The 2021 ELF season was the inaugural season of the European League of Football, a newly formed professional American football league based in Europe. It started on June 19, 2021, and ended with the ELF Championship Game in Düsseldorf's Merkur Spiel-Arena, on September 26, 2021. Frankfurt Galaxy won the title, beating Hamburg Sea Devils 32-30.
Format The league is divided into two divisions, North and South. Each team plays 10 games during the regular season: twice against their division rivals, and twice against two of the teams from the other division. The top two teams in each division qualify for the playoffs, with the North and South champions qualifying for the Championship Game.
Rules For the inaugural season, the ELF is mostly using adapted NFL rules, as opposed to adapted NCAA rules which virtually all other European American football leagues use. There is a limit of two "Americans" (a category which also includes some other non-European nationalities) per down but people who are dual citizens of the U.S. and an EU-member country are not counted towards that limit in keeping with the Bosman ruling. Unlike in most other European American football leagues there is overtime during regular season games that are still tied after regulation, but the overtime rules are based on NCAA rules.
Teams
Team City Stadium Capacity Head coachNorth Division Berlin Thunder BerlinAmateurstadion Olympiapark5,400 Jag BalFriedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark19,708Hamburg Sea Devils HamburgStadion Hoheluft11,000 Andreas NommensenLeipzig Kings LeipzigAlfred-Kunze-Sportpark4,999 Fred ArmstrongWrocław Panthers WrocławOlympic Stadium11,000 Kuba SamelSouth DivisionBarcelona Dragons ReusEstadi Municipal4,700 Adam Rita Cologne Centurions CologneSüdstadion11,748 Kirk HeidelbergOstkampfbahn333Frankfurt Galaxy FrankfurtPSD Bank Arena12,542 Thomas KöslingStuttgart Surge StuttgartGazi-Stadion auf der Waldau11,410 Martin Hanselmann
Coaching changes +TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDate of vacancyIncoming coachDate of appointmentHamburg Sea Devils Ted DaisherReleasedJuly 6, 2021 Andreas NommensenJuly 13, 2021
Salaries For its first season, the league pays a salary to American "import" players that generally ranges from €600 (around $700) to €3,000 ($3,500) per month, and provides housing, health insurance and two meals per day to players during the season. Despite claims to the contrary by the league, most "local" players did not get paid during the 2021 season.
Regular season Standings
Results
Playoffs
Divisional playoffs South: Frankfurt Galaxy 36, Cologne Centurions 6
North: Hamburg Sea Devils 30, Wrocław Panthers 27
Championship Game
The inaugural Championship Game, between the North and South division champions, was played on September 26, at Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf. In a game in which the lead changed more than once, Frankfurt, not confident enough of the quality of their placekicker, opted for two-point conversions after every single touchdown (only one out of five being successful), and not attempting a single field goal. Meanwhile, Hamburg's kicker Phillip Friis Andersen, who led the league in successful attempts during the regular season and won "Special Teams Player of the year", missed 2 FG attempts, including one from 61 yards on the last play, that could have won the game for Hamburg.
The Championship MVP trophy was won by Frankfurt QB Jakeb Sullivan, who passed for 324 yards, with 4 TD and no interceptions, and added another rushing TD.
Hamburg Sea Devils 30, Frankfurt Galaxy 32
All-Star Game
The inaugural All-Star Game was held one week after the end of the season, on October 3 (the Day of German Unity), at Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark in Berlin. It featured a selection of the best players from the ELF, playing against the United States Federation of American football All-Stars. Earlier, the league had advertised the game as the ELF all-stars playing against the United States national team.
YearHomeAwayVenueCityAttendanceRef 2021 ELF All Stars 26 US Federation All Stars8 Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark Berlin, Germany 300
Attendance
Games without fans are not counted in averages or games played. All teams started the season with capacity restrictions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
RankTeam 1 Wrocław Panthers 54,500 3,000 2 Frankfurt Galaxy 52,800 1,500 3 Leipzig Kings 52,380 1,727 4 Hamburg Sea Devils 51,800 1,600 5 Stuttgart Surge 51,998 750 6 Cologne Centurions 42,500 333 7 Barcelona Dragons 51,386 775 8 Berlin Thunder 41,325 400 – Total 3868,5044,500333
Awards
