The International Player Pathway (IPP) Program has been an integral part of the NFL for years. The program also receives fresh growth this year, including from Germany.
The decision of the NFL from the previous year helped that from then on “specialists” are also possible for the program, i.e. players such as kickers, spun, long snapper etc.
This is why two Germans can show their skills at the NFC Scouting Combine. Bastian Roppelt was active last season as a short of the Frankfurt Galaxy, Lenny Krieg as a kicker of Stuttgart Surge. From then on, you and three other “Specialists” are part of the now 18 players in large IPP-Class 2025.
Since December, Leander Wiegand, who has been In an exclusive sport.de interview his experiences shared.
This is the NFL International Player Pathway Program
The IPP program, which was launched in 2017, is intended to offer international top athletes the opportunity to play at NFL level, improve their skills and ultimately secure a place in an NFL squad.
Since its foundation, 41 international players have signed (assigned, drafted or committed as Free Agent), whereby 23 IPP athletes are currently on the NFL squad lists. Six of these players – Jordan Mailata (Australia), Jakob Johnson (Germany), Efe Obada (United Kingdom), Sammis Reyes (Chile), Thomas Odukoya (Netherlands) and David Bada (Germany) – have been on the active squadlists since 2017.
Each of the 32 NFL clubs can occupy a 17th squad square in Practice Squad with an international player. One player can be an international practice player for a maximum of three seasons, with a season as a member of the Practice Squad or the Active/Inactive cunning for at least six games (a bye week counts as a game). After that, the normal roster rules apply to players.