BRAVO! MADRID STARS TOP 2025 ELF HONOURS
The Madrid Bravos were rewarded for the explosive offense they exhibited throughout the 2025 European League of Football by scooping four awards — more than any other team — at the end of season awards ceremony.
Although they fell at the wildcard stage of the playoffs, the Spanish side were amongst the most exciting to watch this season, and that edge-of-the-seat, can’t-take-your-eyes-off-the-game style saw four positions honoured at the Palm Beach sportsbar on the eve of the 2025 Championship Game in Stuttgart.
Running back Justus Seelig was the very first to be recognised after a debut campaign that also garnered the interest of US colleges earned him the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The German was followed in short order by both Aron Cruickshank (Offensive Player of the Year) and Brendan Oswin as the very first recipient of the new Offensive Lineman of the Year trophy.
The icing on the cake, however, came right at the end of the night, with commissioner Patrick Esume on stage, as QB Reid Sinnett walked off as the latest MVP after bringing his wide NFL experience to the European scene. The 28-year-old threw for 3,953 yards and 50 touchdowns in the regular season, while his completion rate of 72.98 percent 139.9 QBR also reset existing league records. Sinnett formed a lethal combination with Cruickshank across the breadth of the season — with the wideout also breaking the records for receiving touchdowns, catches and yards in what was also his first season in the ELF — while Seelig was also quick to point to his quarterback as one reason for his award.
The other major recognition, Coach of the Year, went to Kendral Ellison of the Munich Ravens, who saw off competition from Nordic Storm’s John Shoop and Chris Calaycay, whose Vienna Vikings face the hometown Surge in today’s final. Ellison wentn into his second campaign building on what he had learned in 2024 and led his team to an automatic semi-final spot in the postseason.
This year’s Championship Game rivals took home on award apiece, with Vienna’s Noel Swancar earning Man of the Year recognition for his work with the local community, coaching the Vikings’ youth teams and acting as an ambassador for the Lichtblickhof children’s hospice. Stuttgart’s honour was shared between Johannes Brenner and Cody Pastorino, who were recognised as the Assistant Coaches of the Year for their work with the stifling Surge defense.
The battling Fehérvár Enthroners took home two awards, courtesy of Comeback Player of the Year Jon Cole, who lost the 2024 season and a 2025 roster spot elsewhere due to injury before resurfacing to great effect in Hungary. Team-mate Aleksandar Borkovic was recognised as the Homegrown Player of the Year, after moving from Prague to Fehérvár over the offseason. He led the league in tackles for much of the year, before being overtaken by eventual Defensive Player of the Year A.J. Wentland (Wroclaw Panthers), who claimed his desired reward at the third time of asking.
Someone who had no problem going for three was Wentland’s former team-mate in Poland, Devan Burrell, who took another Special Teams Player of the Year trophy and added the Helvetic Mercenaries to the roll of honour.
English linebacker Arthur Kingdom scooper Defensive Rookie of the Year honours after a sterling season with the Prague Lions that put 85 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced a fumble and claimed an interception on a solid all-round debut, but could not prevent overall Rookie of the Year honours going to Tyler Foster of the Berlin Thunder, who racked up 64 catches for 824 yards and seven touchdowns at the tender age of just 20.