Tiburones de Cancún
Team logo
Established2020
Based inCancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Home fieldEstadio Andrés Quintana Roo
Estadio Coliseo Maya
Estadio Cancún 86
Owner(s)Andrés Baños
LeagueFútbol Americano de México
2022
ColoursAqua, light grey, white and black
       

The Tiburones de Cancún (English: Cancún Sharks) were an American football team based in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico. The Tiburones competed in Fútbol Americano de México (FAM) for a single season in 2022, finishing with a league-worst 1–7 record, before the league folded in September 2022. The team played its home games at three different stadiums: the Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo, the Estadio Coliseo Maya and the Estadio Cancún 86.

History

Beginnings

In early 2020, it was announced that the team was approved as an expansion team in Fútbol Americano de México (FAM) for its 2021 season, with Andrés Baños as its CEO.[1] The project was undertaken by a consortium of local businessmen, along with municipal and state authorities, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the seaside resort of Cancún.[1][2] The team became the first professional American football team to play in the state of Quintana Roo.[3]

Roberto Aparicio was announced as the Tiburones' first head coach.[2] The team held tryouts in November 2020 in search of local talent, with around 70 players attending.[4] They also signed former Borregos Salvajes Monterrey standout Máximo González, who participated in the National Football League (NFL) International Player Pathway Program, as well as former New Orleans Saints running back Khiry Robinson.[2][5] However, González left the team in February 2021 to play with the Győr Sharks in Hungary, and Aparicio announced his resignation soon afterward due to disagreements with the team owner over the direction of the project.[6][7] A number of star players, such as David Casarrubias, Alejandro García and Humberto Noriega, decided to follow González's lead and leave the team over a perceived failure by the front office to deliver on promises made.[8][9]

Roberto "Gato" Silva was hired in March to replace Aparicio as the Tiburones' head coach,[10] but the 2021 FAM season was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico.[11]

2022 season

The Tiburones hired Alejandro Evangelista as head coach for the 2022 season and held local tryouts in December 2021.[12][13] The team signed American quarterback Clark Hazlett, who had previously joined the team in 2021 for training camp before the cancellation of the season.[14] Additionally, they signed four players with NFL experience: Khiry Robinson, Mardy Gilyard, Monte Taylor and David Gilbert.[15] On 18 April, the Tiburones released their final 48-man roster, which included 13 foreign players.[16]

The Tiburones played their first game on 30 April against the defending league champions, the Pioneros de Querétaro. Hazlett threw the team's first-ever touchdown to JD Crandall in the first quarter, but the Tiburones suffered a 21–12 defeat to start their season.[17] After a bye week, the Tiburones hosted the Tequileros de Jalisco in their home opener at the Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo and earned a 20–14 victory – the first in franchise history.[18] Despite this, head coach Alejandro Evangelista unexpectedly announced his resignation after only two games due to disagreements with the front office, and defensive coordinator Édgar Torres was named the interim head coach.[19][20] Four players left the team as well.[19] In their next game, the Tiburones were shutout 38–0 by the Parrilleros de Monterrey, who were led by former Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson.[19][20]

Ahead of their week 5 matchup against the Rojos CDMX, the Tiburones' foreign players did not practice due to unpaid wages, and rumors circulated that the players were considering a boycott of the game.[3][21] Although the players ended up taking the field against the Rojos, the team suffered a 42–14 defeat.[22] Instead of playing at the Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo, the Tiburones had to host their rivals at the Estadio Coliseo Maya, the home stadium of the Leones Anáhuac Cancún college team, causing even more uncertainty among the local fan base.[3][21] The team then traded their American quarterback, Clark Hazlett, to the Tequileros de Jalisco.

In order to save on hotel accommodations, the Tiburones front office decided to fly the team to Chihuahua City on the morning of their week 6 matchup against the Caudillos de Chihuahua.[23] Consequently, the Tiburones suffered the largest blowout in FAM history, losing 62–0 as more reports emerged of unpaid wages to players and coaching staff.[24][25] Team owner Andrés Baños and sporting director Luis Tello continually refused to publicly address their troubles, drawing ire from local media.[24][25]

In week 7, the Tiburones hosted the last-placed Bulldogs de Naucalpan at the Estadio Cancún 86, their third "home" stadium in as many home games.[26] The Tiburones lost 14–28, giving the Bulldogs their first win of the season.[27] The following week, the Tiburones suffered their fifth consecutive loss, a 40–14 defeat at the hands of the Jefes de Ciudad Juárez.[28] The Tiburones closed their season at home at the Estadio Cancún 86 with a 35–26 loss to the Cabo Marlins.[29]

The team finished the 2022 FAM season in last place with a 1–7 record, losing their final six games and failing to qualify for the playoffs.[29] They had the worst offense in the league, scoring just 98 points, as well as the worst defense, giving up 280 points. FAM shut down its operations in September 2022 due to financial struggles.[30] Three FAM teams joined the rival league, the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), for the following season.[30] However, the Tiburones were left without a league.


