Philadelphia Soul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Philadelphia Soul |
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 Current season |
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| Established 2005 Folded 2024 Played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Played at Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
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| League/conference affiliations | |
Arena Football League (2004–2019, 2024)
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| Team colors | Light blue, black, white |
| Mascot | Soul Man |
| Personnel | |
| Owner(s) | Arena Football Management, LLC (majority) Up 1 Athletic Showcase |
| General manager | Kelly Logan |
| Head coach | Tyrone Washington |
| Team history | |
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| Championships | |
League championships (3)
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Conference championships (4)
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Division championships (4)
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| Playoff appearances (11) | |
| 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 | |
| Home arena(s) | |
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The Philadelphia Soul was a professional arena football team from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They played in the Arena Football League (AFL). The Soul played in six championship games called the ArenaBowl. They won their first championship in 2008 against the San Jose SaberCats. They also won in 2016 and 2017.
The team started in 2004, co-owned by rock star Jon Bon Jovi. The Arena Football League stopped playing in 2009, but it came back in 2010. The Soul returned in 2011, led by Ron Jaworski. After the 2019 season, the AFL stopped operations again.
The AFL announced in July 2023 that the Soul would return in 2024 with new owners. However, in May 2024, the Soul stopped playing for the rest of the season after only two games.
Contents
Team History
The Bon Jovi Years (2004–2008)
The team was owned by Jon Bon Jovi and Craig Spencer, along with other owners like Richie Sambora and Ron Jaworski. The Soul started playing in February 2004. Their home games were at the Wells Fargo Center. Sometimes, if there were other events, they played at the Wachovia Spectrum.
The team's name, "Soul," came from the Philadelphia soul music style. This was a nod to Bon Jovi's music career. The team's mascot was "Soul Man."
In 2005, the Soul started the season with a big win. But after five games, they changed their head coach. They signed Tony Graziani, who became the highest-paid player in Arena League history. This meant they had less money for other players, especially for defense.
In 2006, the Soul had a good start and made it to the playoffs for the first time. They won their first playoff game against the Austin Wranglers. However, they lost their next game to the Orlando Predators.
The Soul started strong in 2007, winning their first four games. But then their star player, Tony Graziani, got hurt and missed four weeks. The team lost all those games. When Graziani returned, he helped the team win games and make it to the playoffs again. They beat the Orlando Predators but lost to the Georgia Force.
In 2008, the Soul signed Chris Jackson. Tony Graziani got injured again, but this time, backup quarterback Matt D'Orazio played very well. He played so well that he kept the starting job even after Graziani recovered. The Soul finished the 2008 season with a great record of 13 wins and 3 losses. They made it to their first ArenaBowl and won the championship! They beat the San Jose SaberCats 59–56 in ArenaBowl XXII.
The team stopped playing in 2009 when the Arena Football League closed down.
The Ron Jaworski Years (2011–2019)
The Arena Football League decided to come back in 2010. The Soul returned in 2011, playing their home games at the Wells Fargo Center. Ron Jaworski was part of the new ownership group. Jon Bon Jovi was not an owner this time, but he still supported the team. The team hired Mike Hohensee as their new coach. They had high hopes but finished with a tough season, winning only 6 games and losing 12.
In 2012, the Soul got a new head coach, Doug Plank. They had the best record in the league, winning 15 games and losing only 3. They made it to ArenaBowl XXV but lost to the Arizona Rattlers.
In 2013, Clint Dolezel became the new head coach. He knew many of the players, which helped the team stay successful. The Soul won their division again and made it back to the championship game, ArenaBowl XXVI. But they lost to the Arizona Rattlers once more.
In 2016, the Soul had another great season, finishing with 13 wins and 3 losses. They won their conference championship. In ArenaBowl XXIX, they finally beat their rivals, the Arizona Rattlers, 56–42, winning their second AFL Championship!
In 2017, the AFL had fewer teams, and the Soul had an amazing season with 13 wins and only 1 loss. They won their fifth ArenaBowl appearance, ArenaBowl XXX, against the Tampa Bay Storm, winning 44–40. This made them back-to-back AFL Champions!
The team also started practicing at Total Turf Experience in Mantua Township, New Jersey.
The 2024 Comeback (and End)
In July 2023, the new AFL announced that the Soul would return. However, Ron Jaworski decided not to be involved this time. The team faced challenges with its new owners. The league said the team would play its 2024 home games in Trenton, New Jersey.
Just before their first game, the head coach and many players left the team due to issues with their living arrangements and other problems. Other players had to step in and play for the Soul.
In May 2024, the team announced it would stop playing for the rest of the 2024 season. While they hoped to return in 2025, the league itself stopped operations before that could happen.
Memorable Moments
- In 2005, quarterback Tony Graziani threw a touchdown pass that bounced off his own knee! The Soul won that game.
- In 2004, the Soul won a game against the New York Dragons with a last-second field goal from their own two-yard line.
- The Philadelphia Soul team was very involved in the community. In 2006, they started the Philadelphia Soul Foundation. Bill Clinton and Jon Bon Jovi announced a project to fix up homes in North Philadelphia.
- On July 27, 2008, the Soul won their first ArenaBowl championship by beating the San Jose SaberCats 59–56.
- On August 26, 2016, the Soul won their second championship against the Arizona Rattlers. Some of their home playoff games that year were moved to PPL Center in Allentown because the Wells Fargo Center was busy.
