ELF: Vienna Vikings snag the league’s top TE Adria Botella Moreno

| American Football | 12/21/2021

The Vienna Vikings continue to make moves this off-season with the signing of the European League of Football’s top tight end in Adria Botella Moreno.

Vikings head coach Chris Calaycay on what the talented pass-catcher can bring to his team:

“Signing Adria was important for our franchise on several levels, not just as a player but the experience of being a top European League of Football playmaker was important for our coaching staff to add to this roster. We have a long tradition of utilizing tight ends in our offense and adding the top tight end in Europe, along with his veteran experience and his leadership ability, just made our team better.”

The 6’5 250-pound Barcelona native is coming off of a fantastic 2021 season racking up 750 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The ELF-All star also put together a phenomenal championship game finishing with 138 yards under the league’s brightest lights. Botella Moreno is eager to compete for another chance at the championship this time wearing purple:

“As soon as I started talking to the Vikings Franchise, I felt right away that it was the perfect fit for me. The Vikings have been one of the best organizations in European American Football for many years now, and their winning mentality and approach to the game really resonates with me and my own standards. The opportunity to join such an iconic European program in his transition to the European League of Football stage was not a chance I was going to miss.”

The newest Viking spent the early part of 2021 back home playing for the  L’Hospitalet Pioners. Playing on the Spanish coast, the big target helped the Pioners win Spain’s second league with Barcelona Dragons quarterback Zach Edwards. The year prior, Botella Moreno played for Denmark’s Søllerød Gold Diggers.  In 2019, he suited up for the Ă„llgau Comets of the German Football League catching 30 passes for 436 yards and two scores.

The Spaniard played college football at the University of Sioux Falls (NCAA D2) suiting up as a defensive end and tight end. In his senior year with the Cougars, Botella Moreno solely played defense making 10 tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, two pass break ups, and two blocked kicks.

The former Hamburg Sea Devil joins a talented group of new Vikings players as coach Chris Calaycay and Vienna management have added offensive lineman Aleksandar Milanovic, linebackers Dustin Illetschko and Thomas Schnurrer, along with former Clemson receiver Diondre Overton looking to compete in their first season in the ELF.

Alex is a former NCAA and semi-pro American football player who is now located in London, where he works in digital marketing. His goal in writing for AFI is to stay involved with the game that has given him so much. Alex enjoys covering leagues and