The Kotka Eagles of the Finnish Maple League have found their signal-caller for the 2022 season, signing veteran passer Chris Forcier.
The 33-year-old Forcier, a 6’3″, 212-pound native of La Jolla, California native is back in Finland for his second season after playing for the Helsinki Wolverines in 2020. The experienced dual-threat quarterback led the Wolverines to the Maple Bowl throwing for 734 yards and four touchdowns while adding 328 yards and nine scores on the ground during the shortened five-game season.
See ya! TD by the Wolverines. Chris Forcier makes it 21 to 7. @AFIReview pic.twitter.com/F4vjYImEKZ
— Justin Aaron (@JustinAaronUH91) August 20, 2020
Forcier began his international career in Italy playing for the Milano Rhinos in 2013 and leading them to the playoffs. He then stepped away from playing, devoting himself to coaching. In 2017, he helped La Jolla high school reach the California State quarterfinals. However, he was lured back to the playing field in 2018 as he joined the Pardubice Stallions of the Czech American Football League. The following season he played with the Wroclaw Panthers in Poland’s Liga Futbolu Amerykańskiego.
A former four-star prospect, Forcier signed with the UCLA Bruins (NCAA D1 FBS) after high school. However, when a new coaching staff asked him to change positions, the California quarterback transferred across the country to Furman University (NCAA D1 FCS) in South Carolina. As a member of the Paladins, Forcier broke several schools records his senior year (2011) throwing for 2,265 yards and 23 touchdowns while rushing for another 250.
Following his collegiate career, the athletic passer ran a blazing 4.39 40-yard dash. His speed and college film attracted the attention of the New York Jets where he spent training camp in 2012 before moving to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is not the only quarterback in his family as both his brothers Tate (Michigan) and Jason (Stanford) were Div. 1 college quarterbacks.
Forcier joins his former offensive coordinator in Helsinki Kari Leivoja who has since joined the staff in Kotka. The experienced passer has big shoes to fill with the Eagles as he takes over for long-time Finnish quarterback Nesi Carpelan.
Watch Forcier’s 2019 highlights here
