Jason Geathers signs with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League. Geathers since graduating from The U in 2004 has been on the Cleveland Browns (2004) and New York Giants (2005) rosters before moving to the AFL San Jose Sabercats (2005-2008). Geathers then joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2009) of the CFL before returning to the AFL with the Alabama Vipers (2010), Arizona Rattlers (2011), Georgia Force (2012), San Jose Sabercats (2012), Arizona Rattlers (2012).

The AFL Arizona Rattlers likely will activate receiver Jason Geathers to play against Milwaukee. It will be his first game of the season.




(azcentral.com)

The Rattlers traded reserve fullback Johnnie Kirton to the San Jose SaberCats for the rights to receiver/jack linebacker Jason Geathers.

Geathers became quarterback Nick Davila's go-to receiver late in the season and in the playoffs last year after Rod Windsor left for the NFL Cleveland Browns.

Geathers signed in the off-season with the SaberCats, with whom he was part of an ArenaBowl championship in 2008, before the league took a year off because of financial troubles.

But Geathers never reported this season with the SaberCats. He has been living in Florida. He played at the University of Miami.

Rattlers coach and general manager Kevin Guy said he anticipates Geathers joining the team next week when they travel to play the 6-2 Utah Blaze.

The Rattlers (5-3) play the Chicago Rush (6-2) on Saturday night at US Airways Center.

"We're going to get him going," Guy said. "He brings a physical presence to our team, versatility. Those are the two things we get out of him. He is a great special teams player."

Guy will see what kind of shape Geathers is in when he gets back.

Guy said he is satisfied with the receivers he has now. Maurice Purify (69 catches, 1,083 yards, 26 TDs), Kerry Reed and Glen Fox have been the Rattlers' most dependable receivers. Trandon Harvey is close to returning after suffering an arm injury a month ago.

Markee White is a big target at 6-foot-7, who is slowly getting acclimated after joining the team three weeks ago.

"We're just trying to get better as a football team," Guy said.

San Jose fills a need at fullback with its starter going on injured reserve.

The Rattlers get a player who last season caught 93 passes for 1,065 yards and 28 TDs, and ran 12 times for 42 yards and a score. Geathers also was used on occasion at linebacker, where he had 12 tackles and an interception.


(azcentral.com)

The SaberCats today announced two-time All-Ironman selection WR/DB Jason Geathers has returned to the SaberCats for the 2012 season. He last played for San Jose from 2006-08.

"Jason Geathers is a big, physical receiver who was with us during our last championship run in 2007." said Owner/Head Coach Darren Arbet. "He gives us another dimension on offense and has the skill and ability to play on the defensive side of the ball as well. We couldn't be more excited that he is returning to play for the SaberCats."

Geathers (6-3, 215, Miami (FL)) played his first three seasons in the AFL with the SaberCats. During his time with the team, he posted receiving totals of 98 receptions for 874 yards and 16 touchdowns during the regular season. On the defensive side of the ball, he had 59.0 tackles with 4.5 for loss to go along with three forced fumbles and six passes defensed. His best season with San Jose came in 2007 where he caught 54 passes for 509 yards and 11 touchdowns to as well as 24.5 tackles with 3.5 for loss, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery, earning his first All-Ironman honor in the process.

"I'm excited to be back with the SaberCats," said Geathers. "We had a great run during my first three years with the team and I'm looking forward to getting this franchise back to its winning ways with another ArenaBowl title this coming season."

Geathers spent the 2011 season with the Arizona Rattlers where he had a career year with 93 receptions for 1,065 yards and 28 touchdowns, finishing third on the team in receiving. He also saw time on defense with 15.0 tackles and one interception in limited action at defensive back. Prior to the Rattlers, he spent time with the Tampa Bay Storm and Alabama Vipers in 2010.

Geathers also served stints with the Cleveland Browns (2003) and the New York Giants (2004) before starting his career in the AFL.

Playing four years at Miami (FL) he saw action at both receiver and tailback playing in 42 games for the Hurricanes. For his career, he totaled 121 rushes for 671 yards and five touchdowns while catching 23 passes for 277 yards.

A native of Delray Beach, FL he attended Spanish River (FL) High School where he earned All-America honors as Florida's No. 1 tailback seeing action at tailback, quarterback, receiver, linebacker and returner.

