The Dutch Lions new head coach Fred Armstrong is wasting no time in assembling his coaching staff and has announced that former NFL defensive end and native Brazilian, Leandro Veal, will coach the defensive line for Team Netherlands.
The 41-year-old Veal is the second assistant coach to join the Team Netherlands staff following the announcement that Kirk Heidelberg will serve as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Veal is no stranger to Europe and since 2015, he has coached with several European national teams, after working with Sweden’s Tyresö Royal Crowns that year. In 2018, he was on the staff of Team Sweden for the IFAF European Championships.
He was selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft in 2003 by the Atlanta Falcons after an outstanding college career at Tennessee. He spent seven seasons in the NFL playing for four different teams – Atlanta, the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans – as well as for the Florida Tuskers and Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League. While with the Broncos, he started 31 games amassing 39 tackles in 2005 and 2006.