Jake Medlock had no idea how successful he was until he went home for a bye week.
He knew his team, the Albany Firebirds, had a 7-2 record. But at 32 years old, he’s not a stats guy. He rarely looks at them. His parents and friends do, though, and they informed him.
Medlock leads the Arena Football League in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completions, completion percentage, attempts and rushing touchdowns.
“When they told me that, I was like, ‘Dang, really?’” he said with a laugh.
Six months ago, Medlock was retired. Had not played football since a 2019 stint in the Indoor Football League. He felt perfectly content as the offensive coordinator at Flagler Palm Coast High School and a private quarterback tutor.
Then, he got a phone call from an old coach.
Now, he might just be the best player in the AFL.
Why Jake Medlock returned to the Arena Football League
Former Florida State recruit Malik Henry was supposed to be the Firebirds’ quarterback in 2024. But when he signed with the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League in January, Damon Ware found himself without a field general.
The Albany coach contacted Medlock about filling the void.
The two had history. Medlock played for Ware in 2018, when he led the IFL in passing yards (2,616) and touchdowns (47) and his Cedar Rapids Titans performed as the league’s best offense.
One of the Firebirds’ receivers, Marquel Wade, has known Medlock since they were 16 years old, so he helped Ware put the full-court press on Medlock.
Medlock considered it. He went back and forth with Ware, who also serves as Albany’s general manager, on contract details for a few weeks in February before agreeing to a final number.
“I knew I still had the arm to do it,” Medlock said.
He arrived in New York the first week of April.
Jake Medlock in better shape now than his past playing days
Medlock grew up in Jacksonville and attended Fletcher High School. After a standout prep career, he moved onto Florida International University, where he appeared in 25 games and tossed 18 touchdown passes from 2011-2013. He transferred to Valdosta State in 2014 and started there for a year.
That’s where he met now-Flagler Palm Coast head coach Daniel Fish. They were teammates.
After Medlock finished college, he bounced around the professional ranks. A season in the German Football League. A training camp in Canada. Indoor football.
He quit playing after a 2019 campaign with the Tucson Sugar Skulls because he received an offer to coach receivers at Shorter University. Becoming a college coach was his dream.
By 2023, Medlock returned to the high school scene. Fish hired him as the Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator, and he offered private training on the side.
Those roles kept him in shape.
He threw every day, including with high-level quarterbacks like James Morgan, a former Florida International prospect and New York Jets draftee now with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.
Medlock also worked out with Winnipeg Blue Bombers linebacker Tony Jones. Every morning, they trained at an Orlando gym from 8 to 11:30. Then, Medlock headed to Flagler County for FPC practice each afternoon.
The routine put Medlock into the best condition of his life. At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, he squats 500 pounds and bench presses 315. Last time he suited up, he weighed roughly 225 pounds.
“But I didn't take the weight room as serious as I do now, which I wish I would have,” he said.
So he was physically ready for a second act. He didn’t face much pushback from Fish and Flagler Palm Coast about leaving for a few months, either.
There’s precedent.
Bulldogs receivers coach Jimmie Robinson paced the Indoor Football League with 915 yards in 2023. He came back to the Massachusetts Pirates this season and holds the top rushing spot again.
“I think the kids really appreciate having two players — it may not be in the NFL or the Canadian league — but they have two professional players as coaches and guys who are on top of their games,” Fish said. “I think it helps the kids to accept coaching a little more from those guys.”
Jake Medlock starred as Albany Firebirds made playoffs
When Medlock showed up in Albany, he didn’t know a ton about his team. He possessed a rapport with Ware and Wade. He had coached another teammate, defensive end DJ Walden, at Shorter.
But he didn’t realize exactly how talented the roster was.
It quickly hit him, though.
“I knew this team was very talented in camp,” Medlock said. “Our practices are like games for certain teams ... Coach Ware brought in some really, really good football players. We all bought in and supported each other.”
It also didn’t take Medlock long to find his own rhythm. Maybe a week.
