STEELERS' REHAGE, AMSTERDAM'S SMITH & FRANKFURT'S MIDDLETON

NAMED NFL EUROPA LEAGUE PLAYERS OF WEEK 6

 

Linebacker DEREK REHAGE of the Pittsburgh Steelers, running back JONATHAN SMITH of the Amsterdam Admirals, and punt returner BRANDON MIDDLETON of the Frankfurt Galaxy are the NFL Europa League Defensive, Offensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the sixth week of the 2007 season (May 18-20), the league announced today.

 

Rehage earned Defensive Player of the Week honors following his standout performance during the Rhein Fire's 20-17 loss to the Cologne Centurions.  He led the Fire defense with 12 tackles and added one sack, one quarterback hurry and one pass defensed.  He ranks third on Rhein's defense this season with 27 tackles.

 

Smith was the offensive catalyst in Amsterdam's 41-31 victory over the Hamburg Sea Devils, scoring a league record-tying four touchdowns.  Smith's superlative performance tied the NFL Europa record for touchdowns in a game, which he now shares with MIKE GREEN (Barcelona 2001), RAFAEL COOPER (Amsterdam 2002), KENNETH SIMONTON (Scotland 2003) and CHAD LUCAS (Amsterdam 2006).

 

The second-year back, who won a World Bowl ring with the Admirals in 2005, rushed for 112 yards on 17 carries and three rushing touchdowns (34, 3, 31).  He also added three receptions for 12 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown reception.  Smith ranks second among NFLE rushers with 352 yards on 77 carries.

 

Middleton earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his performance as a returner during Frankfurt's 35-7 win over the Berlin Thunder.  Middleton returned four punts for 88 yards and opened the scoring for the Galaxy on a 71-yard punt return touchdown.

 

Middleton also leads Frankfurt with 27 receptions for 318 yards and is NFL Europa's top-ranked punt returner, averaging 12.5 yards per return (15 for 188 yards and one touchdown).

 

For the second week in a row, Cologne Centurions French linebacker PHILIPPE GARDENT has been named National Player of the Week.  Gardent, who spent the entire 2006 NFL season on the Washington Redskins' practice squad, led Cologne with 11 tackles and one pass defensed during a come-from-behind win over Rhein.

 

Gardent, who is the reigning NFL Europa Defensive Most Valuable Player, leads the league with 49 tackles through six games and has added one sack, three passes defensed and three special teams stops.