The SaberCats roster now stands at 26 players with seven returning from 2011.



(oursportscentral.com)

The Arizona Rattlers have advanced to the ArenaBowl after narrowly defeating the Chicago Rush, 54-48 on Saturday night at the US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix.

Jason Geathers had ten receptions for 150 yards, scoring four touchdowns as the main target for quarterback Nick Davila.

This game was not an easy victory for the Rattlers, as it came down to the final seconds of the contest. The Rush, down six with seconds to play, feigned an onside kick and went after the ball in the opposite end zone.

The Rattlers failed to put a man back, as they were more concerned about the onside kick. The Rush nearly recovered the ball, but fortunately for the home team, they were able to escape this game with the victory. 

The Rattlers are hosting the ArenaBowl for the third time in the history of the Arena Football League, and at 18-2 will face either the Jacksonville Sharks or the Georgia Force to take home Arena Football's most illustrious award.

ArenaBowl XXIV kick offs Friday, August 12 at 5:30 PM Pacific time.


(sbnation.com)

PITTSBURGH, PA. - The Arizona Rattlers (15-2) wrapped up home-field advantage in the National Conference playoffs with a 68-34 victory over the Pittsburgh Power (8-8) on Sunday night in the CONSOL Energy Center.

Arizona jumped out to a 34-14 halftime lead courtesy of three first-half turnovers and never looked back, punishing the Power both offensively and defensively. With the victory, the Rattlers swept all regular season opponents in the American Conference.

Quarterback Nick Davila completed 22 of 35 passes for 214 yards and eight touchdowns, spreading the ball around to five different receivers. Kerry Reed finished with seven catches for 47 yards and four touchdowns, while Jason Geathers pulled in eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns.


(foxsportsarizona.com)

Jason Geathers has a who's who of NFL players on his speed dial, all of whom he played with in college.

There are running backs Frank Gore, Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis, tight end Jeremy Shockey, wide receiver Andre Johnson and safety Ed Reed.

The 2001 University of Miami team that was national champions is regarded as one of the greatest teams in college football history. And Geathers played a part.

He was a sophomore running back and receiver.

Now, as all those guys wait for the NFL lockout to end, Geathers is becoming a force in the Arena Football League for the West Division champion Rattlers He's a wide receiver, and now maybe a linebacker, too, with the recent knee injury to Kevin McCullough, who could be out the rest of the regular season.

"In the offseason, we get a chance to work out and hang out," Geathers said of some of his former Miami teammates. "We spend a little time with each other."

Geathers, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, has become the Rattlers' No. 2 receiver with Trandon Harvey out with a groin injury.

He will become Nick Davila's No. 1 target whenever the NFL lockout ends, because that means Rod Windsor will be gone to the Cleveland Browns.

"The plan's in place; I'm not going to reveal it," coach and general manager Kevin Guy said in case the lockout ends. "It is what it is. We're not going to sit around and worry about stuff we can't control. If it happens, it happens. While (Windsor is) here, he'll play and make plays for us. When that thing is over, he'll go back. But that thing is going to go for a while, I think."

Geathers has no problem being in the spotlight and Davila feels comfortable going to him.

In last Saturday's 64-57 victory against the San Jose SaberCats, Geathers had a team-best eight catches for 73 yards and four touchdowns.
"Any time we need a big play, like in the Orlando game, the corner route, he comes up big," Davila said. "It makes my job a lot easier."

Geathers didn't play until the final minute against Orlando. But everybody was talking about him after he caught two passes for 45 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown with eight seconds left that helped the Rattlers pull out a 48-47 victory at home on April 2.
A leg injury to Nate Forse gave Geathers more chances at receiver.

Now he's a go-to guy on a team that has scored more than 60 points in 14 games and comes into Saturday's game in Philadelphia with the league's second-best record at 12-2.

"I've been doing that all year," Geathers said. "I know the game. If my number is called, I'll make the play."

Geathers has no problem making plays on defense, too. He played both offense and defense on San Jose's 2008 team that reached the ArenaBowl.

"You get a chance to hit someone else, other than you always being the target," Geathers said.

Geathers had a small glimpse of the NFL. He was signed in 2004 as an undrafted free agent by the Browns, but he got cut that August. He was signed to the New York Giants' practice squad but was released in April of 2005.

Since then, he's been in the eight-man Arena Football League.

