Indoor football offers career lifeline for Jeannette alum Gio Vonne Sanders
Defensive back Gio Vonne Sanders entered the NFL Draft in 2023.
The move came with no guarantees, only that his name would be out there and it showed he was aiming for the next level following a sound college career that included two-year run at St. Francis (Pa.) with a short stint at Western Michigan on the back end.
When he didn’t get any bites on the line, the Jeannette alum began to ponder what might be next.
Was this the end?
“I didn’t want to leave the game, but it gave me no choice,” Sanders said.
Just then, his agent received a call from the San Antonio Gunslingers of the high-scoring professional Indoor Football League. The team had been watching him.
Sanders perked up as his career clutched onto a lifeline.
“My agent sent them some film from college, and the coaching staff believed I would be a great asset to the team,” Sanders said.
Motivation came in the form of personal conviction when he signed to play 8-on-8 football with San Antonio.
“My faith and my belief,” Sanders said. “I still believe I can play the game at a very high level and just need an opportunity to prove it. I’m no stranger to adversity and being underrated. I’m grateful for the adversity because it has shaped who I am. The journey is more important than the destination.”
The IFL season is about halfway through. It runs from March to July, with teams playing 16 regular-season games. San Antonio improved to 6-5 with a 52-51 win over the Massachusetts Pirates on Saturday night.
A team captain in his rookie season, Sanders started the first 10 games and is third on the team in tackles with 23.5 (19 solo). He has one interception and four pass breakups.
IFL players do get paid, although how much each player makes is not available to the public. Compensation is modest, with players making between $200-$500 a game, with incentives, according to the XFL News Hub.
“I’m expecting to finish out the season strong and for the team to make the playoffs and ultimately win a championship,” he said. “So far, I’ve learned a lot. Being a pro is much more than what the fans see. I’ve learned how to study film like a pro, how to practice like a pro and how to conduct myself.”
Sanders (5-foot-10, 185) was tenacious in the secondary at St. Francis, where he made 106 tackles, 5.5 for loss, and intercepted four passes in two seasons. He played special teams early on at Western Michigan.
Once a playmaking high school quarterback with wheels and, as many forget, a freshman wrestler at Pitt, Sanders is now trying to be disruptive as a safety and cornerback with only eight players on both sides of the ball.
The indoor game is fast, and points come in waves. San Antonio lost its season opener, 69-60, to the San Diego Strike Force. The Gunslingers beat the Tuscon Sugar Skulls, 60-36.
Literally, the IFL is wall-to-wall action — big plays and hard hits in tight spaces.
“It’s a completely different game,” Sanders said. “The biggest challenge is understanding the running and passing schemes because they differ from outdoor football. You must play great in zone coverage because the field is a lot smaller, so you have to be quick and decisive because the timing is a lot quicker.”
And, as Sanders would know, timing is everything.
— Gio Vonne Sanders (@GioVonne_1) June 10, 2024
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.