Let’s say the big important part first.
At least some members of the Corpus Christi Tritons roster are alleging they have not been paid and refused to suit up for their game on Friday night.
Late Friday night and Saturday morning, after being decimated in their matchup with the Albany Firebirds by the spectacularly absurd score of 100-12, news began to trickle out as to why Corpus Christi was missing key pieces of its roster in the game.
It was hard to miss that, in what was supposed to be a major showdown between top teams in the AF1, Corpus Christi seemed to be missing at least SIX key players, perhaps most conspicuously starting Quarterback Fred Payton Jr.
The six players who we know chose not to suit up are:
- Fred Payton Jr., #9, Starting Quarterback: This season Fred’s passed for 711 yards and has thrown 15 touchdowns.
- Darius Prince, #6, Wide Receiver: Leads team in receptions with 23. Leads team in receiving yards with 311. Leads Tritons’ receivers and is tied for second in the league with seven touchdowns.
- Quintavious Workman, #7, Wide Receiver: Second in touchdowns amongst Tritons’ receivers with four.
- Isaiah McFarland, #3, Defensive Back: Leads league in Interceptions with nine. Leads Tritons and is tied for fourth in the league in tackles with 19.
- Dwayne Hollis, #5, Defensive Back: Second on Tritons in tackles with 16.
- Robert Fuentes, #0, Defensive End: Third on Tritons in tackles with 12. First in appearances in opposing QB’s nightmares with infinity.
As far as why the players are refusing to play, here’s the information we’ve been able to gather from various sources so far:
- According to the Times Union’s Adam Shinder, Firebirds Coach Damon Ware was quoted saying the Tritons players refused to play because of “some obligations that were missed.”
Shinder also noted that “rumors had swirled on social media for several weeks concerning the Tritons’ financial troubles.” - According to Arena Insider’s Anthony Carter, the players refused to suit up because they haven’t been paid.
Carter quoted Defensive End Robert Fuentes as saying online, “Players can’t play for free, if they paid up, this wouldn’t have been the outcome.” - According to Indoor Football Insider, some players haven’t been paid in THREE WEEKS.
One thing that all of the sources agreed on is that the Tritons played replacement players Friday. None of the players were added to the team’s official roster or were listed in the AF1’s official transaction reports.
The easiest to spot of the replacements were the three players who wore numbers that previously belonged to three of the players who refused to play. #0, #5 and #7.
The Evergreen NOW broadcast that streamed the game Friday was able to identify #7 as Kyle Cool. Cool was hard to hide considering he got the start at Quarterback.
Based on the final score and his turnover count, I’d believe you if you told me Cool re-joined the team an hour before the opening kickoff.
This is not Cool’s first go-around with the Tritons. The Tritons’ social media account announced his initial signing in late 2023.
Corpus Christi is off until May 12. Hopefully, two weeks is enough time for their Ownership group to scrounge up the money to make payroll.
We’ll update this post as more information becomes available.
