The New York Giants are one of four teams chosen to carry an additional overseas player on their practice squad in 2020 as part of the International Player Pathway program, the NFL announced on Monday.
The four NFC East teams — the Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins — will each carry one overseas player on their roster until the end of training camp. The NFC East was chosen to receive these players in a random draw by the league.
The Giants will obtain the rights to Sandro Platzgummer, a running back from Austria. Below is a short bio of Platzgummer provided by the league:
Participated in youth football leagues while growing up in Austria. Represented Austria on their U19 team and competed on the senior team in the 2018 European Championships. In 2019, Platzgummer played running back for the Swarco Raiders Tirol of the Austrian Football League with nearly 1000 total yards and 15 total touchdowns.
Platzgummer will only be eligible to be a practice squad player for the Giants in 2020. They will be allotted an international player practice squad exemption for the 2020 season for Platzgummer.
“The International Player Pathway program is an important part of our ongoing efforts to grow the game globally and provide pathways for international players to make it to the NFL,” said Damani Leech, NFL Chief Operating Officer of International. “We were excited to have players from around the world competing for a spot in the 2020 program, including eight players who were selected after participating in the International Combine in Germany this past October.”
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