Name Revealed For Milwaukee’s New Pro Football Team
Name pays tribute to legendary Milwaukee County Zoo gorilla. Former Green Bay Packers players will lead coaching staff.
Milwaukee Silverbacks logo. Image from Silverbacks website.
Milwaukee’s new professional football team has a name: the Milwaukee Silverbacks.
The team unveiled its identity Friday, paying tribute to Samson, the legendary silverback gorilla who became one of the Milwaukee County Zoo‘s most famous residents.
The announcement also included the unveiling of a coaching staff with significant Green Bay Packers connections.
“We’ve got Green Bay Packer blood all throughout this team,” said head coach Gilbert Brown at a Friday press conference held at Kelly’s Bleachers, 5218 W. Blue Mound Rd.
Former Packers wide receiver Andre Rison will serve as offensive coordinator. Brown praised Rison’s personality, saying “he has a swagger to him that nobody else has.”
Former Packers linebacker and defensive end Keith McKenzie will serve as defensive coordinator.
Darius Jenkins is serving as the team’s general manager.
The Silverbacks are scheduled to begin play in May 2027 as part of the Continental Football League, a summer professional football league that plays full-field, 11-on-11 football.
But one major question remains unanswered: Where will the Silverbacks play?
“We are talking to different venues, we are talking to different owners and investors,” said Jenkins.
When Milwaukee Pro Football announced the team in September, it solicited community input on both the name and venue. Potential locations included American Family Field, the Milwaukee Mile, Hart Park and Veterans Park. The preliminary plan calls for three home games.
Continental Football League founder and CEO Manny Matsakis said Friday the league is designed to help players advance to the Canadian Football League or NFL.
Matsakis said the league expects to have eight teams in 2027, including franchises in Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Indianapolis for its northern division. The league is considering Chicago or a location in Ohio for its final team. The southern division is entirely within Texas.
“We’ll hit the ground running with those eight teams,” said Matsakis.
The league’s championship game is scheduled for July 3.
Milwaukee Pro Football is led by team president Ahmed Hollowell and his son, founder and chief operating officer Ameer Hollowell. The pair previously described the team as an opportunity for local athletes to continue their football careers without leaving Milwaukee.
The Silverbacks are scheduled to hold player tryouts in January.
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