Welcome to Monarchs Mania, the all new source for breaking news and updates on the London Monarchs. From Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey to Piccadilly Circus, this is the place for player news, roster moves and milestones for the Royal Blue and Gold.

Congratulations to QB Preston Jones for becoming the all time leading passer in London Monarchs franchise history. Jones hit the mark in London's 28-10 victory over the Arizona Thundercocks in week 14 and now stands at 23,404 yards, surpassing QB Matthew Avila's former mark of 22,991 (2032-2037). Jones also continues to add to his franchise record for touchdown passes, with 178 topping Avila's mark of 155. Jones finished the 2046 campaign with 2788 yards and 22 TD passes despite missing three games after getting injured late in London's week five loss to the Kayfabe, and led the Monarchs to their first AFC South Division title since 2043 with a record of 13-2-1 on the year. While never one of the elite QBs in the Moguls league, the 2035 second round pick has has helped London remain in playoff contention with his steady play. While the 33 year old may be nearing the end of his playing career, he will be fondly remembered for his contributions to the golden age of London Monarchs football.

The man who helped Jones set most of those passing records recorded a few of his own during the 2046 season. WR Jon Horton became the undisputed receiving leader in franchise history earlier this year, and now stands alone with many receiving marks to his name. Horton is now the all time receiving leader for London with 8263 yards, passing the old mark of 7721 held by WR Jonathon Baucom, the team's first ever draft pick in 2017. Horton was a first round draft pick himself in 2035, coming into the league the same year as Preston Jones. Horton had a solid first three seasons notching 14 TD catches, but once Jones became the starter in 2038 the duo couldn't be stopped. Horton has added 70 more touchdowns in the last nine seasons, and his total of 84 is second most among active players (Jeffrey Lacey - Chocolate Starfish - 93) and tied for 10th most in league history. His yardage total is 23rd most all time, and with Lacey scoring an astonishing 61 touchdowns in 2035-36 with the Demons, but only 28 in the last ten seasons and just one since joining Salt Lake City four years ago, it can be argued Horton may be the finest wide receiver of the 4.6 era of Moguls football. Horton finished what is likely the final season of his storied career with a career high 78 catches for 1050 yards and 7 touchdowns, his second one thousand yard season in the last three. #86 will definitely be remembered as one of the all time greats in London Monarchs history.

Monarchs LDE Tom Dovo finished the 2046 regular season with a bang! Dovo notched his fifth career four sack game in London's 26-0 win over the Caerdydd Dreigiau at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That defensive rampage allowed Dovo to set a new career high with 14 sacks on the year, and he became just the nineteenth player in Moguls league history to record at least 100 career sacks. Dovo had managed 13 sacks in four different seasons (2038-40, 2044), and his 102 career takedowns allows him to continue adding to his own franchise record (#2 - 79 sacks RDE Chris Thompson 2033-2044). Dovo, a second round pick out of Boston College in 2038 when he went on to be named the Moguls defensive rookie of the year, has not been immune to the injury bug hitting London's defensive line this season, but still played exceptionally well in twelve games. At just 30 years old, Dovo appears to be settling in as the anchor of the Monarchs defensive front for several more seasons to come.

American football fans in London concluded the 2046 season crestfallen once again. For the fifth time since 2039 the Monarchs stood on the visitor's sideline watching the home team hoist the AFC Championship trophy celebrating their chance to battle for the ultimate prize - a Football Moguls Super Bowl title.

The season's run ended at the Firefly Fun House in Waco, Texas as the defending Super Bowl champion Real Kayfabe outlasted the Monarchs in a back and forth 36-23 victory. While there is certainly no shame in losing to a 15-1 team, London coaches and fans certainly had to feel this was a missed opportunity. Speaking of missing, missed tackles were probably the biggest culprit in the loss, as Kayfabe WR Marc Williams returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns in the game, once after London had taken the lead 10-3 at the two minute warning in the second quarter, and again after the Monarchs had tied the score at 20 early in the fourth quarter. Turnovers deep in London territory, including a brutal fumble at the Monarchs 5 yard line by rookie RB Terrence Phillips, set up the Kayfabe with prime scoring chances, and allowed the team to keep the Monarchs at bay. London's offense was efficient, outgaining the Kayfabe despite the home team holding a massive 37:00-22:00 time of possession advantage. While neither team could generate much of a rushing attack, London's passing game was solid, especially leading receiver Jon Horton. In what was likely the final game of his storied career, Horton set new career postseason highs with ten catches for 177 yards, topping a 7-167-2 line vs. the Argonauts in the 2039 wild card round. However, a moral victory is all London could savor on the long plane ride home, as the Kayfabe look to become the first repeat Super Bowl champion since the Thrashers in 2026-2027. They will face off against the NFC Champion Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers who are seeking their third championship in their fourth Super Bowl trip since 2040.

