2021 Cologne Centurions season explained

Team:Cologne Centurions (ELF)
Year:2021
Record:5–5
Coach: Kirk Heidelberg
Stadium:Südstadion, Ostkampfbahn
Playoffs:lost Semifinal @ Frankfurt Galaxy 6–36
No Prevseason:yes
Next:2022
Uniform:Cologne Centurions Uniform (2021).png

The 2021 Cologne Centurions season was the first season of the new Cologne Centurions team in the inaugural season of the European League of Football.[1] [2]

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateTime (CET)OpponentResultRecordVenueTVRecap
1June 1918:00at Wrocław PanthersL 39–550–1Wrocław Olympic StadiumMore Than Sports TVRecap
2June 2715:00Barcelona DragonsW 40–121–1SüdstadionProSieben Maxx, Esport3Recap
3July 415:00at Leipzig KingsW 48–472–1Alfred-Kunze-SportparkRecap
4July 1115:00Frankfurt GalaxyL 20–412–2SüdstadionMore Than Sports TVRecap
5July 2515:00at Stuttgart SurgeW 39–233–2Gazi-Stadion auf der WaldauProSieben MaxxRecap
6August 115:00Wrocław PanthersW 33–314–2SüdstadionRecap
7August 719:00at Barcelona DragonsL 51–604–3Estadi Municipalran.de, Esport3Recap
8August 2118:00Leipzig KingsL 24-424-4OstkampfbahnRecap
9August 2815:00Stuttgart SurgeW 19-95-4OstkampfbahnRecap
10September 515:00at Frankfurt GalaxyL 45-75-5PSD Bank Arena
Source: europeanleague.football

Cologne qualified for the playoffs despite losing the head-to-head against the Leipzig Kings (both teams having won their away game against the other, but Leipzig with a bigger margin) as the rules in place for the 2021 season guaranteed playoff spots to the top two teams of each division regardless of record. The city of Cologne was also the only city with both an ELF and a GFL team reaching the Playoffs in their respective 2021 seasons as the Cologne Crocodiles placed third in the GFL North, reaching the quarter-final of the 2021 German Football League. Cologne was also the only team to lose three games against the same opponent in the 2021 season, losing to Frankfurt Galaxy both at home and on the road in the regular season and again on the road in the playoffs.

Transactions

On July 21, the team signed American DL Mike Taylor III, to strengthen a defense ravaged by injuries. Due to the rule regarding 4 maximum import players on a team, American QB Danny Farley was removed from the active roster, but remained with the team as an offensive assistant coach.[3]

References

  1. Web site: 2021-03-22. Shake-up to inaugural ELF line-up announced; 3 new franchises enter, 2 exit. 2021-05-24. American Football International. en-US.
  2. Web site: ELF European League of Football. 2021-05-24. www.europeanleague.football.
  3. Web site: The import slot held by Danny Farley will be used on DB Mike Taylor. Farley remains as an assistant coach. https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CRlcvQirvk4 . 2021-12-26 . registration. July 21, 2021. instagram.com.