MVP of the Week WeekPlayerPositionTeamStatSource1 Lukas O'Connor QB Wrocław Panthers 27/38, 302 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int12 Madre London RB Cologne Centurions 352 Yds, 4 TD23 Seantavius Jones WR Berlin Thunder 9 Rec, 155 Yds, 3 TD34 Jakeb Sullivan QB Frankfurt Galaxy 18/25, 270 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int45 Justin Rogers CB Hamburg Sea Devils 2 Punt return TD, 1 Int56 Jean Constant WR Barcelona Dragons 10 Rec, 164 Yds, 3 TD67 Madre London (2) RB Cologne Centurions 320 Yds, 4 TD78 Zack Edwards QB Barcelona Dragons 20/45, 454 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int, 2 Rush TD89 Joshua Poznanski DB Frankfurt Galaxy 2 Int, 2 return TD, 93 return Yds, 4 Tackles910 Michael Birdsong QB Leipzig Kings 16/25, 189 Yds, 5 TD, 0 Int1011 Madre London (3) RB Cologne Centurions 154 Yds, 1 Rush TD, 1 Rec TD 1112 Moritz Johannknecht QB Frankfurt Galaxy 23/31, 255 Yds, 4 TD, 0 Int, 1 Rush TD 12
Honors for the season
On 1. October 2021 the "ELF Honors" were presented at RCADIA Hotel in Hamburg. The following players received the awards mentioned below:Tim Hanswillemenke: European League of Football Honors 2021 powered by Project Pixxl. In: europeanleague.football. 1. October 2021, retrieved 1. October 2021 . Most Valuable Player: Madre London, Running back, Cologne Centurions Offensive Player of the Year: Jakeb Sullivan, Quarterback, Frankfurt Galaxy Defensive Player of the Year: Kyle Kitchens, Defensive End, Leipzig Kings Special Teams Player of the Year: Phillip Friis Andersen, Kicker / Punter, Hamburg Sea Devils Rookie of the Year: Louis Geyer, Wide Receiver, Stuttgart Surge Coach of the Year: Thomas Kösling, Head coach, Frankfurt Galaxy Offensive Rookie of the Year: Gerald Ameln, Running back, Frankfurt Galaxy Defensive Rookie of the Year: Marcel Dabo, Cornerback, Stuttgart Surge Assistant Coach of the Year: Kendral Ellison, Defensive Coordinator, Hamburg Sea Devils Man of Honor: Jan Weinreich, Quarterback, Cologne Centurions
Statistical leaders
Category Player Position Team GP Stat Passing Yards Lukas O'Connor QB Wrocław Panthers 11 3198 Touchdowns Lukas O'Connor QB Wrocław Panthers 11 28 Jakeb Sullivan QB Frankfurt Galaxy 10 28 Completions Lukas O'Connor QB Wrocław Panthers 11 259 Completion percentage Jakeb Sullivan QB Frankfurt Galaxy 10 66.5% Rushing Yards Madre London RB Cologne Centurions 10 2177 Touchdowns Madre London RB Cologne Centurions 10 23 Yards per attempt Madre London RB Cologne Centurions 10 7.2 Receiving Yards Jean Constant WR Barcelona Dragons 10 1038 Touchdowns Seantavius Jones WR Berlin Thunder 10 12 Timothy Knüttel WR Leipzig Kings 10 12 Receptions Jean Constant WR Barcelona Dragons 10 74 Yards per reception Seantavius Jones WR Berlin Thunder 10 16.9 Defensive Sacks Kyle Kitchens LB Leipzig Kings 10 12.5 Tackles Wael Nasri LB Berlin Thunder 10 141 Interceptions Joshua Poznanski DB Frankfurt Galaxy 11 5 Andy Vera DB Barcelona Dragons 8 5 Justin Rogers DB Hamburg Sea Devils 11 5
Signees to other professional leagues The following players invited to the NFL's International Combine, assigned to NFL's International Player Pathway Program (IPPP), signed or drafted by CFL team or signed with USFL team following their involvement with The ELF in 2021:
NFL Player Position ELF team NFL team Aslan Zetterberg DL Leipzig Kings International Combine Jan-Philipp Bombek DL Hamburg Sea Devils International Combine Adedayo Odeleye DL Berlin Thunder Houston Texans (IPPP) Jai-Albert Jackson DL Stuttgart Surge International Combine Lance Leota DL Leipzig Kings International Combine Wael Nasri LB Berlin Thunder International Combine Marcel Dabo DB Stuttgart Surge Indianapolis Colts (IPPP) Yoshihito Omi WR Leipzig Kings International Combine Fabian Kratz OL Cologne Centurions International Combine Jan-Hendrik Hoffmeyer OL Frankfurt Galaxy International Combine Yannic Kiehl OL Frankfurt Galaxy International Combine Max Bruder OL Leipzig Kings International Combine John-Levi Kruse TE Hamburg Sea Devils International Combine Igor Mašlanka TE Panthers Wrocław International Combine
CFL The following players signed with a CFL team: Player Position ELF team CFL team Anthony Mahoungou WR Frankfurt Galaxy Ottawa Redblacks Keanu Ebanks OL Panthers Wrocław Calgary Stampeders Seantavius Jones WR Leipzig Kings Ottawa Redblacks
The following players got drafted in the CFL's Global draft: Player Position ELF team CFL team Pick Karlis Brauns DL Panthers Wrocław BC Lions 3 Marcel Dabo DB Stuttgart Surge BC Lions 16 John-Levi Kruse FB Hamburg Sea Devils BC Lions 21 Otavio Amorim OL Berlin Thunder Toronto Argonauts 22
USFL Player Position ELF team USFL team Madre London RB Cologne Centurions Pittsburgh Maulers Kolin Hill DE Berlin Thunder New Jersey Generals KaVontae Turpin WR Panthers Wrocław New Jersey Generals Dartez Jacobs S Cologne Centurions New Orleans Breakers Dale Warren LB Stuttgart Surge Pittsburgh Maulers
Broadcasting RegionBroadcasterGermanyProSieben MaxxranSport More Than Sports TVSpainEsport3WorldwideELF Gamepass
Notes
References