# San Antonio Commanders
**San Antonio Commanders** was a professional [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) team based in [San Antonio](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-antonio), Texas, that played in the [Alliance of American Football](https://www.edgepedia.org/alliance-of-american-football) (AAF) during the league's only season in 2019. The team played its home games at the Alamodome under head coach Mike Riley, finished 5-3 and in second place in the AAF's Western Conference, and ceased operations when the league shut down on April 2, 2019, before completing its schedule.[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Home venue | Alamodome, 100 Montana St, San Antonio, Texas[2](https://funwhileitlasted.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2019-Alliance-of-American-Football-Media-Guide.pdf) |
| Head coach | Mike Riley, formerly head coach at Oregon State and Nebraska[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html) • [3](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/alliance-of-american-football-full-2019-schedule-tv-channels-live-stream-rosters/8clyrzcuh5bk14palk3szr8py) |
| Final record | 5 wins, 3 losses (.625), second place in the Western Conference[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html) |
| First game | February 9, 2019, a 15-6 win over the San Diego Fleet before 27,857 at the Alamodome[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html) |
| Last game | March 31, 2019, a 23-6 home loss to the Arizona Hotshots; the final two scheduled games were canceled[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html) |
| End of the team | AAF suspended all football operations on April 2, 2019, and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on April 17, 2019[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/aaf-suspending-operations-canceling-end-of-season-0ap3000001025120) • [5](https://frontofficesports.com/article/aaf-bankruptcy/) |
## Formation and roster
The AAF announced in June 2018 that San Antonio and the [Alamodome](https://www.edgepedia.org/alamodome) would be home to its eighth and final charter team, the San Antonio Commanders, with Mike Riley as head coach.[6](https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/Finance/CAFR2018.pdf) • [2](https://funwhileitlasted.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2019-Alliance-of-American-Football-Media-Guide.pdf) Riley's coaching career had begun in 1975 and included a two-season stop as head coach of the San Antonio Riders of the World League of American Football, and he said a San Antonio team should be saved for him.[2](https://funwhileitlasted.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2019-Alliance-of-American-Football-Media-Guide.pdf)
The Commanders set their final 52-player roster on January 30, 2019, the last day of the AAF's first league-wide training camp, which was held in San Antonio.[7](https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/san-antonio-commanders-set-final-roster/n-5442985) The roster included players with Texas college ties such as running back Kenneth Farrow (Houston), Aaron Green (TCU), and Trey Williams (Texas A&M).[3](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/alliance-of-american-football-full-2019-schedule-tv-channels-live-stream-rosters/8clyrzcuh5bk14palk3szr8py) Riley's staff included defensive coordinator Jim Grobe and offensive coordinator Matt Troxel.[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html)
## 2019 season
The Commanders opened the AAF's first season on February 9, 2019, beating the [San Diego Fleet](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-diego-fleet) 15-6 at the Alamodome in a game televised in prime time on CBS.[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html) • [8](https://as.com/us/2019/02/12/nfl/1549934781_337643.html) The two CBS opening-weekend games, including the Commanders-Fleet matchup, drew a combined 2.93 million viewers according to Nielsen, and the Commanders-Fleet game alone drew about 2.9 million viewers, more than a same-time NBA game on ABC between [Oklahoma City](https://www.edgepedia.org/oklahoma-city) and Houston.[9](https://as.com/us/2019/02/11/nfl/1549851993_483090.html) • [8](https://as.com/us/2019/02/12/nfl/1549934781_337643.html)
San Antonio won its next four games after a home loss to Orlando, defeating San Diego, Birmingham, Arizona, and Atlanta, and beat the Salt Lake Stallions 19-15 at home on March 23 before a season-high home crowd of 30,345.[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html) The team's last game was a 23-6 home loss to the [Arizona Hotshots](https://www.edgepedia.org/arizona-hotshots) on March 31, 2019. Scheduled games against Memphis on April 6 and at Salt Lake on April 12 were canceled when the league folded.[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html)
