All hail the kings! A journey that began with picking up an 0-16 team during the 2030 playoffs has finally culminated with the ultimate gridiron prize - the London Monarchs are the 2047 Moguls Super Bowl champions!

London claimed the first Super Bowl title under current ownership with a 24-10 victory over the Battle Creek Barbarians at the Thrasherdome in Little Rock, Arkansas. Some of the magic in the six time world champion Thrashers' home team locker room must have rubbed off on the Monarchs prior to the game. Battle Creek took the opening kickoff and capped an impressive twelve play drive with a three yard touchdown run by RB James McDermott to take a 7-0 lead. The Monarchs attempted to answer on their first possession, but their initial drive stalled out at the Battle Creek 41 with a failed fourth down conversion attempt in unusually aggressive playcalling by London coach John Anderson. London's offense got on track in the second quarter, with a pair of long drives. The Monarchs knotted the score at 7 apiece when QB Preston Jones threw a 14 yard score to WR Tony Vinson to complete a thirteen play 93 yard march down the field lasting more than seven minutes. London continued their ball hogging ways on their next possession, as a nine play 54 yard drive netted three more points on a 43 yard field goal by K Stephen Stafford for a tight 10-7 lead at the break.

On the Super Bowl stage, you never know who'll step up to make a big play. For the Monarchs, the man who stepped up was backup WLB John Kinto. Kinto led London with seven tackles in the contest, but his biggest contribution came in pass defense. The Barbarians all but abandoned the ground game in the afternoon, as QB George Oliver attempted sixty passes on the day, against just eight rushing attempts. The one pass Oliver would certainly like to have back was an interception by Kinto at the London 20 yard line, as Battle Creek appeared to be driving for a potential go ahead score. Sparked by the turnover, the Monarchs offense once again played efficient football, driving 79 yards in eleven plays to push the lead to 17-7 thanks to a three yard touchdown run by WR John H. Johnson. London's Tough Blokes defense kept up the intensity, as they forced the Barbarians to go three and out on their next four possessions for zero net yards.

With the Monarchs attempting to milk as much time off the clock as possible to protect their ten point lead in the fourth quarter, Battle Creek was finally able to mount an extended drive, cutting the lead to 17-10 on a 33 yard field goal by K William Leonard with just under five minutes remaining. London continued to lean on their thunder and lightning backfield two plays later, as second year RB Terrence Phillips broke a pair of tackles and raced 78 yards for a touchdown to essentially put the game out of reach with the score at 24-10. Phillips finished the day with 147 yards and a touchdown, while his fellow second year backfield mate Johnson added 97 yards on the ground and a touchdown of his own. London's teams have traditionally had strong running games and in the biggest game of the team's history they drove the point home, rolling up 263 yards rushing. With two more fourth down stops against the Barbarians, QB Preston Jones kneeled down and ran out the clock, leading to celebrations and spilled Guinness in pubs throughout the United Kingdom, as the kings of American football now reside in England's capitol city.

With a newly minted world championship finally delivered to owner Arthur Harrison Longfellow, it remains to be seen what will happen next with this veteran squad. Head Coach John Anderson signed a three year contract extension to continue leading the Royal Army through at least the 2049 season. Rumors abound that a new stadium may be in London's future to commemorate the team's championship, and general consensus is that several long time players may take their sparkly new Super Bowl rings and ride off into the sunset and retire. Whoever suits up in the Royal Blue and Gold in 2048, they'll be working hard to defend their title as Moguls Super Bowl champions!

A Super Bowl championship is a **** of a drug! After the confetti was cleaned up from the streets of London following the Monarchs' 2047 world title parade, hard work and many personnel moves took place to prepare the roster for a title defense in 2048.

Retirements:

MLB Danny Lockett - London's defensive captain, and one of the finest players to ever wear the crown, finally called it a career after collecting his Super Bowl ring. A first round pick in 2039, Lockett stands near the top of the list of many defensive stats in franchise history. While never developing into a pass rusher, Lockett remained a stout defender against both the pass and the run in his too brief nine year career in London. The linebacker excelled in pass defense, allowing just a 38% completion percentage with 125 knockdowns, 31 career interceptions - the second most in franchise history - and three return touchdowns, the most ever for a London player. Lockett also finishes second all time in team history with 738 tackles (WLB Robert Clevenger 933 2017-2028 Indianapolis) as well as five sacks, and leaves a large hole in the middle of the Tough Blokes defense - which may have been filled by a preseason trade. For a team that has always valued traditional linebackers, Lockett has set a very high bar for every player that follows him. Lockett recorded 74 tackles and 2 interceptions in his final campaign.

