The best international players ever in the NFL
American football has crossed borders in the last few years, exploding in popularity. The NFL is a massive reason for that, and with the ease of access to games, people across the globe are now becoming fascinated with the sport.
However, over the years, there has been a number of international players who have left their mark on the NFL. Here are some of the very best to have graced the field:
Morten Andersen
Andersen, also known as ‘the Great Dane’, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1960. He is best known for his time with the Atlanta Falcons, where he scored the game-winning field goal in the 1998 NFC title game, which eventually helped them to Super Bowl XXXIII. That’s a far cry from the Falcons of today. Their 7-10 record last season saw them finish last in the NFC South. In fact, bookmakers like Paddy Power don’t see them fair any better next season, as they’re only 7/4 to make next season’s playoffs, compared to 2/5 not to. But a betting calculator may be the best way to determine if those would be good bets.
He played soccer and handball before being introduced to American football. The sport was only somewhat popular in Denmark, but being from an international city allowed him to find like-minded people and excel in the sport. His background in soccer allowed him to perform well as a kicker. Sending tapes to American colleges, he played at Michigan State as a placekicker and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New Orleans Saints in 1982.
He went on to play for five different teams over his 25-year career, including the Saints, Falcons, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings. Named to seven Pro Bowls, Andersen was also a three-time All-Pro. With the NFL record for most career field goals made (565) and most career points scored (2,544), he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Tony Boselli
Boselli was born in Modesto, California, but grew up in Canada and played college football at USC. He was drafted second overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1995 NFL Draft and quickly established himself as one of the best left tackles in the league. He was named to five Pro Bowls and was a three-time All-Pro.
Boselli helped lead the Jaguars to four straight playoff appearances from 1996-1999, including two AFC Championship Game appearances. Injuries cut his career short, but he is widely considered one of the best offensive linemen of his era.
The Jaguars are in a new era with now generational quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The young QB led his team to the top of the AFC South last season, finishing the year with five wins on the trot according to the Daily Mail. They could be a dark horse to win it all next season with Lawrence winning MVP.
Sebastian Janikowski
Janikowski was born in Wałbrzych, Poland, in 1978 and moved to the United States as a teenager. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round (17th overall) by the Oakland Raiders in 2000.
Janikowski quickly became one of the most potent kickers in the league, with a booming leg allowing him to make long-range field goals easily. He played for the Raiders for 18 seasons, setting numerous team records, before playing one season with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018. He scored a total of 1,913 points over his career, which ranks 11th all-time in NFL history.
The game continues to grow internationally, and with accessibility to the sport rising, there are sure to be many new players from across the globe to take the NFL by storm.
