
Pirates Add a Couple of Familiar Faces to Coaching Staff
Published on February 6, 2025 under Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
LOWELL, MA - The Massachusetts Pirates have added a couple familiar faces to the coaching staff for the upcoming Indoor Football League Season. Former Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Anthony Payton will return to serve as Offensive Coordinator and Bill Savary, who has been with the team since its inception, will return as running backs coach for the first time in his tenure.
This season Payton returns to the Pirates as Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach.
Payton's offensive schemes have produced the most prolific totals in team history. Twice his teams have averaged 50 points or more per game and averaged over 250 yards of offense per contest. His offense has afforded Pirates' quarterbacks the three highest seasons of passing yards per game in franchise history.
In 2023 with Payton calling the plays, the Pirates were fourth in the Indoor Football League's regular season in scoring at 50.1 points per game. The Massachusetts offense gained 248.8 yards per game, good for third in the league, while gaining 172.0 yards via the pass, which was fourth.
Payton, who also served as Quarterbacks Coach that season, developed quarterback Anthony Russo and running back Jimmie Robinson who were All-IFL Rookie Team selections. Robinson, who led the IFL in rushing with 915 yards, was also an All-First Team selection along with wide receiver Isaac Zico. Zico led the IFL with 83 receptions, was second in the league with 959 receiving yards and touchdown receptions with 23. He also averaged 5.5 catches per game (2nd), and 63.9 yards per game (3rd) along with 11.5 yards per reception.
For Payton, who was Head Coach of the Pirates in 2019, this will be his fourth season directing the offense. In Massachusetts' inaugural season of 2018, Payton was the Offensive Coordinator that devised the highest scoring team in the National Arena League as the Pirates posted an 11-5 record. That year the Pirates led the NAL in scoring. Massachusetts led the league in touchdowns with 123, most offensive touchdowns, total offensive yards and average yards per play. The Pirates also had the number one passing offense with 3,677 yards and 229.8 yards per game. Additionally, Pirates QB's had the most yards per completion with 12.2 and yards per attempt (7.3).
Payton's creativity enabled Pirates QB Sean Brackett to thrive, becoming the league leader in total offense while passing for a league best 226.4 yards per game. Brackett was the NAL's Most Valuable Player while earning second-team honors on offense. Wide receiver Devonn Brown was an NAL first team offensive selection with 24 touchdown receptions, 1,024 receiving yards while averaging a league best 19 yards per catch.
In 2019 Payton was elevated to Head Coach of the Pirates. The team started slowly, but went on a six game winning streak and secured a playoff berth. Only a controversial call in the final seconds against Carolina kept the Pirates from advancing to the league's championship game. Payton's offense featured wide receiver Mardy Gilyard who set single season National Arena League scoring records with 33 touchdowns (29 receiving and four rushing) and 198 points. Gilyard was named as a First Team All-NAL performer along with defensive end JD Griggs and defensive back Lawrence Austin. Four Pirates earned All-Second Team honors including quarterback Sean Brackett, kicker Mike Weaver and offensive linemen Thomas Claiborne and Tre Jackson. Wide receiver Thomas Owens was also named the NAL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Payton was also the OC with the Louisville Xtreme of the Indoor Football League in 2021 before that franchise ceased operation.
A former wide receiver, Payton enjoyed a nine-year career in the IFL, AFL and AF2 with six teams including Dayton, New Jersey, Louisville, Buffalo, Cincinnati and Las Vegas.
His professional coaching resume includes stops as an Offensive Coordinator in 2017 with Spokane in the Arena Football League and in the Indoor Football League with Portland in 2016. Prior he worked as an offensive coordinator in Louisville in the AF2.
He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Eastern High School in Louisville, KY. Later he coached at Fern Creek High School in Louisville as an offensive and defensive coordinator. Payton also served as quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College. Payton attended East Mississippi Community College, Kentucky Wesleyan College and Austin Peay University.
Savary has been on the Pirates coaching staff since day one and is entering his seventh year as an Assistant Coach with Massachusetts. This season he will serve as running backs coach.
His previous arena experience includes winning the 2018 EIF Arena Championship as the Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator for the New England Bobcats. He also was the Offensive Coordinator for Team USA 14u in 2020. In 2022 he was the Defensive Coordinator for Team Massachusetts in the U.S. Army Bowl.
Savary played 23 seasons of Minor League and Indoor Football. He first played in the National Minor League of football in 1995 and last played in 2018 in the Elite Indoor Football League.
He currently spends his offseason coaching youth football at NGE Sports Performance in Fitchburg, MA.
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