On the same day as the arena news, the Rattlers also announced the acquisition of two new quarterbacks. 

They signed Scottsdale native Dalton Sneed and traded for Ramone Atkins in exchange for quarterback Drew Powell.

All three quarterbacks involved were starters in the league last year.

Sneed comes home

GLENDALE — The Rattlers on Monday announced they have signed quarterback Dalton Sneed for the 2024 season.

The Scottsdale native and Horizon High School alumnus now joins his hometown team, which was the IFL’s number-one-ranked offense last season.

This will be Sneed’s third season in the IFL after starting for the Bay Area Panthers in 2023, where he guided them to the 2023 IFL Championship.

In his second IFL season last year, Sneed led the league in completion percentage at 68.5%. He also finished tied for first in touchdowns (49) and fifth in passing yards (2,163). In addition, Sneed topped the highest efficiency rating in the league at 199.8.

Sneed did damage on the ground as well, compiling 600 rushing yards to go with 17 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry, placing him just within the top 10 in the IFL.

In the Championship Game, Sneed was nearly flawless. He completed 10-of-11 passes for 106 yards, two passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, and ran for 47 yards in the 51-41 win.

Before his time with the Panthers, Sneed split time with Vegas and Sioux Falls in the 2022 season. In 10 games for the Storm, he threw 25 touchdowns and completed 60% of his passes for 1,354 yards.

In his sixth game as a starter for Bay Area, Sneed set a franchise record with 7 TD passes in a 62-44 win over Vegas.

A University of Montana graduate, Sneed led his team to the FCS quarterfinals and had a decorated college career in the Big Sky Conference.

The Rattlers have landed quarterback Ramone Atkins in a trade with the Tucson Sugar Skulls in exchange for quarterback Drew Powell, the team announced Monday. (Courtesy Arizona Rattlers)

RAMONE ATKINS

GLENDALE — The Rattlers have landed quarterback Ramone Atkins in a trade with the Tucson Sugar Skulls in exchange for quarterback Drew Powell, the team announced Monday.

Atkins was the 2022 IFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with the Duke City Gladiators and was Tucson’s starting QB in 2023, leading them to the third seed in the West.

Atkins was a steady force for the Skulls in 2023, starting in all 16 games and finishing tied for third in completion percentage at 65.1%. In 2023, he totaled 37 touchdowns (11 interceptions) and accumulated 1,984 total passing yards. The dual-threat QB also ran for 691 rushing yards (fifth in IFL) and 21 rushing touchdowns.

In just 14 games for the Gladiators in 2022, Atkins was fourth in the league with 2,169 passing yards and led the IFL in passing yards per game at 159.4. He finished tied for second in the league with 50 passing touchdowns and had just 10 interceptions on the season.

The 6-foot-2 quarterback played collegiately at New Mexico Highlands University.

Editor’s note: The above information was republished from an Arizona Rattlers news release.