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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor 

Pelham star linebacker Bishop Rellah announced his commitment to play football at the U.S. Naval Academy on Friday, June 30. 

“I’ve been blessed with a massive opportunity, and it was laid out in front of me by a plethora of different people making that happen, between the coaches and the different communities and just everything in between,” Rellah said. “I’m immensely grateful, and I’m really excited after going up there.” 

Rellah visited the Naval Academy on June 24 after announcing that he had received an offer from them on May 25, and he immediately fell in love with the seaside town of Annapolis, Maryland and Navy’s style of defense. 

“Well, for starters, the city itself reminds me a lot of where I grew up in St. Augustine, Florida which are both really old historical cities, just even to the way the ground’s paved, they’re very similar,” Rellah said. It was almost creepily similar.  

“And then, the location aspect, that box was checked and then the football aspect of it, after sitting through like film sessions with like one-on-one and coaching and whatnot. I was just drawn to the way they run their defense and the way that they play it. It just felt like a perfect fit.” 

Part of the reason why Navy is a perfect fit for Rellah is because he won’t have to change positions in college. He’ll slide right into the Midshipmen’s defensive scheme and be able to carry on the progress he made at Pelham. 

Rellah was an impact player for the Panthers last season. He finished second on the team with 112 tackles and led Pelham in solo tackles with 78. His five sacks and two interceptions helped the Panthers return to the playoffs in 2022 and earned him an All-County Second Team selection. 

Rellah is grateful to the Pelham coaches, including both head coach Mike Vickery and former head coach Tom Causey, for developing him as a linebacker and helping him be ready to succeed at an FBS program. 

“I think that they did an absolutely fantastic job with preparing me from the recruiting side, from the football side, and really everything in between,” Rellah said about Pelham. “I don’t think that there could have been a more supportive community and company than the one at Pelham.” 

“They have developed me as a player, as a man, as a person, just completely pushed me and helped me get to this point.” 

Rellah wants to thank all the people in his life that got him to this position now, especially his mother, Brookelyn. He has a unique relationship with her and appreciates the love and support she has given him throughout his entire life. 

“It’s a very rare occurrence to experience that level of unconditional love and support through everything,” Rellah said. “She and I have been through a whole lot together, and she’s kind of turned into my rock at this point.” 

Rellah will return to the Panthers this season as they seek another region title and 6A state playoff appearance. He’ll once again terrorize opposing offenses with his playmaking ability knowing that he will be a Midshipman in just a few short months.