Pirates Re-Sign Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield for 2023
January 25, 2023 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Massachusetts Pirates News Release
The Massachusetts Pirates have re-signed quarterback Alejandro Bennifield for the upcoming season. Bennifield, who was the Most Valuable Player for the Pirates in the 2021 Indoor Football League Championship game, holds eight playoff records and three all-time marks for the organization. This will be his fourth season in Massachusetts.
Last season Bennifield missed six games due to injury, yet was ranked in six of the IFL's top ten statistical categories for quarterbacks. He was also the league's Offensive Player of the Week after his week five performance against the Bismarck Bucks. In a 54-43 win at the Bismarck Event Center Bennifield had his best day as a Pirates passer. The 6 '2'' 210 lb. "Lefty" from Lovejoy, GA set career highs in completions, passing yards and touchdown passes as he was 19 of 29 for 262 yards with six touchdowns against two interceptions.
In ten games last season (including a quarterfinal round playoff game against Quad City) Bennifield completed 65.3 percent of his passes which was sixth best in the league and a Pirates single season record. He connected on 128 of 196 attempts for 1,328 yards with 28 touchdowns with five interceptions. Bennifield averaged 138.2 yards per game and had an efficiency rating of 166.6. He also carried the ball 68 times for 243 yards, scored 13 touchdowns, averaged 3.6 yards per carry and 24.3 yards per game.
Bennifield rose to prominence as an IFL quarterback in the 2021 season. He came off the bench in week one as starter Sean Brackett was injured and guided the team to a victory over Louisville. He remained the starter and led the team to its first ever championship defeating the Arizona Rattlers in Phoenix in a 37-34 overtime victory. In that game, Bennifield was 10 of 23 passing for 83 yards and a touchdown against two interceptions. He also ran ten times for 56 yards and scored two touchdowns as was named the MVP of the United Bowl. The team finished 13 and 4, its best single season record.
That season Bennifield established the single season mark for rushing touchdowns in a game with four against the Green Bay Blizzard and four two-point conversion passes in a victory over the Arizona Rattlers on Phoenix Field at the DCU Center. His 16 rushing touchdowns that year were also a seasonal best.
In his Pirates career Bennifield holds the team all-time record for rushing touchdowns with 27 and rushing yards with 478. Included in his eight Massachusetts playoff records are 66 passing attempts, 35 completions and seven passing touchdowns.
Bennifield first played for the Pirates in 2019 and appeared in four games making just one start. Prior to joining Massachusetts he played in the Your Call Football League in Jacksonville, FL. in 2018. 2017 saw Bennifield in rookie minicamp with the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League and later with the Memphis Express in the Alliance of American Football.
Bennifield started his football journey at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga where he played four seasons, was a team captain as a senior and earned All-Southern Conference Second Team honors as a junior.
Indoor Football League Stories from January 25, 2023
- Vegas Knight Hawks to Host Select-A-Seat Event at the Dollar Loan Center February 13 - Vegas Knight Hawks
- Larry Williams Signs in XFL - Tulsa Oilers
- Pirates Re-Sign Quarterback Alejandro Bennifield for 2023 - Massachusetts Pirates
- Quad City Steamwheelers Sign Defensive Back Tarik Pusey - Quad City Steamwheelers
- Fighters Sign Four Defensive Backs to the 2023 Roster - Frisco Fighters
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