As Seahawks and Eagles prepare for London, the IPPP initiative raises the NFL’s international ambitions

by Ryan Conway

Confetti rained down onto the turf of U.S. Bank Stadium, Minnesota. Running back Jay Ajayi was surrounded by cameras as their lenses captured him draped in a Union Jack flag. An outcast in Miami, the Hackney-born runner was traded mid-season, you would have been forgiven for thinking Ajayi’s campaign was to end in tears, not triumph.

Yet there he stood, conducting interviews in an accent reminiscent of London, with a thick, American twang to it.

The Philadelphia Eagles running back represents not only a victory for himself and his team. It was also for other Brits and Europeans crossing the North Atlantic Ocean with dreams of making an NFL roster much like he did. And becoming a Super Bowl champion, much like he has done.

According to a study in November of 2017 from pro-football-reference.com 96.5 percent of NFL athletes were born in the United States. Ajayi was one of just four players born in the United Kingdom in the NFL last term. Overall there were just 69 athletes, representing 30 different countries, playing in the league this past campaign.

The powers that be within the America’s most popular sport are trying to be even more diverse. At a time of great political divide about how diverse a society should be, the NFL is branching out further still and is in its second year of what they are hoping will become ground-breaking.

Launched in 2017, the International Player Pathway Program is aimed at becoming more global with its on field personnel.

The IPPP gives a team an extra space on their practise squad which is exclusively reserved for a player outside of the United States. The player cannot be released during their first season and is eligible to play in pre-season games but cannot be activated to a game day roster.

Five British players are currently on the program, two new participants for the 2018 season as well as three returning players from the 2017 program.

Fans of Rugby Union may recognise two names populating NFL practise squads as Alex Gray and Christian Scotland-Williamson. The pair swapped professional careers in rugby to pursue dreams of playing in the National Football League.

Gray’s union career spanned the Newcastle Falcons, London Irish and Yorkshire Carnegie. He was also named in the England Sevens squad for the 2016 Olympic Games before suffering an injury. Scotland-Williamson payed for the Worcester Warriors.

In recent years, more professional athletes from the UK have tried to make the transition to playing football in America. A gifted performer in one sport does not necessarily transfer their skills to a league as demanding as the NFL.

The four players in this year’s IPPP program are Alex Gray a tight end from the UK (Atlanta Falcons), Alex Jenkins a defensive end from the UK (New Orleans Saints), Eric Nzeocha, a linebacker from Germany (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Efe Obada, a defensive end from England (Carolina Panthers).
Photo: nflplayerengagement.com

The deck was further stacked, with no such program in place at the time. Players such as former discus thrower Lawrence Okoye flamed out quickly, unable to adapt and mutate so quickly. With the IPPP in place, it allows for players to have at least one year to acclimatise to the game.

While no player from the initiative has managed to ascend to crack a game day roster spot, the project is still very much in its embryonic phase with room for growth. There is evidence of early success with the retention of players from their maiden year, however.

Early progress has been made. Yet the initiative must achieve real results if it is to become truly global on the field as well as off, as it so desires. Perhaps the closest to a success story the campaign is German wide receiver Moritz Böhringe. Born in Stuttgart, the pass catcher was drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 draft by the Minnesota Vikings.

The 24-year-old failed take a single snap before he was released on to resign with the team on their practise squad. Now converted into a tight end, Böhringer has found himself a spot on the practise squad of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Only 0.09 percent of players who have collegiate experience of football ever get drafted by an NFL team. Ajayi was one of those when the Miami Dolphins selected him in the fifth round, 149^th overall. The glaring statistic makes IPPP an even longer shot to succeed. None of the athletes on the program have ever played at college level.

Some may have played in domestic leagues, Böhringer represented Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in Germany, but the standard when compared to the intense nature of college programs can be considered amateur.

The NFL will continue its growth in London and across Europe regardless of the project’ success or failure. The allure of a London franchise grows increasingly popular year on year, and the thought of taking games to Ireland and Germany has been flirted with in the not-so-distant past. When the league returns in October for its 11^th consecutive year it will be another remarkable achievement. So far three games are planned in London in 2018, one at Tottenham Hostpurs’ new stadium and two at iconic Wembley.

NFL Games in London 2018

• NFL London Games 2018: Oakland Raiders v Seattle Seahawks at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 
• NFL London Games 2018: Philadelphia Eagles v Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. 
• NFL London Games 2018: Tennessee Titans v Los Angeles Chargers at Wembley Stadium. 

But the league must do more, they must reach even further and find ways to bring in new fans, new markets and new money. The NFL is looking for its next Jay Ajayi.

Bringing the best players to display their talents in London can only help broaden that search and improve the chances for success.