The 14 players in the NFL's International Player Pathway program will be able to give a special nod to their home country throughout the preseason this year. According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the league informed clubs on Thursday that the players within the International Player Pathway program will be able to visibly represent their country during the 2021 preseason by wearing a decal of their country's flag on their helmet in addition to the U.S. flag.
Those 14 players are currently on 11 teams throughout the NFL and originate from eight different countries. So, Austria, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Italy, Mexico and the United Kingdom will all see their flags over the next month as the exhibition season unfolds.
Here's a look at each player in the IPP, their country of origin, and which club they are currently on in the NFL:
| International player (position) | NFL Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
Bernhard Seikovits (TE) | Austria | |
Efe Obada (DE) | United Kingdom | |
Christian Wade (RB) | Buffalo Bills | United Kingdom |
Isaac Alarcon (OT) | Mexico | |
Max Pircher (OL) | Italy | |
Durval Queiroz Neto (OG) | Brazil | |
Jakob Johnson (FB) | Germany | |
Sandro Platzgummer (RB) | Austria | |
Matt Leo (DE) | Australia | |
Jordan Mailata (OT) | Philadelphia Eagles | Australia |
Alfredo Gutierrez (OL) | Mexico | |
Aaron Donkor (LB) | Germany | |
David Bada (DL) | Washington Football Team | Germany |
Sammis Reyes (TE) | Washington Football Team | Chile |
The IPP was instituted in 2017 and its goal is to give international prospects the opportunity to try and earn a spot on an NFL roster, while growing the game globally.
