Corey Crawford returning for the 2022 Season

by Alex Husting

A key contributor of the 2021 campaign will be back in Columbus for this upcoming season as Corey Crawford, the defensive lineman and fullback, has re-signed with the Lions ahead of the 2022 season.

Crawford, who started the year as defensive lineman, made the switch to fullback three games into the season. With this position change, Crawford found a new role as a dangerous threat on a high-powered Lions offense. 

In the running game, Crawford was a reliable short yardage runner with 15 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns. He saw more success in the passing game, racking up 63 yards on seven catches and six touchdowns.

In a June 26 contest matchup with the Carolina Cobras, Corey Crawford found the end zone three times, once on the ground and twice through the air. He was named the NAL Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

Crawford's size and strength allowed him to help the pass blocking for Mason Espinosa, sometimes working like a fourth offensive lineman when opposing defenses would bring pressure.

Crawford was selected to the Second Team All-NAL along with four fellow Lions.

Already an ironman, the new NAL Ironman rules will not have much of an impact on Crawford. He made appearances on both sides of the ball later in the 2021 season and more of the same can be expected in 2022. With a season and offseason as a fullback, Crawford could even see a larger role in an already dominant Lions offense.

The NAL released an official set of rules earlier this month and that article can be found here.

Season tickets are already available for the 2022 season and they can be found here

ABOUT THE COLUMBUS LIONS

The Columbus Lions are members of the National Arena League (NAL). Founded in 2007, the Columbus Lions are starting their 15th season in 2021. The Lions are a 3x league champion and 13 playoff appearances in their rich history. The Lions play their home games at Hughston Field in the Columbus Civic Center. Lions Season Ticket Memberships are on sale now call (706) 322-3336 or visit columbuslions.com. Follow the Lions on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Lionsfootball/, twitter @columbuslions and instagram.com/Columbuslions.

ABOUT NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE

The National Arena League was founded in 2016 and hosted its inaugural season in 2017 as the premier league in arena football. The National Arena League will kick off its fifth season in 2021. For more information regarding expansion opportunities or partnerships, contact Commissioner Chris Siegfried at chris@nationalarenaleague.com For more information about the NAL visit www.nationalarenaleague.com, facebook.com/nationalarenaleauge, twitter.com/NALfootball, Instagram.com/nationalarenaleague.