One of Finland’s top teams, the Kuopio Steelers, have signed a leading defensive player in Europe, British linebacker Kadel King who most recently played for the Frankfurt Universe.
The Steelers , Finnish finalists in 2019, are getting ready for Finland’s Maple League season which for them kicks off July 31.
The 6’3″, 231 pound, 24 yer old King from London, England, spent the 2019 season with Frankfurt in the German Football League, leading the team with 75 tackles and 20 tackles for loss. King helped Frankfurt reach the GFL semifinals. He participated in the CFL-UK Global Combine as well as in the NFL International Combine. In 2018, while with the Potsdam Royals also of the GFL he was the second leading tackler with 77 tackles and 12 tackles for loss. He arrived in the GFL after spending four seasons with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in the Canadian university league (USports) where he was a three year starter. He helped the X-Men reach the Canadian semifinals in both 2015 and 2016.
With the 2020 German Football League season in serious doubt, and Frankfurt apparently not able to commit, King explains why he chose to sign to play for Kuopio in Finland:
“Frankfurt had an unbelievable squad this year, we were ready to compete for the German Bowl! Unfortunately due to Covid-19, the season got postponed and we have yet to receive any real news as to whether the season will be restarting. We waited it out but at one point Frankfurt made a decision not to bring imports over.
“The main reason I signed to play for Kuopio is because the Maple League was confirmed and I wanted to get back to playing football. I love the game, so during the lockdown I was looking for every opportunity to get back on the field! A couple teams in Finland reached out to me but Coach Pekka has been developing a relationship with me since I was in college, so I knew I would be taken care of at Kuopio. I saw the team that was being part together with the imports and young talent and wanted to be part of it.”
Steelers head coach Pekka Utriainen:
“Kadel is one of Europe’s leading linebackers who has played in the GFL for the Frankfurt Universe. We have been in touch for a couple of years now and now that Frankfurt has already announced that it will withdraw from the 2020 season, we reached an agreement and finally King will be in Kuopio. As a player, Kadel is a large but very mobile linebacker. He is an extremely skilled tackler and tackles often close to the line of scrimmage and often behind it as well. I’m really glad that we can get “the King” for the summer of the Steelers.”
Check out Kadel King’s highlights from the past two seasons.
