The New York Giants have long been a leader in bringing in talent from overseas. Whether it be via the International Players Pathway or some other means, the Giants have had players from all over the world.
One of those players is retired defensive tackle Markus Kuhn.
The Giants selected Kuhn in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL draft. Born in Mannheim, Germany, Kuhn attended NC State University before entering the NFL draft. As a member of Big Blue, Kuhn became the first German-born player to score a touchdown in the NFL after recovering a fumble against the Tennessee Titans.
Over his four seasons in the NFL, Kuhn recorded 48 tackles (24 solo), 1.5 sacks, four passes defensed, and two fumble recoveries. After suffering several injuries, Kuhn retired in 2017 having not played since December 2015.
Now, though, Kuhn is returning to New York to be the Giants’ German brand ambassador ahead of the Giants game against the Carolina Panthers later this year. He recently spoke on the Giants Huddle podcast.
“The Giants were the last team before the international game series started that played in Germany as part of the World Games when they played in Germany in the 90s,” Kuhn said. “So the Giants played in Germany as the last team. Now, coming back this year, there’s a big fan base in Germany. There’s fan clubs that meet and watch together. So, we have a good amount of Giants fans, but also we just have a ton of American football fans in Germany that still are undecided for the team. We’re trying to see if we can turn them into Giants fans.”
Earlier this year, the Giants were granted official marketing rights in Germany.
As part of his role, Kuhn will not only provide guidance on the landscape in Germany, but he will also give recommendations on content, events, and in-market activations. Plus, he will be the face of the Giants on the team’s German social and digital accounts, helping to create content and bridge the culture gap.
Between his German roots and his experience as part of the Giants’ organization, Kuhn makes the perfect candidate to be the bridge between both worlds.
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