Sweden’s Uppsala 86ers Sign New HC Tom Cudney

| American Football | 02/04/2016

A veteran of the Canadian Football League, Tom Cudney has signed as the new head coach of the Uppsala 86ers in Sweden in 2016.

Cudney takes over from Mike Mitchell who guided the 86ers to the playoffs last year where they succumbed to the six-time defending champion Carlstad Crusaders. However, the change in the Swedish season with the much earlier start and end (April-July) prevented Mitchell from returning.

Uppsala’s sports director Per Nilsen turned to his vast network of contacts and after an extensive search signed Cudney who played as a receiver in both the NFL and CFL and coached in the CFL, NCAA, NAIA, Canadian University and Junior in Canada.

“Tom is an offensive coach and will help give our offense a boost. He will be in constant contact with Mike Mitchell to help maintain continuity.”

Cudney coached in the CFL with the Toronto Argonauts, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. His playing career started with the Kansas City Chiefs before he returned to Canada to play for the Bombers. He has coached at all levels of college including the University of Buffalo and Bloomsburg University in the USA and Western University and Mount Allison in Canada.

Coach Cudney is excited about the season:

“This will be my first coaching adventure in Europe and I am really looking forward to this opportunity. I have seen all the games from last season and I’m confident we will seriously be in the fight for the Swedish championship this year too.”

John McKeon is a former professional and collegiate American Football player and coach now living and working in New York. His goal is to spread news, information, and opinion on the global growth of the sport he loves.