Storm sign Owen, Johnson, Capel

Published on October 17, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Tampa Bay Storm News Release


TAMPA BAY - The five-time world champion Tampa Bay Storm have signed free agent offensive/defensive lineman Marcus Owen, defensive back Jeroid Johnson and former Olympic sprinter turned wide receiver John Capel, Head Coach and General Manager Tim Marcum announced today.

Owen, a 6-foot-2, 335-pound lineman from the University of Kansas, is a five-year veteran of the Arena Football League. He made his AFL debut in 2002 with the New York Dragons where he played until the end of the 2006 season. He was named to the U.S. Army All-Ironman Team in 2005, as he led the Dragons in quarterback hurries with six, ranked second in sacks with two and a half and only surrendered two sacks on offense. This past season, he led the Dragons in quarterback hurries with six, blocked kicks with three and was named Ironman of the game in Week 9. He was a three-year starter at Kansas where he earned All-Big 12 honors in 2000. Owen also appeared in the movie The Longest Yard.

Johnson, a 5-9, 185-pound defensive back from Oklahoma State, is a seven-year AFL veteran. He made his professional debut with the Calgary Stampede of the CFL before joining the New Jersey Red Dogs in 2000. In 2003, he signed with the Las Vegas Gladiators where he earned Most Valuable Player honors while setting a franchise record for interceptions (8). He was traded to the Los Angeles Avengers during the 2004 season.

In 2005, he signed with the Chicago Rush where he went on to lead the Rush in tackles with 73, pass defenses with 13 and fumbles recovered with three. This past season he won defensive player of the game honors three times while leading the Orlando Predators in interceptions with five, returning two for touchdowns.

Capel, a 6-0, 170-pound wide receiver from the University of Florida, signed a two-year contract after participating in the Storm's September 9 open tryout. A two-sport athlete at Florida (football, track), Capel played two seasons where he caught 11 passes for 88 yards and averaged 7.4 yards on punt returns and 21.8 yards on kickoff returns.

He left school in 2000 to concentrate on making the 2000 Sydney Olympics where he placed first in the 200 meter at the U.S. Olympic Trials and eighth in the 200 meter in Sydney. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round (208th) in 2001 before being released and picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs where he was placed on the practice squad. In 2002 he signed a three-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. After being released from the Chiefs he returned to track after a two-year absence and went on to win Gold in the 200-meter and 4x100-meter at the 2003 World Outdoor Championship. He followed that performance with a Bronze in the 200-meter in the 2005 World Outdoor Championship.

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 17, 2006


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