Meanwhile, London's elusive quest for a shot at a title continues. With the Los Angeles XTreme ending an astonishing run of making the playoffs in every single season of Moguls football, the Monarchs now own the league's longest active playoff streak. London has made the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons since 2038, but without any shiny trophies in the franchise offices, management still has an empty feeling inside. With several veterans on the team expected to retire this offseason, rumblings in the pubs around town say the roster may look very different when the team reconvenes to open the 2047 campaign. With little salary cap space and no draft picks until the third round of the upcoming draft, GM Nigel Worthington IV will have to continue getting creative to shape the team roster. Stay tuned for more updates as news breaks regarding the London Monarchs!

Let's take a look at the Monarchs' offseason heading into 2047:

Retirements:
A trio of former first round picks hung up their crowns for good following their careers in London.


SLB Mike Renna - a slight surprise retiring at just age 31, Renna suffered the first major injury of his career last season, appearing in a career low 9 games. He made the most of his time on the field, recording 51 tackles, 4 sacks and a pair of interceptions before returning for the full postseason run that ended against the Kayfabe. A first round pick in 2038, Renna finished with 600 tackles, 27 sacks and 8 interceptions and served as a key cog in the Tough Blokes defense.


SS Dan Crossman - another defensive stalwart before his final season, Crossman entered the league in the first round of 2037 with some people questioning his tackling skills. Crossman put those doubts to rest and was a trusted run stuffer throughout his career. A knee injury in week 15 last season kept Crossman from making another postseason appearance, but he finishes a fine career with 600 tackles, 2 interceptions and many memories as a fan favorite.

RG Tim Simpson - an anchor of London's offensive line, Simpson missed just thirteen games in his twelve year career after being selected in the first round in 2035. A quality blocker in the Monarchs' perennially strong rushing attack, Simpson also recovered 9 fumbles in his career.

Coaches:
Retirements weren't limited to the roster, as there were a number of changes to Head Coach John Anderson's staff. William Berg retired as London's backfield coach, a role he had held since 2035. Berg was replaced by former Barbarians secondary coach Terrance Dodson who specializes in pass catching out of the backfield and should fit in with Anderson's west coast offense. Tight Ends coach Matthew Morales also retired after coaching the last two seasons in London. Management was able to recruit former Red Dragon head coach Ronald Montgomery to take over. Montgomery was surprisingly fired after leading Los Angeles to the playoffs in his lone season as head coach, and appears to be a skilled coach across the board.

London also lost former defensive coordinator Joseph Molina, who held the post for just a single season in 2046, before getting snapped up to be the new head coach of the Wilmington Argonauts. That unexpected opening has been filled by former Kansas City Wizards tight ends coach Larry Harrison, a position he'd held the last three seasons. In a possible season of transition in London, it remains to be seen how all this coaching turnover will translate on the field.

Free Agency:
With few superstars available on the free agent market, management decided against making any extreme contract offers and added several veterans for depth.

CB Howard Carpenter - after you beat them, join them. Carpenter comes over to the Monarchs after collecting a Super Bowl ring with the Kayfabe in 2046. With better career coverage stats than his ratings would indicate, management decided to give a modest contract to the declining 28 year old which won't break the bank if he gets beat out in the preseason.

SLB Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski - with the retirement of Mike Renna and loss of starting WLB Ricky Shaw to the Terror, London was desperate for more depth at linebacker. The 34 year old Lebowski may not have much left to offer and appears to be a longshot to make the final roster after appearing in all sixteen games for the Anteaters last season.

