The Raiders Tirol of the European League of Football have found their new quarterback in veteran passer Christian Strong.
After being led by Sean Shelton for eight years the Raiders enter a new era with the signing of Strong who becomes the league’s first Canadian signal caller.
Strong spoke on joining the proud Raiders organization:
“I am honored to have the opportunity and blessing of being the next quarterback for the Raiders in the European League of Football. I will give the entire team, organization, and fans my all each & every day through hard work, dedication, a positive attitude, and a sheer will to do whatever it takes to win!”
The 6’4″, 220 pound quarterback led the Cologne Crocodiles in the German Football League for the past two seasons throwing for 3,470 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2021 following that up with a 3,370-yard and 37-touchdown performance in 2022. His growth as a passer and decision maker was clearly demonstrated over that two year period as he cut down from 16 interceptions to six in his second season.
The Brampton, Ontario native navigated Cologne to the league’s third-best total offense putting up 36.8 points and 394 yards per game.
@LiveStr0ng_C pic.twitter.com/hGsH4bjwWK
— Justin Aaron (@JustinAaronUH91) August 28, 2022
Strong spent the 2019 season with the GFL’s Düsseldorf Panther where he threw for 2,061 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had signed to play with the Hildesheim Invaders for the 2020 season before the GFL was canceled.
He grew up in Florida and then spent four years at Seton Hill and in his final three seasons with the Griffins completed 741 of 1,289 passes for 9,395 yards and 62 touchdowns. In his senior season, he set all kinds of passing records finishing with 3,074 yards passing. One of the highlights of his career was being named the Division II HERO of the Week in his junior season for his performance against BR 89 Kutztown when he threw for 517 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-22 victory. In 2018, he played for the Brisbane Rhinos in Gridiron Queensland League in Australia. He was named league MVP after leading the Rhinos to the championship game. He threw for 2,830 yards and 46 touchdowns that season.
.@setonhill 🇨🇦 QB Christian Strong looks to further the trend of Canadian QBs emerging in the #CFL
He'll have his chance at the National Scouting Combine➡️ https://t.co/T6MJbtFGsC #CFLCombine#MarksCFLWeek pic.twitter.com/5WWLEz9AMv
— CFL (@CFL) March 20, 2018
The young Canadian joins a Raiders team that made the playoffs last season and has been quarterbacked by long time Raider Sean Shelton since 2015. Needless to say, Strong will have large shoes to fill in the Tirol.
Fortunately for Innsbruck’s new QB1, Strong will also be reunited with college and Cologne Crocodiles teammate Jarvis Mcclam who became Strong’s favorite weapon last summer, leading the German Football League in scoring.
Read more about Christian Strong here
Watch Christian Strong’s 2022 Highlights Here:
