The NFL has evolved significantly over the past several years.
This league has gained global popularity, which has been met with a response to play several international games each year.
For the 2023 season, games are slated to be played in London and Germany, and more countries will be added in subsequent seasons.
A recent announcement has placed an additional emphasis on the game’s global reach.
As shared via Dov Kleiman, the NFL issued a statement, saying practice squads will be expanded to add at least one international player, which begins in 2024.
Update: The NFL announces that the league will expend practice squads for all 32 teams to include one international player, starting in 2024. pic.twitter.com/QnttvqpAWN
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 13, 2023
This is to try and add more elite talent to NFL rosters from across the globe.
As this note indicates, there have been several international players that have had success in the league over the past several years.
Jordan Mailata, for instance, is from Australia.
While he hadn’t played a snap of football before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles, he was a quick study, turning into one of their star players.
With any luck, adding international players into the fold will increase competition, potentially helping teams add star players.
This initiative is slated to begin in 2024, a short turnaround from when this was initially announced.
Scouting departments will quickly need to get to work, trying to get an edge on other teams to try and get to players first.
How many star players will come from this new initiative?
And, can the NFL sustain this program for years to come, helping bring many new players into the fold?
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