AFI’s All-Europe Team: Kick Returner – Alpha Jalloh, Leipzig Kings

AFI | American Football | 12/29/2021

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic Photo: Mariann Wenzel

The AFI All-Europe Team selection committee had an extremely difficult time in choosing the 22 members of the first team but not in the case of Leipzig Kings kick returner Alpha Jalloh.

Jalloh was a unanimous choice of the six-man panel and with good reason.

Leipzig head coach Fred Armstrong

“Alpha has 2 things every kick returner needs to be the best. He has NO FEAR going full speed to make the big return happen, and he honestly believes he can score every time he touches it . No doubt the best in Europe”

Until teams started kicking away from him. the 28 year old Jalloh returned 18 kickoffs for a total of 649 yards, including one 100-yard return, for an average of 36 yards a return. He also scored three touchdowns.

Jalloh’s comments on his year were short and to the point:

“This season was fun. Until teams stop kicking me the ball.”

Following the ELF season, Jalloh signed with the Bucharest Rebels in the Romanian Football League helping them win the Romanian championship.

In 2020, the 6’2″, 205 pound Jalloh had a season to remember. He started the season with the Wasa Royals in Finland’s Maple League, helping them reach the semifinals. During the shortened season in Finland, he had a huge impact for the Royals. He led all receivers in the league in yardage with 22 catches for 457 yards and five touchdowns, rushed 25 times for 228 yards (9.1 yds/carry) and was also the leading kick returner with seven returns for 209 yards and he returned five punts for 119 yards and a touchdown. And he played defense. He had a team high 187 yards rushing against the Kuopio Steelers and 213 yards receiving against the Helsinki Wolverines. He then signed with the Stockholm Mean Machines in Sweden’s Superserien and playing only in the final two regular season games, he caught 13 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns and in the semifinal and championship game he had a combined 321 all purpose yards, by far tops among all the teams.