Compared to the other major American sports leagues, the NBA, NHL and MLB, the National Football League is not necessarily known for its “multiculturalism”; only a small percentage of the players come from overseas. Nevertheless, then as now, a number of international players have left significant footprints in the league and have made a name for themselves forever in the history of this very American sport. TOUCHDOWN24 brings together some of these players in an All Time International Team, which also includes two Germans!
Christian Okoye (Nigeria)
“The Nigerian Nightmare” was the owner of one of the coolest nicknames in NFL history and lived up to him with his massive running style. Okoye only started playing American football at the age of 23 and even held the Chiefs record for most rushing yards at times.
Sebastian Vollmer (Germany)
Tall Hendrik from the Lower Rhine (birthplace Kaarst) originally drew attention to himself as a tight end until he was retrained to tackle at college. In eight years with the New England Patriots, he won two Super Bowls and started 80 games for the Brady Belichick Dynasty.
Sebastian Vollmer: Super Bowl winner makes football popular in Germany http://t.co/vpL9BRLnyM pic.twitter.com/w81EKqbBdZ
– WORLD (@world) February 2, 2015
Ted Hendricks (Guatemala)
Hendricks was christened the “Mad Stork” because of his lanky body and, in his role as linebacker, particularly filled the first word with life. The “Storch” is one of the most deserving players in NFL history with eight Pro Bowls, four Super Bowls and a seat in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.
Vai Sikahema (Tonga)
Today’s priest was the first player from Tonga in the NFL and earned his spurs primarily as an explosive return specialist. For the Cardinals, the Packers, and the Eagles, it brought it the likeable pro bowler to a total of 8,102 return yards and carried the ball five times into the end zone.
Luis Sharpe (Kuba)
Sharpe was born in Havana and went on to become a supposed NFL model professional who did a lot for his family and charitable causes. Behind the facade was a sad drug addiction, which the three-time pro bowler was only able to defeat years after his active career and after a lot of pain.
Mark Rypien (Kanada)
Rypien comes from a sports-loving family that includes two former NHL professionals as well as another NFL quarterback with cousin Brett. The avid golfer Mark won the Super Bowl twice with the Redskins and even became the MVP of the big game in 1992.
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— All 22-The Global Scouting Network (@All22Global) May 31, 2021
Morten Andersen (Denmark)
In his youth, the Copenhagen native tried gymnastics, soccer and athletics before ending up playing football in Indianapolis. The Hall Of Fame kicker made it into the Pro Bowl seven times, scored 2,544 points for six franchises and is a direct member of two All Decade teams of the NFL.
Gary Anderson (South Africa)
Anderson originally dreamed of becoming a professional footballer like his father. As a former rugby player, he drew the attention of scouts in the USA and became the first kicker in NFL history with the Minnesota Vikings without a miss during the regular season. But then it followed “the dramatic wide left” im NFC Championship Game 1998.
Sean Jones (Jamaika)
During his 12-year NFL career, Dwight Andre Sean O’Neil Jones had over 600 tackles and 115 sacks. The Kingston-born defender made it into the NFL’s All Pro Team twice and won the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in the last game of his career in 1997.
Tom Fears (Mexiko)
The son of an American mine engineer and a Mexican woman was born in Guadalajara. Before becoming one of the best wide receivers of his time in the NFL (1950s NFL All Decade Team), young Tom worked as a flower seller and later served in the US Army.
Tamba Hali (Liberia)
At the age of ten, Hali’s family sent the young Tamba from Liberia to the United States so as not to expose him to the civil war raging in his home country. In America, Hali developed into a thoroughbred professional and an absolute legend among the Kansas City Chiefs, for which he recorded a total of 89.5 sacks.
Here is the list of players that have more career sacks in Chiefs history than Tamba Hali:
Derrick Thomas.
That’s it. That’s the list. pic.twitter.com/nChZvvfBKI
— ???? (@LanceTHESPOKEN) May 10, 2021
Sebastian Janikowski (Polen)
Janikowski, who was born in Walbrzych, made it to the junior national team in his country, but then the Gridiron called the man with the massive left sticker. Here the Oakland Raiders make him one of three kickers in NFL history to be drawn in the first round of the draft.
Osi Umenyiora (England)
The name of the son of Nigerian parents is of Igbo ethnic origin and means “from today things will be fine”. Anyway, the New York Giants didn’t regret it den Pass Rusher in the 2003 NFL Draft for winning two Super Bowls with two times Pro Bowler.
Jan Stenerud (Norway)
Actually, Stenerud had come to Montana State University with the help of a ski jumping scholarship, by chance and the watchful eyes of the basketball coach, he ended up playing football. Here the kicker moved into the Hall of Fame after 18 strong NFL years including the Super Bowl Ring.
1960 Topps Football Card # 101 Ernie Stautner (HOF) https://t.co/7tczyjrRjR pic.twitter.com/fAZaRjdTo9
— B&b CardsComicsMore (@BnbCCM) February 20, 2018
Ernie Stautner (Germany)
Ernst “Ernie” Stautner from the Free State of Bavaria was a “tough dog” as he says in the book. The stocky defensive tackle was one of the toughest players of his generation and didn’t let a number of broken bones stop him from becoming a Hall Of Famer, a Steelers legend and later an excellent coach.
Arnie Weinmeister (Kanada)
The defensive tackle did not play in the NFL for a long time, as his college career was interrupted by four years of military service. In his six professional seasons, however, the Canadian from Saskatchewan shone and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Hines Ward (South Korea)
Hines Ward was born in Seoul while his father was stationed there for the US Army. After a youth in Georgia, he evolved into a rock-hard and versatile receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he won two Super Bowls.
Leo Nominelli (Italy)
The “lion” from Tuscany played American football for the first time during his time with the US Marines and later developed into one of the best players of his time alongside his heroic deeds in the wrestling ring. He acted as a tackle on both sides of the ball and made it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame thanks to ten Pro Bowls.
Bronko Nagurski (Kanada)
Hall Of Famer Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski, also a merited heavyweight wrestler, is one of the great legends of the Chicago Bears, with whom he won three NFL Championships. The trophy for the best defender in college football is named after the typical two-way player.
Steve Van Buren is one of the 12 RBs selected to the #NFL100 All-Time Team!
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???? 4x Rushing Title Winner pic.twitter.com/FvojbTNMJ3— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2019
Steve Van Buren (Honduras)
At the age of ten, Van Buren was an orphan and came to live with relatives in New Orleans. Here he was initially not good enough for the football team and from then on worked in an iron foundry. After returning to school two years later, the incredible career of the halfback begins, whose number 15 is never again awarded by the Philadelphia Eagles.
There are of course a number of other top international performers who deserve to be featured on this list. If you miss someone in particular, please let us know on the well-known channels!
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