2002: Berlin Defeats Rhein for 2nd Consecutive NFL Europe Title

The Berlin Thunder, defending champions of NFL Europe, finished in second place with a 6-4 record in 2002. It was good enough to send them to World Bowl X against the Rhein Fire on June 22 at the Rheinstadion in Dusseldorf, Germany. The Fire had compiled a 7-3 record and had swept the season series against Berlin.

The Thunder was coached by Peter Vaas, who was in his third year with the club. QB Todd Husak led the league in passing yardage (2386) but also in interceptions (14). WR Dane Looker (pictured above), on loan from the NFL’s Rams, was the top receiver with 54 catches. RB Anthony White ranked fifth in rushing (525 yards) and third in pass receiving (38 catches). Center Ben Hamilton was an All-League performer on the offensive line, while LB Jude Waddy received recognition on defense.

Rhein was led by second-year Head Coach Pete Kuharchek and featured the third leading rusher in NFL Europe, Jamal Robertson (792 yards), who was also an All-NFL Europe selection. Other All-League players included G Al Jackson, OT Patrick Venzke, DT Brandon Miller, CB Earthwind Moreland, safety Deke Cooper, and linebackers Tim Johnson and Maugaula Tuitele.

The game, attended by 53,109 fans in what was the last event held at the 77-year-old Rheinstadion, got off to a bad start for the Fire as QB Tee Martin was intercepted by S Ontei Williams near midfield on the second play from scrimmage. The turnover resulted in a 47-yard field goal by Berlin’s Danny Boyd.


Rhein went three-and-out on its next possession and the Thunder responded with a 41-yard touchdown pass play from Husak to Looker for a 10-0 lead. Again, Martin was intercepted, this time by LB Keith Adams, who returned the pickoff to the Rhein 10 yard line. Berlin was unable to get into the end zone with three incomplete passes, and settled for a 27-yard field goal by Axel Kruse to extend the lead to 13-0.

The Fire’s offense came alive in the second quarter as Martin completed a 31-yard pass to WR Jimmy Robinson. However, the drive stalled at the Thunder 41 and a faked punt on fourth-and-eleven, in which TE/QB Darnell Dinkins took off with the snap, came up a yard short. Later in the period Rhein again tried a fake punt, this time with punter Dirk Johnson running the ball. Again, they came up short, and in this instance Berlin capitalized with a 15-yard Husak TD pass to Looker in the corner of the end zone.

Martin drove Rhein down the field near the end of the half, completing five passes for 39 yards to move into field goal range at the Berlin 18. However, the 35-yard attempt by Jason Witczak was blocked and the score stood at 20-0 at halftime.

Rhein got an early break in the third quarter when CB Earthwind Moreland intercepted a pass by Husak near midfield, but the Fire was unable to capitalize, going three-and-out and punting. On the next possession, however, Rhein’s offense was able to move the ball as Martin hit Robinson on passes of 9 and 26 yards, setting up their first score of the game on a six-yard touchdown run by RB Tony Taylor.

Berlin responded with a 45-yard field goal for a 23-7 lead, but the Fire again came back strong as the game moved into the fourth quarter. Martin completed eight passes (four of them to Robinson) on a 65-yard scoring drive that was capped by a two-yard TD throw to WR Scott Cloman. The try for a two point conversion failed.

The Thunder scored once more on a drive that featured a 16-yard pass from Husak to Looker and a 15-yard penalty on Rhein’s Brandon Miller for a late hit. Boyd kicked his third field goal of the game from 38 yards to extend the margin to 26-13.

Jamal Robertson returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards to give the Fire good field position, but a drive that took them deep into Berlin territory came to an end when a nine-yard run by Martin on fourth down came up a yard short. Still, Rhein got the ball back and scored on a one-yard run by Martin with 20 seconds left to play.

Deke Cooper recovered the ensuing onside kick for the Fire at the Thunder 40 yard line, but there was no miracle finish. Martin was sacked by Berlin DT Cleveland Pinckney and then threw one last desperation pass that fell incomplete. By a score of 26-20, the Thunder became the only team to win consecutive NFL Europe titles.


Dane Looker caught 11 passes for 111 yards and two TDs and was the game’s MVP. He went on to play seven seasons with the Rams, catching 112 passes. Todd Husak (pictured above left), who had led Stanford to the Rose Bowl, and Tee Martin (pictured at right), whose two years as starting quarterback at Tennessee (following Peyton Manning) included a national championship season in 1998, never saw more than limited backup duty in the NFL (Martin also played in the CFL).