SLB Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski - Danny Lockett wasn't the only linebacker to call it a career after 2047. The 2035 second round pick of the Thrashers spent most of his career in Arkansas, but also had stints with the Anteaters and Dildozers before his final season in London. Lewbowski wraps up his Moguls career with 587 tackles, 23 sacks and 25 interceptions, including 26 tackles and a sack while appearing in all sixteen games in his lone season with the Monarchs. The easygoing linebacker was last seen heading to a pub in Picadilly Circus in search of a white Russian following the team's Super Bowl parade.

RT Joseph Barton - another one year player, the longtime offensive lineman appeared in 168 games in eleven seasons playing for the Anteaters, Lions and Monarchs. Barton was a valuable fill in during the championship campaign, appearing in all sixteen games and making four starts as injuries led to many players getting shuffled across the offensive line.

Coaching changes:
London's roster won't be the only place with new faces in 2048, thanks to several moves across head coach John Anderson's staff:

Secondary coach Caleb Goulet retired following the Super Bowl, after spending the last two seasons leading London's secondary. Goulet's role leading the defensive backs will be filled by Robert Greenlee, who held the same position with the Shadow Dancers since 2040.

The Monarchs also lost tight ends coach Ronald Montgomery, who returned to division rival Athen Zeus to begin his second stint as head coach after spending just a single season with London. In a somewhat surprising move, management tapped Harry Saurez as the new position coach, although he has no previous coaching experience. The thinking is Saurez's emphasis on route running, catching and blocking will match up with Anderson's west coast offense philosophy.

Free Agency:
With limited salary cap space, GM Nigel Worthington IV had to be selective and economical searching for quality players to fill a number of roles on both sides of the ball.

CB Thomas Wilkins - the 26 year old cornerback joins London after playing for the Tasmania Devils in 2047, notching 80 tackles and one interception. Coaches were impressed with his 21 knockdowns last season, and hope he can repeat that stingy defense whenever his number is called.

RG Kyle Campbell - another player targeted mainly for depth, Campbell appears competent as both a pass and run blocker, surrendering just six sacks in 63 games across six seasons in Cincinnati. While not the quickest or strongest lineman, Campbell played in all sixteen games for the Bangles last season, and may have a larger role in the future with several linemen approaching retirement.

SLB Donald Wilson - with the retirements in the linebacking corps, attention had to be paid to finding some replacements. Veteran LB Donald Wilson was signed to a modest two year contract, after playing his entire nine year career in Chicago, recording 47 tackles and two interceptions in 2047. There's a chance he may not make the final roster, so he'll need to impress coaches during the preseason.

SS Scott Lang - after watching the Monarchs win the Super Bowl in the Thrasherdome, Lang left the only team he's ever played for to join London. A sure tackler and decent pass defender, Lang had 46 tackles and an interception in his tenth and final season in Arkansas, adding an impressive 25 pass knockdowns. A player who never plays small on the field, Lang will have to come up big to stand out in the Monarchs' crowded secondary and make the team.

DT Glen Robinson - another former Bangle, Robinson was invited to training camp to possibly add some depth to a unit that was riddled with injuries last season. While not playing in 2047, Robinson has decent tackling and pass rush skills, with ten career sacks in four seasons with Cincinnati.

Management's position of re-signing aging veterans at reduced contracts continued this offseason, as CB Stephen Hall, star WR Jon Horton, starting QB Preston Jones, and CB Ken Sale were all signed to one year deals, while younger players starting FS Mario Bradley, MLB William Kirksey, and nickel CB Casey Timmons were signed to longer deals. With a large number of valuable players, especially key WRs and offensive and defensive linemen, in the final year of their contracts on an aging roster, management is going to be faced with a number of difficult decisions on who to sign beyond the current campaign.

The Draft:
The Monarchs entered the draft with the final picks in the first, third, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds. So how did they end up only drafting four players in the first three rounds? Buckle up, this ride is going to get rough.

1-32 SS Carlton Lance (41/82 vol 18) - Kudos to the London scouting department, who discovered this speed demon playing out of his natural position in college. Primed to take over immediately as a starter, Lance has blazing speed and acceleration, as well as elite football intelligence. While not possessing exceptional man to man coverage skills, coaches expect his speed and solid tackling will translate into instant success as a run stopper.