"I cherish every moment that I've had, and if I could get back to the NFL, it would be nice," he said. "I enjoyed my time."


(azcentral.com)

The Arizona Rattlers (12-2), narrowly defeated the San Jose SaberCats (5-8) on Saturday night (June 18) coming back from a 14-point second half deficit to win 64-57. With the win, Arizona clinched the West Division of the National Conference at the US Airways Center.

QB NICK DAVILA completed 22-of-33 passes for 270 yards and seven touchdowns, finding WR JASON GEATHERS four times in the endzone. Geathers finished the game with eight catches for 73 yards and the game-winning 12-yard touchdown with ten seconds to go in the game.


(sportspagemagazine.com)

The Arizona Rattlers never trailed Saturday night, cruising to a 61-41 win over the Iowa Barnstormers in front of 8,644 fans at US Airways Center.

Rattlers (11-2) quarterback Nick Davila completed 20 of 28 passes for 268 yards and seven touchdowns, finding Rod Windsor for two of those scores. Windsor finished with nine catches for 119 yards, eclipsing the 100-yard receiving mark for the ninth time this season.

Also making an impact in the passing game was wideout Jason Geathers, who hauled in seven catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns.

With 12:35 to go in the fourth quarter, Arizona’s defense forced a turnover on downs. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Geathers grabbed a 14-yard touchdown pass from Davila to make the score 54-34, putting the game out of reach.


(azcentral.com)

Jason Geathers had his best game with the Rattlers on Saturday when he caught 10 passes for 111 yards and four touchdowns in a 63-42 victory over the Cleveland Gladiators.

Quarterback Nick Davila is starting to go more to Geathers with defenses focusing on Rod Windsor.

“It’s the Three-Headed Monster,” Geathers said.

Geathers is third on the team in receiving with 50 catches for 581 yards and 14 touchdowns. Windsor leads with 107 catches for 1,274 yards and 43 touchdowns, followed by Trandon Harvey (93 catches, 1,129 yards, 28 touchdowns).

“Whoever is hot, we’re pretty much going to go to him,” Geathers said. “They were kind of rolling the coverage to Rod, so it kind of left me and Trandon wide open. I was just lucky.”

Geathers’ athleticism and versatility allow the Rattlers (9-2) to use him in different ways. But so far coach Kevin Guy has been using him only on offense.

Geathers played linebacker and receiver on the San Jose SaberCats’ 2008 team that won the ArenaBowl. He made the Arena Football League’s All-Ironman team that season.

Geathers, who played five positions in high school (including quarterback), was a running back on the University of Miami’s stacked 2001 national championship team that included running back Clinton Portis, wide receiver Andre Johnson and tight end Jeremy Shockey. That team averaged 42.6 points a game.


(tusconcitizen.com)

Trailing 21-0 after a quarter to one of the Arena Football League's elite teams, Rattlers coach Kevin Guy kept telling his players, "It's a 60-minute game."

They need every second to pull out an improbable 48-47 victory Saturday night over the Orlando Predators at US Airways Center.

Jason Geathers didn't play offense until the final series with 29 seconds left. He promptly turned a catch-and-run into a 31-yard play. He then caught Nick Davila's 14-yard pass for a touchdown that cut the score to 47-46 with eight seconds left.

With kicker Joe Schroeder missing two point-after touchdowns, Guy decided to go for the lead.

Davila found Trandon Harvey in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion and the Rattlers' first lead.
Riley Swanson finished off the comeback by intercepting Nick Hill's desperation pass in the end zone as time expired.

"We've got a special group," Guy said. "They played 60 minutes. It was a full team effort."

Guy was emotional afterwards. Not just by the comeback but by loss of his 2008 kicker, Eric Houle, who was killed in a car accident in Michigan last week. There was a moment of silence before the game for Houle.

"To look up at that screen, and see Eric's face, he's a special human being," Guy said. "We dedicated the game to him. We're all signing the game ball and mailing it back to (Houle's wife) Nichole and the kids."

It was a great comeback for Davila, who was intercepted three times in the first half, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Marlon Moye-Moore 21 yards that gave the Predators (2-1) a 21-0 lead with 1:13 left in the opening quarter.

Davila threw four, second-half touchdown passes and finished 25 of 39 for 344 yards. It was his first 300-yard game of the season.

