After a 1-and-6 start to the season, the Peoria Pirates made a change.
5 weeks after naming Mike Hohensee as head coach, Peoria still has a slim chance to make the playoffs.

When the Arena Football League suspended play for the 2009 season.
Chicago Rush Coach Mike Hohensee was left without a job.

Pirates Coach Mike Hohensee said, "For 23 years it's been my life so basically they were taking my sport away and for four months, five months I'm on unemployment wondering what's going to happen."

That question was answered in May when Hohensee took over as the Pirates Head Coach. And he was thrilled to return to the game.

Hohensee said, "For me Arena Football is such a big part of me. I feel I have ownership in it, maybe not financially but in my heart. I put a lot of hard time in with Arena Football and I'm very proud of Arena Football."

Nothing can keep Mike Hohensee from a football game. Including a horrific accident just days before a Chicago Rush game back in 2007.

Hohensee said, "I was going to have a couple players over for a BBQ and I was going to the store to get some BBQ sauce because I don't use that stuff, you know A-1 Sauce and so I'm walking through the parking lot of the grocery store and I'm looking towards the door and somebody's taking money for charity. I'm thinking to myself am I going to give them money as I go in or as I'm coming and at that point I get hit by something. I don't know what, it ended up being a truck. 3 days later I ended up coaching in the game with a sling and a neck brace."

The Rush won that game and Hohensee hopes his positive attitude leads to more wins for the Pirates.