KULKA RETURNS AT QB FOR THE 2026 SEASON

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – When Tyler Kulka arrived on the scene as Nashville Kats quarterback early last season, he did so by unwittingly bringing some “KulkaMania” with him.

Earning the starting job in the third game, the former Lawrence Tech standout put himself into the Arena Football One most valuable player conversation with an outstanding season while guiding the Kats to the postseason.

The Kats open this season with Kulka again at the helm on Friday at 7 p.m. versus the Michigan Arsenal at F&M Bank Arena in downtown Clarksville. The game will be streamed at HomeTeamLive.com and can also be viewed on the league’s official website at TheAF1.com. 

The nod to Kulka to lead the offense came organically as an initial backup.

“Every time he went out there with his group, he was getting to the end zone,” Kats coach Darren Arbet said of Kulka. “When he was our scout team quarterback, it seems he scored on every play. He was dissing us so much in practice, that we gave him a shot, and he did it in the games.”

It didn’t take Kulka long to figure out the indoor game not only met his insatiable thirst for football and competitive nature, but also exhibited a skill set of strong arm and quick release with precise accuracy.

“I am more of a pocket passer, which works in the indoor game,” Kulka said. “You have really tight (passing) windows. You have to get the ball out quickly and it has to be on target. All that fits my skill set.”

Last season, the Kats went 7-5 and earned a berth in the playoffs that culminated with a 60-57 loss to Albany in the AF1 Arena Crown championship game.

During the regular season, Kulka threw for 1,722 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, consistently powering Nashville’s offense with both efficiency and explosiveness. His strong command of the offense carried over into the postseason, where he elevated his game to another level. In the playoffs, Kulka exploded with 597 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, helping push the Kats all the way to the Arena Crown title game.

“Tyler is so competitive,” Arbet said. “If somebody knocks a ball down, he’s going to make sure he gets the ball in there the next time and make sure everybody knows it. He is always so competitive  in everything we do.”

As for “KulkaMania,” a local Kats fan came up with the moniker and the quarterback ran with it, branding and promoting it with fun on his social media platforms. 

In 2023 and 2024, Kulka played for the Obic Seagulls in Narashino, Chiba, Japan and that played in the X-League -- an American-style football league. In two seasons, Kulka had 4,055 passing yards and 40 touchdowns for the historic franchise that was won more championships than any American football team in Japan.

In five seasons at Lawrence Tech, an NAIA school in Southfield, Mich., Kulka put up historic numbers. Kulka finished with 9,125 career passing yards and 78 passing touchdowns, while adding 208 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.

Kulka and wife Kiersten are scheduled to have their first child in mid-May right in the middle of a three-game home stretch for the Kats. 

“It’s going to be really neat,” Kulka said of soon being a dad. “I’m excited to bring him to the games where he can come out on the field with me. Being a little boy, he definitely will be a future quarterback.”

The quarterback starting nod wasn’t just given away to Kulka as the incumbent. This season, the Kats also signed Josh Jones, a second-team all-Indoor Football League selection last season with the Bay Area Panthers. He completed 196 of 328 passes for 2,200 yards and 39 touchdowns while adding a league-leading 789 rushing yards and 22 rushing TDs. 

“I have QB1A and QB1B,” Arbet said of Kulka and Jones. “Tyler can play. Josh can play. They both will play. It’s a luxury to have two guys who can start.”

The Kats play 12 regular-season games, including seven home games plus playoffs. Three Kats’ home games will be featured as the Vice National Game of the Week, including Saturday, April 25 versus Washington; Saturday, May 16 versus Oceanside; and Saturday, June 20 versus Albany. All three games have a 4 p.m. CDT kickoff. 

AF1 returns for its second season with the following franchises – Nashville Kats, Michigan Arsenal, Albany Firebirds, Kentucky Barrels, Beaumont Renegades, Washington Wolfpack, Oceanside Bombers, Oregon Lightning and Minnesota Monsters. Fisher also serves as Commissioner of AF1.

For more information, visit NashvilleKats.com and follow the Kats on all their social media platforms.