C William Eubanks - after spending his first nine seasons with the Wraiths, Eubanks swings over to London. With better ratings as a run blocker, Eubanks will try to catch on as a backup across the offensive line.

RT Joseph Barton - the retirement of Tim Simpson led to reshuffling of London's offensive line. RT John Mazzotta slid over to right guard, and the veteran Barton's ratings look promising enough to fill a larger role on the Monarchs' o line like he did for the last six seasons with Detroit.

RDE Douglas Kleinschmidt - signed after being released by the Sicilians following the draft, coaches are attempting to switch him back to his original position as a safety and improve London's defensive backfield.

Management focused on convincing many of their own free agents to return to the team, as starting QB Preston Jones, CB Ken Sale, backup C Jerry Mitchell, ageless WR Jon Horton, WLB Marlon Brown, as well as second year players WR John H. Johnson, RB Terrence Phillips and WR Dixon Balz were all re-signed to more team friendly contracts.

2047 draft:
After trading their first and second round picks to Chicago for identical picks in 2046, London had to wait until day three to try adding more youth to the team, with mixed results.

3-24 - DT DeAndre McDade (50 vol +4/-4 now 46/70) McDade was seen as a potential backup, not a gamechanger. With just average speed and strength, and no major improvements to his pass rush or run defense skills, McDade may only have a limited role on the defensive line.

3-30 - SS Joe Bell (52 vol +2/-2 now 45/67) with no 4th round pick due to a trade last season with the Wizards, management reached for the speedy defensive back as a possible replacement for retired SS Dan Crossman. With poor coverage skills exposed in training camp, Bell may also play a smaller part in the team's future than originally anticipated.

5-30 - FB Jeff Alexander (12 vol +4/+1 now 46/70) after playing tight end in college, coaches thought his decent speed and acceleration might be better suited coming out of the backfield.

6-12 - FS Juan Rebano (100 vol +2/+3 now 40/60) another speedy prospect for the defensive backfield, Rebano doesn't appear to have much to offer as a defender and is unlikely to make the final roster.

6-30 - QB Charles Puleri (94 vol +22/+12 now 43/70) if Jim McMahon was the punky QB, Puleri is the chunky QB. The size of most fullbacks at 242 lbs, Puleri intrigued coaches with excellent speed for his size. With some interesting passing skills developing in camp, Puleri will likely make the team but not play much this season, with the possibility at least the larger role of backup QB in the future.

7-30 - LG Leo Dunview (100 vol +4/+3 now 40/60) with few viable options left at the end of the draft, Dunview was selected in hopes that his blocking skills could blossom to go with his amazing strength. Despite booming in training camp, Dunview's blocking remains extremely poor and he was cut following camp.

Monarchs management will continue to scour the waiver wire and contemplate trades as they look to defend their AFC South Division title. Look for additional updates as events warrant throughout the 2047 season.

The Monarchs have acquired defending league sack leader RDE David Cloutier from the Portland Predators in exchange for a 2048 4th round pick. Cloutier registered 22 sacks for the Predators in 2046, the second time he has led the league in sacks (26 for Los Angeles The Red Dragon in 2043). With 95 sacks over five plus seasons with the Red Dragon and Rumble Ponies/Predators franchises, Cloutier has long been coveted by London management since his 2042 Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign. Cloutier is expected to fill various spots along the defensive line that has been beset by injuries so far this season. Adding a proven pass rusher at a modest price was an easy decision, especially heading into a key AFC South battle for first place against the Roswell Invaders in week six. To make space on the roster, the Monarchs released rookie QB Charles Puleri, who had not appeared in a regular season game. Welcome to London David Cloutier!

Monarchs QB Preston Jones became just the 28th quarterback in Moguls league history to record 200 career touchdown passes in London's come-from-behind 34-32 win over the Roswell Invaders in week 13.