1998: Rhein Defeats Frankfurt to Win NFL Europe Title in World Bowl VI

The 1998 NFL Europe season concluded with the two German teams, the Rhein Fire and the Frankfurt Galaxy, meeting for the developmental league’s championship in World Bowl VI on June 14 before 47,846 fans at Frankfurt’s Waldstadion.

Both teams had ended up with 7-3 records in the re-named circuit (prior to ’98 it had been known as the World League of American Football). The Fire, based in Dusseldorf and coached by Galen Hall, had the league’s leading rusher in RB Derrick Clark (739 yards) and WR Marcus Robinson topped NFL Europe with 811 receiving yards on 39 catches. QB Mike Quinn had the best passer rating (87.3) while throwing for 1997 yards with 13 TDs and just three interceptions. On defense they had the co-leader in sacks in DT Ed Philion.

Under first year Head Coach Dick Curl, Frankfurt had solid performances from QB Damon Huard, who passed for 1857 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and All-League WR Mario Bailey (38 receptions, 544 yards) and TE Vince Marrow (32 catches for 345 yards). LB Hillary Butler and safety Chris Hall were feature players on the defense.

The teams had split their meetings during the regular season, with Rhein dominating the first contest, 31-14, and Frankfurt taking the season finale in overtime, 20-17. However, both clubs were without their starting quarterbacks due to injury – the Fire would have to make due with Jim Arellanes, who had thrown just one pass during the season, in place of Quinn while the Galaxy had the slightly more experienced Chris Dittoe (64 pass attempts) going for Huard.

The game, which was mostly played in heavy rain, started off in spectacular fashion as Arellanes completed a 40-yard pass to Robinson on a flea-flicker play. The drive culminated in a 29-yard field goal by Manfred Burgsmuller. Later in the first quarter the Fire increased their lead to 10-0 as WR Dialleo Burks caught a 15-yard TD pass from Arellanes.

Frankfurt fought back on the ensuing possession with a drive that led to a three-yard touchdown run by RB Jermaine Chainey, cutting the Rhein lead to 10-7. But Arellanes again connected with Burks for a 20-yard TD and 17-7 halftime lead.

On the first possession of the third quarter, Frankfurt again trimmed the Fire’s margin with a 41-yard Ralf Kleinmann field goal. But three plays later Arellanes threw his third scoring pass of the day, this one for 74 yards to Robinson, and the game was essentially over. The defense shut down Frankfurt’s offense the rest of the way, and 10 fourth quarter points made the final score a convincing 34-10.

Jim Arellanes (pictured at top) was the game’s MVP, completing 12 of 18 passes for 263 yards with three touchdowns against no interceptions. Marcus Robinson (pictured below) caught just two passes, but they were big completions as he compiled 114 yards and a TD. TE Hayward Clay led the team with three catches, for 63 yards, while Dialleo Burks scored on his two catches of the game, which totaled 35 yards. RB Jon Vaughn was the leading rusher with 89 yards on 11 carries, including a 15-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter (Derrick Clark contributed 69 yards on 17 rushes).


In defeat, Chris Dittoe was successful on 15 of 27 pass attempts for 111 yards with no TDs and two interceptions. Jermaine Chaney was Frankfurt’s leading receiver with 6 catches for 35 yards (Mario Bailey was held to just 2 catches for 31 yards and Vince Marrow caught 3 passes for 27 yards) and was also the club’s best rusher with 84 yards on 19 attempts with the one TD.

On a day when conditions were not favorable to the aerial attack, Rhein outgained the Galaxy by 421 yards to 198. With Vaughn and Clark leading the way, the Fire outrushed Frankfurt 158 to 112. They also did substantially better in net passing yards (263 to 86) as they suffered no sacks while dumping Dittoe three times.

Jim Arellanes played for Rhein in 1999 and 2001, but never made it to the NFL (Mike Quinn, who was a backup with Pittsburgh in 1997, did, but threw a total of three NFL passes). Marcus Robinson went on to a nine-season NFL career with the Bears, Ravens, and Vikings in which he caught 325 passes.

Frankfurt became the first team to make it to the World Bowl three times (they split their previous two appearances) while Rhein won for the first time. Galen Hall, who had twice led teams to the WLAF/NFL Europe title game (Orlando in 1992, the Fire in ’97), came away a winner for the first time (he led Rhein to another championship in 2000).