Brigade Sign Virgil Gray to Anchor Defensive Backfield

Thursday March 22, 2018

 Six-year career includes First Team All-Arena honors, three ArenaBowl titles

BALTIMORE, MD – The Baltimore Brigade announced today the signing of All-Arena defensive back Virgil Gray, whose six-year Arena Football League playing career includes over 300 solo tackles, 47 interceptions and seven defensive touchdowns. Gray spent last season on the Brigade coaching staff, coordinating defensive backs and special teams.

“I am extremely excited to have Virgil leading our defense this year,” Brigade Head Coach Omarr Smith said. “He has been considered one of the best cover guys in the AFL, has championship pedigree and is one of the smartest players I have ever coached. Virgil will approach the game with a new mindset having spent last season as a coach. I fully expect him to be the quarterback of our defense.”

Gray won three ArenaBowl championships as a player (2012, 2013, 2015) and was named First Team All-Arena for his performance with the Arizona Rattlers in 2013.

The 2018 Brigade regular season, presented by MedStar Health, kicks off in Baltimore, Md., on Fri., April 13, when the Brigade host the Washington Valor at 7 p.m. at Royal Farms Arena. Following their season opener, the Brigade travel to Philadelphia on Sat., April 21 for a Week 2 matchup with the defending-champion Soul, a rematch of last season’s semifinal matchup.

ABOUT THE BALTIMORE BRIGADE

The AFL’s Baltimore Brigade is owned and operated by Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which is one of the largest integrated sports and entertainment companies in the country with one of the most diverse partnership groups in all of sports. The company also owns and operates the NBA’s Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, the NBA G League’s Capital City Go-Go, the AFL’s Washington Valor, NBA 2K League’s Wizards District Gaming, as well as Capital One Arena, the premier sports and entertainment venue in Washington, D.C. Monumental Sports & Entertainment is also co-owner of aXiomatic, which has controlling interest in global esports franchise Team Liquid, and oversees the management of Kettler Capitals Iceplex--the training facility for the Washington Capitals--and the Eagle Bank Arena at George Mason University.