SEA DEVILS TAB NFL VETERAN VALESENTE AS NEW DC
The Hamburg Sea Devils have hired the internationally-recognised Bob Valesente as successor to their incumbent defensive coordinator Ray Woodward with immediate effect.
The 84-year-old brings over 35 years of coaching experience — including stints as an assistant coach in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Colts and Carolina Panthers — and has already spent time coaching in Europe, initially as DC for the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe, before going on to win both the 2010 German Bowl with the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes and the 2017 World Games crown with the French national team.
“With Robert Valesente, we are gaining an exceptional coach who has impressively demonstrated his ability to shape and develop teams both in the USA and in Europe,” Sea Devils managing director Mark Weitz commented. “His experience and personality are an asset to the entire organisation.”
Valesente will make his debut on the Sea Devils’ sidelines this Saturday, as Hamburg travel to Prague to face the Lions, before a bigger test looms in Bremen on 31st May against the Stuttgart Surge.
“Football is my passion,” Valesente insisted. “I love the challenge of developing talent, building teams and competing at the highest level. It’s a great privilege for me to be able to take on this role at my age — and I will do everything I can to be successful with the Sea Devils.”