NFL champ Vollmer:
“Would like to see these kids in NFL in 10 years”
"I would like to see the children and young people who are coming into contact with football for the first time today playing at the Olympic Games, in college or maybe even in the NFL in ten years' time." In an interview with "krone.at", former NFL professional Sebastian Vollmer looks to a promising football future in Europe, raves about Bernhard Raimann and remembers his time with the New England Patriots.
"Krone.at": Sebastian, you played eight years in New England, became Super Bowl champion twice with the Patriots - what memories do you have of this time?
Vollmer: Super Bowl rings and play-off victories are of course at the top of the list in sporting terms - that was also all very nice. For me, however, it's the interpersonal events, conversations and friendships that developed during this time that will stay with me. It was almost ten years of my life that not many people get to experience like that. You go to work in sweatpants, play a game and get paid for it on top of that, but for me the friendships I was able to make were even more valuable.
American football wasn't exactly a popular sport in Germany at the start of your career - how can we imagine your path to the NFL?I was actually a swimmer and footballer until I was asked at school if I would like to try out football. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do and quickly fell in love with the sport. Swimming is an individual sport, you are alone with your thoughts, in control of your own destiny. It's different in team sports. You can be as talented as you like, but if your team isn't good, it won't do you any good - and vice versa. When I tried the sport for the first time, I was immediately fascinated. When I got the chance to play for the German national team, I was offered scholarships - all thanks to the help of people who saw something in me and stood up for me. The combination of ambition, hard work and people who supported me eventually led me to the NFL.
The NFL has visited Europe four times this year, and you've also played in London twice in your career ...
When I played in London for the first time in 2009, the fans didn't know much about the NFL. For me as a European, it was still cool to play at Wembley Stadium. By 2012, a lot had changed and European fans were much more engaged with the league. Even today, year after year, I see how much more enlightened the spectators are and how much they enjoy the games. For me, the atmosphere is something special - you don't often experience something like that as an American. The NFL is getting bigger and bigger in Europe.
To what extent can the football fan culture be compared with that in Europe - in soccer, for example?
The fans are different, but the game itself is also not comparable. Football games are much longer and thrive on aspects such as entertainment or tailgating before the games. Even if you're not a big football fan, you should definitely go and have a good time. It's something very special - and always peaceful and informal. I've hardly ever had any negative experiences with autograph requests or photo requests. The perfect mix is created when choreographies and fan marches, as we know them from the European Games, meet the peaceful football atmosphere.
Austria is represented in the NFL by Bernhard Raimann - how do you see his career?
Impressive! I got to know him before he was drafted - he looks like a tackle and acts like one: he's always calm, works hard, does everything right. He got off to a very good and fast start. That makes me want more!
How can European players like Raimann or you influence NFL awareness in Europe? How important are European players for the NFL?
Extremely important! You can't get people excited about a team or the sport if you don't have something tangible. The easiest way to do that is through players. When we won the Super Bowl in the 2014/15 season, the New England Patriots were able to attract huge crowds of fans in Germany - because a German was playing there. Two years later, we were able to win the Super Bowl again and the attention became a bit bigger, which of course made the story easier to write. The Patriots also recognized the European market very early on - for example with the flag football field in Düsseldorf. Team campaigns coupled with European players are creating an ever-growing story that is making young people fall in love with the sport, dream of becoming superstars and perhaps playing in the NFL themselves in ten years' time.
He (Raimann, note) still has many years ahead of him to get even better, but he has definitely made a very good and fast start.
Sebastian Vollmer
Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Christof Birbaumer/Kronenzeitung, GEPA Pictures
Europeans are often said to have a harder time making it in America. What challenges do players from Germany or Austria face that US-Americans rarely if ever have to deal with?
I've never been labeled as "German", I've never felt any negative liability. In the end, it's the performance that counts. The problem is more the basic experience that Europeans often lack. I started playing football at the age of 17 - so very late. If you don't start early enough, it's difficult to develop a feel for the ball as a footballer. It's similar in football - especially as a quarterback or receiver. The Patriots and the NFL have recognized this and have dedicated themselves to the goal of creating good basic training in Europe. This is where initiatives such as the flag football program or the NFL Academy come into play. The step from college to the NFL is not the difficult one, but the one from high school to college. This is where the NFL wants to help.
The New England Patriots announced their partnership with the AFBÖ on Thursday. What do the two parties expect from the deal?
A good partnership is created when two parties are committed to the same goal: to develop the sport in Austria, to inspire people and to introduce them to the sport. The New England Patriots want to gain a foothold in the DACH region, they support leagues and fund sponsorships. The AFBÖ, on the other hand, benefits from their expertise - be it in terms of business, players or training culture.
Let's look to the future: where do you see the NFL in ten years' time - especially from a European perspective?
Would I have thought ten years ago that we would be here today with the NFL? Hardly. We have games in Munich, London, Madrid, etc. So globalization remains a very big issue, and of course the DACH region is number one here. I would like to see the children who are coming into contact with football for the first time today playing at the Olympic Games, at college or perhaps even in the NFL in ten years' time. Or at least follow the sport as fans. That is the Patriots' aspiration and goal.
This article has been automatically translated,
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