- On August 26, 2017, the Soul won their third AFL title, becoming back-to-back champions!
Team Rivalries
Pittsburgh Power
The Soul had a rivalry with the Pittsburgh Power because both teams were from Pennsylvania. They played each other twice a year. The series ended tied 4–4 when the Power team closed down in 2014. Many of the Power's players then joined the Soul.
Dallas Desperados
The Dallas Desperados were another big rival. This rivalry was like the one between the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. The Soul and Desperados often battled for the Eastern Division titles. The series ended tied 5–5.
Cleveland Gladiators
The rivalry with the Cleveland Gladiators became very important. It started in 2008 when the Gladiators moved to Cleveland, putting them in the same division as the Soul. In 2017, the Soul won all four games they played against the Gladiators. The Gladiators later stopped playing for a few seasons.
Jacksonville Sharks
The rivalry between the Soul and the Jacksonville Sharks began in 2012. The Soul beat the Sharks in two conference championship games in a row. In 2015, some Soul star players moved to Jacksonville, and the Sharks finally beat the Soul in a conference championship. But in 2016, the Soul got their revenge, beating the Sharks in the American Conference Championship. The Jacksonville Sharks left the AFL after the 2016 season, ending this rivalry.
Arizona Rattlers
The Arizona Rattlers became the Soul's biggest rival. They played each other in the ArenaBowl in 2012 and 2013, with the Rattlers winning both times. The Soul finally beat the Rattlers in 2016 to win their second championship. After that season, the Rattlers moved to a different league, ending their rivalry.
Team Look and Uniforms
The Soul's logo was a cool black and light blue "S" with a halo and wings. Their first home jerseys were dark grey, and their away jerseys were white. They used a dark grey helmet. In 2008, they added a blue alternate jersey.
When the Soul returned in 2011, they changed their look. In 2012, they showed off new blue home jerseys and white away jerseys, plus a light blue helmet for away games. For 2016 and 2017, they went back to grey home jerseys. Before the 2019 season, their jerseys became blue with a large black logo across the chest. The original logo was a music note with a white football inside.
Notable Players and Coaches
Arena Football League Hall of Famers
These people from the Philadelphia Soul are in the Arena Football League Hall of Fame:
| Philadelphia Soul Hall of Famers | ||||
| No. | Name | Year Inducted | Position(s) | Years w/ Soul |
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| -- | Clint Dolezel | 2012 | Head Coach | 2013–2019 |
| -- | Mike Hohensee | 2012 | Head Coach | 2011 |
Individual Player Awards
Several Soul players won special awards:
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All-Arena Players
These Soul players were named to the All-Arena Teams, meaning they were among the best players in the league:
- Quarterbacks: Matt D'Orazio, Dan Raudabaugh
- Fullbacks: Derrick Ross, Tommy Taggart, Jeramie Richardson
- Wide Receivers: Chris Jackson, Donovan Morgan, Tiger Jones, Marco Thomas
- Offensive/Defensive Linemen: Ernest Allen
- Offensive Linemen: Phil Bogle, Mike Mabry, Martin Bibla, Brennen Carvalho, Christian Johnson, Wayne Tribue, Shannon Breen, Adam Smith, Neal Tivis
- Defensive Linemen: Bryan Save, Gabe Nyenhuis, Bryan Robinson, Ted Jennings, Jake Metz
- Linebackers: Joe Goosby
- Defensive Backs: Eddie Moten, Kent Richardson, Rayshaun Kizer, James Romain, Tracy Belton, Dwayne Hollis
- Defensive Specialists: Eddie Moten
- Kickers: Carlos Martinez, Tommy Frevert
All-Ironman Players
These Soul players were named to All-Ironman Teams, meaning they were great at playing both offense and defense:
- Fullback/Linebacker: Idris Price, Clifton Smith
- Wide Receiver/Defensive Back: Mike Brown
- Wide Receiver/Kickoff Returner: Jeff Hughley
All-Rookie Players
These Soul players were named to All-Rookie Teams, meaning they were top new players in their first year:
- Offensive Linemen: Phil Bogle, Martin Bibla
- Defensive Linemen: Bryan Save
- Kickers: Todd France, Connor Hughes
Coaches and Staff
Head Coaches
Here are the head coaches for the Philadelphia Soul:
| Name | Term | Regular season | Playoffs | Awards | ||||
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| W | L | Win% | W | L | Win% | |||
| Michael Trigg | 2004–2005 | 7 | 14 | .333 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| James Fuller | 2005 | 4 | 7 | .364 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| Bret Munsey | 2006–2008 | 30 | 18 | .625 | 5 | 2 | .714 | |
| Mike Hohensee | 2011 | 6 | 12 | .333 | 0 | 0 | – | |
| Doug Plank | 2012 | 15 | 3 | .833 | 2 | 1 | .667 | |
| Clint Dolezel | 2013–2019 | 76 | 32 | .704 | 10 | 6 | .625 | Coach of the Year (2015, 2016) |
Team Staff
Here are some of the people who worked behind the scenes for the Philadelphia Soul:
| Philadelphia Soul staff | ||||||
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Front office
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Coached
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Images for kids
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One of the Philadelphia Soul's end zones
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The Soul in 2017
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See also
- Sports in Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
