Soul re-sign five for 2007 season
June 7, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Soul have re-signed WR/DB Mike Brown, K Todd France, OL/DL Mike Mabry, WR/LB J.J. McKelvey and FB/LB Raheem Orr. As per club policy, terms of their deals were not disclosed.
Brown (6'0", 190, Charleston Southern) finished the regular season with the best stats of his three-year AFL career and lead the team in all-purpose yards (1,957), kick returns (36-746-2) and field goal returns (7-135). In 15 games of action, he caught 79 passes for 939 yards with 12 touchdowns. He rushed the ball 35 times for 101 yards and four scores. Defensively, Brown recorded 45.5 tackles, four tackles for losses, one sack, four interceptions and three pass breakups through the regular season. He was also named Offensive Player of the Game twice and Ironman of the Game three times.
France (6'3", 210, Toledo) joined the Soul for the 2006 season after stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was named to the All-Rookie team after finished the season ranked fourth in the League in points scored among kickers (137) and was sixth in touchbacks (31). He was also first among rookie kickers in both categories. He connected on 95-of-103 extra points and was 14-of-33 on field goals. His longest field goal was from 53 yards out during the postseason against the Orlando Predators in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Mabry (6'1", 295, UCF) started in all 16 games last season at the center/noseguard position as a rookie with the Soul and tallied eight total tackles and two sacks. He also ranked third among rookie lineman with four tackles for losses and helped the Soul frontline rank third in the League with after allowed only five sacks.
McKelvey (6'4", 225, Clemson) saw action in 11 regular season games during his rookie campaign with the Soul. He suffered a sprained ankle in Week 9 against the Dallas Desperados and missed five weeks before returning to action in Week 14 to face the Desperados once again. On the season, he recorded 35 receptions for 589 yards with 12 touchdowns. He also had 21 total tackles on defense to go along with one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.
Orr (6'3", 260, Rutgers) came to the Soul in 2006 for his first season with the AFL and led all rookie linemen in sacks (3.5) and tallied 17 total tackles, one interception returned for a touchdown, one break up and one forced fumble. On offense, he recorded six carries for 12 yards.
With the resigning of these five players, the Soul have 11 players under contract for the 2007 season (DS Roland Cola, QB Tony Graziani, OL/DL Dwayne Missouri, FB/LB Wes Ours, WR/LB Sean Scott and FB/LB Darnell Small). They also have four players on the exempt list the Soul signed last season during the free agency signing period entering NFL training camps this season (OL/DL Jason Davis, OS Isaac West, DS Aric Williams and DS Brandon Williams).
Season tickets for the Soul's 2007 season are on sale now. Tickets start as low as $96. For more information call (888) PHIL-AFL or log on to www.philadelphiasoul.com. The Soul are entering their fourth season in the AFL and have drawn a League best 387,491 fans combined during the past three years.
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