GFL: Berlin Adler sign European champion WR Patrick Donahue

Alex Malchow | American Football | 01/29/2022

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The Berlin Adler have signed veteran import Patrick Donahue for the 2022 season. Donahue is experienced receiver, return man, and defensive back that can fit in almost anywhere on the field. Now the former German Football League record :

The 5’11”, 195-pound receiver and return specialist from Los Angeles, has been a force in Europe for many years. Donahue first starred on the international stage with the Lubeck Cougars scoring 27 touchdowns for the GFL2 team. The following year he moved up and joined the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns helping them reach the German Bowl in both 2015 and 2016. During his two seasons in Schwäbisch Hall, Donahue scored 56 total touchdowns while racking up 5,218 all-purpose yards. Donahue also broke a German Football League record with eight return touchdowns in a season.

His dynamic play didn’t go unnoticed even at the highest level, as the Green Bay Packers invited him to mini camp in the spring of 2016. As a teammate of Minnesota Vikings draftee, Mortiz Böhringer, Donahue attracted a great deal of attention, as he was the leading receiver on the Unicorns, ahead of Böhringer.

In 2017, the GFL record breaker joined the Swarco Raiders Tirol in Innsbruck. During his three seasons in Austria, Donahue helped the Raiders win two Austrian Bowls as well as the CEFL championship. Donahue racked up 774 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during the 2018 season and another 547 yards and seven touchdowns the following season. In Innsbruck, Donahue once again played with a European bound for the NFL lining up with current New York Giant Sandro Platzgummer.

The now 31-year-old athlete most recently played for the Stuttgart Scorpions in the German Football League this past season, putting up 737 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in only six games.

Having played for the Swarco Raiders under Shuan Fatah and offensive coordinator Lee Rowlands, Donahue was not hesitant about signing with the Adler:

As soon as the ’21 Season was over I knew if I got a call from Coach Shuan and Coach Lee, I would jump at the opportunity to play for them! They are the best coaching duo in Europe, and really are the unequivocal definition of player coaches. Coach Shuan and Coach Lee are the type of Coaches players love to play for and will run through a wall for. Three words that come to mind when describing Coach Shuan and Coach Lee are Loyalty, Trust, and Winners.”

Prior to coming to Europe, Donahue attended Southern Oregon University (NAIA) after transferring to SOU from Glendale Community College. In two years at SOU he recorded 2,100 receiving yards, and in 2012 he made 102 catches (an SOU single-season record at the time) while leading the Raiders to the national quarterfinals.

Donahue will be reunited with former Swarco Raiders and NFL Europe coach Shuan Fatah in the Adler’s return to the German Football League’s top level. Expect experienced quarterback Zachary Cavanaugh to be looking Donahue’s way early and often come this summer.