Leipzig Kings

Leipzig Kings
Team logo
Established2021 (2021)
Based inGermany Leipzig, Germany
Home stadiumBruno-Plache-Stadion
Head coachJohn Booker
LeagueEuropean League of Football (ELF)
DivisionEastern Conference
ColorsGreen, yellow, white
     
Websiteleipzig-kings.de
Current sports event 2023 Leipzig Kings season

The Leipzig Kings are an American football team in Leipzig, Germany, that plays in the European League of Football (ELF).

History

The Leipzig franchise was announced along with Berlin Thunder and Cologne Centurions in March 2021, as part of the inaugural season of the European League of Football.[1] In April, ELF commissioner Patrick Esume praised the potential of Leipzig for growing the sport and the athletes in the university, despite the relatively short time for the Kings to prepare for the first season.[2]

The Kings introduced their first head coach, Fred Armstrong, who previously coached the national teams of Sweden, the Czech Republic and Austria, and also gained coaching experience with Stuttgart Scorpions and two NFL teams, New York Jets and New York Giants.[3]

On May 7, 2021, the Kings signed Japanese wide receiver Yoshihito Omi who would be the first Asian player playing in ELF.[4] In 2019, Omi led in receiving with 33 catches and 544 yards for IBM Big Blue in X League, and acted as captain for the Japan national American football team.

The Kings were removed from the league amid the 2023 season. This came after a two week saga, which include the team suggesting they will "most likely have to stop competing in the European League of Football"[5] after their loan requested was denied by the league[6] and cancelling the upcoming week 6 home match with Prague Lions.[7] The Kings would later announce their withdrawal from the league on July 11, 2023.[8] A day later the ELF announced that the team will be taken out of the league for the remainder of the 2023 season and their license to participate in the European League of Football was "withdrawn", but would like to accept the team back for the 2024 season, if a suitable new owners will be found.[9]

Season-by-season

Season Head coach Regular season Postseason Result Ø Attendance
GP Won Lost Win % Finish GP Won Lost Win %
2021 Fred Armstrong 10 5 5 .500 3rd (North) DNQ 2,072
2022 12 4 8 .333 4th (North) DNQ 2,600
2023 John Booker 5 2 3 .400 DNF (Eastern) Season cancelled 2,357

Stadium

The Kings are playing their home games at the 7,000 capacity Bruno-Plache-Stadion.

Roster

Reference[10]

Leipzig Kings roster
Quarterbacks
  •   Kenyatte Allen United States
  •  3 Ferras El-Hendi Germany

Running backs

  •   Maurice Baker Germany
  •   Leander Carstensen Germany
  •   Steve McShane United States
  •   Niklas Ritter FB Germany

Wide receivers

  •   Noah Bomba Germany
  •   Luis Moreno Germany
  •   Kélian Mouliom Germany
  •   Leander Winter Germany

Tight ends

  •   Al Mustafa Khalid Almakki FB Germany
  •   Domenik Rofalski WR Germany
  •   Jens Walter Germany
 Offensive linemen
  •   Dominik Behrens Germany
  • 74 Tilman Brütsch C Germany
  •   Joel Coenes Germany
  •   Austine Igba Ujene Nigeria
  • 68 Pollys Junio Sacramento T Brazil

Defensive linemen

  •   Felix Delgado Germany
  •   Nico Koch Germany
  • 97 Lance Leota DT New Zealand
  •   Carlo Reimann Germany
  • 92 Aslan Zetterberg DT Sweden
 Linebackers
  •   Niels Schroedter Germany
  • 49 A.J. Wentland ILB United States

Defensive backs

  •   Devan Burrell United States
  •  4 Roedion Henrique S Netherlands
  •   Zil Jalaal Isaac-Turea Germany
  • 24 William James CB Sweden
  •   René Merkel Germany
  •   Dominic Yaw Aboagye-Duah Germany


Rookies in italics
 Roster updated 23 March 2023
4 A-import, 5 E-import, 22 homegrown
31 active

Transactions

From Hamburg Sea Devils: Dominik Behrens
From Stuttgart Surge: Noah Bomba
From Berlin Thunder: Kélian-Mathis Mouliom

Staff

Leipzig Kings staff

Front office

  • Owner – Moritz Heisler, Marc Quoadt
  • General manager – Moritz Heisler
  • Director of Strategy Development – Karsten Köhler
  • Director of football operations – John Alexander Booker

Head coach

  • Head coach – John Alexander Booker

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator – n/a
  • Offensive line – n/a
  • Quarterbacks – Elijah Miller
  • Running backs – n/a
  • Wide receivers/tight ends – n/a
  

Defensive coaches

  • Defensive coordinator/defensive backs – David Shelton Sr.
  • Linebacker – n/a
  • Defensive line – n/a

Special teams coaches

  • Special teams coordinator – n/a


Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – n/a


updated 23 March 2023

References

  1. ^ "European League of Football mit Berlin Thunder, Köln Centurions und Leipzig Kings" (in German). ran (Sportsendung). March 22, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  2. ^ "European League of Football: Chef sieht Potenzial in Leipzig". Zeit (in German). April 22, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  3. ^ "ELF: Armstrong Cheftrainer der Leipzig Kings". Welt (in German). April 7, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "European League of Football: Leipzig Kings sign top Japanese WR Yoshihito Omi". American Football International. May 9, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  5. ^ "Leipzig Kings pulling out of European League of Football?". American Football International. 28 June 2023.
  6. ^ "ELF: Leipzig Kings GM & Owner Moritz Heisler shares the State of the Franchise in Q&A". American Football International. 30 June 2023.
  7. ^ "ELF: Leipzig Kings Cancel Upcoming Game Amid Financial Insolvency". American Football International. 7 July 2023.
  8. ^ "ELF: Leipzig Kings announce withdrawal from 2023 season". American Football International. 11 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Official statement of the European League of Football on the Leipzig Kings 2023". European League of Football.
  10. ^ "ELF: 2023 Leipzig Kings – A Complete Roster Breakdown". American Football International.

External links

  • Official website
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