WILL STORM MAKE MERCENARIES PAY IN ELF DEBUT?
A new chapter in Danish sports history will be written this Sunday (18th May) as the Nordic Storm play their first ever match in the European League of Football.
The team, based in Copenhagen, was presented back in September as the ELF’s newest franchise and, since then, a lot has happened, from the arrival of NFL veteran John Shoop as head coach to the list of star signings attracted by the challenge of turbo-charging the Storm’s debut season.
Not long after Shoop was confirmed, signing the league’s last two MVPs, quarterback Jadrian Clark and running back Glen Toonga, out from under the reigning back-to-back champion Rhein Fire created headlines around the ELF. But the trio are just small parts of an impressive roster pulled together by the Storm over the winter, with prominent players and coaching names joining the debutants, including several who have already made a name for themselves on the biggest
stage in Europe. To underline the potential gathering at Gladsaxe Stadium, no fewer than nine of their signings have appeared on the league’s All-Star team over the past four seasons.
“I’ve been fortunate to be part of some great organisations and championship-level teams in the ELF, and I see a lot of similar qualities in this Nordic Storm group,” Clark noted. “The talent here is undeniable — from the local core to the imports, there’s a high level of athleticism, football IQ and hunger to compete.
“What sets successful teams apart isn’t just talent though. It’s the culture, the buy-in and the daily habits. We’re building that here. It’s early but, if we keep trending in the right direction, there’s no reason this team can’t be right there with the best.”
Clark’s move — made hand-in-hand with former team-mate Toonga — was both daring and atypical. The pair had won the two most recent ELF championship games and MVP crowns, and were icons on the ELF’s strongest team, both on the field and commercially. But instead of continuing in a safe environment of likely continued success, both Clark and Toonga moved to Copenhagen and signed with the league’s unproven addition.
Toonga brings top notch athleticism, with vision and power not seen before from a European running back. The Briton has the versatility to be the focal point of any offense in the league and, having continually developed in the passing game, it is difficult to see how defenses will stop him. His record of 1576 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2024 speaks for itself, rightfully earning the ELF veteran the title of Most Valuable Player.
Center Joachim Christensen is easily the Danish player who has had the most success in American football in Europe. Within the league’s first three seasons, he had already accounted for two championships with two different teams, having been a part of the Frankfurt Galaxy in the league’s debut season and, then, as team-mate to Clark and Toonga at the Rhein Fire in 2023. Although Christensen subsequently decided to hang up his helmet, his retirement was short, as the opportunity to play for a ‘home’ team in the shape of the Nordic Storm convinced him to return as an active player. Technical skill combined with aggression is the hallmark of the Dane’s playing style and, at 31, he also brings an important routine and experience to his new crew, which other, untested, team-mates can draw on.
Linebacker Ludvig Myren, meanwhile, brings a Swedish influence to the club that straddles two countries. Over the past three seasons, Myren has established himself as a big name in the ELF as part of the Berlin Thunder, but has also made the switch to the new Nordic team. Myren possesses the sort of speed and instinct that results in him always being around the ball carrier. He also has a knack for creating turnovers and is credited with as many as four defensive touchdowns during his time in the league. Myren brings an incredibly passionate mentality when he wreaks havoc on the opposition and, at just 24, has already been voted as the seventh-best player in the ELF, by far the highest-ever ranking for a Nordic player.
Cornerback Exavier Edwards, like Clark and Toonga, has been a building block at one of the league’s strongest teams, the Vienna Vikings, but chose to join the Storm and bring a unique versatility that means not only can he play every positions on the back end of the defense, but adds speed, acceleration and change of direction that are among the best yet seen in Europe. Another former All-Star, Edwards has developed a habit of taking the ball away from opponents, the 33-year-old American creating a total of 10 turnovers in his 24 games to date. Throw in the fact that he is one of the best returners in the league and, oh, did anyone mention that he has also been used on offense in the past?
After weeks and months of meetings and practices, the time has finally come to find out whether the moves that the Storm have made will bear fruit. This Sunday (May 18th), it falls to the Helvetic Mercenaries to welcome the new boys to the league, and it is a very different Swiss team to last year as, after only notching a single win in 2024, there has been a long list of changes to both the coaching and playing personnel.
There is a new head coach, in Marcus Herford, who was responsible for great results in the German Football League, where he took newly-promoted Hildesheim Invaders to the playoffs. Herford has brought with him, one of last season’s most entertaining and spectacular players in QB Isaiah Weed. Although his performances at the Cologne Centurions were inconsistent at times, it was clear that when Weed hit his top level, he was incredibly difficult to stop, even for the best defenses in the league.
The change in the two most central positions on an American football team clearly shows that the Mercenaries have made some drastic changes in order to be more competitive than last year, when they were significantly overmatched by their opponents, and it is clear that while there is a lot of untapped potential in the squad, a lack of top talent is clearly not a problem. The big question is simply whether the depth of the squad is sufficient.
Weed was responsible for great moments of entertainment last season, as his highly-improvisational style of play, combined with a good athletic ability, meant that the American caused even the best defenses major problems. While his 2,553 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns aren’t sky-high numbers, they’re still impressive when combined with his production in the running game, where the 27-year-old ran for over 700 yards and added another eight touchdowns.
Amongst Weed’s targets this season will be wide receiver Milan Spiller, whose speed and explosiveness led to him being named as offensive rookie of the year for 2024, a bright spot in an otherwise difficult season. Spiller broke the coveted barrier of 1000 yards for a European receiver, finishing the year with 1008 yards and five touchdowns.
Defensive End De’Marco Artis may be new to the ELF this year, but has already shown proof of his level in Europe, having broken the record for the sacks in the Finnish league, when he took down the opponent’s quarterback on 12 occasions. Before that, he was a standout at West Florida University, having transferred after one year at Baylor. Artis is expected to form a potent partnership with the very young, but undoubtedly talented, R.J. Sagna.
Cornerback Marko Ilic, oddly, has Danish roots but, instead of trying out for the Storm, chose to go to the Mercenaries, where he will use good size and physique to shut down the opponent’s best receiver. With a large wingspan and strength, the Danish-Serbian dual national can be difficult to get past and, if he hits the ground running, is a player who can disrupt the crucial timing between the quarterback and receiver.
Statistically, there is possibly no bigger addition in the ELF this season than the Mercenaries other wideout. Keelan Cole is, by far, the most prominent and successful player to ever join the league, having been a starter in the NFL for several years, where he put up almost 3000 receiving yards across six seasons. If he plays at that level in the ELF, and with Spiller on the opposite flank, it is by no means unthinkable that Cole could become one of the biggest profiles in the league — and a player who can take the Mercenaries to new heights — even if he has turned 32 and not played at a high level for a few years.
The Nordic Storm’s opening match will take place at 1pm local time on Sunday.