Major League Football was set up to begin play this spring, claiming they were filling a untouched market of spring football. They planned to focus on player development, giving young players with high level athletic talent a chance to develop football fundamentals in the hopes of gaining valuable playing time to work on their craft.
When an investor pulled out in February, the state of the league was in question, but MLFB said they were prepared to keep moving forward.
But then MLFB cancelled their inaugural season, saying that 2016 would be a developmental year for players. This was a shock for the players who invested time and effort into this league already.
Even if MLFB had good intentions, players want to do one thing: play.
I had the privilege of interviewing one of these players, Ayrius Justin, the brother of former CFL DB Airabin Justin, who played with the Riders and Ticats. We spoke about the MLFB, what went wrong, and what his next move will be.
Lance Keiser: Where did you hear of MLFB?
Ayrius Justin: I heard about the MLFB from my father. He knew a few of the front office staff, as well as a few coaches.
LK: MLFB claims to have a league built to develop and get young players to the next level, despite their financial undoing would you suggest that they had policies in place to make the next level attainable? If so what immediately stood out to you?
AJ: I really do feel that everything they had set up was promising. Yes I was told that this league was trying to be like farm leagues like they have in baseball. To try and place players in the NFL. So everything I was told had me feel like I was going to get a shot.
LK: How have you felt they have handled all this uncertainty leading to eventual cancellation of the 2016 season? Were they in constant professional contact with your self and other players? If so who usually contacted you?
AJ: Well honestly, My coach and Gm contacted myself and the other players when they knew anything. But I pretty much heard from the MLFB Twitter page more often than anyone else. But with that, the MLFB page was always giving off insecure answers to questions from everyone that would ask questions. Whether it be players or fans.
LK: Ayrius, being from a football family, your brother played in the CFL for a while, did you ever consider the CFL instead of MLFB? How knowledgeable are you with the Canadian game?
AJ: Oh man. I wanted to play in the CFL for a while now. Along with my brother (Airabin Justin) being an all star in the CFL, my dad (Sidney Justin) also played in the CFL. So I love the game out there! I play wide receiver. So being a 3 down game out there, it’s a wide receiver game. Plus I have a few players I went to college with, that play there now. One that comes to mind is Chris Williams wide receiver.
LK: What did MLFB offer you which appealed the most?
AJ: They offered another opportunity to play football and potentially get signed in the NFL and CFL. Which is the ultimate goal for every player that grows up playing football. My professional career has only been in arena football. Which I loved because that was an opportunity to continue to play. But I’ve always wanted to play outdoors again.
LK: Did you ever feel that MLFB was not honest with you regarding the status of the season leading up to the March 31st season cancellation? After the first announcement that camps were to be postponed what went through your mind?
AJ: Well at first it just seemed to be going good. But honestly when I think back to it, no one really knew when camp was going to start. I would talk to different players and coaches and no one knew when camp was. Or everyone’s dates were all different. I heard from early March to end of March and all in between. So it was always difficult to get an answer.
My first thought was, “Well they are just giving me more time to work on my craft.” But I was disappointed because I just want to play. Show people that I can play. And given the opportunity show them I belong in the NFL or CFL.
LK: The MLFB states that 2016 will be a developmental year for players, that’s obviously not ideal as you can’t replicate in game speed during drills. What are your plans as of now? Are all options open?
AJ: I really don’t know about the developmental process. The only e-mail I have received was that we aren’t going to play this year. I don’t really understand what they are trying to do with that process. I thought the reason for the season being cancelled was for money and investors not being able to provide. So how would they provide all these players with the right set up, if we can’t even fly to Florida where camp was suppose to be?
As of right now, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I was kind of banking of the MLFB to work out. I really would like to go to camp in the CFL. Or play arena football again.
LK: Did you have to travel any distance to attend any of the MLFB camps or tryouts?
AJ: No, I didn’t have to travel. One of the coaches from the league was in Arizona. Where he saw me work out with Colin Kaepernick, Taylor Kelly (former ASU quarterback), and Kevin White currently on the Bears.
LK: Have you contacted any players you may have met during this process? What are their thoughts regarding how this was handled?
AJ: Most of the ones I have e-mailed, and received e-mails from, have been really positive throughout this whole process. We in a sense are all underdogs, so things aren’t really ever in our favor. So we can’t really be depressed. It was more of a disappointing feeling. But all you can do is thank God for the almost opportunity and keep trying to work hard.
LK: Pro football being the obvious goal for you, what can you reflect on most about this experience that will ultimately make you strive to become better?
AJ: I’m the type of person that will never just settle. So this was only a stepping stone for me. I’m never going to feel like I’ve done enough. This whole process makes me want it that much more. Because someone was going to give me the opportunity to show these teams that I really can play.
LK: I understand there was a $250 dollar registration fee, will that be refunded as there are no games this year?
AJ: I really don’t know. I hope so. Especially for the guys that quit their jobs prior to hearing when camp was suppose to take place.
I’d like to say thanks for the interview, because I know people will actually listen. I don’t think it’s all the league’s fault. They tried to give us players and opportunity to play football which I’m more than grateful for the opportunity. I think they just want everything to be 110% correct before they try and start something, so beneficial. It’s just hard because this is a last shot opportunity for most players. And now most of us are in limbo because all the other leagues have started. Arena, indoor, and now the CFL is starting up in a few weeks. So now it’s going to be even harder to get all that time back waiting to go to camp with the MLFB.
Ayrius shared his story and gave great insight into what this league was suppose to be about and how they handled the situation. The LWOS CFL department wishes him well in his future with pro football. Hard work pays off, and maybe with his work ethic we will see him in the CFL.
Main Photo credit: Ayrius Justin.
