Packers wide receiver Shockmain Davis and tight end Tony Donald have been named to the All-NFL Europe Team, it was announced Wednesday.
In addition, New England Patriots quarterback Rohan Davey and Cleveland Browns defensive end Corey Jackson have been chosen as the 2004 NFL Europe League Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players by the league's head coaches.
The two players will face each other on Saturday when Davey's Berlin Thunder take on Jackson's Frankfurt Galaxy in World Bowl XII at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany at 12:00 PM ET live on FOX.
Rick Lantz, who led the Thunder to a league record-equalling 9-1 mark in his first year as an NFLEL head coach, was named Coach of the Year. The former Navy head coach saw his team set another record by clinching a World Bowl berth in Week 7 - earliest ever in the league - and came within one play of achieving a perfect season. Berlin's only loss came by one point on the final play of the game against the Cologne Centurions in Week 6.
The Thunder and Galaxy each had six players named to the 2004 All-NFLEL team, tying the Scottish Claymores for the highest number from a team. The Rhein Fire sent five players to the team, while the Amsterdam Admirals and Centurions each had two selections. The All-NFLEL team is chosen by the NFLEL coaches, media and fans voting online at NFLEurope.com.
Davey was selected as Offensive MVP and was named quarterback of the All-NFLEL team after leading the league with 19 touchdown passes and a passer rating of 105.6. The Patriots' QB completed 126 of 206 attempts for 1,676 yards on the season and was named Offensive Player of the Week on three occasions.
Three of Davey's offensive linemen were named to the All-NFLEL team: tackle Dave Kadela (Carolina Panthers), center Ben Claxton (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and guard Troy Andrew.
Defensive MVP Jackson finished second in the league with 9.5 sacks and posted 26 tackles for the Galaxy this season, earning two Defensive Player of the Week awards. He was named to the All-NFLEL team along with fellow Galaxy defensive end Bobby Setzer of the Oakland Raiders.
The All-NFLEL team saw a historic selection in the form of the Scottish Claymores' English wide receiver Scott McCready, who became the first national named as a position player after leading the league with 59 receptions.
The Claymores also had three members of their defense selected: defensive tackle Alan Harper (New York Jets), linebacker Jimmy McClain (Jacksonville Jaguars) and cornerback Alphonso Roundtree (Miami Dolphins).
Three players chosen have previously earned selection to the All-NFLEL team. Frankfurt tackle Patrick Venzke was named as the offensive national player, having previously been chosen in 2002 as a member of the Rhein Fire. Scotland kicker Rob Hart was selected for a third time, having been chosen in 2001 and 2003. And Claymores punter Nick Murphy (Philadelphia Eagles) was picked last year as a member of the Barcelona Dragons.
NFL EUROPE LEAGUE HONORS 2004
COACH OF THE YEAR
Rick Lantz (Berlin Thunder)
OFFENSIVE MVP (Selected by the NFL Europe head coaches)
Rohan Davey, New England Patriots (Berlin)
DEFENSIVE MVP (Selected by the NFL Europe head coaches)
Corey Jackson, Cleveland Browns (Frankfurt)
ALL-NFL EUROPE LEAGUE TEAM:
(Selected by the NFLEL coaching staffs, media and by fans voting online at NFLeurope.com)
OFFENSE
QB, Rohan Davey, New England (Berlin)
RB, Skip Hicks, Cincinnati (Frankfurt)
WR, Chas Gessner, New England (Berlin)
WR, Adam Herzing, San Francisco (Rhein)
WR, Scott McCready (Scotland)
TE, Tony Donald, Green Bay (Amsterdam)
T, Dave Kadela, Carolina (Berlin)
G, Dave Volk, Dallas (Amsterdam)
C, Ben Claxton, Tampa Bay (Berlin)
G, Troy Andrew (Berlin)
T, David Pruce, New England (Frankfurt)
Nat., T, Patrick Venzke (Frankfurt) *
K, Rob Hart (Scotland) *
ST, Shockmain Davis, Green Bay (Rhein)
DEFENSE
DE, Bobby Setzer, Oakland (Frankfurt)
DT, David Nugent, Oakland (Rhein)
DT, Alan Harper, NY Jets (Scotland)
DE, Corey Jackson, Cleveland (Frankfurt)
LB, Jimmy McClain, Jacksonville (Scotland)
LB, Mason Unck, Cleveland (Frankfurt)
LB, Bobby Brooks, Oakland (Cologne)
CB, Alphonso Roundtree, Miami (Scotland)
S, Keith Davis, Dallas (Berlin)
S, Abdual Howard (Rhein)
CB, Will Hunter, (Cologne)
Nat., S, Richard Yancy (Rhein)
P, Nick Murphy, Philadelphia (Scotland) **
(Nat - National player; ST - Special Teams player)
- Selected in 2001, 2003
** Selected in 2003
* Selected in 2002
