South Africa’s Love for American football is Growing due the exploits of the Tennessee Titans kicker Greg Joseph
By The Spread
American football is enjoying massive approval in the United States. It is the most popular sport in the country with nearly 37% of the population watching and 8.9 million people playing.
While the sport originated from the United States and most players in different teams are American, other nationalities are also starting to emerge little by little. The appearance of other nationalities has a massive impact on native countries and promotes the development of American Football.
In this article, we will talk about South African football placekicker Greg Joseph and his influence on South Africa.
Greg Joseph – from harsh political environment to Tennessee Titans
Joseph was born in Johannesburg on 4 August 1994. When he was seven, his family decided to move to Florida, because the political landscape was very severe in South Africa. The country was just improving, but deep inequality was still a part of society.
Joseph was distinguished from his early childhood from others with his robust physique. He played football and soccer at Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Florida and also attended soccer and football at American Heritage School.
After graduating from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in exercise science and health promotion, Joseph became the university’s all-time leader in points scored, field goals made and PATs.
In 2018 after going undrafted in the NFL draft, Joseph joined Miami Dolphins as a free agent. He then moved to Cleveland Browns on 17 September 2018 and stayed there till 31 August 2019.
It was until 18 December 2019, when he signed a three-year contract with Tennessee Titans after the team waived kicker Ryan Santoso. He successfully integrated with the team, and as of 2020, he has managed to amass 53 touchbacks and 17 field goals out of 20.
While South Africa casino real moneyplayers mostly prefer other casino games such as roulette, blackjack, slots, some of them are making bets on American football too, as the main reason is Greg Joseph himself. He is a member of the best NFL league in the world and has some decent results.
As Joseph is Jewish, he follows Judaism and declared numerous times that it guided him throughout life.
Influence on South Africa
25-year-old Joseph could be considered as the second most prominent figure after another South African place kicker Gary Anderson. During his tenure in the 90s with Minnesota Vikings, he became an integral part of the club and dominated several statistical fields.
Having a fellow citizen in one of the best teams of the NFL is always a thing to be proud of. No matter if it is football, basketball or any other type of sport. People of all ages, regardless of their interest in sports, choose to watch American football only for Joseph.
When Gridiron South Africa was establishedin 2015, it promoted the growth of American football in South Africa. They formed teams in Benoni, Pretoria, Takane and slowly began to hire different players to bolster their squads further. It is essential to attract investors and create job opportunities.
The factor of Joseph could prove to be vital in the subsequent development of American football in South Africa, as he is a role model for numerous young athletes.
Read from source The Spread