Davila's fifth TD pass with a little under five minutes left appeared it would be the last time he would touch the ball. Orlando was on its way to killing the remaining time, but Hill's pass at the Rattlers' 5-yard line was intercepted by Virgil Gray.

That is when Geathers made his entrance.

"Hats off to him," Davila said. "He did a great job of staying in the game mentally throughout and coming and making an impact. It just goes to show you that you're never out until you're out."

Davila threw four of his TD passes to Harvey, who shook off two, first-half drops and finished with nine catches for 117 yards. Rod Windsor also had nine catches for 112 yards.

Guy said that the chemistry between Davila and Geathers was off the first three games. Not in the final 29 seconds.

"Jason worked hard at it in practice to try to get on track with each other," Guy said. "He ran a great route. Nick gave him a great ball and it was a great play by Jason."

The Rattlers (4-0), who came into the game ranked No.1 in the Arena Football League's coaches' poll, have a bye week before playing Kansas City.



(azcentral.com)

The Arizona Rattlers finally made their extra points, toughened defensively and made the plays in the end to beat the Jacksonville Sharks 55-52 Saturday night in their Arena Football League opener at U.S. Airways Center.

Nick Davila's 9-yard pass to Jason Geathers with 31 seconds left was the difference.

The Rattlers didn't lead until 4:30 remained, when Virgil Gray returned a kickoff 55 yards for a touchdown. Joe Schroeder, who missed three extra-point tries in the first half, gave the Rattlers a 47-46 lead with 4:30 remaining.

Linebacker Kevin McCullough intercepted Aaron Garcia's pass with 23 seconds left, and Davila ate up the last 18 seconds by throwing four straight passes high into the crowd.

"That's Arena football," said Davila, who finished with 286 yards and six touchdown passes, completing 27 of 46 passes. "You've got keep playing."

The beginning wasn't the kind of splash the Rattlers wanted to make to open an 18-game schedule.

They dropped three passed and gained no yards in their opening series. They missed three extra-point tries in the first half. They lost the ball on an on-side kick. And they allowed 17-year veteran quarterback Aaron Garcia look ageless, as Jacksonville built a 30-25 halftime lead.

But the Rattlers recovered nicely, especially in the final minute of the half, when Marquis Floyd intercepted a Garcia pass in the end zone and Davila found Nate Forse from 16 yards out as time expired.

Floyd said he felt he had to make amends for an on-side kick that bounced off of him and was recovered by the Sharks earlier in the half. That led to a touchdown.

"That on-side kick was on me," Floyd said. "He kicked a high shot off of me. I felt I had to make up for that."

After Davila fumbled the ball on the first series of the second half, the Rattlers played mistake-free, and kicker Joe Schroeder, booed for missing three extra points in the first half, became clutch.

Schroeder's extra point gave the Rattlers their first lead, 47-46, with 5:17 left. It came after Virgil Gray returned the kickoff 57 yards for a touchdown. Before then, Gray was bottled up on kickoff returns.

"It was my first real look on the returns in this game (off the nets)," Gray said.

Garcia, the league's career leader in passing yards and touchdown passes, completed 14 of 18 for 141 yards and three touchdowns in the half. He was limited to two TD passes in the second half. He finished 24 of 39 for 259 yards.

After Forse dropped two passes and Trandon Harvey another to start the game, the Rattlers became stick-fingered. Harvey finished with 12 catches for 130 yards and four TDs. It was his best game as a Rattler since 2008.

"We kind of got the cobwebs out a little bit in the first half," Davila said. "We finished with situational football. We remained poised and it paid off."



(azcentral.com)

The Arizona Rattlers are in game mode after two weeks of training camp, as they head back to US Airways Center on Saturday night for an Arena Football League opener against the Jacksonville Sharks and ageless quarterback Aaron Garcia. It will be the first of 18 regular-season games, a two-game increase from last year.

Only seven players from last year's team, which lost to eventual champion Spokane in the playoffs, return for the Rattlers. Leading the way are quarterback Nick Davila; receiver Trandon Harvey; defensive back Riley Swanson; offensive linemen Brennan Carvalho, Devin Clark and John Booker; and defensive lineman Anttaj Hawthorne.

The key will be how much chemistry is developed between Davila and receivers Nate Forse, Jason Geathers, Justin Evans and Glen Fox.



(azcentral.com)