Albany Empire head coach Moe Leggett was seen packing up his office on Thursday afternoon, signaling the end of the season despite seven remaining games. In a state of shock, Leggett learned from his players that the Empire had been removed from the National Arena League (NAL). The NAL made an announcement on Thursday stating that the owners had voted to oust the Empire due to majority owner Antonio Brown’s failure to pay $21,000 in league assessments before the noon deadline.
During a staff meeting in preparation for the scheduled game against the Jacksonville Sharks, Leggett received the news when players knocked on his office door. Last Friday, Leggett had made his head coaching debut after retiring as a player just a week prior. Now, he plans to move to the Atlanta area, where he co-owns a gym called Elite Fit 4 Life. However, this sudden turn of events has put his decision on hold until he finds a new opportunity.
Leggett is currently focused on ensuring that his players are able to return home. As they had to check out of their rooms at the Howard Johnson hotel in Albany, where they were staying after a previous incident resulting in their departure from the Holiday Inn Express on Broadway. Despite the circumstances, Leggett holds no bitterness towards Brown and stated that the players are paying their own way home.
One of the Empire’s new quarterbacks, Dalton Cole, found himself waiting at Albany International Airport for a flight back to Asheville, N.C. Cole had left his job at a moving company on Tuesday to join the Empire. News about their removal from the NAL was discovered by Cole and a few teammates through social media. The team was left in disbelief, hoping it was a joke until they confirmed its authenticity. Now, Cole is left searching for opportunities with another NAL team or possibly considering the new Arena Football League starting next year.
For Albany receiver Daquan Patten, the situation offers a chance for new beginnings. Patten, along with the rest of the Empire players, is now a free agent and is in contact with his agent regarding potential opportunities in the NAL or other leagues. Patten remains optimistic, believing that this setback is an indication of a new opportunity coming his way. He comes from a family with ties to Albany’s early days in arena football, as his late father played for the Albany Firebirds before moving on to have a successful NFL career.
Despite the surprise and disappointment surrounding the Empire’s removal from the NAL, both Patten and Cole refrain from criticizing Brown’s management of the team. Instead, they express gratitude for the opportunity to have played and appreciate the moments they had on the field. Unfortunately, for this season, arena football in Albany has come to an unexpected end.
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