AF1 Notebook Week 2

AF1 Notebook

Arena Football One opened its 2026 season with eight of nine teams in competitive, head-to-head play during a four-game Week 1 schedule.

Defending champion Albany defeated Minnesota 50-23, extending its winning streak to 13 games dating to last season.

Kentucky beat Michigan 34-26 at home. Oregon won 33-16 at Washington. Oceanside defeated visiting Beaumont 41-32.

Nashville, last season’s runner-up, had a bye.

Week 2 opens Friday with Michigan (0-1) at Nashville (0-0). Albany (1-0) travels to Beaumont (0-1) on Saturday. Sunday’s schedule features Oceanside (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0). Oregon (1-0), Minnesota (0-1) and Washington (0-1) have byes.

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AF1 top performers in Week 1:

Joshua Kulka, QB, Albany -- Threw for a league-high five touchdowns, converting on 12 of 23 (.555) attempts for 159 yards and one interception.

Malik Henry, QB, Michigan -- Completed 23 of 48 (.479) passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns.

Jalin Marshall, WR, Kentucky -- League-high 110 receiving yards on seven receptions, including two touchdowns.

Jalin Wilson, DB, Kentucky -- League-high 11 solo tackles.

Drew Singleton, LB, Albany -- Team-high 10 solo tackles.

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Week 2 Games

Friday -- Michigan (0-1) at Nashville (0-0)

Saturday -- Albany (1-0) at Beaumont (0-1)

Sunday -- Oceanside (1-0) at Kentucky (1-0)

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Nashville’s Tyler Kulka stands as the most complete quarterback in AF1 entering the 2026 season.

Kulka threw for 1,722 yards and 31 touchdowns against just two interceptions over nine games — 191.3 per game -- and completed 157 of 251 passes during the '25 regular season, a 62.5% rate.

In two postseason games, he completed 54 of 68 passes — 79.4% — with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. His 597 yards translated to 298.5 per game.

Nashville fell short of a championship, finishing runner-up to Albany, but the quarterback play did not waver. In a league where postseason volatility often defines legacies, Kulka delivered two of the cleanest games of the year.

At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, the Lawrence Tech product does not rely on size or arm strength alone. His game is built on recognition — identifying coverage quickly, understanding leverage in tight spaces, and delivering the ball on time. In the arena game, where windows close as quickly as they open, that trait carries more value than raw velocity.

The comparison across the league starts and ends with ball security. Others may match Kulka in yardage or individual scoring bursts, but no quarterback combined volume, efficiency and mistake-free execution at the same level over a full season and into the playoffs.