The biggest adjustment was the style of the arena game. He had plenty of experience with the sport, but he spent a half decade out of it, and it exercised a different muscle than the high school version.
“We're playing on basically an ice rink,” Medlock said. “It's a lot quicker. I've got a couple receivers who, if I lined them up and made them run a (40-yard dash), I guarantee they'd run either high 4.2s or low 4.3s. So you've got to let it go before they break. You have to throw it four or five steps before they even break for them to run under it. It's more of a touch-throw game.”
In the season opener on April 27, Medlock completed 20 of his 33 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns. He also scrambled for four touchdowns.
Despite trailing by 14 points with less than 10 minutes left against the Orlando Predators, the Firebirds pushed the contest to overtime and won it there, 62-59.
That ignited a streak.
Albany rattled off seven consecutive victories while their new quarterback starred.
One particular highlight: On May 24, the Firebirds erased a 22-point deficit to beat the West Texas Desert Hawks 47-46. They recorded their last 11 points in the final 11 seconds — first with a Medlock touchdown pass, then a four-point conversion to tie the game.
They walked it off for their fifth win on the ensuing kickoff, tackling the opposing returner in his own end zone and picking up a point on what is called a “rouge” with no time on the clock.
When was the last time Medlock experienced that sort of gridiron elation?
“I would say in 2010 when I was at FIU,” Medlock said. “We won on a last-second field goal in the Little Caesar's Bowl to beat Toledo. It was the first bowl win in FIU history. It was pretty awesome.”
Albany lost its final two games of the regular season. It still earned a bye during the first round of the playoffs earlier this month.
Medlock spurred the Firebirds to an 80-59 victory in the semifinals last Saturday. Friday, they fell just short in the title game, dropping to the Billings Outlaws 46-41.
His regular-season stats: 1,614 yards and 32 touchdown passes, 167 yards and 12 scores on the ground.
“I think his accuracy has improved, believe it or not, which is kind of strange because he's been out of the game for so long and losing the timing and chemistry with receivers and stuff like that,” said Fish, who has watched the majority of Medlock’s games online. “I think he's always had a big arm. I think he's always been good with his feet. He's always been slow, but he's always moved well with the ball ... I think he's in his prime, honestly.”
Throughout the season, Medlock remained current with Flagler Palm Coast.
Every day throughout spring ball, he stayed up late studying practice film, making notes and grading players, with a special focus on the QBs. He wrote practice scripts, sending them back to Fish, who organized the offense in his absence.
Medlock consistently talked to Bulldog players and coaches on the phone or via text messages.
“I think he did just about as much as he could possibly do without actually being there,” Fish said.
EXCLUSIVE Q&A:New Stetson athletic director Ricky Ray talks first priorities, coaching hires, NIL, football and more
Jake Medlock's future
So after five years away, Medlock has been one of the AFL’s most productive players this season. Is this a one-off, or will he be back for more?
“What's funny is, if you would have asked me that a couple of weeks ago, I would've told you this was it,” Medlock said. “Was I expecting me, at 32 years old, to do as well as I have? No, I did not. I've shocked myself. I will say, if the contract is right, I will play another year ...
“It just has to be right. If all the Ts are crossed, all the Is are dotted, I might do another year. If not, then I am so happy being at Flagler and working with coach Fish and bringing something special to Flagler Palm Coast.”
Medlock will return to the Bulldogs by July 29, the first day of fall camp. He could be lugging some hardware with him.
“That's my boy,” Fish said. “I love him. I'm excited to have him back. I want him to win that MVP so badly, but I also don't want him to win it because I'll never hear the end of it. I'm going to show up, and there's going to be big heads of Jake. The MVP trophy is going to be sitting on my desk. It'll be a love-hate thing if he wins it. But no, I hope he does it.”
Medlock said: “100%. If I win the MVP or any of that, it will be on his desk. I preach to the kids all these things. It's hard work to be a winner. It's hard work to be a champion. Oh, trust me: It would definitely, definitely be on that desk.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0