# International Player Pathway

International Player Pathway (IPP) is a program run by the National Football League (NFL) 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 (IPP) 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 (NFLUK head of football development) 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 (19 of 32) 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 (or equivalent) 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 (at the end of pre-season), 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

Players who participated in the NFL Undiscovered and International Player Pathway programs :
| Season | Player | Nationality | Previous sport(s) | Position | Debut team |
| 2016 | Anthony Dablé | France | Football | Wide receiver | New York Giants |
| 2016 | Moritz Böhringer | Germany | Football | Wide receiver | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2017 | Alex Gray | UK | Rugby union | Tight end | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2017 | Alex Jenkins | UK | Football | Defensive end | New Orleans Saints |
| 2017 | Eric Nzeocha | Germany | Football | Linebacker | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2017 | Efe Obada | UK | Football | Defensive end | Carolina Panthers |
| 2018 | Moritz Böhringer | Germany | Football | Tight end | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 2018 | Christopher Ezeala | Germany | Football | Running back | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2018 | Jordan Mailata | Australia | Rugby league | Offensive tackle | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2018 | Tigie Sankoh | UK | Football | Defensive back | Cleveland Browns |
| 2018 | Christian Scotland-Williamson | UK | Rugby union | Tight end | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2019 | Valentine Holmes | Australia | Rugby league | Running back | New York Jets |
| 2019 | Jakob Johnson | Germany | Football | Fullback | New England Patriots |
| 2019 | Durval Queiroz Neto | Brazil | Football | Defensive tackle | Miami Dolphins |
| 2019 | Christian Wade | UK | Rugby union | Running back | Buffalo Bills |
| 2020 | Isaac Alarcón | Mexico | Football | Offensive tackle | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2020 | David Bada | Germany | Football | Defensive tackle | Washington Football Team |
| 2020 | Matt Leo | Australia | Australian rules football | Defensive end | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2020 | Sandro Platzgummer | Austria | Football | Running back | New York Giants |
| 2021 | Aaron Donkor | Germany | Football | Defensive end | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2021 | Alfredo Gutiérrez | Mexico | Football | Offensive tackle | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2021 | Max Pircher | Italy | Handball | Offensive tackle | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2021 | Sammis Reyes | Chile | Basketball | Tight end | Washington Football Team |
| 2021 | Bernhard Seikovits | Austria | Football | Tight end | Arizona Cardinals |
| 2022 | Marcel Dabo | Germany | Football | Cornerback | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2022 | Roy Mbaeteka | Nigeria | Football | Offensive tackle | New York Giants |
| 2022 | Haggai Ndubuisi | Nigeria | Football | Offensive tackle | Arizona Cardinals |
| 2022 | Adedayo Odeleye | UK | Football | Defensive end | Houston Texans |
| 2022 | Thomas Odukoya | Netherlands | Football | Tight end | Tennessee Titans |
| 2022 | Kehinde Oginni Hassan | Nigeria | Basketball | Defensive end | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2022 | Ayo Oyelola | UK | Football | Strong safety | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2023 | Junior Aho | France | Football | Defensive line | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2023 | C. J. Okoye | Nigeria | Basketball | Defensive line | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 2023 | Haggai Ndubuisi | Nigeria | Football | Offensive tackle | Denver Broncos |
| 2023 | David Ebuka Agoha | Nigeria | Basketball | Defensive line | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 2023 | Chukwuebuka Godrick | Nigeria | Basketball | Offensive tackle | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2023 | Roy Mbaeteka | Nigeria | Football | Offensive tackle | Chicago Bears |
| 2023 | Kenneth Odumegwu | Nigeria | Basketball | Defensive line | Green Bay Packers |
| 2023 | Max Pircher | Italy | Handball | Offensive tackle | Detroit Lions |
| 2024 | Isaac Alarcón | Mexico | Football | Offensive tackle | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2024 | Louis Rees-Zammit | UK | Rugby union | Running back | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2024 | Charlie Smyth | Ireland | Gaelic football | Kicker | New Orleans Saints |
| 2024 | Max Pircher | Italy | Handball | Offensive tackle | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2024 | Haggai Ndubuisi | Nigeria | Football | Offensive tackle | Washington Commanders |
| 2024 | Lorenz Metz | Germany | Football | Offensive lineman | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2024 | Patrick Murtagh | Australia | Australian rules football | Tight end | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2024 | Travis Clayton | UK | Rugby union | Offensive guard | Buffalo Bills |
| 2024 | Bayron Matos | Dominican Republic | Basketball | Offensive tackle | Miami Dolphins |
| 2024 | Roy Mbaeteka | Nigeria | Football | Offensive tackle | Cleveland Browns |
| 2024 | Julius Welschof | Germany | Football | Linebacker | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2024 | Laekin Vakalahi | Australia | Rugby league | Offensive tackle | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2024 | Kehinde Oginni Hassan | Nigeria | Basketball | Defensive end | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2024 | Jude McAtamney | Ireland | Gaelic football | Kicker | New York Giants |
| 2024 | Denzel Daxon | The Bahamas | Football | Defensive tackle | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2024 | Thomas Yassmin | Australia | Football | Tight end | Denver Broncos |
| 2024 | David Olajiga | UK | Football | Defensive tackle | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2024 | Sammis Reyes | Chile | Basketball | Tight end | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2024 | Jotham Russell | Australia | Rugby league | Defensive end | New England Patriots |
| 2024 | Junior Aho | France | Football | Defensive line | Carolina Panthers |
| 2024 | Praise Olatoke | Nigeria | Track and field | Wide receiver | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 2024 | Alex Hale | Australia | Football | Kicker | Green Bay Packers |
| 2024 | Adedayo Odeleye | UK | Football | Defensive end | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2024 | Ayo Oyelola | UK | Football | Strong safety | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2024 | Kenneth Odumegwu | Nigeria | Basketball | Defensive line | Seattle Seahawks |