The Chicago Bliss were a women's American football team based in the Chicago area. The Bliss were one of the first four teams to participate in the Lingerie Bowl and were carried over to the formation of the Lingerie Football League (LFL) in 2009. After the formation of the league, the Bliss played at multiple indoor and outdoor venues. In 2013, the league rebranded as the Legends Football League. The Bliss were the LFL team with the most wins and the most championship titles. At the conclusion of the 2019 season, the Bliss had a league-best 40–14–1 all-time record and four Legends Cup wins.

Following the 2019 season, the LFL ceased operations and relaunched as the Extreme Football League (X League), which first played in 2022. All former LFL teams received new brands and the Bliss were replaced by the Chicago Blitz.

History The Chicago Bliss is one of four teams that were introduced in 2004 for the inaugural Lingerie Bowl along with the Dallas Desire, Los Angeles Temptation, and New York Euphoria. The Bliss were defeated by New York Euphoria in the 2005 Eastern Final (where one of the Semi-Finals included a Skill Test, a 3-on-2 match, and a dance competition) at Lingerie Bowl II and then were defeated again by New York in the 2006 Eastern Final at Lingerie Bowl III. Lingerie Bowls IV, V, and VI were then all cancelled for various reasons.

In 2009, the Lingerie Football League (LFL) was launched with multiple games in a season instead of just an annual event. On September 4, 2009, the Chicago Bliss defeated the Miami Caliente 29–19 in the first ever game of the LFL at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. In 2009 the coaching staff consisted of Bliss Head Coach Keith Hac, coach of the Indoor Football League's Chicago Slaughter.; Offensive Coordinator Rasche Hill, a former member of the National Football League Jacksonville Jaguars and the Chicago Slaughter; and Defensive Coordinator DeJuan Alfonzo, a former member of the Chicago Rush and Chicago Slaughter. The Bliss defeated the Miami Caliente 20–7 to win the Eastern Conference title but fell 27–14 to the Los Angeles Temptation in Lingerie Bowl VII. Professional wrestler Danielle Moinet also played with Chicago Bliss from 2008 through 2011, where she was cornerback and team captain.

Keith Hac coached Chicago for nine seasons with a 29–6–1 regular season record. Under Hac, Chicago qualified for the playoffs eight times, reached the Legends Cup six times (2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018), and won the championship four times (2013, 2014, 2016, and 2018). His overall record was 40–10–1 making him the winningest coach in the league's history and the only coach (as of 2022) to win 40 games.

Sidney Lewis became head coach in 2019 and in two seasons has gone 2–4 in the regular season, qualifying for the playoffs in 2022.

In 2013, the Lingerie Football league was rebranded as the Legends Football League and shifted to a summer and fall season schedule. On September 1, 2013, the Bliss then won their first championship, now called the Legends Cup, over the Philadelphia Passion. They would repeat as champions the next year, appear in four consecutive championships including a third title, and win a fourth title in 2018. The Bliss had since used both Sears Centre Arena and Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois, in various seasons as their home venue.

Seasons

2009–10 schedule Date Opponent Location ResultSeptember 4 Miami Caliente Sears Centre ArenaWon, 29–19October 2 New York Majesty Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum No contestDecember 4 Tampa Breeze St. Pete Times Forum Won, 27–18December 18 Philadelphia Passion Sears Centre ArenaWon, 46–19Eastern Conference ChampionshipFebruary 4 Miami Caliente Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena Won, 20–7Lingerie Bowl VIIFebruary 6 Los Angeles Temptation Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena Lost, 14–27

2010–11 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultSeptember 10 Dallas Desire Sears Centre ArenaWon, 14–10October 2 Seattle Mist ShoWare Center Won, 41–12November 14 San Diego Seduction Sears Centre ArenaWon, 50–12December 18 Los Angeles Temptation Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLost, 12–18Western Conference ChampionshipJanuary 29 Los Angeles Temptation Veterans Memorial Arena Lost, 14–31

2011–12 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultSeptember 2 Las Vegas Sin Toyota Park Lost, 20–32October 7 Green Bay Chill Toyota ParkLost, 34–36November 19 Minnesota Valkyrie Target CenterWon, 40–33January 20 Los Angeles Temptation Citizens Business Bank Arena Lost, 26–42

2013 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultApril 19 Los Angeles Temptation Sears Centre ArenaLost, 18–31May 10 Las Vegas Sin Sears Centre Arena Won, 34–12July 26 Minnesota Valkyrie Target CenterWon, 25–12August 10 Green Bay Chill Resch CenterWon, 27–18Divisional PlayoffsAugust 17 Los Angeles Temptation Sears Centre Arena Won, 19–12Conference ChampionshipAugust 24 Seattle Mist Citizens Business Bank Arena Won, 31–14Legends CupSeptember 1 Philadelphia Passion Orleans Arena Won, 38–14

2014 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultMay 9 Los Angeles Temptation Sears Centre ArenaWon, 25–21June 13 Seattle Mist Sears Centre ArenaTie, 34–34July 3 Las Vegas Sin Thomas & Mack CenterWon, 27–18July 12 Green Bay Chill US Cellular ArenaWon, 32–7Western Conference ChampionshipAugust 24 Los Angeles Temptation Citizens Business Bank Arena Won, 40–12Legends CupSeptember 1 Atlanta SteamCitizens Business Bank Arena Won, 24–18

2015 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultApril 11 Atlanta Steam Arena at Gwinnett CenterWon, 27–24April 25 Omaha Heart Toyota ParkWon, 49–0May 10 Atlanta Steam Toyota ParkWon, 29–13June 13 Omaha Heart Ralston ArenaWon, 40–0August 8 Omaha Heart Ralston ArenaWon, 26–0Eastern Conference ChampionshipAugust 15 Atlanta Steam Toyota Park Won, 41–6Legends CupAugust 23 Seattle Mist Away Lost, 21–27

2016 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultMay 14 Seattle Mist ShoWare CenterLost, 28–40June 25 New England Liberty Verizon Wireless ArenaWon, 70–7July 2 Omaha Heart Toyota ParkWon, 66–0August 6 Atlanta Steam Toyota ParkWon, 39–32Eastern Conference ChampionshipAugust 20 Atlanta Steam ShoWare Center Won, 30–25Legends CupAugust 27 Seattle Mist WestWorld Won, 31–26

2017 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultApril 29 Denver Dream Budweiser Events CenterWon, 93–6June 3 Atlanta Steam Toyota ParkWon, 34–27July 22 Omaha Heart Ralston ArenaWon, 60–0July 29 Denver Dream Toyota ParkWon, 66–0Eastern Conference ChampionshipAugust 20 Atlanta Steam Sears Centre Arena Lost, 6–14

2018 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultApril 14 Los Angeles Temptation Sears Centre ArenaWon, 28–6May 11 Los Angeles Temptation Citizens Business Bank ArenaWon, 34–18July 14 Atlanta Steam Infinite Energy ArenaWon, 52–34August 11 Omaha Heart Sears Centre ArenaWon, 76–0Eastern Conference ChampionshipAugust 25 Nashville Knights Toyota ParkWon, 18–6Legends CupSeptember 8 Austin Acoustic H-E-B Center Won, 28–20

2019 schedule DateOpponentLocationResultApril 20 Los Angeles Temptation Sears Centre ArenaLost, 8–30May 4 Austin Acoustic H-E-B CenterLost, 8–38June 15 Atlanta Steam Infinite Energy ArenaLost, 25–30July 20 Nashville Knights Sears Centre ArenaLost, 6–8

References

External links