The Hamburg Sea Devils have announced the signing of British LB Jonell Pelie for the 2025 European League of Football season.
The Sea Devils finished last in the Western Conference in 2024 with a 2-10 record.
The 5-11, 210 pound native of London, England spent the 2024 season with the Madrid Bravos where in seven games he recorded 22 tackles including one sack and two tackles for loss. In 2023, he was a key to the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns defense in the German Football League, leading the team with 85 tackles including 3.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. The Unicorns boasted the third best defense in the GFL that season against the rush giving up 104 yards a game and they were fifth in overall yardage per game allowing 320. They were also third in points allowed per game with 21. Schwäbisch Hall reached the GFL Bowl that season but were defeated by the Potsdam Royals.
He arrived in Schwäbisch Hall after playing for the Cologne Crocodiles in 2022 where in seven games he tallied 20 tackles. Prior to that he spent four seasons playing for the Allgäu Comets where he racked up 262 tackles including 47 tackles for loss and 23 sacks.
He started his career with the London Blitz juniors and advanced to the senior team helping them reach the British final in 2016. It was Pelie’s presence as a sure-tackler and high-motor player that earned him a spot on the 2017 Great Britain National Team.