As part of this year’s International Player Pathway program, each team in the NFC East will be allowed to carry an extra, international player on their practice squad. The four organizations quickly filled these spots (via David Helman of DallasCowboys.com):
- Dallas Cowboys: OT Isaac Alarcon (Mexico)
- New York Giants: RB Sandro Platzgummer (Austria)
- Philadelphia Eagles: DE Matt Leo (Australia)
- Washington Redskins: DE David Bada (Germany)
These players will remain on their teams’ roster through training camp. At that point, each organization can sign the player to their practice squad via the “international player practice squad exemption.” This means NFC East squads can hold 11 practice squad players throughout the 2020 campaign. However, under these circumstances, the international players can’t be activated to the active roster during the 2020 season.
The International Player Pathway program was first introduced in 2017. As Helman notes, three players from last year’s program – fullback Jakob Johnson (Patriots), defensive tackle Durval Queiroz Neto (Dolphins), and running back Christian Wade (Bills) – are still with their original teams.
SANDRO PLATZGUMMER!!??
The one and only!!
You mean Future MVP Sandro Platzgummer
He used to play for a team called Swarco Raiders Tirol.
When was there football (not the round kind) in Austria!!!!!???
I think my great grandfather use to drive a 4 cylinder PLATZGUMMER around the farm when he was harvesting potatoes. There was a rumor that you could modify the engine to produce moonshine.
Holly Horst Muhlmann!!
Is it one division per season?
Something like that.
How did Kingfisher Trump approve this immigration work around!!??
He probably designated them as essential campaign advisors.
And the NFL continues their attempt at forcing the international aspect. They should quit taking games over there unless they want to give them another NFL Europe league.
I think there is a big difference between this program and Goodell’s ridiculous wet dream. This program actually has a bit of merit too it.
I get it somewhat, but they’re still trying to get these guys on a roster so the fans over there to follow the games better for when they are over there. Still a gimmick in my opinion, and enough fringe players here looking for that lucky break they can’t get just because they’re foreign.
According to the article some of these guys are good enough to stick on rosters so it wouldn’t be fair to call it a contrived gimmick. I think every player should get a level playing field when competing but there’s probably some A-hat who will read that and brand me a traitor…lol. Of course if you take the opposite view, these knuckleheads brand you a racist…lol.