The Rhein Fire are an American football team in Düsseldorf, Germany, which plays in the European League of Football since it was added as an expansion team during the 2022 ELF season.

Rhein Fire
Team logo
Established2021 (2021)
Based inGermany Düsseldorf, Germany
Home stadiumSchauinsland-Reisen-Arena
Head coachJim Tomsula
General managerTom Aust
LeagueEuropean League of Football (ELF)
DivisionSouthern Conference (2022)
Western Conference (2023)
ColorsMaroon, Black, Gold, White[1]
       
Websiterheinfire.eu
Current uniform
Current sports event2023 Rhein Fire season

History

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On 25 September 2021, the Rhein Fire was announced as the third expansion and 11th overall team to play in the European League of Football beginning in the 2022 season.[2] The team would be taking the identity of the former NFL Europe team, after the league reached an agreement before the 2021 season with the NFL for the naming rights. In the 2022 pre-season, the management announced that the former NFL Europe Rhein Fire head coach Jim Tomsula would also be the first head coach of the Rhein Fire in the European League of Football.[3]

Stadium

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The stadium is the Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena in Duisburg with a capacity for 31,500 people. The venue is shared with MSV Duisburg of the third tier German association football league.

Roster

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Reference[4]

Rhein Fire (ELF) roster
Quarterbacks
  • 18 Jadrian Clark
 
  • 12 Rohat Dagdelen
 
  • 16 Jan Leuker
 

Running backs

  • 28 TJ Alexander
 
  • 15 Giacomo De Pauli
 
  •  6 Sergej Kendus
 
  • 34 Noah Kölling
 
  • 43 Patrick Poetsch FB
 
  • 40 Tobias Reglinski
 
  • 17 Glen Toonga
 

Wide receivers

  • 19 Achim Bah
 
  • 80 Noah Gehring
 
  • 29 Leon Höltker
 
  • 81 Leon Kusterer
 
  • 10 Harlan Kwofie
 
  • 13 Jannik Lörcks
 
 
  • 84 Feli Manoka
 
  • 89 Jakob Neugebauer
 
  • 84 Willie Patterson
 
  • 86 Nathaniel Robitaille
 
  •  8 Justin Schlesinger
 

Tight ends

  • 87 Florian Eichhorn
 
  • 83 Christopher Mielke
 
  • 88 Marvin Pludra
 
  • 82 Laurin Wiegand
 
Offensive linemen
  • 77 Sven Breidenbach T
 
  • 75 Joachim Christensen
 
  • 79 Bemigho Eyimofe
 
  • 60 Kevin Foitzik
 
  • 66 Arnoud Holierhoek
 
  • 62 Marius Mohr
 
  • 74 Jan-Hendrik Koch
 
  • 76 Jonathan Peppler
 
  • 78 Yasir Raji
 
  • 68 Nick Wiens G
 
  • 71 Leander Wiegand
 

Defensive linemen

  • 92 Eric Adam
 
  • 97 Jason Chikere
 
  • 90 Remy Feltes
 
  •  3 Simon Gavanda
 
  • 96 Samuel Kargel
 
  • 99 Shamgar Owusu-Ankomah
 
  • 94 Justus Sleiman
 
  • 93 Julian Völker
 
Linebackers
  • 11 Alejandro Fernández
 
  • 55 Luis Fiedler OLB
 
  • 44 Marius Kensy
 
  • 45 Martin Pinter
 
  • 54 Maximilian Schmidt OLB
 
  • 47 Niels Schroedter
 
  • 26 Lino Schröter
 
  • 31 Flamur Simon
 
  • 42 Brian Snoek
 
  • 41 Alexander Sobotta ILB
 

Defensive backs

  •  5 Benjamin Barnes
 
  • 36 Soyfan Dardour
 
  • 38 Marvin Djomou Djopa
 
  • 32 Daniel Duah CB
 
  • 24 Koi Freeman
 
  •  9 Richard Grooten S
 
  • 21 René Hanßen
 
  •  7 Till Janssen
 
  • 25 Lasse Meyer CB
 
  • 22 TJ Morrison
 
  • 27 Max Richter
 
  •  4 Jannik Seibel
 
  • 20 Philip Stegemann
 
  •  2 Omari Williams S
 

Special teams

  • 14 Maximillian Eisenhut K
 
  • 30 Nils Schauerte P
 
  • 33 Sebastian Van Sentan K
 


Rookies in italics
Roster updated November 22, 2023
6 A-import, 6 E-import, 60 homegrown
72 active

Transactions

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From Cologne Centurions: Max Richter, Flamur Simon, Marius Kensy, Jannik Lörcks

From Barcelona Dragons: Alejandro Fernández

From Stuttgart Surge: Benjamin Barnes

Staff

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Rhein Fire (ELF) staff

Front office

  • CEO – Martin Wagner
  • General manager – Tom Aust
  • President of football operations – Jim Tomsula
  • Director of administration - Detlef Reck
  • Director of operation & logistics - Mario Schulz
  • Director of player personnel – Timur Beckmann
  • Chief of staff - Frank Joachim
  • Cheer & Dance director – Nini Pohlmann

Head coach

  • Head coach – Jim Tomsula
  • Assistant head coach – Detlef Reck

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator – Andrew Weidinger
  • Quarterbacks – Allan Verbraeken
  • Running backs – Thorsten Estermann
  • Tight ends – Timur Beckmann
  • Offensive line – Erol Seval
  • Assistant offensive line – Sascha Spils
 

Defensive coaches

  • Defensive coordinator – Richard Kent
  • Defensive backs – Stephan Schacht
  • Assistant defensive backs – Jörg Mackenthun
  • Linebacker – Patrick Köpper
  • Assistant linebacker – Thomas Innig
  • Defensive line – Christian Heister
  • Assistant defensive line – Peter Schiefer

Special teams coaches

  • Special teams coordinator/Wide receivers – Mario Schulz




Staff updated March 14, 2023

References

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  1. ^ "CREATING THE NEW LOGO".
  2. ^ Alex Malchow (26 September 2021). "ELF Expansion: Rhein Fire reignited". American Football International.
    - Tim Hanswillemenke (25 September 2021). "New Franchise Announced: Düsseldorf Rhein Fire". European League Football.
  3. ^ "Jim Tomsula wird Rhein Fire Headcoach" [Jim Tomsula becomes Rhein Fire head coach]. Lokalbüro Düsseldorf (in German). 12 February 2022.
  4. ^ "ELF: 2023 Rhein Fire – A Complete Roster Breakdown". American Football International.
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