EVERYEN PARK Max Pircher, an offensive lineman, will be joining the Detroit Lions through the NFL’s international pathway program, the team announced on Monday. Patrick Murtagh, an Australian who was originally named to the squad but had to withdraw due to a health concern, is replaced by Pircher.
Pircher is originally from Bolzano, Italy, a sizable city close to Austria’s northern border. Though he was 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds and had played handball and soccer as a child, he made the decision to try American football with the Swarco Raiders in Innsbruck, Austria. Before being accepted into the international pathways program in 2021, he played for the Hildesheim Invaders in Hildesheim, Germany, and the Italian National Team (Blue Team).
Through the program, talented athletes from all over the world can compete for a roster spot in the NFL. Pircher and other players are exempt from counting against the player cap when they hold positions on the practice squad.
Pircher played well in the preseason last year, but he was never added to the 53-man roster. Pircher spent the previous two seasons on the Los Angeles Rams practice squad. He will now be a part of a crowded offensive line in Detroit, where the starting offensive tackles are Matt Nelson, Penei Sewell, and Taylor Decker.
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With Lions coaches, staff, and players on the inside are Kyle Meinke, Ben Raven, and Kory Woods. Fans should be aware of this on game day and every day.
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