HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Professional football is back in Huntsville, and the Astros team wasted no time making a statement with a 45-0 win over the Tennessee Hornets at Milton Frank Stadium Sunday.
The Astros, a member of the six-team International Football Alliance, announced their launch last month and have hit the ground running ever since. For a lot of the players, this is their first professional opportunity.
Defensive back Robert Rhem played collegiately at Southern University and Norfolk State. He said he tried out for the NFL but wasn’t where he needed to be. After a year off from football, he hopes this opportunity will help him pick up work in a higher league.
“I came out here and tried out for Coach Shane, and he gave me another chance,” Rhem said. “I’m very grateful, very humbled and I’m just ready to go out here and show what I can do.”
Like Rhem, the Astros are the first professional opportunity for Jaylan Wilson. He said it’s a surreal feeling to get to continue to play the game he loves.
“It’s amazing, it’s a wonderful feeling,” Wilson said. “It’s a surreal feeling, and I’m just ready.”
Wilson said fans can expect this team to dominate.
“They can expect dominance,” Wilson said. “A real good team, real good players, and professionalism.”
Astros assistant owner, Andre Jackson, said he and team owner Anthony Richardson are committed to making the franchise last.
“Expect a full season of football, and we doing everything that we can possibly do to bring excitement to the stadium as far as playing games,” Jackson said.
“It’s a new day, a new team, and we’ve already delivered on what we said we was going to do,” Jackson said. “If you like football and you love watching football live, come check us out and give us an opportunity. I think you might enjoy what you see.”
The team’s ultimate goal is to win games and help players get to higher opportunities.
“These guys are consistently putting their time out here all the time to pursue their dreams of moving up,” Jackson said. “I respect them 100% for the effort that they put in. I appreciate them for trusting us enough to want to come and play for us.”
The inaugural game drew in fans interested in seeing what the league is all about, many of whom said they were excited for professional football in the area.
“I’m excited you know Huntsville’s bringing in a professional team, and I feel like that’s going to bring a lot of fans once they are playing good,” Justin Aikens, a fan in attendance Sunday, said. “That’s just going to be a new thing for Huntsville.”
“I’m always excited when we have a new sports team come to the Tennessee Valley,” Nathan Reyer, another fan in attendance Sunday, said. “Any chance I get to come out and watch live sports, I’m all for it.”
Fans went home happy with the Astros’ win, but the players hope the Huntsville community will rally around what they feel is a talented group of players.
“Just because it’s a new team, don’t be confused,” Rhem said. “We got a lot of great football players. We are going to be a great team, we are going to play some good ball.”
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