Originally not expecting to pick again until pick 3-32, everything changed when an offer arrived from London's favorite yearly trade partners, the San Francisco Demons. The Demons offered speedy veterans CB Harvey Schmucker and MLB Joseph Langston plus picks 2-11 and 2-15 in exchange for London's first round picks in 2049 and 2050. While a steep price to pay, management felt there were still valuable rookies who wouldn't last until the end of the third round, and Schmucker and Langston could both fill holes in the starting defense for at least several more seasons. Langston recorded 84 tackles and an interception for San Francisco last season, and will take over as starting MLB for the retired Danny Lockett. Meanwhile, Schmucker had 44 tackles, 17 knockdowns and an interception in 2047.

2-11 RT James Parrish (30/85 vol 12) - a consideration in the first round before scouts discovered SS Lance, Parrish is likely to become a starter in the future with his excellent potentials as both a pass and run blocker. With excellent strength, Parrish is slotted in to play every position across the offensive line.

Before making the pick at 2-15, London received an offer to trade down, receiving picks 2-23, 4-20 and 6-23 from the Brooklyn Tigers. London used their second second round pick to select...

2-23 QB Stan Gelbaugh (45/79 vol 4) - the last time London drafted a quarterback this high was 2035, when they selected franchise passing leader Preston Jones in the second round. Gelbaugh may not have the highest ceiling compared to other QB prospects, but his polished all around game led the team to believe he will be ready to step in at starter when Jones finally retires, or battle backup QB Nicholas Messing, who had one of the biggest passing years in Monarchs history (4264 yds, 28 TDs 33 INTs) in his lone year as a starter in 2045.

3-32 WR Leonard Conley (35/75 vol 28) - after receiving several offers for the pick, London decided to keep it and select the WR/RB hybrid. With decent speed, courage and ball protection skills, Conley is expected to play a larger role in future seasons when several of the current playmakers retire or leave via free agency. Conley's selection filled the 60th spot on the roster, but London still had five picks to make. What to do? Starting flipping.

Without first round picks the next two seasons due to the trade with the Demons, management looked to start stockpiling future draft capital to restock the aging roster. London traded picks 4-20 and 6-23 they'd received from Brooklyn to the Dreigiau for Caerdydd's 2049 fourth round pick. After sending out several trade offers looking for backup players, Monarchs management decided to call an early end to the 2048 draft and shipped picks 5-32, 6-32 and 7-32 to the Duckies for fifth and sixth round picks in 2049. With few elite prospects left on the draft board and an overstuffed roster, the feeling is that a better class of players may be available next season.

And where will the London Monarchs 2047 World Championship banner be flying this season? Above a brand new stadium in central London.

As rumored, London owner Arthur Harrison Longfellow revealed plans to replace Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Monarchs home turf since the team moved from Indianapolis to London before the 2028 season. Wembley Stadium will be a shining 127,000 seat open air palace worthy of the reigning football kings, including a private box for the Royal Family to attend games, as well as a statue garden to remember some of London's all time greats. The first statue will be for RB Archie Daniels, the first ever draft pick of current management in 2031, who helped usher in this winning era of Monarchs football. Wembley Stadium will host the Xtreme and a Super Bowl rematch against the Barbarians in the preseason, before officially opening in week four of the regular season against the Sicilians.

With London's role in the draft concluded, fans are eagerly awaiting training camp to see how this new roster will look as they begin their quest for a second straight Super Bowl championship. Look for an update later this season.

Thanks for the Super Bowl ring - time to start a new era? Second round rookie QB Stan Gelbaugh has been named the Monarchs' starting quarterback to begin London's championship defense, beating out franchise passing leader Preston Jones. The rookie outperformed the veteran in the team's undefeated preseason run, before a poor showing at a windy Death Valley Stadium against the Buzzards in the final tuneup. With a proven veteran on the roster if the rookie falters in the regular season, coaches were comfortable with handing over the reins to Gelbaugh. His first career regular season start will be on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in a rematch of London's 12-9 divisional round victory last season.

London made a number of moves to craft the 53 man roster for the 2048 campaign. RG Joseph Luckey, SS Scott Lang, WR Barry Foster, CB Howard Carpenter, WR Hubert Proctor and 2047 third round pick SS Joe Bell were all released before the 2048 season opener. GM Nigel Worthington IV also made a minor trade, sending former first round pick LDE Malcolm Showell to the Caerdydd Dreigiau for a 2051 fourth round pick. Attempting to build the roster for the present season while still looking towards the future is a delicate task, and it remains to be seen how these moves will pan out.

