TOWSON, Md. – Former Towson University linebacker Robert Heyward is off to Germany to compete with the Marburg Mercenaries to begin his professional career.
 
A two-time All-CAA linebacker, Heyward finished ninth in Towson history with 274 career tackles, including leading the team in tackles his final two seasons with 99 as a junior and 87 as a senior.  He also led Towson with 12.5 tackles for loss as a senior team captain, totaling 35.5 tackles for loss in his career.
 
The Marburg Mercenaries compete in the German Football League (GFL), a league that plays with rules similar to NCAA football.  The last season played in 2019, Marburg went 9-5 to finish third in the GFL South and make the playoffs.
 
Marburg is coached by former Towson assistant coach Joe Tricario.  In the team's press release, Tricario said of Heyward: "He's an outstanding young man and a very explosive linebacker who always plays with full physical effort.  He was the best tackler on our team so we often used him on special teams."
 
Heyward is one of several Tigers that recently joined professional teams.  In the past couple of weeks, Tiger alumni Shane Leatherbury and Tom Flacco signed with the BC Lions and the Saskatchewan Roughriders respectively into the Canadian Football League (CFL).