[MIJB#19]

2020 - 2034 The 'Rusty' Harrison era

Going into his 15th season, Flannery was confronted with a battle that he was bound to lose. The Maassluis Merchantmen traded the #6 overall pick and their 2021 1st round pick for the #1 overall pick. Quarterback Russell Harrison out of Navy was selected. Flannery hung around for 2 more seasons, but like his precedessor, Harrison was announced as the opening day starter and from there on didn't look back, at least for a the first 10 seasons... The Merchantmen posted a 7-9 record in Harrison's rookie season and followed up with a disappointing 5-11 campaign in 2021 and 2022.

The 2023 off-season, things drastically changed. The Merchantmen traded down from the #5 pick to the #9 overall in two steps and there took wide receiver Terry Thomason. The added value was used to pick linebacker R.J. Knight at #15 overall and the 2024 and 2025 first round picks were also traded, to select defensive tackle Andy Cottle at #20 overall and former #1 overall running back Stanley Givens respectively. With Harrison, Givens, Thomason and a rejuvinated Springer, the Merchantmen became the top scoring team in the league, breaking the magical 500-point barrier. Harrison struggled with injuries, gaining him the nickname Rusty as he became accustomed to playing through pain, while backup Patrick McDonnell stepped in for 7 games. The Merchantmen quarterbacks combined for 4,580 yards and 46 touchdowns passing, until then unheard of from a defensive minded franchise. The Merchantmen crashed in the wild card round, but with this fabulous foursome on offense and Cottle and Knight anchoring the defense, the Merchantmen were a force to reckon with. Despite losing Harrison on the first drive of the 2024 season, the Merchantmen rotated between quarterbacks, mostly relying on McDonnell and still won the European division with an 11-5 record.

In following seasons, the Merchantmen saw Harrison struggle with injuries more often, but despite the retirement of Givens after the 2026 season, the Merchantmen reached (and lost) the 2027 AOC Championship game. Springer retired after that game, but the Merchantmen still managed to post a 12-4 record in the 2028 season. It turned out to be the end of a strong stretch of seasons of 11-5 or better records. In 2029, the Merchantmen missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record, while getting outscored by their opponents. The Merchantmen management and Rusty Harrison's agents failed to agree terms of a new contract in the 2030 off-season and the Merchantmen made the drastic decision to trade him to the Rochester Lake Monsters. In retrospect, the Merchantmen turned down an offer from the Tucker Tigers that could have included the eventual 2031 #1 overall pick, which the Tigers used to acquire quarterback Jackie Collier, the best and most succesful player in IHOF history.

Instead, the Merchantmen acquired Fort Wayne Fury's 3rd year pro Jay McGee as their new quarterback. Despite the arrival of left tackle Kerry Zumdahl, linebacker Fred McCorkle and safety Thurman Hopper in the 2031 draft, followed by running back Darrin Keegan, guard Ricky Castillo and cornerback Tito Close in the 2032 draft, McGee failed to return the Merchantmen to the playoffs. In the 2033 off-season, Rusty Harrison made a surprise comeback to Maassluis. Initially traded from the Lake Monsters to the Syracuse Mohawks, Harrison was traded a second time in the same off-season and returned home. Plagued by injuries, Harrison missed 12 regular games in his last two seasons before retirement and the Merchantmen failed to reach the playoffs for six straight seasons. With Harrison hanging up his cleats, it was back to Jay McGee for the Merchantmen.

2020 7-9 (12th)
2021 5-11 (13th)
2022 5-11 (16th)
2023 12-4 (4th) wild card round
2024 11-5 (3rd) wild card round
2025 11-4-1 (4th) wild card round
2026 10-6 (5th) conference semifinals
2027 11-5 (3rd) conference finalist
2028 12-4 (2nd) conference semifinals
2029 9-7 (7th)
2030 5-11 (15th)
2031 9-7 (7th)
2032 9-7 (8th)
2033 6-10 (12th)
2034 9-7 (7th)