Jefes de Ciudad Juárez
Team logo
Established18 March 2022 (2022-03-18)
Based inCiudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico
Home fieldEstadio 20 de Noviembre
Head coachRandall Mendoza
Owner(s)César Durán
LeagueFútbol Americano de México
2022
Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional
2023–present
ColoursBlack, red, gold and white
       
Websitejefesprofootball.com

Jefes de Ciudad Juárez (English: Ciudad Juárez Chiefs) are an American football team based in Chihuahua, Mexico. The Jefes compete in the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), the top American football league in Mexico, after playing its inaugural season in the Fútbol Americano de México league. The team plays its home games at the Estadio 20 de Noviembre, with a capacity of 5,000 seated spectators.[1]

History

On 18 March 2022, the team was presented at a press conference in Ciudad Juárez as an expansion team in the Fútbol Americano de México (FAM) league, with César Durán as the owner and president and David Silva as its first head coach.[2][3] The inaugural 48-man roster was revealed the following month and included 16 foreign players, all with NCAA Division I or Division II experience.[4]

The Jefes played their first game on 30 April 2022, kicking off the 2022 season with an 18–0 victory over the Bulldogs de Naucalpan at the Estadio Jaime Labastida.[5] Andre Dowdell caught the first touchdown in team history from quarterback Andrés Chío in their first drive.[5] The following week, the Jefes lost 18–16 to the Rojos CDMX in their home opener.[6] After another loss in week 3, the team fired head coach David Silva and promoted linebackers coach Mario Diaz to the position.[7] The Jefes finished their inaugural season with a 3–5 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs.[8]

League change

On 30 September 2022, the FAM league announced it was shutting down operations, leaving the Jefes without a league.[6] In October, the team announced it was joining the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA) for its upcoming season with Lorenzo Gathers as the new head coach.[9][10] He became the first non-Mexican coach in LFA history.[11]

On 26 March, Jefes fired Lorenzo Gathers after the team failed to win a single game on their first four matches; Gathers was replaced by Randall Mendoza.[12] Later, Gathers published a letter in which he pointed out the team's disorganization, such as not paying the players and staff and not allowing him to choose his coaching staff.[13]

Roster

Jefes de Ciudad Juárez roster
Quarterbacks
  •  2 Arnold López
  •  9 Paul Beltrán
  •  0 David Perkins

Running backs

  • 21 DeMarques Johnson
  •  3 Kerrion Moore
  • 32 Eder Padilla
  • 33 Jorge Rodríguez

Wide receivers

  • 13 Normando Alarcón
  •  7 Robert Johnson Jr.
  •  4 Seantavius Jones
  • 18 Deante McDonald
  • 28 Humberto Meza
  • 88 Julio Ojeda

Tight ends

  • 22 Andrés Chio Méndez
  • 85 Jeremiah López
 Offensive linemen
  • 72 Daniel Carmona
  • 57 Román Chávez
  • 69 Roberto Díaz
  • 53 Juan Pablo Franco
  • 77 Francisco Martínez
  • 59 Enrique Mejía
  • 62 Javier Morales
  • 55 Kevin Pérez
  • 52 Gustavo Romo

Defensive linemen

  • 14 Alfredo Durán
  • -- Oscar Garza
  • 98 Javier Luna
  • 90 Emilio Loera
  • 11 Alejandro Longoria
  • 56 José Mendoza
  • 12 Fernando Reyes
  • 92 Jesse Trejo
  • 97 Xavier Williams
 Linebackers
  • 20 Kenneth Bradley
  • 54 Carlos Chaparro
  • -- Luis González
  • -- Salvador Muñoz
  • 24 Sergio Ramos

Defensive backs

  • 45 Luis Acevedo
  • 25 Humberto Beltrán
  • -- Jorge Bolaños
  •  1 Daijon Carson
  •  8 Richard Garret
  • 34 Edwin Ibarra
  •  6 Sean Jones II
  • 30 Guillermo Larrañaga
  •  5 LaMarcus O'Neal

Special teams

  • 99 José María Aguirre K
  • 82 César Córdova K

Italics indicate International player
Roster updated 17-07-2022

Season-by-season

Season League Head coach Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
2022 FAM David Silva/Mario Díaz 3 5 .375 7th Did not qualify
2023 LFA Lorenzo Gathers/Randall Mendoza 1 9 .100 10th
Total 4 14 .222

References

  1. ↑ "Estadio 20 de Noviembre, la casa de Jefes". LFA.mx (in Spanish). 16 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  2. ↑ Meza, Jorge (18 March 2022). "Jefes será el equipo juarense que jugará en la FAM". El Heraldo de Juárez (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  3. ↑ Ocón Guevara, Alfonso (19 March 2022). "Nacen los 'Jefes'". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  4. ↑ Morán, Eduardo (21 April 2022). "Jefes presentan su roster para la temporada 2022 de la FAM". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Jefes Ciudad Juárez debutan con blanqueada sobre Bulldogs Naucalpan". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 30 April 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  6. 1 2 Álvarez, Rafael (23 January 2023). "Jefes de la cancha". NetNoticias.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Meza, Jorge (18 May 2022). "Cambia de timonel el equipo de Los Jefes". El Heraldo de Juárez (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Jefes se despidió con victoria ante Parrilleros de Monterrey". El Heraldo de Juárez (in Spanish). 27 June 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  9. ↑ Morán, Eduardo (17 October 2022). "Se unen Jefes de Ciudad Juárez a la Liga de Futbol Americano profesional". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  10. ↑ Morán, Eduardo (18 October 2022). "Encaran Jefes nuevo reto". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  11. ↑ Lospinuso, Vincent (17 February 2023). "Mexico: Jefes de Ciudad Juárez hire Lorenzo Gathers as first American HC in LFA". American Football International. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Rescinde Jefes a Head Coach Lorenzo Gathers". A Diario (in Spanish). 26 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "Acusa ex coach Gathers de racismo a directiva de Jefes". A Diario (in Spanish). 26 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
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