The internationalization of the NFL continues to take shape. The league has now announced that the IPP (International Pathway Player Program) will be further expanded. This increases the chances of foreign and therefore German players making it into the National Football League.
Starting next season, all 32 teams will now be allowed to add an additional foreign player to the practice squad.
The requirements: The player must not have US or Canadian citizenship and must also be resident outside of these countries. In addition, the player must have attended high school for a maximum of two years and must otherwise meet the required NFL rules for eligibility to play.
If the player meets these requirements, the team may name him to the practice squad without taking up one of the usual 16 spots. It is irrelevant whether the actor comes from the IPP or was scouted elsewhere.
Previously, only four teams per season from a selected division were allowed to use this additional space. Marcel Dabo, for example, is currently benefiting from this regulation. The defensive back was brought back to the practice squad by the Indianapolis Colts.
The additional space on the practice squad is a grateful opportunity for the NFL teams, who “only” have to shell out the set practice squad salary of $12,000 per week – peanuts for the multi-billion dollar organizations.
NFL: The Fruits of the International Pathway Program
In total, the IPP has already produced 37 international players, 19 of whom are currently in the extended squad of a team and five are even on the active roster.
From a German perspective, the best-known player from the IPP is certainly Jakob Johnson. The fullback was signed by the New England Patriots in 2019 as part of the IPP and prevailed there.
Last year, his former OC and Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels took him to Las Vegas, where he helped running back Josh Jacobs to a season as the rushing leader.