Austrian Bernhard Seikovits gets second shot at NFL with Arizona Cardinals – Arizona Cardinals Blog

TEMPE, Ariz. — When Arizona Cardinals tight finish Bernhard Seikovits seems to be again at his path to the NFL, he thinks he ought to’ve been a bit extra affected person, perhaps even a bit extra goal.

Thanks hindsight.

The NFL wasn’t on Seikovits’ radar as he grew up enjoying for the Vienna Vikings of the Austrian Soccer League in his residence nation. Then the NFL invited him to its Worldwide Mix in Germany within the Fall of 2019. From there, he was invited to the NFL’s Worldwide Participant Pathway Program (IPPP) and began coaching at IMG Academy in Florida. However that chance was was lower quick by the pandemic and he wasn’t allotted to an NFL crew.

He was disheartened however didn’t let it put a damper on his new aim of enjoying within the NFL.

“If I might have checked out it a bit bit extra goal, perhaps I might have mentioned to myself, ‘Sure, perhaps it’s going to be a two-year factor,’” Seikovits, 23, mentioned. “However once I got here in, after all I went in and I assumed I did a very good job and I assumed a crew would choose me. So, I used to be, after all, actually disenchanted.

“However my household and my pals actually lifted me up once more after the choice and I actually used this as motivation for the following yr, so I actually devoted the final yr to get higher, stronger and quicker.”

Seikovits, a former quarterback, transitioned from huge receiver to tight finish after the NFL Worldwide Mix. The NFL wished him to take part within the IPPP, which he began on Jan. 23, 2023, as a good finish due to his 6-foot-5 body. In addition they suggested him to start out gaining weight, a advice he took to coronary heart.

Seikovits went again to Vienna and honed his expertise at tight finish, getting assist from his teaching employees. He was within the Vikings’ health club every single day and even constructed a weight lifting platform in a good friend’s storage so he might work out outdoors of the crew’s facility. It paid off. He’s now 262 kilos and constructed like a good finish.

Vienna Vikings offensive coordinator Max Koessler tailored the offense round Seikovits, who performed “sporadically” at tight finish earlier than final season.

“Simply used him solely as a good finish to indicate give them an opportunity to showcase his ability set and attempt to coach him up as nearly as good as we might,” Koessler mentioned. “And simply to place some tight finish performs on movie.”

Added head coach Chris Calaycay: “That was an enormous a part of our 2023 season is ensuring that he was in that place to place that on movie and work on it.”

Seikovits completed the season with loads of good tape to indicate NFL groups. He completed 2023 with 21 catches for 262 yards and 4 touchdowns in three video games. His stat line from final season had him on a tempo for profession highs in all three classes.

Seikovits was given one other probability at this yr’s IPPP and with a greater grasp of the place, particularly the schematics of enjoying tight finish and improved methods, he was picked, getting allotted to the Cardinals in early Might.

Koessler, who’s recognized Seikovits since he was about 11, referred to as and simply yelled into the cellphone with pleasure. Seikovits can be on the roster till the tip of coaching camp after which can be eligible for both a follow squad exemption for worldwide gamers or the energetic roster.

“I couldn’t be extra glad to be sincere that they didn’t choose me final yr,” Seikovits mentioned. “So, I feel, nevertheless it goes in life, it all the time has a that means, and I’m actually glad I landed right here.

“And I wouldn’t have been right here if, final yr, they choose me so I’m glad the way it turned out.”

Seikovits, who took half within the Cardinals’ rookie minicamp in Might, isn’t nervous about taking the sector with veterans. The final two years have been constructing towards this second.

“He’s obtained nice ball expertise and nice fingers and nice soccer consciousness,” Calaycay mentioned.

Seikovits has a uncommon mixture of measurement and velocity. He can block like a good finish, transfer like a receiver and see the sector from a quarterback’s perspective. Add all of it up and Seikovits may have what it takes to make the crew.

“He performed — and nonetheless performs the sport — by way of the eyes of a quarterback so route changes, change-ups within the blocking scheme relying on entrance motion was like second nature,” Koessler mentioned.

Seikovits’ first throw as a quarterback was an interception however he recovered to throw greater than 400 yards and 6 touchdowns that sport, Koessler mentioned. He performed the place till the Vikings added Kevin Burke, an American quarterback who went to Case Western and performed for the Memphis Categorical of the now-defunct Alliance of American Soccer earlier than he was launched and changed by Johnny Manziel. As soon as Burke was signed by the Vikings, Seikovits requested to alter positions so he might play, which set in movement his ascent to the NFL.

Nonetheless, the decision from common supervisor Steve Keim to welcome him to the Cardinals made Seikovits a “little bit anxious.”

He’s watched loads of NFL soccer, whether or not it was on native stations in Vienna or by way of NFL Sport Move. The 1 p.m. ET slate of video games began at 7 p.m. in Vienna, prime viewing time. Seikovits is aware of watching hours of video games received’t be the identical as seeing it up shut on the sector.

“It’s gonna be extra bodily, quicker,” he mentioned. “However, in some unspecified time in the future, I feel it comes all the way down to effort and work ethic and the way unhealthy would you like it? And I actually don’t know. I by no means noticed a reside NFL sport and I by no means practiced with the blokes. I simply noticed it on TV. So, after all, I don’t know what to anticipate, however I’m wanting ahead to it.”

Calaycay thinks Seikovits’ ability set will slot in properly in Cardianls coach Kliff Kingsbury’s scheme, creating mismatches for tight ends — considerably within the mildew of former Cardinals tight finish Dan Arnold, who’s now on the Panthers.

Koessler thinks it could take a yr or two for Seikovits to get his probability on Sundays.

Seikovits has been enjoying soccer since he was 9 years previous, then flag soccer. He switched to sort out soccer a yr later. Like nearly each child in Europe, Seikovits’ foray into sports activities started with soccer however he didn’t take pleasure in it sufficient to commit. He additionally tried swimming when he was about 5 as a result of his father was a swimmer but it surely obtained boring to “look within the water for 2 hours.”

The crew facet and physicality of soccer saved luring Seikovits additional and additional in.

“What I like most about soccer is, like, the physicality,” he mentioned. “You are able to do stuff you’ll be able to actually not do in actual life, like you’ll be able to hit folks and you’ll simply lose your thoughts, principally, generally.

“So, that actually, is, like, I don’t know, that actually excites me.”