The team, originally known as the Pittsburgh Vipers, was founded in 2010. They joined the
American National Rugby League as an
expansion team for the
2010 season, replacing the
Bucks County Sharks, who had suspended operations for the year. Their first scheduled match was against the
Washington, D.C. Slayers, but the Slayers were unable to travel to Pittsburgh as scheduled, which meant their first game was postponed. They played their first game in round 2 of the 2010 AMNRL season, where they lost 80–4 against the
Fairfax Eagles. In 2011 the team was one of seven teams to leave the AMNRL to form the new
USA Rugby League. They changed their name to the Pittsburgh Sledgehammers shortly after. ==Logo and colors==