The powerful combination of the Nashville Kats and Pat Sperduto can be seen with the impressive performance of the team in its short but fruitful stint in the American Football League. The team, which was named after the 1967 hit single of The Lovin’ Spoonful entitled the “Nashville Cats”, found no problems adapting to the strategies of Pat Sperduto which could explain its notable performance in the AFL. The chemistry of the team and its head coach can be traced back from the time Perduto took the helm in 1998 up to its disbandment in 2007 where milestones in the franchise’s history was achieved despite not having the resources and endorsements which other franchises had.

Sperduto initially joined the Kats in 1997 where he was then Defensive Coordinator and Director of Player Personnel. He was later assigned assistant head coach in 1998 and took the helm in the season which followed where the Kats finished with an 8-6 record. As the team jelled well with Perduto’s style and strategies, they soon saw themselves participating in the Arena Bowl XIV, having an impressive 9-5 record. The magic of Perduto and the Nashville Kats did not end there. In the year 2001, the Kats won the National Conference Southern Division where they again participated in the Arena Bowl V but sadly, fell short of expectations.

The franchise was then sold to Atlanta in December 2001. However, not too long, the Kats were eager to make a triumphant return, this time as an expansion team, with Pat Sperduto again being tapped to lead the team to a respectable and successful performance based on his previous years with the Kats. The team started with a strong note in the 2006 season, having logged their first victory. They eventually made the playoffs but their stint was cut short when they ran into the Chicago Rush.