Frenchman Junior Aho will join the Minnesota Vikings roster as they prepare for the 2023-24 season, the first step in a possible career in the National Football League, the NFL announced Thursday.
"We are thrilled to have Junior join the Vikings, after years of commitment and development of his talent at all levels of the game, both in France and in the United States," said Will Bryce, head of the NFL's international development program.
Not yet guaranteed to play the season
Originally from Nice, Aho (24) played in the U19 France team before moving to the United States, first at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, then at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, which plays in Division 1, the best American university level.
In January 2023, the one who plays in defense joined, after tests carried out in London, the international program of the NFL, created in 2017 to identify the best players of American football outside North America.
He is guaranteed to carry out all the preparation for the 2023-24 season with his team, which includes 90 players at the beginning, but nothing guarantees him to be part of the 53 players selected for the season. While several French players have been under contract with NFL teams, only one has really broken into the holy of holies, Richard Tardits, who was a linebacker for the New England Patriots from 1990 to 1992.
- NFL
- Sport
- American football
- USA