Nashville Kats (2024)

Nashville Kats
Established 2024 Play in Nashville, Tennessee at Nashville Municipal Auditorium TheNashvilleKats.com
League/conference affiliations
Arena Football League (2024) Arena Football One (2025–present) East Division (2025–present)
Current uniform
Team colors	Blue, yellow, black, white
Personnel
Owner(s)	Tamara Dadd Alan, Nancy Eckert, and Chuck McDowell
Head coach	Darren Arbet
Team history
Nashville Kats (2024–)
Championships
League championships (0)
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (1)
2024
Home arena(s)
Nashville Municipal Auditorium (2024–) F&M Bank Arena (Clarksville, TN) (2024, one game)

The Nashville Kats are a professional arena football team located in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of Arena Football One (AF1) and play at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. The Kats are based on a previous team by the same name that played in the Arena Football League. The new incarnation of the team, coached by Dean Cokinos, began play in the new Arena Football League in 2024. In 2025, they became members of the newly formed AF1.

History

Secondary logo (2024–present)

On November 1, 2023, the revival of the Arena Football League announced the return of the Nashville Kats and new ownership structure. The team is co-owned by Tamara Dadd Alan, founding partner and CEO; Nancy Eckert, founding partner, COO and general counsel; and Chuck McDowell, largest individual stakeholder and chairman of the franchise. Jeff Fisher, former Tennessee Titans Head Coach, is a partner and president of football operations for the organization (also now-commissioner of the league). Sports talk host Greg Pogue also serves as partner and vice president of community relations. Longtime broadcaster Eli Gold, former voice of the original AFL for TNN and NBC Sports and also known as the former voice of the Alabama Crimson Tide and NASCAR, was named the new radio voice of the Kats. The team play at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, with one game at F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville. They made it to the semi-finals for ArenaBowl XXXIII, only to lose to the eventual champion Billings Outlaws 35-32.

On September 4, 2024, the Kats, along with the other seven surviving members of the collapsed AFL, joined the newly formed Arena Football One. Jeff Fisher was named permanent commissioner of the new league while maintaining his position with the Kats. They will play in the East Division along with the Albany Firebirds and Orlando Predators. Shortly after switching leagues, head coach Dean Cokinos quietly left the team and was named head coach of the Berlin Thunder of the European League of Football. During the schedule revival, Jeff Fisher announced the search for a new head coach. On February 18, 2025, the Kats announced that former four-time ArenaBowl championship head coach Darren Arbet would become the team's newest head coach.

On October 18, 2024, Nashville Arena Sports, LLC, owners of the Kats, filed a lawsuit in Chancery Court For Davidson County, Tennessee, against chairman Chuck McDowell seeking an alleged delinquent payment which was loaned to the franchise. The suit alleged that McDowell failed to pay on a signed $2.5 million (USD) promissory note to the club. They are also seeking to have McDowell expelled from the franchise ownership group. Jeff Fisher announced that the team still plans to play in the league's inaugural season with its current owners despite this latest legal challenge. McDowell and the remaining owners reached a settlement with each other, culminating in a public reconciliation during the Kats' Week 4 game, in which McDowell led a ceremonial coin toss, and McDowell's amicable exit from the ownership group.

Season-by-season

Championship victory

Championship appearance

Division champions

Playoff berth

Season	League	Conference	Division	Regular season				Postseason results
				Finish	Wins	Losses	Ties
2024	AFL	N/A	East	6th	3	4	0	Won Quarterfinals (Orlando) 62-32 Lost Semifinals (Billings) 35-32
Total					3	4	0	(includes only regular season)
					1	1	0	(includes only the postseason)
					4	5	0	(includes both regular season and postseason)

Current roster

Nashville Kats roster

Quarterbacks -- Kory Curtis -- Jake Dunniway Running backs -- Carlton Brown -- Calvin France Wide receivers -- Ky'Von Smith -- Tre Long -- Caleb Smith -- Joshua Reece -- Jordan Gandy -- Rob Jones Jr. -- Isaiah McKoy

Offensive linemen -- Kyle Davis -- Zechariah Thomas -- Brandon Murphy -- TJ Bradley -- Tre Johnson -- Brey Walker Defensive linemen -- Ezrah Thibodeaux -- Johnny Hudson -- Marcus Bragg -- Roderick Perry -- Justin Alexandre -- Justin Foster

Linebackers Currently vacant Defensive backs -- Amos Coleman III -- Ky'Von Smith -- CJ Bradley -- DJ Maxwell Jr. -- Zachary Hannibal -- Kenny Veal -- Shaun Lewis, Jr. Special teams Currently vacant

Reserve lists Currently vacant Rookies in italics Roster updated February 12, 2025 30 Active, 0 Inactive

Staff

Source:

Nashville Kats staff

Front office Partner/Chairman - Chuck McDowell Co-Owner/Partner/CEO - Tamara Dodd Alan, esq. Co-Owner/Partner/COO/House Counsel - Nancy D. Eckert, esq. Partner/President of football operations - Jeff Fisher Partner/VP of Community Relations - Greg Pogue President of Business Operations - Delmar "D" Smith Radio play-by-play - Eli Gold Head coaches Head coach - Darren Arbet Offensive coaches Currently vacant

Defensive coaches Currently vacant