Former Raiders O-Lineman Named HC of New AIF Team

Former Las Vegas Raiders guard Frank Middleton has been named the first head coach of the new American Indoor Football expansion team, the Beaumont Renegades.

Former Las Vegas Raiders guard Frank Middleton has been named the head coach of the Beaumont Renegades of American Indoor Football (AIF), per a press release.

Middleton played guard for the Raiders from 2001-02 to 2004-05, having been a key member of their 2002 team that went to Super Bowl XXXVII. He and the Raiders finished first in the AFC West in his first two seasons with the club.

The Renegades were announced as an expansion AIF team in January and will begin play in the 2025 spring season.

Middleton will be coaching in his hometown, as the eight-year NFL lineman was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas.

“When it comes to my hometown, it’s the best or nothing. Period," Middleton said. “I’m happy to be part of something that's going to be very special for the local community, while having the opportunity to help players with the chance to live their dreams."

Middleton attended West Brook Senior High School, where he played on both the offensive and defensive lines. He went on to play for Fort Scott Community College in Kansas before transferring to Arizona.

Middleton was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played for Tampa Bay for four seasons, making 50 starts in 63 games and helped lead the team to the AFC title game in the 1999 season.

The Raiders signed Middleton as a free agent in 2001. He made 42 starts in 46 games as a Raider. He started every game for that 2002 team that went to the Super Bowl.

The Renegades will join seven teams currently in AIF: the Amarillo Venom, Cedar Rapids River Kings, Columbus Lions, Corpus Christi Tritons, Flint Rivergators, Harrisburg Stampede, and Mississippi Raiders.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

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