The Minnesota Vikings’ Moritz Böhringer, a German native, and the New York Giants’ Anthony Dable, who comes from France, aren’t like their teammates or any of the other players who reported to training camp. These international prospects continue to pursue dreams of playing professionally while carrying the weight of nations and thousands around the world interested in following in their footsteps.
Europe is merely one area where the NFL’s influence continues to grow. From Asia to South America to even Africa, these relatively untapped markets stand as the next great frontiers to develop into pipelines for the American game.
With the world gathering in Rio de Janeiro to watch the 2016 Olympics, American football is out of the spotlight yet is more popular than ever. Football is no longer just an American phenomenon. As safety and a lack of participation at the youth levels dominate the national conversation, interest increases abroad at an accelerated pace.
However, the sport still has a long way to go before it is a global entity.