Football family. Excellence on and off the field.
The Quad City Steamwheelers entered professional football in 2000 as a member of the Arena Football League's AF2. There, the team won 3 Division Championships (2001, 2003, 2004) and 2 League Championships (2000, 2001).
In 2018, the Steamwheelers joined the Champions Indoor Football (CIF), finished with an 8-4 record and made the playoffs during their first season in the league.
In 2019, the Steamwheelers joined the Indoor Football League (IFL) and finished with a 7-8 record in 2019-2020 before entering a state of dormancy due to the pandemic. In 2022, the Steamwheelers returned, winning the Eastern Conference Championship and earning a birth in the IFL National Championship game.
During their three full seasons in the IFL, the team has been named Franchise of the Year (2022) and Social Media Team of the Year (2023). As well as, being accounted for 2 IFL Offensive Player of the Year awards (2019, 2022), 6 All-IFL selections, 3 IFL All-Rookie selections, 11 IFL Player of the Week awards and more.
Below are some of the team's notable accomplishments since joining the IFL.
League Awards
- 2019 Community Relations Award
- "This award is given to the team that exemplified outstanding service and dedication to their surrounding community."
- 2022 Franchise of the Year
- "This award is given to the best overall team during the 2022 season. Factors to consider are attendance, sales, public relations, marketing, efforts to improve the IFL, performance on the field, community involvement, participation on league matters, and overall representation of the IFL."
- 2023 Social Media Team of the Year
- "This award is given to the team with the best social media presence. Content design, quantity, creativity, and fan interaction are considered."
Conference Championships
- 2022
- ROUND 1 - 39-38 W (OT) vs. the defending IFL Champion Massachusetts Pirates
- ROUND 2 - 48-41 W vs. the No. 1 seed Frisco Fighters in the Eastern Conference Championship
IFL Offensive Player of the Year Awards
- QB - E.J. Hilliard Jr. (2019)
- Led IFL in passing yards (2,739), passing attempts (330), and average passing yards per game (195.6)
- Finished second in the IFL in TD Passes (59), passing completions (205), and efficiency rating (187.0)
- Rushed for 462 yards (7th in IFL)
- Rushed for 18 TDs (6th in IFL)
- Thew only 3 interceptions during the regular season, tied for the fewest in the IFL
- QB - E.J. Hilliard Jr. (2022)
- In only 13 games
- 1,810 passing yards (7th in IFL), 35 passing touchdowns (7th), and 162.9 QB efficiency rating
- 681 rushing yards (8th), 25 rushing touchdowns (5th), and 5.5 YPC
First Team All-IFL Selections
- WR - Keyvan Rudd (2019)
- WR - Quinton Pedroza (2019)
- In their first season of IFL play, the Quad City Steamwheelers had one of the most exciting offenses in the league. WR Quinton Pedroza and WR Keyvan Rudd become the first wide receiver duo in IFL history to both earn First Team honors. The duo combined for 1,842 receiving yards and 42 touchdowns this season.
- DB - Darreon Jackson (2023)
- Jackson had a career year in 2023 for Quad City and was a big part of why the Steamwheelers grabbed a spot in the playoffs. He had three touchdowns off of his league leading eight interceptions. He also finished 7th in total tackles with 74 and 2nd in pass break-ups with 22.
Second Team All-IFL Selections
- QB - E.J. Hilliard Jr. (2019)
- 2,780 passing yards, 58 passing touchdowns, and ONLY 3 interceptions.
- 462 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns
- DB - Danzel McDaniel (2019)
- DL - Jaylin Swan (2023)
- In 14 games, Swan finished the season with 33.5 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two blocked kicks.
IFL All-Rookie Team Selections
- OL - Joe Krall (2022)
- C - Hunter Nobbs (2022)
- Nobbs was the center piece of the offensive line for the Steamwheelers who finished third in rushing with 1,651 yards and 48 touchdowns.
- LB - Nate Sheets (2022)
- Sheets led the league in tackles with 101.5.
IFL Players of the Week Awards
- 2019
- WR - Quinton Pedroza (Week 4, 2019)
- WR - Quinton Pedroza (Week 9, 2019)
- K - Jacob Stytz (Week 13, 2019)
- DB - Antonio Marshall (Week 14, 2019)
- 2022
- LB - Nate Sheets (Week 10, 2022)
- QB - E.J. Hilliard Jr. (Week 11, 2022)
- QB - E.J. Hilliard Jr. (Week 16, 2022)
- QB - E.J. Hilliard Jr. (Week 19, 2022)
- 2023
- DB - Kendricks Gladney Jr. (Week 3, 2023)
- RB/WR - Jerron McGaw (Week 5, 2023)
- K - Chase Allbaugh (Week 8, 2023)
- 2024
- K - Kyle Kaplan (Week 10, 2024)
- WR/KR - Jarrod Harrington (Week 9, 2024)
League Leaders (IFL era)
Steamwheelers
- Most Points in a Game: 72 (2019)
- Most Touchdowns in a game: 10 (2019)
- Two-point conversions: 13 (2022)
Passing Yards
- E.J. Hilliard Jr. : 2,739 (2019)
Rushing YPC
- Shane Simpson: 5.6 (2023)
Receiving YPR
Total Touchdowns Per-Game
(Including Postseason)
- E.J. Hilliard Jr. : 4.86 (2022)
Total Tackles (Including Postseason)
- Nate Sheets: 101.5 (2022)
Interceptions
Individual Records
OFFENSIVE
Rushing Yards
Rushing TDs
Pass Completions
Pass Yards
Pass TDs
Receptions
- GAME
- - Quinton Pedroza: 9 (vs Tucson Sugar Skulls - 4/20/2019)
- - Keyvan Rudd: 9 (vs Salina Liberty - 5/26/2018 (CIF))
- - Tyler Williams: 9 (vs Sioux City Bandits - 6/16/2018 (CIF))
Receiving Yards
- GAME - Quinton Pedroza: 171 (vs Tucson Sugar Skulls - 4/20/2019)
Receiving TDs
DEFENSIVE
Tackles
- GAME
- - Bubba Arslanian: 13 (vs Green Bay Blizzard - 6/22/2024)
- - Nate Sheets: 13 (vs Frisco Fighters - 4/16/2022)
- - Danzel McDaniel: 13 (vs Iowa Barnstormers - 3/3/2019 // vs Green Bay Blizzard - 3/29/2019)
- - La'Kel Bass: 13 (vs Tucson Sugar Skulls - 4/20/2019)
- SEASON - Nate Sheets: 142 (2022)
Interceptions
- GAME
- - Denzel Thompson: 3 (vs Texas Power - 6/9/2018 (CIF))
- - Darreon Jackson: 2 (vs Iowa Barnstormers - 5/6/2023)
- - Nicholas Everet: 2 (vs San Diego Strike Force - 2/22/2019)
- SEASON - Darreon Jackson: 8 (2023)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Longest FG - Kyle Kaplan: 53-yards (vs Iowa Barnstormers - 5/17/2024)
Most FGs in a Game - Kyle Kaplan: 5 (vs Iowa Barnstormers - 5/17/2024)
Longest Kickoff Return - Jarrod Harrington: 58-yards (vs Sioux Falls Storm - 5/10/2024) (IFL Record)
Adam Pringle Award
Awarded to player or coach demonstrating outstanding service and dedication to their community.
