“Mo, run it in, score the touchdown!”
Moritz Jadin is currently recovering from a medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear. The Vikings running back caused a stir with his touchdown in front of friends and family in the AFLE. Before this, he also played in the ACSL and even trained with Sandro Platzgummer on the Austrian national team.
Hand-off from Nico Hrouda to Moritz Jadin at the one-yard line. Standing 1.80 meters tall and weighing 95 kilograms, Jadin powers through the Paris Lights' defense and celebrates the first touchdown of his AFLE career at the Wiener Sport-Club stadium.
Just like teammate Philipp Voith, football was not the first sport the Salzburg native chose to play. Jadin played soccer for over a decade, moved to Vienna for his studies, and joined the WU Tigers on the recommendation of one of his best friends.
His former head coach Raphael Dachs, with whom he won the Summer Bowl in 2025, praised his former player: “The last two years in the ACSL were an impressive reflection of his assertiveness on the field. He ran over people simply because he wanted it more.”
Tossing a Football in the Park
Jadin’s first contact with football dates back to the pandemic, when he met up with friends in the park to "toss a ball around." It served as a substitute for canceled tryouts that had fallen victim to restrictions. “When that was over, I went to the Tigers' open tryouts. That was the start of everything,” he recalls.
The head coach of the WU Tigers at the time was Adrian Repolust. Jadin tried his hand as a wide receiver and quickly adjusted to the position after his first few snaps. The rising star impressed during practice and swiftly made the gameday roster.
On May 29, 2022, he made his debut in Südstadt, just outside Austria's capital city of Vienna, against the BOKU Beez—and promptly celebrated the only receiving touchdown of his career.
“I’ve Always Been Physical”
In the following rivalry game against the TU Robots—which ended in a loss—the future General Manager of the WU Tigers learned the downsides of the sport.
“I was on the field for exactly 0.0 percent of the time. That really annoyed me. I told myself I wouldn't let that happen again,” Jadin remembers.
An inquiry in the fall of 2022 set his career on the path that eventually led to his AFLE touchdown. “I was asked if I wanted to play running back since I had the right build for it. Since I've always been a physical player, I thought to myself, 'Why not?'” he reflects.
The now 25-year-old used the time to learn the footwork and movements of a running back. The hard work paid off: by the following spring, Jadin was already in the starting lineup.
“The transition wasn't too drastic. Learning the technique was a process, of course, but I watched an incredible number of videos on YouTube and got tips from Alexander Bosek. I bought an agility ladder and trained at 6 a.m. before work,” he remembers.
The Road to the Vikings
Jadin caught the football bug. In the fall of 2025, the running back signed up for a team camp with the Austrian national team.
“I was on the practice squad there alongside Sandro Platzgummer, Lukas Haslwanter, Tobias Bonatti, and Johannes Schütz. I learned a lot just by watching them and thought, 'They are on a completely different level than me.' But I put on a good showing,” he says.
His motivation was high: “I messaged my running back coach Arnold Bürgmayr and Lenard Oberladstätter on Instagram to ask if there were opportunities to play for the Vikings. I didn't hear anything for a long time, until I received a message from Lenard a week before Christmas.”
Why Not the AFL?
With his signature, the contract with the reigning AFLE champion was finalized that winter. But why didn't Jadin first pursue a path with the AFL team to prove himself for the European Vikings squad?
“That was an option, of course,” the 25-year-old confirms, before adding: “There had been offers years earlier, but major factors were my career, private life, and studies. I have to invest time there, just like in football. So I figured I'd either go all-in or not do it at all.”
“Welcome to the League”
Just as it was for teammate Voith, Jadin’s first game was a road trip. In Week 2, the Wroclaw Panthers were up on the schedule. Jadin rushed for 16 yards; four more league appearances followed, totaling 174 yards and a touchdown.
His debut in Poland left a strong impression on the running back. “I looked around and thought to myself that hits are definitely more intense in the AFLE. I started on special teams and had my first big moment on a kickoff return when I pancaked a Wroclaw player,” he looks back. That was his "Welcome to the League" moment.
The physical toll followed immediately: “I came into a tackle wrong and got a 'stinger' in my shoulder. Two snaps later, I told the coach I wanted to keep playing, even though my shoulder was completely shot.”
“That Was a Highlight”
The weeks went by. In Week 8, the Paris Lights visited Vienna. Jadin played his last—and best—game of the 2026 season: 78 yards, a touchdown, and the title of AFLE gameday rushing leader.
“Wearing the jersey for the first time in Wroclaw was a highlight for me. Playing against Rhein Fire at Generali Arena and against the Alpine Rams at Wiener Sport-Club stadium were also highlights. I had a lot of great moments this year, but the touchdown against the Lights was the absolute peak,” Jadin shares.
“Mo, Run It In!”
Jadin’s moment came in the third quarter. Quarterback Nico Hrouda handed the ball off to the running back. Even before the snap, Jadin heard his closest friends shouting down to him from the stands.
“We were right in front of the goal line, looking through the goalposts. They were sitting there shouting, 'Mo, run it in, score the touchdown now!'” he remembers.
The 25-year-old delivered and added his name to the scoresheet.
“That was my goal,” says Jadin. “I don't want to downplay it—it was a damn good feeling. But there's so much more to it. There's a photo from the AFLE where I'm walking to the sideline and my teammates are celebrating for me. Those are the best moments.”
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