International Player Pathway


International Player Pathway is a program run by the National Football League to increase the number of players from outside the United States or Canada in the NFL. The program was formed as part of the NFL's strategy to grow globally as it provides athletes with the opportunity to play in the league. Its aim is to increase the pool of talent and ultimately drive global fan growth.

Background

The International Player Pathway program was not the first initiative by the NFL to introduce foreign talent into its pool of players and neither is it, as yet, the longest running. The first such program was the NFL International Development Practice Squad Program that ran between 2004 and 2009. Following a short hiatus of seven years there was a single incarnation of NFL Undiscovered in 2016 and building immediately on the success of that trial the IPPP was instituted in 2017.

NFL International Development Practice Squad Program

The NFL International Practice Squad Program was an initiative run by the NFL in which selected players from outside the United States or Canada were assigned to the practice squads of NFL teams. The program began in 2004 and was concluded five years later in 2009 but during that time many players from a multitude of nations were given the opportunity to play in the NFL or other professional football leagues like the Arena Football League, the United Football League and the Canadian Football League.

NFL Undiscovered

Two British-born former NFL players, Aden Durde and two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora, were concerned that there were no clear pathways into the NFL for players who had not gone to high school and/or college in the United States, and, as a result, the NFL was potentially missing out on some exceptional players. Wanting to remedy this, in early 2016, they used their personal and professional contacts from their time in the NFL to create a training program and to set up meetings and tryouts with NFL teams for a small number of specially selected football players. These players' potential had been scouted primarily by watching YouTube videos. The initial group of players all lived, worked and played amateur football in Europe. At the time, the program was not yet officially named the International Player Pathway, but it was fully sanctioned and supported by the NFL. Additionally, the League had commissioned a mini-series documentary to be made, called NFL Undiscovered, that followed the participants of the program.
In 2017, the IPP was implemented with systems for choosing which division sponsors the program annually, as well as special regulations applying to the teams being assigned the players. The program has grown every year since its launch and, as of 2020, more than half of all NFL teams have signed international players as a direct result of the program.

Eligibility

In 2017, potential applicants to NFL Undiscovered were asked to meet specific requirements and were advised to follow a particular application process. Some of these criteria have either changed over time or there is some discretion applied during the selection process, as not all the athletes that have come through the program in the intervening years meet all of the following criteria.
  • age 24 or younger
  • out of high school for at least four years
  • did not play football at an American college
  • ability to speak English
  • not a citizen of the U.S. or Canada
  • must be available and eligible to travel to the U.S. for two months from the first week in March

    Roster regulations

The NFL has specific regulations for players that sign through the IPP. The teams to which each IPP player is assigned are allowed 91 players on their off-season rosters, one more than those teams that are not participating in the IPP that year. At the point when these rosters need to be cut to 53, the participating teams must decide the status of their IPP players.
First, the team can keep their IPP player on their 53-man roster. If they waive the player, he goes through the NFL's waiver system, which allows him to be claimed by another team. If he clears waivers, the team can sign the player to their practice squad. If they do, they may elect to take an exemption for the IPP player, giving them an extra spot on their practice squad. If they utilize the exemption, that player cannot be signed to the active roster of any team during the season, but starting in 2024 the player can be elevated for up to three games. If the exemption is declined, the player is treated like any other practice squad player, and can be promoted to a team's active roster. If the player chooses to sign with a team other than the one to which he was assigned, that team may not claim the exemption.

Notable participants

SeasonPlayerNationalityBackgroundPositionDebut team
2016FranceFootballWide receiverNew York Giants
2016GermanyFootballWide receiverMinnesota Vikings
2017United KingdomRugby unionTight endAtlanta Falcons
2017United KingdomFootballDefensive endNew Orleans Saints
2017GermanyFootballLinebackerTampa Bay Buccaneers
2017United KingdomFootballDefensive endCarolina Panthers
2018GermanyFootballRunning backBaltimore Ravens
2018AustraliaRugby leagueOffensive tacklePhiladelphia Eagles
2018United KingdomFootballDefensive backCleveland Browns
2018United KingdomRugby unionTight endPittsburgh Steelers
2019AustraliaRugby leagueRunning backNew York Jets
2019GermanyFootballFullbackNew England Patriots
2019BrazilFootballDefensive tackleMiami Dolphins
2019United KingdomRugby unionRunning backBuffalo Bills
2020MexicoFootballOffensive tackleDallas Cowboys
2020GermanyFootballDefensive tackleWashington Football Team
2020AustraliaAustralian rulesDefensive endPhiladelphia Eagles
2020AustriaFootballRunning backNew York Giants
2021GermanyFootballDefensive endSeattle Seahawks
2021MexicoFootballOffensive tackleSan Francisco 49ers
2021ItalyHandballOffensive tackleLos Angeles Rams
2021ChileBasketballTight endWashington Football Team
2021AustriaFootballTight endArizona Cardinals
2022GermanyFootballCornerbackIndianapolis Colts
2022NigeriaFootballOffensive tackleNew York Giants
2022NigeriaFootballOffensive tackleArizona Cardinals
2022United KingdomFootballDefensive endHouston Texans
2022NetherlandsFootballTight endTennessee Titans
2022NigeriaBasketballDefensive endKansas City Chiefs
2022United KingdomFootballStrong safetyJacksonville Jaguars
2023FranceFootballDefensive lineMinnesota Vikings
2023NigeriaBasketballDefensive lineLos Angeles Chargers
2023NigeriaFootballOffensive tackleDenver Broncos
2023NigeriaBasketballDefensive lineLas Vegas Raiders
2023NigeriaBasketballOffensive tackleKansas City Chiefs
2023NigeriaBasketballDefensive lineGreen Bay Packers
2024United KingdomRugby unionRunning backKansas City Chiefs
2024IrelandGaelic footballPlacekickerNew Orleans Saints
2024GermanyFootballOffensive linemanTampa Bay Buccaneers
2024AustraliaAustralian rulesTight endJacksonville Jaguars
2024United KingdomRugby unionOffensive guardBuffalo Bills
2024Dominican RepublicBasketballOffensive tackleMiami Dolphins
2024AustraliaRugby leagueDefensive endNew England Patriots
2024NigeriaTrack and fieldWide receiverLos Angeles Chargers
2024IrelandGaelic footballPlacekickerNew York Giants
2024AustraliaRugby leagueOffensive tacklePhiladelphia Eagles
2024The BahamasFootballDefensive tackleDallas Cowboys
2024AustraliaFootballTight endDenver Broncos
2024United KingdomFootballDefensive tackleLos Angeles Rams
2024AustraliaFootballPlacekickerGreen Bay Packers
2024GermanyFootballLinebackerPittsburgh Steelers
2025Lenny KriegGermanyFootballPlacekickerAtlanta Falcons
2025AustraliaRugby unionTight endLos Angeles Chargers
2025ZimbabweRugby unionDefensive endWashington Commanders
2025United KingdomFootballDefensive tackleCincinnati Bengals
2025United KingdomFootballDefensive endCarolina Panthers
2025GermanyFootballOffensive tackleNew York Jets
2025AustraliaRugby unionDefensive linemanLas Vegas Raiders
2025AustraliaFootballPunterMinnesota Vikings
2025FranceFootballDefensive tackleNew England Patriots
2025IrelandGaelic footballPlacekickerGreen Bay Packers
2025GermanyFootballTight endIndianapolis Colts
2025Puerto RicoFootballOffensive guardSeattle Seahawks
2025AustriaFootballOffensive tackleArizona Cardinals
2025Luke Felix-FualaloAustraliaFootballOffensive tacklePhiladelphia Eagles