Season-by-season

Season Head coach Regular season Postseason
Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
2021 Roberto Aparicio
Roberto Silva		 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Alejandro Evangelista
Édgar Torres		 1 7 .125 9th Did not qualify

References

  1. 1 2 "Tiburones de Cancún, nuevo equipo de fútbol americano". Novedades Quintana Roo (in Spanish). SIPSE. 7 April 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Ureña, Omar (30 October 2020). "Tiburones de Cancún: Depredadores tacleando en el Mar Caribe". Gráfico Sports (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Flores, Mario (31 May 2022). "Tiburones de Cancún viven momentos difíciles". Luces del Siglo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "Tiburones de Cancún inicia selección de próximas figuras del futbol americano". PorEsto (in Spanish). 13 November 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Arce, Pepe (10 January 2021). "Estrella de la NFL jugará con los Tiburones de Cancún". Quadratín Quintana Roo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  6. ↑ Ibáñez, Santiago (13 February 2021). "¿Desbandada en Tiburones Cancún?". Servicios de Información Masiva (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  7. ↑ Chi, Martín (15 February 2021). "Cesan al coach de Tiburones". PorEsto (in Spanish). p. 54. Retrieved 25 February 2023 – via Issuu.
  8. ↑ Alvarado, Víctor Hugo (1 April 2021). "Hunden a Tiburones por fuga de talentos". Luces del Siglo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  9. ↑ Pacheco, Gabriel (2 April 2021). "David Casarrubias regresa a Raptors tras falta de cumplimiento en Tiburones de Cancún". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  10. ↑ "Será 'Gato' Silva coach en liga profesional". Telediario.mx (in Spanish). 18 March 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  11. ↑ Alvarado, Víctor Hugo (14 April 2021). "Cancelan temporada 2021 de la Liga de Futbol Americano de México". Luces del Siglo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  12. ↑ Chi, Martín (13 December 2021). "Tiburones de Cancún finalizan primer visoreo para la Temporada 2022 de la Liga de Futbol Americano". PorEsto (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Arce, Pepe (9 March 2022). "Alejandro Evangelista inicia pretemporada con los Tiburones de Cancún". Quadratín Quintana Roo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  14. ↑ Malchow, Alex (17 March 2022). "Mexico FAM: Cancun Tiburones sign QB Clark Hazlett". American Football International. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "Refuerzos de lujo para Tiburones, temporada 2022 de Futbol Americano de México". Quintana Roo Hoy (in Spanish). 31 March 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  16. ↑ Torres, Pedro (18 April 2022). "Tiburones de Cancún define su roster para Temporada 2022". Deportes Quintana Roo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  17. ↑ "Pioneros Querétaro reaccionan y vencen a Tiburones de Cancún". Máximo Avance (in Spanish). 30 April 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  18. ↑ "Clark Hazlett y la defensiva guían a Tiburones a histórico estreno en Cancún". Poder y Crítica (in Spanish). 15 May 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  19. 1 2 3 Marín, Francis (21 May 2022). "Los Tiburones de Cancún Perdieron 0-38 en su Visita a los Parrilleros de Monterrey en la Cuarta Jornada de la Liga FAM-YOX 2022". Diario Cambio22 (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Jeremy Johnson lleva a Parrilleros a «freír» a los Tiburones". Poder y Crítica (in Spanish). 21 May 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  21. 1 2 Marín, Francis (27 May 2022). "Jugadores de Tiburones de Cancún Amenazan con Retirarse de la Competencia". Diario Cambio22 (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. ↑ Marín, Francis (29 May 2022). "Tiburones Dio Batalla, Pero al Final Fue Apaleado". Diario Cambio22 (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  23. ↑ Marín, Francis (3 June 2022). "Tiburones a Callar Bocas Ante los Caudillos en Chihuahua". Diario Cambio22 (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  24. 1 2 Marín, Francis (5 June 2022). "Triste Deambular de los Tiburones en la Liga FAM-YOX". Diario Cambio22 (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  25. 1 2 "Hunden a Tiburones los malos resultados". Luces del Siglo (in Spanish). 6 June 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  26. ↑ Marín, Francis (10 June 2022). "Tiburones Buscará Devorar a los Bulldogs que no Conocen la Victoria". Diario Cambio22 (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  27. ↑ "Tiburones de Cancún no logran terminar la mala racha". La Verdad Noticias (in Spanish). 14 June 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  28. ↑ Morán, Eduardo (18 June 2022). "Demuestran quiénes son los Jefes". El Diario de Juárez (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  29. 1 2 Marín, Francis (27 June 2022). "Tiburones Tuvo el Triunfo, Era Suyo y lo Dejó Ir; Así Concluyen la Temporada de la Liga de Fútbol Americano 2022". Diario Cambio22 (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  30. 1 2 Lospinuso, Vincent (19 October 2022). "Mexico: Fútbol Americano de México folds after four years of operation". American Football International. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
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