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JLB Bryce Peila Returns to Thunder

November 16, 2015 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Portland Thunder News Release


Portland Thunder JLB Bryce Peila
Portland Thunder JLB Bryce Peila
(Portland Thunder)

PORTLAND - The Portland Thunder are pleased to welcome back Bryce Peila, with head coach Andy Olson announcing the assignment of the third year jack-linebacker earlier this morning.

Peila (6-1, 205, Western Oregon) joins fellow returning veterans KC Obi, John Collins, and Jamar Howard on the growing Thunder roster, alongside 13 others who have been assigned since free agency began on November 5.

"Bryce is a special player that brings so much to a team, both on defense and special teams," Olson stated. "He has the ability to play several positions, and is dominant in all of them. I expect this upcoming season to be his best."

Peila will enter both his third season in the AFL, and his third in a Thunder uniform, in 2016. As captain of the defensive secondary, Bryce followed up a breakout rookie season that landed him a spot on the AFL's Top 50 players list (37th overall) by notching 57.0 tackles (2.0 for a loss), three interceptions, eight break-ups, and two fumble recoveries in 2015, while also scoring three times defensively.

A finalist for AFL Rookie of the Year honors in 2014, Peila was selected Second Team All-Arena after tallying 64.5 tackles, and a franchise-record 13 takeaways during the Thunder's inaugural season.

The Central Point, OR native was a unanimous First Team All-GNAC selection at safety and tied for first in NCAA Division II with nine interceptions as a junior at Western Oregon. Bryce ranks second on the GNAC all-time list, with 20 career interceptions, and registered 58 tackles, including 31 solo stops his senior season for the WOU Wolves in 2012.

BRYCE PEILA GAME BY GAME 2015: WK1 LA: 4 TKLS, 2 BrUp WK2 TB: 4 TKLS WK3 SPK: 2 TKLS, INT, FR, 2 TDS, 1 BrUp WK4 @ARI: 5 TKLS, INT WK5 @SJ: 2.5 TKLS WK6 @PHI: 3.0 TKLS WK8 LA: 5.0 TKLS, 2 BrUp WK9 @ORL: 2.0 TKLS WK10 SJ: 2.0 TKLS, 1 BrUp WK11 @LA: 4.0 TKLS WK12 ARI: 4.5 TKLS, 1.0-1 TFL WK13 SPK: 1.5 TKLS WK14 @LV: 3.5 TKLS WK16 JAX: 3 TKLS, FR WK17 @SJ: 7 TKLS, 1 TFL, 1 PBU WK18 @SPK: 4.0 TKLS WK19 LV: INT, 8 YDS, TD, 1 PBU WK20 @ARI: DNP




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Portland Thunder JLB Bryce Peila
Portland Thunder JLB Bryce Peila
   



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