THUNDER COACH STEPS DOWN
Recently-confirmed Berlin Thunder head coach Phil McGeoghan has stepped back from the role to focus on family matters, but will remain in an advisory capacity as the team looks to bounce back from a miserable 2025 season
McGeoghan, who played briefly for the Thunder in the old NFL Europe, was heralded as a key figure in the team’s plan to return to the top of the continent’s professional game, having opted to align with the American Football League Europe (AFLE) for 2026, but has had relinquish the reins and return to the United States.
“Today’s news about Coach Phil is heartbreaking, but family always comes first,” a statement issued by the Thunder confirmed. “’Football is family’ is not just a saying, but the motto we live by. We will continue to support Phil and his family. He is staying committed to the Berlin Thunder by opening pathways for our athletes to potentially continue playing football in the United States, either in college or a professional league.”
McGeoghan, meanwhile, admitted that it has taken a lot to tear him away from his new role.
“With a heavy heart, I share that I am stepping down as head coach of the Berlin Thunder,” he said. “This decision was very difficult but, at this time, my priority must be focusing on my family in the United States. I am deeply grateful for the Thunder organisation, and I want to especially thank general manager Rasheed Moka and COO Philip Bondulich for their leadership, trust and friendship.
“The Thunder is in strong hands and I am confident the team is moving in the right direction. While I will no longer serve as head coach, I will continue to support the organisation in an administrative and consulting capacity, assisting in the current negotiations for our next head coach and contributing to the team’s operational growth.
“My passion for international player development remains unwavering. I will keep pushing for pathways that allow German athletes to pursue opportunities in the United States, whether at the collegiate or professional level. I am equally committed to advancing women’s flag football in Germany and the United Kingdom, helping expand the game and create new opportunities for athletes abroad.”
Cynics will point out that McGeoghan’s withdrawal has echoes of Jim Tomsula’s decision to return to the US to focus on ‘family matters’ at the start of the 2025, a move that was later said to have reflected just as heavily on a breakdown in relations with the management team at Rhein Fire. Tomsula is heavily rumoured to be heading up the coaching team at the AFLE’s proposed Monaco franchise for 2026.