Jacob LaBree has brought a career's worth of experience in hospitality to his role as CEO of the Albany Firebirds ...

Firebirds coach Damon Ware, left, and owner Mike Kwarta celebrate after beating the Nashville Kats for the AF1 championship on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the MVP Arena in Albany, NY.

Firebirds coach Damon Ware, left, and owner Mike Kwarta celebrate after beating the Nashville Kats for the AF1 championship on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at the MVP Arena in Albany, NY.

Prince Umanmielen was a key figure on a big-play defensive unit for the 2024 East Central University football team. The all-conference defensive end finished his senior season with 31 tackles, 7.5 ...

Albany Firebirds coach and general manager Damon Ware, having seen the havoc Rose wreaked along the defensive line against his team, had other ideas. “I was ready to hang my cleats up,” Rose said.

The Empire never played again after being ousted from the NAL. The reborn Albany Firebirds began play in a new Arena Football League in 2024, then left that league to form Arena Football One.

However, the Oilers made a splash move by signing QB Sam Castronova, the 2024 IFL Offensive Player of the Year for San Antonio who led the Albany Firebirds to this year’s Arena Football One title.