Tombstone
Born: 1999 – AF2 founding franchise
Folded: 2009
First Game: April 15, 2000 (W 66-27 vs. Tulsa Talons)
Last Game: July 18, 2009 (L 57-49 vs. Iowa Barnstormers)
ArenaCup Champions: 2000 & 2001
Arena
The Mark of the Quad Cities (9,020)12000 Greensboro Prowlers Media Guide
Opened: 1993
Marketing
Team Colors: Navy Blue, Deep Red & Metallic Gold22000 Greensboro Prowlers Media Guide
Ownership
Owners: Jim Foster, et al.
Background
The Quad City Steamwheelers, head quartered in Davenport, Iowa, were one of fifteen original franchises that began play in Arena Football 2 during the spring of 2000. AF2 was established to be a regionally-based developmental system for the Arena Football League, using the same rules and equipment as the top-level league.
Steamwheelers owner Jim Foster was actually the inventor of the sport of Arena Football, having sketched out the concept for the sport while watching an indoor soccer All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden in 1981. Foster launched the Arena Football League’s first season in 1987 and later owned the AFL’s Iowa Barnstormers franchise in Des Moines when that team famously signed quarterback Kurt Warner and jumpstarted Warner’s road to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In Competition
Quad City dominated Arena Football 2 during the league’s first two seasons. Under head coach Frank Haege, the Steamwheelers compiled a 37-1 regular season and playoff record in 2000 and 2001.
The Steamwheelers debut season was a perfect one. The team capped off a 16-0 regular season with a 68-59 victory over the Tennessee Valley Vipers in the Arena Cup title game in front of a sell out crowd of 9,201 at the Mark of the Quad Cities.
The ‘Wheelers picked up right where they left off in 2001, winning the first three games of the new season by a combined score of 183-14. The team’s remarkable winning streak finally came to an end on May 12, 2001. A 49-47 road loss to the Tulsa Talons dropped Quad City’s record to 5-1. Haege’s charges responded by reeling off another 13 victories in a row, culminating in another home victory in the 2001 Arena Cup. Quad City topped the Richmond Speed 55-51 before 8,261 at the Mark on August 10th, 2001 to successfully defend their championship.
Quad City remained a strong entry in AF2 after 2002, posting four seasons of 10 victories or more over the next eight seasons, with just two campaigns under .500. But the Steamwheelers would never again enjoy another playoff victory after 2001.
Demise & Revival
The Steamwheelers and Arena Football 2 both closed for business following the 2009 season.
A new version of the Steamwheelers began play in 2018 in the Champions Indoor Football league and later moved to the Indoor Football League. The new Steamwheelers still exist but as of late 2021 they have staged only game since 2019 due to continued disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trivia
Of the 15 Arena Football 2 franchises that took part in the league’s inaugural season in the year 2000, the Steamwheelers were one of only three survivors that last for all ten of the league’s seasons. The other two were the Arkansas Twisters and the Tulsa Talons.
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