 2021 | Fred Shaw |
Reference for teams in 2022:

## Standings

2022 National Arena League Standings :
| Team | Win | Loss | PCT | PF | PA | STK |
| z – Albany Empire | 8 | 4 | .667 | 717 | 619 | W4 |
| y – Carolina Cobras | 9 | 5 | .643 | 725 | 676 | W1 |
| x – Columbus Lions | 7 | 5 | .583 | 576 | 554 | W3 |
| x – Jacksonville Sharks | 7 | 7 | .500 | 707 | 663 | L2 |
| e – San Antonio Gunslingers | 4 | 8 | .333 | 647 | 720 | L1 |
| e – Orlando Predators | 3 | 9 | .250 | 492 | 632 | L6 |
z – clinched home field advantage
y – clinched home playoff game
e – eliminated from playoffs
Reference:

## Playoffs

| Semifinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | 2022 NAL Championship | 2022 NAL Championship | 2022 NAL Championship |
| 1 | Albany Empire | 68 | | | |
| 4 | Jacksonville Sharks | 67 | | | |
| 4 | Jacksonville Sharks | 67 | 1 | Albany Empire | 47 |
| | | | 2 | Carolina Cobras | 20 |
| 2 | Carolina Cobras | 65 | 2 | Carolina Cobras | 20 |
| 3 | Columbus Lions | 51 | | | |
Reference:

## Controversies

* In a game between the Orlando Predators and the San Antonio Gunslingers, after official Andrew McGrath got injured and taken to the hospital in the second quarter due to a broken clavicle and a face laceration, and there were only four referees left. In the fourth quarter, with 24 seconds left, a Gunslinger was close to the end zone, and one referee signaled touchdown while the other signaled him short of the goal line, however, the clock kept until the time was out while the referees were discussing the play. After review, the runner was short of the goal line. The clock was set to four seconds left, however, per league rules there was a 10 second run-off since the ball was not spotted before the previous play. The Gunslingers then scored the game-winning play. After a review by commissioner Chris Siegfried, the lead official, and the supervisor of officials, they decided that that was the correct call.
* In a game between the Jacksonville Sharks and the San Antonio Gunslingers, Jacksonville player Devin Wilson hit official Gary Vaught from behind. The player was suspended indefinitely.

## Awards
### Players of the Week

Players of the Week throughout the 2022 NAL Season :
| Weeks | Offensive Player of the Week | Defensive Player of the Week | Special Team Player of the Week | Ironman Player of the Week |
| 1 | Devin Wilson, Jacksonville Sharks | Walter Thomas, Carolina Cobras | Darius Prince, Albany Empire (1/4) | Jarmon Fortson, Columbus Lions |
| 2 | Sam Castronova, Albany Empire (1/3) | Rob Jones, Jacksonville Sharks | Marc Orozco, Albany Empire (1/3) | Darius Prince, Albany Empire (2/4) |
| 3 | Darius Prince, Albany Empire (3/4) | Cris Page, Carolina Cobras (1/2) | Marc Orozco, Albany Empire (2/3) | Zack Brown, Carolina Cobras (1/2) |
| 4 | Malik Henry, Jacksonville Sharks | Kwan Stallworth, Jacksonville Sharks | TC Stevens, Carolina Cobras (1/3) | Miles Kelly, Jacksonville Sharks |
| 5 | Darius Prince, Albany Empire (4/4) | Cris Page, Carolina Cobras (2/2) | Marc Orozco, Albany Empire (3/3) | Dwayne Hollis, Albany Empire |
| 6 | Rakeem Cato, Orlando Predators | Droell Greene, Columbus Lions | Cody Barber, Jacksonville Sharks | Anthony Johnson, Jacksonville Sharks |
| 7 | Arvell Nelson, Jacksonville Sharks | Rodney Hall Jr., Columbus Lions | TC Stevens, Carolina Cobras (2/3) | Zack Brown, Carolina Cobras (2/2) |
| 8 | Robert Kent, San Antonio Gunslingers (1/2) | Kenny Starks, Columbus Lions | Darien Townsend, Columbus Lions (1/2) | Darien Townsend, Columbus Lions (2/2) |
| 9 | Robert Kent, San Antonio Gunslingers (2/2) | Droell Greene, Columbus Lions | Daniel Justino, Orlando Predators | Kendrick Ings, Carolina Cobras |
| 10 | Sam Castronova, Albany Empire (2/3) | Marvin Ross, Albany Empire | Drew Pearson, San Antonio Gunslingers | Trevon Shorts, Albany Empire |
| 11 | Sam Castronova, Albany Empire (3/3) | Joshua Jenkins, Orlando Predators | TC Stevens, Carolina Cobras (3/3) | DJ Myers, Carolina Cobras |
| 12 | Mason Espinosa, Columbus Lions | Maurice Leggett, Columbus Lions | Nick Belcher, Orlando Predators | Kamrin Solomon, Jacksonville Sharks |
Reference:

