Late Arrival, Instant Impact: James Cahoon
IFL Iowa Barnstormers

Late Arrival, Instant Impact: James Cahoon

Published on August 13, 2025 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Iowa Barnstormers News Release


Barnstormers quarterback James Cahoon didn't initially start the 2025 season with Iowa, but once he arrived in Des Moines, he made his presence felt.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound gunslinger led the IFL in yards per game with 222 per outing, and nearly held the overall lead for passing yards, despite appearing in five less games than the league's leader.

"There was obviously some great receivers here in Quian Williams, Jalen Bracey, Khaleb Hood, and Keshaun Taylor when he was here," Cahoon said. "I kind of understood that this would be a great situation for me. We're so lucky to have them. They're some of the best football players I've ever played or trained with across all levels - and they were great people off of the field, that's what made the transition so easy for me."

There was a transition both between Cahoon and the rest of the offense, but also with the quarterback and it being his first season playing the indoor game.

Cahoon played his college ball at Bridgewater State, where he set a program record with 7,065 passing yards during his time there.

"I had gotten some attention - I talked to some NFL teams, got some feedback and stuff like that," Cahoon said. "I was kind of thinking that that was the route I was going to go. It was kind of disappointing at first that I didn't get my name called or a training camp spot, but it's really tough for a Division III kid to get that recognition. I just wanted to do anything to keep playing."

There he encountered a former player in the program in Michael McCarthy - a four-year starter at Bridgewater State that aided in his development alongside the coaching staff.

"He showed me the way of how to train, where to fix my mechanics and just where to have my mindset," Cahoon said. "It was great to have him because he had played for so long in the indoor leagues and he was a hall of famer at Bridgewater State. Him and the staff there helped me really understand the importance of hard work and what it was going to take for me to get to the next level."

Cahoon was in talks with Iowa near the end of the 2024 calendar year, and was actually in training camp with the Vegas Knight Hawks after appearing at a UFL camp over the off-season.

He ended up not signing with Vegas, and was available early in the season when Iowa needed to sign a quarterback.

"It was probably the fourth game when James stepped in," wide receiver Quian Williams said. "I had four touchdowns in that first game, but after that, I didn't have any before he got there. Catches were kind of down, and my yards were too. Just seeing - when he came in - the instant improvement in the way he was able to take command and get across what he wanted from his receivers, that helped me a lot. We had similar mindsets and that made it easy."

Williams played a big role in Cahoon's success in the transition to indoor football. The Barnstormers wideout earned the league's triple crown - leading the IFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns.

And when including just the regular season, Cahoon led the league in each category from a passing standpoint as well.

"I was confident in my abilities and confident I could play well, but there's definitely a transition period with the indoor game," Cahoon said. "Learning those nuances and the specifications of the field dimensions, the angles of the routes and the timing was different. Having the veterans in the room, I think, was the biggest part in speeding up that transition."

While the on-field record didn't reflect the leaps and accomplishments of Cahoon's season, his time in Des Moines will be viewed as a success.

"I think that any success in life you have stems from the people that are around you and help you get there," Cahoon said.

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Indoor Football League Stories from August 13, 2025


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