**Team statistics.** Quarterback Logan Woodside started all eight games and completed 116 of 201 passes for 1,385 yards with 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Kenneth Farrow led the rushing attack with 106 carries for 372 yards and 4 touchdowns, and kicker [Nick Rose](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-rose) made all 14 field goal attempts. The defense recorded 22 sacks, led by Jayrone Elliott with 7.5, and 13 interceptions, with safety Derron Smith returning two for touchdowns.[1](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html)
## Attendance and local reception
Thousands of fans, many in Commanders colors, attended the inaugural game at the Alamodome on February 9, 2019, most of them supporting a team they had never seen play.[10](https://www.ksat.com/sports/2019/02/11/thousands-pack-alamodome-for-sa-commanders-inaugural-game/) Nearly a quarter of the league's total attendance came at the Alamodome, and more people attended each Commanders home game than had attended [Los Angeles Chargers](https://www.edgepedia.org/los-angeles-chargers) home games the previous season.[11](https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2019/08/28/battle-of-the-alamodome-rising-programs-utsa-uiw-ready-to-fight-for-san-antonio)
## Demise
On April 2, 2019, AAF chairman Tom Dundon decided to suspend all football operations, ending the season with two weeks left before the playoffs; league co-founder [Bill Polian](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-polian) said he was extremely disappointed by the decision.[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/aaf-suspending-operations-canceling-end-of-season-0ap3000001025120) • [12](https://www.axios.com/2019/04/03/alliance-of-american-football-folds) The Commanders released a statement on the shutdown the following day.[13](https://www.ksat.com/sports/2019/04/03/commanders-release-statement-regarding-aaf-shutdown/) The AAF filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in federal court in Texas on April 17, 2019; the filing showed roughly $11.4 million in assets against $48.4 million in liabilities.[5](https://frontofficesports.com/article/aaf-bankruptcy/) • [14](https://www.axios.com/2019/04/18/aaf-alliance-of-american-football-bankruptcy) A later legal settlement approved by a San Antonio bankruptcy judge provided unpaid wages to as many as 480 former AAF players.[15](https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/San-Antonio-bankruptcy-judge-OK-s-pay-for-16842360.php)
In doing so, the Commanders became part of a history of professional football franchises in San Antonio that did not last, among them the [World Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/world-football-league)'s Wings (1975), the [United States Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-football-league)'s Gunslingers (1984-85), the World League of American Football's Riders (1991-92), the [Arena Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/arena-football-league)'s Force (1992), the Canadian Football League's Texans (1995), and the AFL's Talons (2012-14).[16](https://sanantonioreport.org/sa-commanders-season-appears-over-as-league-set-to-cease-operations/)
## References
1. [2019 San Antonio Commanders (AAF) Scores, Roster, Stats, Coaches, Pro Football Archives](https://www.profootballarchives.com/2019aafsa.html)
2. [AAF 2019 Media Guide](https://funwhileitlasted.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2019-Alliance-of-American-Football-Media-Guide.pdf)
3. [Alliance of American Football: Full 2019 schedule, TV channels, live stream, rosters for every team, Sporting News](https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/alliance-of-american-football-full-2019-schedule-tv-channels-live-stream-rosters/8clyrzcuh5bk14palk3szr8py)
4. [AAF suspending operations, canceling end of season, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/aaf-suspending-operations-canceling-end-of-season-0ap3000001025120)
5. [BREAKING: AAF Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Front Office Sports](https://frontofficesports.com/article/aaf-bankruptcy/)
6. [City of San Antonio 2018 Annual Financial Report](https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/Finance/CAFR2018.pdf)
7. [San Antonio Commanders Set Final Roster, OurSports Central](https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/san-antonio-commanders-set-final-roster/n-5442985)
8. [Nace la AAF y nace con buena estrella en USA, AS](https://as.com/us/2019/02/12/nfl/1549934781_337643.html)
9. [AAF, la liga de futbol americano que sorprende en USA, AS](https://as.com/us/2019/02/11/nfl/1549851993_483090.html)
10. [Thousands pack Alamodome for SA Commanders' inaugural game, KSAT](https://www.ksat.com/sports/2019/02/11/thousands-pack-alamodome-for-sa-commanders-inaugural-game/)
11. [Battle of the Alamodome: Rising programs UTSA, UIW ready to fight for San Antonio, Texas Football](https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2019/08/28/battle-of-the-alamodome-rising-programs-utsa-uiw-ready-to-fight-for-san-antonio)
12. [The Alliance of American Football has folded, despite the quality football, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2019/04/03/alliance-of-american-football-folds)
13. [Commanders release statement regarding AAF shutdown, KSAT](https://www.ksat.com/sports/2019/04/03/commanders-release-statement-regarding-aaf-shutdown/)
14. [AAF files for bankruptcy, co-founder breaks silence, Axios](https://www.axios.com/2019/04/18/aaf-alliance-of-american-football-bankruptcy)
15. [San Antonio bankruptcy judge OK's pay for defunct football league's players, San Antonio Express-News](https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/San-Antonio-bankruptcy-judge-OK-s-pay-for-16842360.php)
16. [SA Commanders' Season Ends Early as Upstart League Shuts Down, San Antonio Report](https://sanantonioreport.org/sa-commanders-season-appears-over-as-league-set-to-cease-operations/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › College, minor, and international American football › Minor and defunct leagues*
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