Linebacker Daniel Wynne makes immediate impact with Sweden’s Örebro Black Knights

| American Football | 04/09/2017

Linebacker Daniel Wynne and his Örebro Black Knights have opened the 2017 season in Sweden in thunderous style. The team trounced the Stockholm Mean Machines in the opening game and Wynne returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown.

Not bad for his debut in Swedish American football.

The 23 year old 6’1″, 215 lb native of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, had originally signed with the Ferrara Aquile in Italy after spending the 2016 season with Rome’s lazio Marines. When the Aquile dropped down to Division 3 in Italy he found himself without a team. That is when Black Knights head coach Aaron Fiddler came calling and convinced him to come north to Sweden.

He graduated from Deleware Valley University where his play over three years attracted NFL interest. As team captain, he amassed 327 tackles during his college career which had the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers interested.

We asked Daniel about finding himself in Sweden and his goals.

American Football International: Can you tell us how you came to sign with Örebro?

Daniel Wynne: I was originally signed with Ferrara Aquile of Italy for this year’s season. We lost 12 of our starters to other Italian teams which resulted in our team dropping to the third division and unable to bring imports in. I came in contact with coach Fiddler and they immediately liked my film and offered me the day after speaking with him.

AFI: Can you give a few sentences about your football background?

Wynne:  I have been playing football going on 19 years having played every skilled position on both sides of the field. I was a 2 year starter and I played in the top division in Pennsylvania for North Penn High School one of the top public schools in the state. In college I was a 4 year starter 3 year captain for Delaware Valley University- consistently a top 25 division 3 team in the nation.

AFI: What did you know about American football in Sweden? or outside the U.S.?

Wynne:  I heard about football in Sweden from my teammate/roommate Anders Hermodsson while I was in Italy last year playing for the Lazio Marines.

AFI: What are you looking forward to most about playing in Sweden?

Wynne: I’m looking forward to living in a new environment with a new culture but most importantly playing the game I love.

AFI: Do you have any expectations? And goals for 2017?

Wynne: My goal is to contribute to my team in every aspect of the game and do anything/everything my team needs me to do in order to win every game. Goals for this year are to be win every game for the black knights and win the Swedish championship.

AFI: What do you think you bring to the football field for a team like the Black Knights?

Wynne:  I bring a lot of intensity to the game and play every snap like it could be my last. I’ll bring my knowledge of the game to my fellow players and also help coaching with there youth programs. I am a leader on and off the field and I am anxious to begin this season.

Interested in playing American football in overseas?

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Roger Kelly is an editor and a writer for AFI. A former PR Director the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League for 7 years, he now lives in Sweden writing about and scouting American Football throughout the world.