London WR Jon Horton became just the tenth player in Moguls history to surpass 10,000 career receiving yards in the Monarchs 20-10 win over the Argonauts in week 10. Horton reeled in 7 catches for 73 yards, and now stands at 10,042 yards in his storied career, while still looking for his first touchdown of the 2048 campaign (his 92 regular season touchdown catches remain 7th best all time). The 2035 first-round pick is still on top of his game, leading London's struggling passing attack with 39 catches and 476 yards this season, despite missing two games after suffering an arm injury in week 3. Horton's measurements have already been sent to London's finest tailors for his Hall of Fame jacket once his legendary career finally comes to a close.

WR John H. Johnson set a new Monarchs franchise single-game rushing record, racking up 231 yards and a touchdown on the ground in London's week 15 43-10 home victory over the Death Valley Buzzards. Johnson's record-setting performance smashed the former mark of 205 yards, set by legendary RB Archie Daniels in week 10 of the 2038 season.

The Monarchs ended the regular season on an eight-game winning streak, including wins over the Roswell Invaders in weeks 14 and 16, allowing them to collect their third straight AFC South division title. Their reward? A wild card round rematch against those very same Invaders in front of a packed Wembley Stadium crowd, where loyal fans will dream of another Super Bowl title run. Stay tuned for a recap after the playoffs.

***BREAKING NEWS***

Anybody up for a rematch? Apparently, the boys in royal blue have decided they kind of enjoy these Super Bowl games. The London Monarchs will have a chance to defend their Moguls League championship after pulling off a stunning 24-17 victory over the Real Kayfabe at the Firefly Fun House in Waco Texas. London surprisingly entered the game as a slight favorite playing on the road against the 15-1 Kayfabe and their high powered offense, led by possible MVP candidate QB Thomas Wojciechowski. But London's Tough Blokes defense answered the call with an astounding performance against the elite QB. Despite giving up over 400 yards of total offense, the Monarchs made life **** for Wojciechowski all day, stopping multiple drives by intercepting five passes, as well as sacking him six times. However, the most important play of the game occurred in the final minute in regulation with the score tied at 17, as veteran London LDE Tom Dovo sacked Wojciechowski at the Kayfabe 22, forcing a fumble recovered by RDE David Cloutier. Willing to settle for a go ahead field goal, London instead got a gamebreaking 20 yard touchdown run by WR John H. Johnson to give the visitors their second consecutive conference championship, avenging a loss to the Kayfabe in 2046.

The final game of the 2048 season will be a repeat of the final game from 2047, as the Monarchs will square off against the NFC Champion Battle Creek Barbarians, who cruised to a second straight conference title of their own with a 27-10 win over the Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers. The last meaningful game the Barbarians lost was Super Bowl 31, as they completed an undefeated 16-0 regular season as the highest scoring team in the league, and won both of their playoff games by a combined score of 60-17. Oddsmakers have installed Battle Creek as a five point favorite in the Super Bowl, but London will enter the title game riding an eleven game winning streak of their own. After floundering to a 4-4 record at the midway point of the season, Coach John Anderson reinstalled rookie QB Stan Gelbaugh into the starting role after a two game benching, and the squad hasn't lost since.

All eyes will be on an undisclosed location to see what kind of Moguls Football history will be made in Super Bowl 32 - will it be the fourth repeat champion in league history (XTreme SB 1,2, 3; Thrashers SB 10, 11; Kayfabe SB 29, 30) or just the second team ever to record a perfect season (Tigers SB 27 2043)? Stay tuned for an update after the championship game!

Monarchs fans celebrate London's second straight world championship in Piccadilly Circus.

Put another jewel in the crown! Going up against one of the most high-powered offenses in Moguls history, the London Monarchs became just the fourth team to repeat as Super Bowl champions with a shocking 43-13 blowout win over the Battle Creek Barbarians in Super Bowl 32 in Detroit. The Barbarians entered the game in search of an undefeated season, but London's vaunted rushing attack, bottled up for most of the playoffs, put on an amazing performance when it mattered most. Rookie WR/RB Leonard Conley opened the scoring with a 35 yard scamper early in the first quarter to put the Monarchs ahead 7-0. On the ensuing possession, Monarchs CB Stephen Begley picked off Barbarians QB George Oliver at the Battle Creek 38, leading to a 48 yard field goal by K Stephen Stafford, the first of five kicks on the day, for a surprising 10-0 London lead. However, after trading their next four possessions, the tides truly began to turn on a single electrifying play. Pinned back at their own 5 yard line late in the first quarter, WR John H. Johnson took the handoff, broke a pair of tackles, and raced to the longest run in Moguls postseason history - a 95-yard scoring run that put London ahead 17-0 as the first quarter came to a close. Johnson's run broke the record of 94 yards by Derrick Henry of the Shadow Dancers vs. the XTreme in the 2038 playoffs, and may have broken the spirits of the Barbarians and their fans.

