Chicago Rush The Chicago Rush is an arena football team based in Rosemont , Illinois . It is a member of the new Arena Football League league starting play in 2010 . The team was founded in 2001 as a member of the original Arena Football League , and is co - owned by Mike Ditka , the Hall of Fame player and coach . The Rush have qualified for the playoffs every season of their existence , and won ArenaBowl XX in 2006 . History . Founding . The Rush made its AFL debut in 2001 . Although their administrative offices are based in Des Plaines , Illinois , northwest of Chicago and near O ' Hare International Airport , the team plays its home games in neighboring Rosemont , Illinois at Allstate Arena ( formerly known as the Rosemont Horizon ) , the same venue previously used by the Chicago Bruisers , one of the four original Arena Football League teams . While in the AFL , the Rush competed in the Central Division of the American Conference . Former Chicago Bears coach and player Mike Ditka is a co - owner of the team . 2001 - 2005 . The Rush have made the playoffs every year in the franchise ' s short history , and so far , they have made one ArenaBowl appearance . Mike Hohensee was the franchise ' s first coach , and he remained the Rush ' s only coach until becoming the head coach of the Philadelphia Soul in 2011 . In their inaugural year ( 2001 ) , the Rush finished the regular season 7 - 7 and won their very first playoff game , beating the Orlando Predators 41 - 26 , but lost to the eventual ArenaBowl XV champion Grand Rapids Rampage 53 - 21 . The team featured young players that would become Rush fixtures and fan favorites in the years to come , such as quarterback Billy Dicken , Joe Douglass , Damien Porter and Jamie McGourty , and Riley Kleinhesselink , Cedric Walker , and Anthony Ladd . In 2002 , the Rush won the Central division with a 9 - 5 record and received a bye in the playoffs . Dicken returned at quarterback and Chicago added Antonio Chatman who was named to the All - Rookie team as the team ' s main wide receiver and return man . Chicago added defensive linemen John Moyer , James Baron , They defeated the Dallas Desperados 60 - 47 , but fell in the semifinals to the Arizona Rattlers 46 - 35 . In 2003 , the AFL expanded from 14 games to 16 . Dicken was the team ' s quarterback , but missed time after breaking his jaw in the middle of the season . Antonio Chatman broke Rush franchise records for All - Purpose and Return Yards . He caught 123 passes for 1 , 636 yards and 29 touchdowns . On special teams , he netted 2 , 062 return yards and got into the end zone seven times . Chicago also signed DeJuan Alfonzo early in the season from the Indiana Firebirds . Alfonzo would be with the team until 2010 . Chicago also signed FB / LB Bob McMillen , who would play with the team until 2007 and became the Rush ' s head coach in 2011 . After starting the season 0 - 3 , the Rush finished 8 - 5 and got into the playoffs as a Wild Card Team . But to make the postseason , Chicago needed to defeat the Indiana Firebirds on the final day of the regular season , the the Rush won 46 - 43 , in overtime . For the first time in franchise history , Chicago did not win a playoff game , and fell in the Wild Card Game to the New York Dragons 48 - 45 . After the season , Chatman went to the NFL , signing with the Green Bay Packers . In 2004 , the Rush signed Raymond Philyaw as its franchise quarterback . Philyaw was known for his efficiently and record touchdown - interception ratio , a crucial stat in the AFL , where turnovers are key . In 2004 , Philyaw threw just four interceptions . Chicago started the year 4 - 0 , its best start in franchise history . The Rush won the Central division with an 11 - 5 record . They won their first round game 59 - 49 over the Orlando Predators , but they fell in the semifinals to the eventual ArenaBowl XVIII champion San Jose SaberCats 49 - 35 . Chicago led early in the game , but Philyaw tore his ACL on a scramble , and the Rush could not overtime the injury . In 2005 , they went to the AFL playoffs as the # 3 seed in the American Conference . They won the conference semifinal over the Los Angeles Avengers 52 - 45 , but ended up losing the American Conference Championship Game to the eventual ArenaBowl XIX Champion Colorado Crush in overtime , with a final score of 49 - 43 . That game became known as the " Confetti Game " , due to an arena employee firing a confetti cannon prematurely , when the game was extended due to a defensive penalty on the final play . After a ten minute delay to clean the confetti , the Rush were able to tie the game on the untimed down , forcing the overtime period . 