Earlier today, the Continental Football League (CoFL) announced the addition of the Michigan Arrows as a member for their inaugural 2026 season. The greater Detroit based team will compete in the CoFL’s north division, joining the Cincinnati Dukes and Ohio Valley Ironmen.
The revived Arrows branding has a historical connection to the state of Michigan, dating back to the Macomb County Arrows (Midwest Football League 1963-1964), Pontiac Arrows (Midwest Football League 1965-1966), and Michigan Arrows (Midwest Football League 1967 & CoFL 1968). Team founder, Mike Jones is a proud Port Huron, Michigan native and has a connection to football in the state. In addition to having served four seasons at Jackson Northwestern High School as defensive line coach, he is the founder and owner of WolvaLion LLC and cohost of the Boss Up Ball Out Podcast (Detroit Lions Show).
Per the CoFL’s press release, Jones addressed the announcement with the following statement,
“This is more than launching a team. It’s bringing something meaningful back. The Arrows stand for family, hard work, and Michigan pride. We plan to build this the right way, with energy, discipline, and a professional product our fans can believe in.”
CoFL Commissioner Mike Kelly also stated “Michigan is football country, and the Arrows are a name that carries real history and purpose,” he added “Our goal is to build a strong professional team that feels rooted in the community, while creating real opportunities for players and coaches who are still working toward the next level.”
Per exclusive statements provided to Player 54 Podcast, Jones further shared “I’ve lived and breathed football now for the past 30 years, I am football! There is way too much talent in Michigan and it is a shame the Michigan Panthers left so abruptly. But now is the time that we have to start supporting our local sports teams, not just the big ones, because this is a pathway to the NFL!”
Commissioner Kelly also shared “We are so pleased to have the Michigan Arrows revitalized into the Continental Football League. In 1968 the Arrows were part of the Atlantic Division in the CoFL as a farm team of the Detroit Lions. They now join original clubs Ohio Valley Ironmen and San Antonio Toros as we pursue brining back a league of significance to the history of professional football providing affordable summer entertainment for families and opportunity for players to pursue their professional football dreams.”
The league is expected to make two more team announcements in the coming weeks to finalize its eight inaugural teams.
Michigan Arrows History:
Initially known as the Macomb Arrows (1962-?) and Pontiac Arrows (Michigan Arrows played its lone season (1968) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the original Continental Football League, before relocation to Midland, Michigan and rebranded as the Tri-City Apollos. The team featured kicker Garo Yepremain, who went on to win Super Bowl VII as a member of the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
Continental Football League History:
The COFL originally played five seasons from 1965 to 1969, before teams departed for other leagues, forcing it to cease operations after the conclusion of its 1969 season. The league featured numerous National Football League alumni, as well as Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees: Ken Stabler, Doak Walker, Bill Walsh and Steve Van Buren.
The league publicly relaunched in September 2025 under the leadership of commissioner Mike Kelly. The new COFL is community owned, and the fan focused league is positioning itself as the lone “AA” professional football league. It plans to launch in May 2026 with eight teams competing in two divisions (North and South).
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