The Graz Giants have signed former Div. III quarterback Mateo Renteria for the 2025 Austrian Football League season.
The 25 year old Renteria spent part of the 2024 season playing for the Stockholm Mean Machines in the Swedish Superserien. Before suffering a season-ending injury, he managed to throw for 942 yards yards and 12 touchdowns in five regular season games. He also played in two Central European Football League games with Stockholm guiding the team to a 42-14 victory over the Manchester Titans (British champions) and a narrow 29-27 loss to the La Courneuve Flash (French champions). He threw for 542 yards in those two games with a 72% completion record.
The 6′, 190 pound native of Houston, Texas spent the 2023 season with the Saint-Ouen Cougars in the French top league. He acted as offensive coordinator as well as quarterback installing the playbook, blocking schemes, calling plays and breaking down game film.
Prior to arriving in Europe, Renteria was the starting quarterback for the College of Wooster Fighting Scots (NCAA Div. III) and in his four years broke the school record for passing yards (10,083) and touchdowns (78). In his senior year he threw for 2,233 yards and 18 touchdowns.
The Giants reached the AFL semifinals in 2024 after posting a 9-1 regular season record. They were defeated however by the eventual champions, the Prague Black Panthers, 27-20.