Battle Creek was able to regroup, cutting the lead to 17-7 when QB Oliver capped a ten play drive with a two-yard TD pass to WR Robert Held early in the second quarter. It appeared that score might hold up until halftime, until the Monarchs struck again with another big play. Appearing content to run out the clock and head to the locker room, London coach John Anderson called a timeout with :22 remaining, then drew up London's only big pass of the contest, a sixty-yard toss from rookie QB Stan Gelbaugh to WR Toderick Malone, pushing the Monarchs' lead back to seventeen at 24-7.

The Monarchs continued dominating the game in the second half, thanks to their punishing ground game. K Stafford was able to add three more third quarter field goals, pushing the lead to 33-7. But the final nail in the Battle Creek coffin came thanks to Super Bowl 31's MVP, RB Terrence Phillips. With time running down in the third quarter, Phillips broke another tackle in the Barbarians' secondary, and dashed for an eighty-seven-yard touchdown run putting London ahead 40-7. Phillips second straight Super Bowl game with a backbreaking touchdown might have been even more impressive than his first - the eighty-seven-yard run was the fourth longest in Moguls postseason history. With the teams trading field goals in an uneventful fourth quarter, the Monarchs were even able to allow veteran QB Preston Jones to take the field for perhaps the final time in his career, as London continued to control the clock and the game with their rushing attack, finishing off an improbable run to their second consecutive world championship by a final score of 43-13.

London finished the game with 395 yards rushing, surely a league postseason record. The Monarchs set a number of individual league Super Bowl rushing records. John H. Johnson set a new Super Bowl rushing record with 168 yards on the ground and a touchdown, breaking the record of 147 yards by Terrence Phillips in last year's title game. Johnson's rushing total was the ninth highest in Moguls postseason history. Phillips himself ALSO broke his previous SB rushing record, finishing with 149 yards on the ground and a score. The Tough Blokes defense capped a terrific postseason run, frustrating Battle Creek QB George Oliver. Oliver threw three interceptions on the day, two of them by CB Stephen Begley, who also recorded seven of London's astounding twenty three knocked down passes in the contest. The Monarchs' defense recorded eight interceptions against the pass-heavy Kayfabe and Barbarians squads in their final two games, leading to another shiny championship trophy heading towards Wembley Stadium.

Some other interesting history: Super Bowl 32 marked the fifth time that there was a rematch in back-to-back seasons:
XTreme vs. Red Dragon - Super Bowls 1+2
Bears vs. Thrashers - Super Bowls 7+8
Duckies vs. Terror - Super Bowls 12+13
Tigers vs. Shadow Dancers - Super Bowls 26+27
The last three times, the previous year's loser was able to claim the grand prize in their second attempt, before the Monarchs matched the XTreme by holding off their opponent.

The only question remaining now is what London's aging roster will look like as they mount another title defense in 2049. The Monarchs have several veteran players who are expected to retire in the offseason, as well as some expensive expiring contracts. That may allow GM Nigel Worthington IV to have some more salary cap flexibility, needed since the team does not have a first round draft pick in 2049 thanks to the big trade with the Demons that brought in CB Harvey Schmucker and MLB Joseph Langston (who unfortunately missed the entire postseason run thanks to a serious foot injury suffered in week 16). Regardless, the season that appeared to be in such disarray followed a terrible 16-7 loss to the Las Vegas Wraiths in week 8 leaving the team at 4-4, ended in the grandest possible fashion. A season ending twelve game winning streak, denying a worthy opponent a chance at immortality by spoiling an undefeated season, and most importantly, a second straight victory parade - the London Monarchs are your 2048 Super Bowl champions!

Another year, another Super Bowl defense. The London Monarchs have loaded up the roster in the quest for a third consecutive world championship in 2049. The only team to accomplish that astounding feat in Moguls history was the Los Angeles XTreme in Super Bowls 1, 2 and 3 - can the impossible dream come true?

Retirements:
A number of key players on both sides of the ball decided to call it a career after the Monarchs' Super Bowl 32 victory over the Battle Creek Barbarians.

