Arena Football League (2004-2008)
Tombstone
Born: September 25, 2003 – The Buffalo Destroyers relocate to Columbus, OH12004 Columbus Destroyers Media Guide
Folded: August 2009
First Game: February 7, 2004 (W 54-48 @ Indiana Firebirds)
Last Game: June 21, 2008 (L 47-35 @ Cleveland Gladiators)
Arena Bowl Championships: None
Arena
Nationwide Arena (17,078)
Opened: 2000
Marketing
Team Colors: Navy Blue, White & Red22006 Arena Football League Record & Fact Book
Dance Team: The Bombshells
Ownership
Owners: John McConnell, Jim Renacci, Steve Germain & Joey Galloway
Background
The Columbus Destroyers were a popular attraction in college football-mad Columbus despite the fact that this Arena Football League squad was routinely terrible. The team never posted a winning record in five seasons.
Arena Bowl XXI
Despite their losing ways, the Columbus Destroyers did make an unlikely appearance in the 2007 Arena Bowl XXI championship game. The 2007 squad squeaked into the playoffs with a 7-9 mark and then went on a remarkable run. They went on the road to beat the 15-1 Dallas Desperados in the quarterfinals and then knocked off the 14-2 Georgia Force in the semis to reach Arena Bowl XXI in New Orleans.
Playing before a sell-out crowd of 17,056 at New Orleans Arena, the Destroyers finally met their match in the San Jose SaberCats. Trailing from the opening possession, Columbus lost 55 to 33 in the title contest.
Matt Nagy, the Destroyers’ starting quarterback for the 2007 and 2008 seasons, including the team’s Arena Bowl XXI loss, embarked on a successful coaching career after the bankruptcy of the Arena Football League brought about the end of his playing career in 2009. Nagy was named Head Coach of NFL’s Chicago Bears in 2018.
Demise & Revival
Destroyers co-owner John McConnell also controlled the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets franchise. Both teams played at Nationwide Arena. McConnell died at age 84 in April 2008 midway through the Destroyers’ final season. NFL wide receiver and former Ohio State star Joey Galloway also owned a small piece of the Destroyers.
Not long after McConnell’s death, the Arena Football League experienced a crisis of investor confidence during the winter of 2008-09. This resulted in the cancellation of the 2009 season and ultimately the bankruptcy and closure of the league in August 2009.
A resuscitated, lower-budget version of the Arena Football League came back on the scene in 2010 without a Columbus franchise. In February 2019, the new Arena Football League announced an expansion franchise for Columbus that would revive the Destroyers name. The new Destroyers played the 2019 season at Nationwide Arena and finished last place with a 1-11 record. The team went out of business along with the rest of the league when the AFL filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in November 2019.
Columbus Destroyers Shop
In Memoriam
Destroyers owner John McConnell died of cancer in April 2008. He was 84. USA Today obituary.
Links
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