9 international players to compete in NFL’s International Player Pathway Program

The league has identified athletes from eight countries who will compete for a place in the program. The NFL also widened its search for international talent, hosting a combine in Germany in October with players from 18 countries participating.

Isaac Alarcon (Borregos Monterrey, Mexico), Otavio Amorim (Timbo Rex, Brazil), David Bada (Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, Germany), Leo Krafft (Eidsvoll 1814s, Norway), Boqiao Li (China), Chris Mulumba (Helsinki Roosters, Finland), Sandro Platzgummer (Swarco Raiders, Austria), Antoni Podgorski (Warsaw Mets, Poland) and Bernhard Seikovits (Dacia Vienna Vikings, Austria) will begin training in the United States next month. They will have the opportunity to showcase their talents to NFL club scouts in March in hopes of being signed as a free agent or being selected for practice squads for next season through the program.

One of the NFL’s eight divisions, chosen at random, will receive the international players selected for the 2020 program if none is signed to a free agent contract.

At the end of training camp, each player will be eligible for an international player practice squad exemption with his assigned team. This provides the assigned team an 11th practice squad member who is ineligible to be activated during the season.

Players will train alongside NFL veterans and draft hopefuls in Florida.

Damani Leech, NFL Chief Operating Officer of International:

“The International Player Pathway program is an important part of our ongoing efforts to grow the game globally and provide pathways for international players to make it to the NFL. We are excited to have players from around the world competing for a spot in the 2020 program, including eight players who were selected after participating in the International Combine in Germany this past October.”