Columbus Lions DB Damian Daniels, Troy Bergeron sign with AFL's Cleveland Gladiators
Former Shaw football players and indoor football veterans Troy Bergeron and Damian Daniels have signed with the Arena Football League's Cleveland Gladiators, according to a Columbus Lions press release.
Daniels just finished up his fourth season with the Lions, capturing an SIFL championship. Bergeron, the 2005 AFL Rookie of the Year, is back in the AFL after two years with the Atlanta Falcons. Bergeron briefly played for the Lions in 2009 when the AFL announced it would not have a season that year, and he then signed with the Falcons practice squad. He was called up to the active roster a few times but never stuck.
Daniels said Monday evening that he will miss playing for the Lions, but it was time for him to take his game to the next level.
"I have had a great time playing down here in Columbus," Daniels said. "I'm going to miss it a lot. What I'm going to miss most is having my family see me play every week. And I'm going to miss the Lions fans, who always had love for me."
Daniels also was briefly a member of the Force, but has spent the previous four seasons with the Lions. He entertained an offer from the Orlando Predators, but turned it down to return to the Lions.
“Losing Damian is like losing part of your family, but no one better deserves it than Damian,” Lions coach Jason Gibson said in a press release. “He has been one of the constants for this organization as he has dominated every league we have played in, I expect much of the same for him at the next level.”
The Lions also lost a pair of offensive linemen to the AFL. Dion Small has signed with the Georgia Force Terrance Crosby has signed with the Iowa Barnstormers.
- Chris White (follow me on Twitter @le_chriswhite)
This story was originally published October 4, 2010 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Columbus Lions DB Damian Daniels, Troy Bergeron sign with AFL's Cleveland Gladiators."