CB Ken Sale - Originally drafted by the Monarchs in 2036 as a linebacker, Sale spent the majority of his career with the Rapid Valley Shadow Dancers as a defensive back, before returning to London for his final four seasons. Sale made up for his diminished speed later in his career by becoming a lockdown pass defender, and recorded interceptions in each of the last three postseasons. Sale finishes his career with an impressive four Super Bowl rings (Shadow Dancers Super Bowls 24, 26; Monarchs Super Bowls 31, 32)


CB Harvey Wilson - While never becoming a superstar after getting drafted in the second round in 2041, Wilson provided valuable depth in London's defensive backfield. Wilson recorded four regular season interceptions in his career, but more importantly, his lone postseason pickoff came in the 2048 AFC Championship game where the Monarchs upset the favored Kayfabe to reach the Super Bowl.

MLB Joseph Langston - For the third consecutive season, London will have a new starting MLB. Langston was acquired from the San Francisco Demons in a blockbuster trade during the 2048 draft, and excelled in his sole season for the Monarchs. A surprising retiree at just age 30, Langston recorded 75 tackles and an interception in the regular season, but a serious foot injury suffered in week 16 knocked him out of the entire postseason run to another championship. Fifth year MLB William Kirksey filled in admirably for Langston, and will be charged with filling the hole in the middle of the Tough Blokes defense.

LG Willard Bennett - Willard provided excellent pass protection, surrendering just eight total sacks in his eight seasons in London, while also opening holes for the vaunted Monarchs rushing attack. While injuries slowed Bennett during the last three regular seasons, he was able to answer the bell and start all seven postseason games for the team in 2047 and 2048.

RB Raymond Gamble - Gamble provided valuable contributions as both a rusher and receiver out of the backfield in London's West Coast offense. Gamble began as the team's primary rusher being acquired via a preseason trade with the Shadow Dancers in 2043, before playing more as a fullback later in his career. Gamble had 27 catches for 102 yards, as well as 51 yards rushing in his final campaign.

Coaching changes:
Head Coach John Anderson signed a three-year contract extension to remain at the helm for the Monarchs. Anderson has led the squad to four conference championship appearances and two Super Bowl titles in his five seasons as London's head coach, and management sees no reason to change course with a formula that's continuing to win.

Anderson will have to mount another title defense with some new coaches at his side. Offensive coordinator Daniel Morin retired after the Super Bowl, giving up the position he'd held since 2038. After courting several candidates, London was finally able to lure Shadow Dancers backfield coach Roy Surrett, whose pass-focused offensive approach may help improve the Monarchs' 17th ranked passing attack, and continue the development of second year QB Stan Gelbaugh.

The other retirement was Gelbaugh's direct supervisor QB coach Fred Hernandez, who headed to the golf course after guiding London's signal callers since 2046. Hernandez was replaced by former Duckies offensive coordinator Norman Dewitt, whose emphasis on pass accuracy and ball protection should hopefully lead Gelbaugh to another step in his growth.

Free Agency:
London's largest payout came to retain one of their cornerstone players. Unable to re-sign LDE Tom Dovo before he hit the free agent market due to salary cap restrictions, GM Nigel Worthington IV opened up the checkbook to outbid several other teams and bring back the franchise's all-time sack leader with a massive two-year contract. The thirty-three-year-old Dovo recorded 36 tackles and 10 sacks in 2048, as well as four more sacks in the postseason, and the contract should ensure he spends his entire career in royal blue.

RT Ronald Ligon - a longtime target of Monarch management, the former number one overall pick (Atlanta 2040) comes to London after spending last season with the Steelers. Ligon has skills as both a run and pass blocker, and will take over as the starting left tackle as well as filling in across the offensive line.

P Christopher Best - despite being out of the league since 2045, management was intrigued by his career stats, which appear much more impressive than his ratings. With veteran punter Jordan Morgan in the final year of his contract, Best may have a chance to unseat the incumbent with a solid showing in the preseason.

LDE Ellis Wyatt - with several defensive linemen leaving the team or not being re-signed, London looked for some new blood. Wyatt comes over from the Devils, where he recorded 11 tackles and 5 sacks in 2048.

RDE Rick Kaspar - London was frankly surprised that a player who notched 16 sacks and 21 QB hurries last year for the Predators would be on the open market, and snatched him up. Kaspar's impressive pass-rushing stats would have led London in both categories last season, and if he ends up being a flash in the pan, his modest four-year contract shouldn't hurt the salary cap.

RB Jacob Cramer - drafted by the Dreigiau as a quarterback in 2046, London thought his speed, acceleration and break tackle might be better suited as a ball carrier. However, an unimpressive showing in training camp makes it unlikely he will make the final roster.

WR Galen Barksdale - after losing WR Tony Vinson to the division rival Athen Zeus, London began their search for more pass catchers by signing the former Demon to a cheap two-year contract. The 26-year-old Barksdale played sparingly for San Francisco in his career, and a roster move during the draft for another former teammate may bump him off the team.

