Hamburg Sea Devils
Encyclopedia
The Hamburg Sea Devils were an American football
team that began play in NFL Europa
from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg
's AOL Arena (also home to the Bundesliga soccer side Hamburger SV
). They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions
(who were the newest NFL Europe franchise before the Sea Devils). Also, the Sea Devils' very first ever win came in Week 3 of the 2005 season, with a 31-24 home victory over the then-struggling Rhein Fire
.
Their first head coach was Jack Bicknell
, previously head coach of the defunct Barcelona Dragons
and Scottish Claymores
. The Sea Devils had directly replaced the Claymores after the 2004 season.
On April 1, 2006, the Sea Devils recorded their very first tie in franchise history. At home, they scored 17 points in the second quarter, against the Berlin Thunder
. They had blown their 17-point lead before regulation ended. When no one scored in overtime, the game ended in a draw. This was only the second tie in the NFL Europa history. The previous tie came in the 1992 season between the Birmingham Fire
and the London Monarchs
. The final score for that game was also 17-17.
On March 29, 2007, Bicknell resigned, citing health issues as the reason. He was replaced by offensive coordinator
Vince Martino
.
On June 23, 2007, the Sea Devils won their first World Bowl
championship with a 37-28 victory over the defending champion Frankfurt Galaxy
. It was also their last, as NFL Europa
disbanded almost immediately following the game. As a result, the Sea Devils are the last team to win a WLAF/NFL Europe/NFL Europa game ever.
The Sea Devils were brought to American media attention again on July 14, 2007, when 2006 team member Mike Jemison
was arrested in Pennsylvania for robbery. Also Thomas Herrion was an Offensive tackle allocated to the team by the San Francisco 49ers. Herrion died after a preseason game against the Denver Broncos in August 2005. His number 68 was selected to be the number for the 2006 jerseys.
| colspan="6" align="center" | Hamburg Sea Devils (NFL Europe)
|-
|2005 || 5 || 5 || 0 || 4th League || --
|-
|2006 || 3 || 6 || 1 || 5th League || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Hamburg Sea Devils (NFL Europa)
|-
|2007 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 1st League || Won World Bowl XV
(Galaxy
)
|-
!Totals || 16 || 14 || 1
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team that began play in NFL Europa
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
from 2005 to 2007. They played their home games at Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
's AOL Arena (also home to the Bundesliga soccer side Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
). They played their first game on April 2, 2005 losing 24-23 to the Cologne Centurions
Cologne Centurions
The Cologne Centurions were an American football team that played in NFL Europe. The Centurions began competing in the league in the 2004 season, having replaced the defunct Barcelona Dragons. They played their home games at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne....
(who were the newest NFL Europe franchise before the Sea Devils). Also, the Sea Devils' very first ever win came in Week 3 of the 2005 season, with a 31-24 home victory over the then-struggling Rhein Fire
Rhein Fire
The Rhein Fire was a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
.
Their first head coach was Jack Bicknell
Jack Bicknell
-Professional:-External links:...
, previously head coach of the defunct Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
and Scottish Claymores
Scottish Claymores
The Scottish Claymores were an American football team from Scotland. The franchise played in the World League of American Football between 1995 and 2004, initially playing all home games at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh and latterly sharing home games with Hampden Park, Glasgow...
. The Sea Devils had directly replaced the Claymores after the 2004 season.
On April 1, 2006, the Sea Devils recorded their very first tie in franchise history. At home, they scored 17 points in the second quarter, against the Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
. They had blown their 17-point lead before regulation ended. When no one scored in overtime, the game ended in a draw. This was only the second tie in the NFL Europa history. The previous tie came in the 1992 season between the Birmingham Fire
Birmingham Fire
The Birmingham Fire was a professional American football team based in Birmingham, Alabama that played in the World League of American Football in 1991 and 1992. The team played at Legion Field, and it made the playoffs in both seasons....
and the London Monarchs
London Monarchs
The London Monarchs were a professional American football team in NFL Europe and its predecessor league, the World League of American Football . The Monarchs played their final season in 1998 as the England Monarchs...
. The final score for that game was also 17-17.
On March 29, 2007, Bicknell resigned, citing health issues as the reason. He was replaced by offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Vince Martino
Vince Martino
Vince Martino is an American football coach. Most recently, he served as offensive line coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League...
.
On June 23, 2007, the Sea Devils won their first World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
championship with a 37-28 victory over the defending champion Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
. It was also their last, as NFL Europa
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
disbanded almost immediately following the game. As a result, the Sea Devils are the last team to win a WLAF/NFL Europe/NFL Europa game ever.
The Sea Devils were brought to American media attention again on July 14, 2007, when 2006 team member Mike Jemison
Mike Jemison
Mike Jemison is an American football player who last played running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League and running back for the Hamburg Sea Devils of NFL Europe .-College career:...
was arrested in Pennsylvania for robbery. Also Thomas Herrion was an Offensive tackle allocated to the team by the San Francisco 49ers. Herrion died after a preseason game against the Denver Broncos in August 2005. His number 68 was selected to be the number for the 2006 jerseys.
Season-by-season
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Hamburg Sea Devils (NFL Europe)
|-
|2005 || 5 || 5 || 0 || 4th League || --
|-
|2006 || 3 || 6 || 1 || 5th League || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Hamburg Sea Devils (NFL Europa)
|-
|2007 || 7 || 3 || 0 || 1st League || Won World Bowl XV
World Bowl XV
World Bowl XV was NFL Europa's 2007 championship game, and the final game in the league's history. It was played at Commerzbank-Arena in Frankfurt, Germany on Saturday, June 23, 2007. The defending World Bowl champion Frankfurt Galaxy hosted the Hamburg Sea Devils in their own home stadium.The...
(Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
)
|-
!Totals || 16 || 14 || 1
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
Head coaches
| # | Name | Term | Regular season | Postseason | Achievements | Reference | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | T | Win% | GC | W | L | Win% | |||||||||
| Hamburg Sea Devils | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Jack Bicknell Jack Bicknell -Professional:-External links:... |
2005 2005 Hamburg Sea Devils season The 2005 Hamburg Sea Devils season was the inaugural season for the team in the NFL Europe League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:... –2006 2006 Hamburg Sea Devils season The 2006 Hamburg Sea Devils season was the second season for the team in the NFL Europe League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-Week 2: at Frankfurt Galaxy:-Honors:*WR Scott McCready, All-NFL Europe League team selection... |
20 | 8 | 11 | 1 | .425 | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| 2 | Vince Martino Vince Martino Vince Martino is an American football coach. Most recently, he served as offensive line coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League... |
2007 2007 Hamburg Sea Devils season The 2007 Hamburg Sea Devils season was the third and final season for the team in the NFL Europa League.-Free Agent Draft:-Staff:-Roster:-Schedule:-World Bowl XV:-Honors:*Adam Anderson, Special Teams Player of the Week... |
10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Coach of the Year (2007) | |||||