The Bay Area Panthers of the Indoor Football League announced Wednesday that they will be “entering dormancy” and not participating in the league’s 2026 season.

The Panthers, who were co-founded in 2020 by Oakland football legend Marshawn Lynch, have played at San Jose’s SAP Center over their four seasons of existence.

The team was initially named the Oakland Panthers — in honor of the Black Panthers — and expected to play at the Oakland Arena after the Raiders’ and Warriors’ departure from the Coliseum complex. The COVID-19 pandemic complicated their launch, and they ultimately moved to San Jose and changed their name to represent the whole region before they even played a game.

Bay Area won the IFL championship in 2023, the Panthers’ second year of competition in the league.

The Pant

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