CB Brian Barber - with the retirements from the secondary, London looked for some more savvy veterans. The thirty-two-year-old Barber comes over from Pittsburgh, where he recorded 37 tackles and 2 interceptions in his lone season with the Steelers.

CB Jose Robins - Robins stays in the AFC South, moving from the Rocky Mountain Bronx to the Monarchs. Robins appears to still have slightly above-average speed and defensive skills, recording 51 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 15 passes defended for the Bronx in 2048.

London also signed all-time receiving leader WR Jon Horton to yet another one-year contract to come back for his fifteenth season with the club. Veteran RT Kenneth Bullis will also return to the Monarchs, after appearing in all sixteen games last season. Lastly, second year SS Carlton Lance and WR Leonard Conley both signed six year contract extensions at team friendly prices to continue their Moguls careers.

The Draft:
Without a first-round pick thanks to the 2048 draft day trade with the Demons to acquire CB Harvey Schmucker and MLB Joseph Langston, London fans had to wait til the final pick of the second round to see who would be joining the team. But wait, what's this? With London on the clock for pick 2-32, the commissioner announces a trade between the Monarchs and....the Demons, of course. After considering the draft pool, the Monarchs send their pick to San Francisco to acquire speedy WR Phillip Robinson. Unwilling to gamble on a young receiver not panning out, London goes with the sure thing in Robinson, who has thrived with the deep ball in the Demons' traditionally high-powered passing game. Robinson had 45 catches for 569 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2048, and has 61 career TDs for San Francisco. The 29-year-old Robinson is expected to fill in at several different positions across London's offense for at least the next two seasons.

3-32 WR Ronnie West (+9/+2 vol 22 now 50/77) - London finally makes a selection of their own, adding the sure handed receiver. With excellent catching skills and courage, coaches hope his athletic abilities will make up for his lack of football smarts. West may start his career further down the depth chart and move his way up as more receivers move out of town.

4-21 LDE Herman Smith III (+3/-2 vol 70 now 37/61) - despite his strength, intelligence and a boom in his pass-rushing skills at training camp, Smith disappointed coaches with his overall skill set. Smith will be under extreme scrutiny in the preseason to see if he'll be able to stand out among London's crowded defensive line.

4-32 FB Al Wooten (+3/+1 vol 22 now 43/67) - the twin brother of Predators rookie MLB Raymond Wooten (pick 3-23), Al has decent speed and excellent strength, to go along with a solid set of receiving skills for catches out of the backfield. His poor skills as a run and pass blocker appear to be his biggest obstacle for more playing time. The Wooten family will reportedly be leaving their Pennsylvania home to travel to Wembley Stadium when the Penn State and Pittsburgh brothers square off in week one of the preseason.

5-11 WR Shawn Turner (+2/+3 vol 100 now 38/61) - despite having solid speed and acceleration and excellent courage, none of Turner's important receiving skills showed any improvement in training camp, and despite having some possible value as a kick returner, he will likely be cut for more roster flexibility during the preseason.

5-32 MLB Richard Newbill (+6/+2 vol 38 now 35/58) - the biggest gamble of London's 2049 draft - can you turn a DT into a MLB? Despite still weighing over 300 lbs after training camp, Newbill still has decent speed for his size, and had massive improvements in his zone and m2m coverage skills. While still needing to improve as a tackler, Newbill will probably be a long term experiment that could provide a nice payoff down the line.

6-11 QB Kerry Joseph (+4/+4 vol 90 now 27/49) - an absolute hail mary draft pick, the strong armed Joseph had zero improvement to the one vital skill for a quarterback - accuracy - and was cut immediately after training camp.

6-32 LG Wilson Fisk (+9/+2 vol 50 now 54/72) - another conversion project, the former college tight end was attempting to make the jump to the offensive line. Despite having incredible strength, he appears to be just an average run blocker and a poor pass blocker, and would not have been able to dislodge any of the more talented linemen on the team. After being cut, rumors are Fisk may explore a life of crime or politics in New York City.

7-32 FS Claudius Wright (+5/-3 vol 58 now 39/60) - Mr. Irrelevant. After missing out on more talented defensive backs in earlier rounds, London spends the final pick of the 2049 draft on Wright. But after most of his potential skills in pass coverage declined in training camp, coaches decided freeing up his roster spot now would allow them to plug other holes on the roster.

The fans of the Royal Army now wait to see if any more valuable players become available on the free agent market, while hopefully dodging any serious injuries in the preseason. Look for more updates before the regular season begins, as the London Monarchs begin their quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl title.

London WR Jon Horton continued his assault on the Moguls all-time receiving record book with a vintage performance in the Monarchs' 39-0 win over the Rocky Mountain Bronx in 2049 week 10. Horton collected 13 catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns in London's ninth straight win, and now stands tied for fourth all time on the career touchdown list with 95 regular season TDs (Joseph Melancon Xtreme 2017-2028). After suffering an ankle injury in London's season opening loss to Chicago that knocked the fifteen year pro out of the lineup until week eight, Horton has notched 26 catches in his last three contests and holds a 29-206-3 receiving line on the year. Horton's best performance since a 7 catch 144 yard output in the 2047 AFC Championship game sent London to their first world championship leaves him sixth all time with 10,565 yards. Congratulations on yet another milestone achievement in the legendary career of the greatest Monarch of them all!

***BREAKING NEWS***

The London Monarchs exorcized some ghosts on the way to their third consecutive Moguls Super Bowl appearance. London claimed their third straight AFC Conference Championship by finally defeating the team that terrorized them annually through their own legendary run at the start of the 2040s - the Brooklyn Tigers. The Monarchs escaped Wembley Stadium with a 20-19 win over the Tigers, thanks to a pair of big plays. Brooklyn has created a new edition of their all time defense at the start of the decade, and held London in check most of the game. After a lengthy game opening drive ended deep in London territory with a short field goal, Brooklyn forced a fumble on just London's second offensive play, kicking another field goal for a quick 6-0 lead. However, London was able to quickly strike back, as QB Stan Gelbaugh connected with WR Phillip Robinson on a 75 yard touchdown pass to spark the crowd with a 7-6 lead.

After a London field goal pushed the lead to 10-6 to start the second quarter, the Tigers continued to dominate the contest. Brooklyn capped another lengthy drive taking seven and a half minutes to regain the lead on a 4 yard touchdown pass from former Monarch QB Charles Puleri to RB Richard Collins to move ahead 13-10. K Jeremiah Hunter's third field goal of the first half pushed Brooklyn further ahead at 16-10 with just :05 left before halftime, before another shocking turn of events. Hunter kicked off to Monarchs WR John H. Johnson, who was leading the league in total yardage before suffering a serious leg injury in a week 14 loss to the Kayfabe. Johnson may not have been playing at 100% in this game, but he gave absolutely everything he had one a single play, taking the kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown and putting the host Monarchs back ahead 17-16. The kick return TD was Johnson's third on the season, along with notching the only punt return TD in Monarchs franchise history as well.

London was able to do a fairly solid imitation of Brooklyn's stout defense in the second half. CB Harvey Schmucker stopped a Tigers drive in Monarchs territory in the third quarter with an interception, while RDE David Cloutier forced RB Collins' second fumble in the game early in the 4th quarter at the Brooklyn 28. After coming up empty on that turnover, the Monarchs special teams and defense helped push the lead further. A punt downed at the Brooklyn goal line forced QB Puleri to throw from his own end zone, with disastrous results. Puleri was intercepted at the Brooklyn 6 by WLB John Kinto, who's developing a reputation for dramatic postseason INTs. Despite starting the drive inside the Brooklyn 10, London had to settle for another field goal to extend their lead to 20-16. The Tigers inched closer after intercepting London QB Gelbaugh inside the London 30 yard line and Jeremiah Hunter's fourth field goal of the game cut the lead to 20-19. However, the visitors would get no closer despite dominating yards and time of possession in the contest. The London faithful watched their team finally vanquish the franchise that knocked them out of the playoffs every season from 2039-2043 in their unforgettable run to five consecutive Super Bowl appearances. After a shocking London upset of Brooklyn in the 2044 divisional round, this showdown was the first postseason meeting of the two teams since Brooklyn's 9-6 overtime win in 2045, and will doubtless not be the last.

The Monarchs will now continue their quest for football immortality, as they attempt a feat that only one other team has ever accomplished - three straight Super Bowl titles (Xtreme - Super Bowls 1, 2 and 3). London will face off against the Seattle Spartans at an undisclosed location, as the Spartans knocked off a team the Monarchs defeated in the last two Super Bowls, the Battle Creek Barbarians. Seattle stormed back from a 17-0 first quarter deficit, and still trailed by twelve in the fourth quarter, before scoring two touchdowns to cap a 36-33 come from behind win. Experts have installed the Monarchs as two point favorites in the championship game, but with the Spartans high powered offense and stifling defense, the Blue and Gold face a monumental challenge in their attempt to make football history. Check back for a report following Super Bowl 33!