2025 Championship
The 2025 IFL National Championship served as the annual championship game of the Indoor Football League and delivered one of the most electrifying finishes in league history. Played on August 23, 2025, at Tucson Arena, the Western Conference champion Vegas Knight Hawks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Green Bay Blizzard, 64–61, in front of 3,251 fans.
The matchup marked the first National Championship appearance for both franchises, guaranteeing a first-time IFL champion. It also opened a three-year partnership between the IFL and the Tucson Convention Center to host the league’s championship game. The contest was televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Game Recap
The 2025 championship instantly announced itself as something special. From the opening kickoff, Vegas and Green Bay traded scores relentlessly in a game that featured 17 lead changes, 125 combined points, and just one defensive stop—on the final play.
Vegas struck first behind a 7-yard touchdown run by Quentin Randolph, but Green Bay answered immediately as quarterback Max Meylor connected with Andre Williams for a 28-yard score. The opening quarter set the tone, with momentum swinging repeatedly and Green Bay edging ahead 14–13 after a Meylor rushing touchdown.
The second quarter only intensified the chaos. Antonio Wimbush powered in a 10-yard touchdown for Vegas, only for Meylor to respond with a 9-yard rushing score. A rare safety briefly pushed Green Bay in front, but Knight Hawks quarterback Jayden De Laura answered with a 2-yard rushing touchdown and a conversion pass to CJ Windham Jr.. After additional touchdowns on both sides, a late field goal by Andrew Mevis sent the teams to halftime with Vegas holding a slim 35–33 lead.
The third quarter escalated into pure fireworks. Green Bay running back Kymani Clarke ripped off multiple touchdown runs, repeatedly reclaiming the lead, while Vegas countered with big plays from Wimbush and a stunning 25-yard De Laura rushing touchdown. By the end of the quarter, Green Bay held a 54–49 advantage, with neither defense able to slow the onslaught.
The fourth quarter delivered a legendary finish. Clarke’s fourth rushing touchdown extended the Blizzard lead to 61–56, but Vegas answered again as CJ Jefferson scored from 3 yards out, and Ben Derby converted the kick to give the Knight Hawks a 64–61 lead.
Green Bay had one final chance. Meylor drove the Blizzard deep into Vegas territory, threatening yet another lead change. But with the championship on the line, the Knight Hawks’ defense—battered all night—delivered the only defensive stop of the game, halting Green Bay as time expired and sealing the title.
Quarterback Jayden De Laura was named IFL National Championship MVP, completing 12 of 15 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, while adding 70 rushing yards and two rushing scores. Wimbush added three rushing touchdowns, Randolph contributed both a receiving and rushing score, and Vegas’ balanced offense proved just enough in a historic shootout.
For Green Bay, Clarke rushed for 80 yards and four touchdowns, while Meylor accounted for six total touchdownsin a valiant effort that fell just short.
The 64–61 victory delivered the first IFL National Championship in Vegas Knight Hawks franchise history and instantly etched itself into league lore—an instant classic that showcased the IFL at its most explosive, dramatic, and unforgettable.