### The 2022 All-National Arena League Team
#### 2022 All-NAL Second Team
##### Offense

| Position | Player | Team | Former PotW awards |
| QB | Robert Kent | San Antonio Gunslingers | Back-to-back 2022 Offensive Player of the Week. |
| FB | Pierre Turner | San Antonio Gunslingers | |
| WR | Khali Rashaad | San Antonio Gunslingers | |
| WR | DJ Myers | Carolina Cobras | |
| WR | Phillip Barnett | San Antonio Gunslingers | |
| OL | Dashawn Johnson | Carolina Cobras | |
| OL | Brandon Turner | Columbus Lions | |
| C | Melvin Hollins | Albany Empire | |

##### Defense

| Position | Player | Team | Former PotW awards |
| ML | Zack Brown | Carolina Cobras | Two time 2022 Ironman Player of the Week. |
| WL | Trevon Shorts | Albany Empire | 2022 Ironman Player of the Week. |
| DB | Delvon Randall | Orlando Predators | |
| DB | Maurice Leggett | Orlando Predators | |
| DB | Droell Green | Columbus Lions | |
| DE | Chei Hill | Jacksonville Sharks | |
| DE | Larry Ford | Carolina Cobras | |
| DT | Kwan Stallworth | Jacksonville Sharks | |

##### Special Teams

| Position | Player | Team | Former PotW awards |
| K | Marc Orzoco | Albany Empire | Three time 2022 Special Team Player of the Week. |
| KR | Darien Townsend | Columbus Lions | |
Reference:

#### 2022 All-NAL First Team
##### Offense

| Position | Player | Team | Former PotW awards |
| QB | Sam Castronova | Albany Empire | Three time 2022 Offensive Player of the Week. |
| FB | Zack Brown | Carolina Cobras | Two time 2022 Ironman Player of the Week. |
| WR | Darius Prince | Albany Empire | Two time 2022 Offensive Player of the Week, 2022 Special Team Player of the Week, and 2022 Ironman Player of the Week. |
| WR | Nyqwan Murray | Jacksonville Sharks | |
| WR | Darien Townsend | Columbus Lions | 2022 Special Teams Player of the Week, 2022 Ironman Player of the Week. |
| OL | Cornelius Lewis | Albany Empire | |
| OL | Faleoga Russell | Jacksonville Sharks | |
| C | Derrick Zeigler | Carolina Cobras | |

##### Defense

| Position | Player | Team | Former PotW awards |
| ML | Kerry Starks | Columbus Lions | |
| WL | DJ Myers | Carolina Cobras | 2022 Ironman Player of the Week |
| DB | Josh Jenkins | Orlando Predators | |
| DB | Markus Smith | Jacksonville Sharks | |
| DB | Dwayne Hollis | Albany Empire | 2022 Ironman Player of the Week |
| DE | Ken Washington | Columbus Lions | |
| DE | Justin Alexandre | San Antonio Gunslingers | |
| DT | Walter Thomas | Carolina Cobras | 2022 Defensive Player of the Week |

##### Special Teams

| Position | Player | Team | Former PotW awards |
| K | TC Stevens | Carolina Cobras | Three time 2022 Special Teams Player of the Week |
| KR | Kali Rashaad | San Antonio Gunslingers | |
Reference: