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The Major League of Indoor Football

2021 Championship

The 2021 United Bowl served as the championship game of the Indoor Football League season and marked the league’s return following the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Played on September 12, 2021, at the Footprint Center, the second-seeded Massachusetts Pirates defeated the top-seeded Arizona Rattlers, 37–34, in overtime in front of 6,385 fans.

The matchup featured a clash between the veteran Rattlers—who finished the regular season 12–2 atop the Western Conference—and the Pirates, an expansion franchise making its first United Bowl appearance in its inaugural IFL season. The game marked the 12th United Bowl in league history and became the first championship to be decided in overtime.

Game Recap

Massachusetts struck early, capitalizing on an interception by Santos Ramirez that set up the game’s opening touchdown. Arizona responded behind quarterback Drew Powell, and the contest quickly settled into a back-and-forth battle that featured multiple lead changes throughout the second half.

Both teams traded scores late into regulation, with neither able to pull away. The defining moment of the fourth quarter came when Pirates defensive lineman Nik D'Avanzo blocked a field goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown, tying the game and forcing overtime.

Arizona won the coin toss in the extra period, but disaster struck on the opening play when Powell fumbled, giving Massachusetts immediate possession. The Pirates capitalized, as kicker Garrett Hartley connected on a 31-yard field goal, sealing a 37–34 overtime victory and delivering the first United Bowl title in franchise history.

Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield was named United Bowl MVP, accounting for three touchdowns with two rushing scores and one passing touchdown while guiding the Pirates through the pressure of a championship overtime.

The victory capped a remarkable debut season for Massachusetts, as the Pirates became United Bowl champions in their first year in the IFL. For Arizona, the loss extended a challenging trend in home-state title games, while the result underscored the league’s growing parity and competitive balance heading into the 2022 season.