2006 : ArenaBowl XX champions . In 2006 , despite their first losing record of 7 - 9 , the Rush got into the playoffs , receiving the # 5 seed in the American Conference . In the off - season , signed former Heisman Trophy finalist Michael Bishop and Matt D ' Orazio to fight to be the team ' s starting quarterback , and D ' Orazio got the game . During the regular season , Chicago started the year at 0 - 2 , but during the season , the Rush picked up defensive back Jeremy Unertl and offensive specialist Bobby Sippio . Both made huge impacts on their respective sides of the ball . With a 5 - 9 record , the Rush won its last two games of the regular season to get a playoff spot . In the playoffs , the Rush managed to pull off key upsets . In the Wild Card Round , the Rush defeated the fourth - seeded Nashville Kats 55 - 47 . In the Divisional Round , Chicago managed to pull off a huge upset by taking down the defending champion Colorado Crush , 63 - 46 . In the Conference Championship they upset the second - seeded San Jose SaberCats 59 - 56 , giving the Rush their very first ArenaBowl appearance in franchise history . In ArenaBowl XX , the Rush defeated the Orlando Predators , 69 - 61 , to give Chicago their first Arena Bowl title . Quarterback Matt D ' Orazio was Offensive Player of the Game , wide receiver / defensive back Dennison Robinson took Defensive Player of the Game honors , and fullback / linebacker Bob McMillen was named the Ironman of the Game . With the win , the Rush became the first team with a losing regular - season record to win a championship in any sport since the 1937 - 38 Chicago Blackhawks . 2007 - 2008 . In 2007 the team won the American Conference Central Division with a record of 12 - 4 . D ' Orazio was the team ' s quarterback and Bobby Sippio , in his first full season with the Rush caught 125 passes for 1 , 742 yards and 53 passes . After the season , Sippio would sign with the Kansas City Chiefs . They defeated the L . A . Avengers on June 9 , 2007 in the divisional finals . They then played the San Jose SaberCats for the conference final , yet they came up short losing 61 - 49 . In 2008 , the Rush made a free agency splash by signing AFL legends Sherdrick Bonner and Damian Harrell . The Rush opened its 2008 campaign against the defending ArenaBowl XXI champion San Jose Sabercats . Chicago convincingly defeated the Sabercats 70 - 47 in front of 15 , 409 fans at the Allstate Arena . Injuries allowed Russ Michna to become the team ' s starter over Bonner . Harrell , Donovan Morgan , and Travis LaTendresse would all post 1 , 000 - yard receiving seasons . En route to an 11 - 5 season , Chicago locked up the conference ' s top seed and home field advantage for the entire playoffs . It was the first time Chicago had home field advantage and the Rush had never lost a home playoff game , going 3 - 0 . The Grand Rapids Rampage drew Chicago in the divisional round . The Rampage finished the regular season 6 - 10 but stunned the Rush and 14 , 338 fans 58 - 41 . The Rampage would lose a week later to the Sabercats at the HP Pavilion . 2009 : Arena Football League closing . In 2008 , the AFL officially canceled their 2009 season in order to develop new financial strategies . The league was over 14 million dollars in debt , and was forced to halve their salary cap . On August 5 , 2009 , the league officially announced that it was going to indefinitely suspended all operations . During the 2009 layoff , many of the team ’ s 2008 players signed with the Chicago Slaughter of the Continental Indoor Football League or various teams in the United Football League . The Slaughter went 14 - 0 and won the league championship , completing a perfect season with the revamped roster . Rush players to play with the Slaughter in 2009 included DeJuan Alfonzo , Reggie Gray , Russ Michna , Donovan Morgan , Bobby Sippio , Khreem Smith , and Dennison Robinson . Rush coaches Bob McMillen and Trevor Cipriano also joined the Slaughter coaching staff . The only players to remain on the Slaughter roster after 2009 were Gray and Robinson . The rest either returned to the Rush or signed with other teams in the Arena Football League . The rebirth : 2010 . On December 10 , 2009 , it was announced that the Rush will be returning for 2010 under new ownership as a member of Arena Football 1 . The ownership obtained the rights to the name after a court auction granted the AF1 control of the AFL ' s assets . Two months later , the AF1 decided to adopt the former Arena Football League name . The 2010 Rush roster would feature many new faces . However , former Rush players quarterback Russ Michna , jack linebacker / wide receiver DeJuan Alfonzo , and linemen Joe Peters , Robert Boss , and Beau Elliot rejoined the team . Also on the roster was wide receiver Samie Parker who played for the Kansas City Chiefs , Thaddeus Coleman , and kicker Chris Gould , whose brother Robbie Gould plays for the Chicago Bears . Chicago returned to the field on April 2 , 2010 on the road against the Iowa Barnstormers . The game was broadcast on the NFL Network and Chicago won 61 - 43 . The Rush began the season 4 - 0 and were in first place in the division at 10 - 4 . However , the team lost its last two games , first to the 1 - 13 Dallas Vigilantes and then closed out the year on the road losing to the Spokane Shock . It cost the team a chance at the division title and forced the team to go on the road for the playoffs . The team ended the regular season at 10 - 6 , and lost to the Milwaukee Iron in the playoffs . 2011 : Ten Year Anniversary . The Rush celebrated its 10th season in 2011 . Bob McMillen replaced Mike Hohensee to become the team ' s second head coach in team history , and Russ Michna returned at quarterback . Awards and Records . This section contains all records , awards , and honors acquired by Rush players in individual seasons . Career records weren ' t included as not all players spent career with Rush