Carlstad Crusaders right tackle Niklas Johansson played in his 100th consecutive Swedish Super Series game on October 24 and it just happened to also be the Swedish championship game.
His Crusaders defeated the Stockholm Mean Machines 14-12 on that day to capture their ninth Swedish title in 11 years and Johansson was, not surprisingly, a huge part of it. Leading the offensive line, he helped Carlstad stay in possession of the ball over the final seven minutes of the game to preserve the win, with running back Emil Knutsson pounding the ball behind the physical play of his O linemen.
That, in a nutshell, describes Johansson’s style.
It has served him well.
The 6’4″, 290 pound, 29 year old Johansson has been the starting right tackle for Carlstad since 2013 while also serving in the same role for Team Sweden.
Carlstad head coach Billy BD Kennedy is aware of the quality of player he has in Johansson:
“I am not surprised that Niklas was chosen for this recognition. He is a very big, athletic and physical football player. He has the capabilities of playing any position across the front. He is a violent run blocker and an excellent pass blocker. Those things put on top of him having a very good football mind make him a tremendous player and an asset to our offensive line.”
Carlstad recaptured the Swedish title this year after a two year hiatus, making the championship game win all the more special for members of the team that had watched Stockholm take it two years running.
In the 100 game streak which started in 2014, Johansson has only experienced only seven losses against 68 victories in Sweden while playing under a number of head coaches and offensive coordinators. A testament to his incredibly prolonged level of excellence.