LIVESTREAM Germany: Berlin Adler @ Berlin Rebels, May 22, 15:45 CET (3:45 pm, 09:45 am ET)

AFI | American Football | 05/22/2022

Graphic: Igor Lazarevic

The German Football League winds up its first weekend of play in the 2022 regular season with a clash of crosstown rivals as the newly promoted Berlin Adler travel across the city to face the Berlin Rebels.

This game marks a return to the GFL for the Adler who were demoted following the 2017 season when they were a dismal 1-13 and then lost both relegation games to the Potsdam Royals. The last time these two teams met was in that 2017 season when the Rebels demolished the Adler twice, 47-13 and 63-10.

The game also marks a return to German top league of legendary coach Shuan Fatah. The last time Fatah roamed the sidelines in the GFL with the Adler was in 2010 when they won the Eurobowl title and reached the German Bowl. Under Fatah, they had won the GFL title the year before, beating the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 28-20.

The Rebels, who finished last in the GFL North in 2021 with a 1-9 record were able to remain in the top league due to a shortage of teams. Head coach Joshua Mandel will have returning Donovan Isom (Texas Wesleyan) as his quarterback with wideout Paul Morant (Old Dominion, NCAA Division I FBS) also returning. In the backfield, running back Meril Zéro (France, NYer Lions) has been added along with Polish wide receiver Antoni Podgorski (NFL IPP). Defensively, veteran linebacker Rory Johnson (Green Bay Packers, Ole Miss NCAA D1) returns while British edge rusher Simeon Okonta-Wariso (CFL Global Combine) has been added to bolster the front seven. The secondary has been reinforced with the signing of safety Daniel Docal who played in the ELF for the Leipzig Kings in 2021.

Fatah has kept Zach Cavanaugh (USA, Curry College) as his quarterback after Cavanaugh enjoyed an outstanding season with the Adler in 2021 leading the GFL2 in passing by a wide margin. Fatah added wide receiver Patrick Donahue (USA, Stuttgart Scorpions) who played for him in the Austrian Football League with the Swarco Raiders. Key additions on defense include defensive back Emmanuel Pelzer (Rowan NCAA DIII), Serbian defensive lineman Nikola Vuksanovic and German linebacker Frank Haring (Hildesheim Invaders).

While newly promoted teams have a history of struggling the first year or two, the Adler may well be one of the exceptions.