After Roswell blazed out to a 14-0 first quarter lead, Jones connected with WR Tony Sargent on his first touchdown of the season, followed by #200 on a 16 yard pass to WR Toderick Malone to knot the score at 14 early in the second quarter. Jones notched another 16 yard score to WR Alfred Shoop in the third quarter to allow the Monarchs to regain the lead, and a kick return score and a goal line stand to prevent a potential game-tying two-point conversion try by Roswell with 1:39 remaining gave London their second straight AFC South division championship. Jones finished the day going 19-29 for 253 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

London currently holds the #1 seed in the AFC playoff standings, with a one game lead over the Las Vegas Wraiths and Terre Haute Terror, whom the Monarchs have both defeated already this season. With mounting injuries across the roster, London has never entered the playoffs with the top seed, and head coach John Anderson feels it's vital to hold onto the elusive top playoff seed and have his players get some much needed rest. Stay tuned for updates later this season.

London WR Jon Horton has gained sole possession of 7th place all-time on the career touchdown reception list in Moguls league history. Horton reeled in his 92nd career TD catch in the Monarchs' 51-0 victory over the Brooklyn Tigers in week 16. Horton's 24-yard scoring catch in the second quarter allowed him to break a tie with former Kansas City Chiefs WR Christopher Taylor (2021-2033). Horton is now one spot behind free agent WR Jeffrey Lacey, recently released by the Salt Lake Saints, who has 93 career TD receptions, but has not scored since 2043. Horton finished the day leading London's aerial attack, hauling in 8 catches for 138 yards and a score.

The 34-year-old Horton, a first-round selection of the Monarchs in 2035, is in the midst of the finest season of his storied career, recording a career-high 82 receptions for a career-best 1303 yards along with eight touchdowns on the year, despite missing two games after suffering a neck injury against the Athen Zeus in week 12.

London finished the regular season tying the best record in franchise history at 14-2 (2043), and finally secured the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs. After an extra week of rest during the wild card round, the Monarchs will return to action at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, most likely against the winner of the Invaders/Thrashers wild card matchup.

***BREAKING NEWS***

The London Monarchs are heading to the Super Bowl! London captured the 2047 AFC Championship with a hard-fought 31-20 victory over their AFC South rivals the Roswell Invaders.

After falling behind 7-0 on a 19-yard touchdown run by Roswell RB Daniel Grant in the 1st quarter, the Monarchs were able to gain the lead in the second quarter on a 1-yard TD pass from QB Preston Jones to WR Tony Sargent and a 36-yard field goal by K Stephen Stafford at the break for a 10-7 halftime lead. Both offenses started heating up in the third quarter, as Roswell regained the lead on a 3-yard touchdown run by RB Frank Jenkins. The Monarchs answered the score on an electric 64-yard catch and run TD by RB Terrence Phillips for a 17-14 advantage late in the third quarter. That lead lasted all of fourteen seconds, as Invaders RB Daniel Grant scored his second TD of the contest on a 98-yard kickoff return. However, Roswell K Gilbert Diaz missed the ensuing PAT, leaving the visitors nursing a 20-17 advantage. London wouldn't be shaken, marching down the field in ten plays, capping a seventy-five-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Jones to WR Toderick Malone for a 24-20 lead early in the 4th quarter. With both teams trading short, unproductive drives, the tides finally turned with 6:40 remaining in the contest. Roswell QB David Espinal was intercepted at the London 44 by FS Mario Bradley. On the very next play, Monarch QB Preston Jones notched his fourth touchdown pass of the day on a 56-yard strike to WR John H. Johnson, putting the crowning touch on the conference championship victory at sold out Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Jones finished the day going 27-38 for 389 yards and four touchdowns, while his favorite receiver WR Jon Horton continued his amazing late career fireworks with seven catches for 144 yards.

The Monarchs captured the franchise's first conference championship in a quarter century with the win (Indianapolis - 2022), their sixth trip to the conference title game since 2039. London will face off against the Battle Creek Barbarians for the Moguls Super Bowl title at an undetermined location. The Barbarians punched their own Super Bowl ticket with an 18-17 win over the previously undefeated Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers. While experts have installed London as an early three-point favorite in the Super Bowl, London coaches know this will not be an easy showdown. The Barbarians turned a close game at halftime in week 9 into a laugher, blowing out the Monarchs 38-9. Fans of the Royal Blue and Gold will be filling pubs throughout London in two sims, hoping to see their favorite team bring home the hardware. Stay tuned for a recap following the Super Bowl!