The Canton Legends was a professional indoor football team based out of Canton, Ohio. They were a charter member of the American Indoor Football Association, which played their first season under the name Atlantic Indoor Football League, and their second season as the American Indoor Football League. They played their home games at Canton Memorial Civic Center. The team name is in reference to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, since Canton is where the building is located.

Canton Legends
Established 2005
Folded 2008
Played in Canton, Ohio
at the Canton Memorial Civic Center
League/conference affiliations
American Indoor Football Association (2005-2008)
Current uniform
Team colorsMaroon, Old Gold, White      
Personnel
PresidentJoe Hoffman
Team history
  • Canton Legends (2005-2008)
Championships
League championships (1)
2006
Conference championships (0)
Division championships (0)
Playoff appearances (1)
2006
Home arena(s)
Slappy, the Legends' mascot

During their inaugural season, the Legends ended up at a mediocre 3–7, just beating the Raleigh Rebels for 4th Place in the league. Since the league only had six teams, everyone (including the Legends) made the playoffs. They won the opening round against the Rebels, but their season ended when they lost to the Erie Freeze in the semifinals.

Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni played for the Legends in 2005.

On Saturday, May 6, 2006, the Legends won 54–41 against the Huntington Heroes on the road, but not without controversy. The Legends were in violation for having an illegal roster, for they added some players to their rosters illegally. At first the AIFL awarded the win to Huntington; later Canton got the win, but had to pay an $800 fine for its actions.[1]

Despite that little controversy, the Legends eventually managed to win the AIFL's ultimate title for 2006, beating the Rome Renegades 61–40.

The Legends also held an AIFA record for longest winning streak (12 games), beginning on May 6, 2006, against the Huntington Heroes (the same Heroes game mentioned above) at Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse, and ending on March 11, 2007, with a 39–36 loss to the Lakeland Thunderbolts at the Lakeland Center. (The Baltimore Mariners later broke this record in 2010.) The Legends are also the last of the six charter AIFL teams to fold, ceasing operations only four seasons after its debut. (Johnstown and Erie folded in 2007 and the other three teams folded in 2006.)

Season-by-season

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Season records
Season W L T Finish Playoff results
Canton Legends (AIFL)
2005 3 7 0 4th League Won Round 1 (Raleigh)
Lost League Semifinals (Erie)
2006 10 4 0 2nd Northern Won Round 1 (Erie)
Won Northern Division Championship (Reading)
Won American Bowl II (Rome)
Canton Legends (AIFA)
2007 10 4 0 2nd Northern Won Round 1 (Huntington)
Lost NC Championship (Reading)
2008 3 11 0 4th EC Northern
Totals 31 28 0 (including playoffs)

Entire 2006 Season Schedule

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2006 Championship Banner hanging at the Canton Memorial Civic Center
Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 25 Steubenville Stampede Home Win 66-33
March 3 Erie Freeze Away Lost 53-61
March 18 Reading Express Away Win 52-41
March 22 Johnstown Riverhawks Home Win 62-48
March 26 Syracuse Soldiers Away Win 58-39
April 1 Johnstown Riverhawks Away Lost 36-50
April 8 Miami Valley Silverbacks Away Lost 28-44
April 15 Steubenville Stampede Away Win 62-26
April 23 Reading Express Home Lost 18-56
May 6 Huntington Heroes Away Win 54-41
May 13 Syracuse Soldiers Home Win 88-41
May 20 Erie Freeze Home Win 50-27
May 27 Huntington Heroes Home Win 75-49
June 8 Miami Valley Silverbacks Home Win 50-28
June 17 Erie Freeze (Playoffs) Home Win 54-45
June 22 Reading Express (Playoffs) Away Win 44-24
July 3 Rome Renegades (A.B. II) Away Win 61-40

2007 Season Schedule

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Date Opponent Home/Away Result
February 2 Johnstown Riverhawks Away Won 60-46
February 9 Erie Freeze Home Won 43-26
February 17 Huntington Heroes Away Won 69-52
February 23 Pittsburgh RiverRats Home Won 45-11
March 11 Lakeland Thunderbolts Away Lost 36-39
March 23 Reading Express Home Lost 19-50
April 6 Baltimore Blackbirds Home Won 38-2
April 14 Reading Express Away Lost 56-63
April 21 Erie Freeze Away Won 48-44
April 28 Pittsburgh RiverRats Away Lost 33-62
May 6 Danville Demolition Home Won 72-14
May 18 Johnstown Riverhawks Home Won 38-16
May 24 Danville Demolition Away Won 53-19
June 1 Huntington Heroes Home Won 52-50
June 7 Huntington Heroes (Playoffs) Home Won 76-43
June 16 Reading Express (Playoffs) Away Lost 51-66

2008 Season Schedule

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Date Opponent Home/Away Result
March 15 Erie RiverRats Home Lost 24-38
March 22 Carolina Speed Home Lost 35-38
March 29 Florence Phantoms Away Lost 39-55
April 12 Augusta Colts Home Lost 35-38
April 19 Huntington Heroes Away Lost 6-49
April 25 Reading Express Away Lost 7-36
May 3 Erie RiverRats Away Lost 48-50
May 10 Reading Express Home Lost 54-67
May 17 Augusta Colts Away Lost 38-57
May 23 Fayetteville Guard Home Won 34-22
May 31 Erie RiverRats Away Lost 37-45
June 7 Baltimore Mariners Home Won 59-56
June 14 Baltimore Mariners Away Lost 34-48
June 21 Huntington Heroes Home Won 43-39
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