The return of the Nashville Kats becomes official on Saturday at 7:30 p.m., when the team opens its Arena Football League season against the Minnesota Myth at Municipal Auditorium.
It will be a rebirth of sorts for both the AFL and the Kats.
The indoor league has a local presence for the first time since 2019, when it ceased operations and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This is the third version of the Kats, as late Titans owner Bud Adams ceased operations on the most recent iteration in 2007.
Festivities will begin Saturday at 5:30 p.m. with a block party, with doors to the arena opening at 7.
Here’s a look at five Kats players who could make an early impact for the team:
Player: Ramone Atkins
Position: Quarterback
Background: It remains to be seen who the Kats will roll out as their starting quarterback, as former Baylor starter Charlie Brewer is also on the team’s roster. But Atkins made a big impact in his first season in the Indoor Football League last season, when he was named that league’s rookie of the year. The 6-4, 225-pound Atkins completed 65 percent of his passes last season, throwing 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He’s a dual threat, having run for 692 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2023. Atkins played collegiately at New Mexico Highlands University.
Player: Braxton Haley
Position: Wide receiver
Background: The 6-2, 195-pound Haley has an impressive indoor resume, as he earned All-IFL honors in 2022 while playing for the Arizona Rattlers. That year, Haley led the league with 1,030 receiving yards, finishing third in catches (66) and touchdowns (21). He followed that in 2023 by making 40 catches for 502 yards and 12 touchdowns. An Atlanta native, Haley spent one year at Notre Dame before finishing with two seasons at Illinois State, where he caught a combined 39 passes for 494 yards and three touchdowns.
Player: Marquise Irvin
Position: Wide receiver
Background: Irvin is one of two AFL players given the inaugural “gamebreaker” designation, an honor based on depth of quality experience and production on both the pro and college levels. It’s an indication Irvin could be one of the Kats’ first stars. The 6-3, 215-pound Huntsville, Ala., native set Mercer University’s receiving yards record as a senior with 816. In his third IFL season, Irvin posted 71 catches for 886 yards and 16 touchdowns with the Green Bay Blizzard last year.
Player: Ja’Quain Blakely
Position: Defensive line
Background: University of Tennessee fans might recall the name, as Blakely spent six years at the school, redshirting his freshman season in 2016 and then playing each of the next five seasons. He wound up making 10 starts for the Vols in 2021, totaling 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks and five tackles for loss. The 6-1, 270-pound Blakely spent last year with the Orlando Guardians of the XFL, contributing eight tackles in six games.
Player: Trae Meadows
Position: Defensive back
Background: A former Western Kentucky standout, Meadows was a starter for each of his last two seasons with the Hilltoppers. In 2020, his last year at WKU, Meadows was named All-Conference USA after totaling 28 total tackles, four passes defensed and two tackles for loss. In 2022, Meadows was named to the IFL’s All-Rookie team and helped his North Arizona Wrangers win the league championship. In 2023, he played for the IFL’s Bay Area Panthers, totaling 85 tackles, five interceptions and 13 passes defensed.