South Africa is a rugby powerhouse.
The Springboks have won three Rugby World Cups and are currently ranked the number one men’s team in the world.
American football has its roots in rugby, so it is not surprising that many South African athletes who once played rugby have gone on to find fame and fortune in the National Football League (NFL).
Let’s take a look at some of the most notable South African players who have ventured into gridiron football in the United States.
Dieter Eiselen
Pretoria native Dieter Eiselen, currently playing for the Houston Texans, initially excelled in rugby and weightlifting.
Upon moving to the United States to attend Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, Eiselen’s intimidating size and natural athleticism earned him a place on the boarding school’s football team.
He played a pivotal role in leading the Wild Boars to an undefeated season and a New England Championship.
After earning degrees in political science and economics from Yale University and leading the Yale Bulldogs to an Ivy League Championship, Eiselen was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chicago Bears.
In the 15 games he has played for the Bears and Houston Texans, he has earned a reputation as a formidable pass protector and run blocker.
Jerome Pathon
Born in Cape Town in 1975, Jerome Pathon became a first-team All-American while playing for the Washington Huskies in college football’s NCAA Division I.
The 73 catches he made and the 1,299 yards he gained in his senior year prompted the Indianapolis Colts to select Pathon in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft.
He went on to play 46 games for the Colts and 45 games for the New Orleans Saints.
When he retired from the game after the 2005 NFL season, Pathon had racked up 260 receptions, 3 350 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Gerhard de Beer
Gerhard de Beer was an accomplished rugby player and discus thrower when he moved from Pretoria to attend the University of Arizona.
De Beer attended school on a track and field scholarship, but his size, strength and speed soon earned him a place on the Arizona Wildcats offensive line.
After short stints with the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, and Indianapolis Colts, de Beer decided to try his luck in the XFL.
He was signed by the Houston Roughnecks and St. Louis BattleHawks, but his football career came to an end when the league suspended operations in April 2020.
Greg Joseph
Greg Joseph was only seven years old when his family moved from Johannesburg to Florida in 2001.
He became an all-state football and soccer player while attending high school in Boca Raton, and he became Florida Atlantic University’s all-time leading kicker and scorer while attending college.
Joseph became an NFL journeyman after leaving college with brief stays in Miami, Cleveland, Carolina, Tennessee, and Tampa Bay.
He was finally given a chance by the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, and he seized the opportunity.
In three seasons with the Vikings, Joseph has successfully converted 83 of his 101 field goal attempts and missed only one kick from inside 33 yards.
In October 2022, Joseph was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking five field goals and an extra point in a game against the New Orleans Saints.
Gary Anderson
Gary Anderson became the first South African to play in the NFL when he took the field for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1982.
The Durban native went on to play 23 seasons in the NFL for the Steelers, Eagles, Niners, Vikings, and Titans, but he is best remembered for his All-Pro performances in the 1998 NFL season.
Anderson was perfect for the Vikings during that campaign with not a single missed field goal or extra point.
However, that success turned to ashes in the NFC Championship Game when Anderson missed a 39-yard field goal attempt that would have taken the Vikings to the Super Bowl.
During his long and storied NFL career, Anderson kicked 538 field goals and 820 extra points.
Summary
South Africa has produced some amazing athletes, and some of them have gone on to find success in the NFL.
From Jerome Pathon’s ”River City Relay” touchdown to Gary Anderson’s perfect season, home-grown talents have given South African NFL fans plenty to cheer about.
