After a hard-fought game, the Rhein Fire crown themselves champions at the sold-out Schauinsland-Reisen Arena in Duisburg, beating the Stuttgart Surge 53-34. 

The Surge scored first, before Rhein Fire turned the game around and build up a 21-6 lead with just under seven minutes to go in the second half. After a series of big plays, the Surge came within one point of the Rhein Fire. But after 34-yard field goal, both teams went into the locker rooms with the game standing at 24-20.

Stuttgart was not able to keep pace in the second half. After a quarter-opening TD from Jim Tomsula’s team and a fumble at the four-yard line from the Surge, Rhein Fire went on to score on three of their next four drives, while holding the Surge to only two touchdown.  A Hennessey interception came at the wrong time, Nathaniel Robitaille’s second touchdown of the day put the Fire up 53-34 and marked the end of an incredible run.

While the Surge fall just short of completing the Cinderella story, Rhein Fire become the first ever team to play a perfect season in NFL Europe and ELF history, thanks in big parts to Jadrian Clark, who was awarded Championship Game MVP due to his 393 yards, 6 touchdown performance. In front of 31.500 fans, a new European champion was born.