That feeling when you come home to a place you love? Lorenz Metz, the New England Patriots’ towering practice squad tackle, is living it right now in Germany, and get this, our Seahawks played a part in his family’s history there. Metz, who stands at an incredible 6-foot-9, 320 pounds, is the tallest player currently under contract with the Patriots, but he’s usually flying under the radar as an international practice squad player, ineligible to play in any games this year. That won’t change this week, even with the Patriots playing the Detroit Lions just 50 miles from his Bavarian hometown. But making this trip back home, and getting to practice at the iconic FC Bayern Munich facilities, is something special for the 29-year-old.
From Bayern Fan to NFL Pro, Home Again
Metz grew up about an hour from the Bayern Munich facilities, and you can bet he was a massive fan. “Bayern Munich was the team,” he said during a press conference on Thursday. “Thomas Müller, [Manuel] Neuer, all of the Bayern players were my role models. And now standing out there on the field is unbelievable.” Born in Neuötting, a city of 9,000 east of Munich, Metz’s football journey started as a fan who literally couldn’t escape the Patriots even way back then. He explained that in 2012, regular season games started showing on German free TV. And wouldn’t you know it, “2012, 2014, 2016, the Patriots were pretty much on top with Tom Brady. That was the team everybody knew, with Tom Brady, who also everybody knew.” Talk about destiny, right? At 18, Metz started his playing career with the Kirchdorf Wildcats, racking up 48 tackles and a sack in 12 games as a defensive lineman. Soon after, he packed his bags for the US to play college ball at Cincinnati, switching to offensive tackle and seeing action in 39 games with 26 starts over five seasons, even earning a first-team All-AAC selection.
That Seahawks Connection Runs Deep for Metz’s Family
Even with his college success, Metz went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, initially getting picked up by the Bears as a free agent, then spending time in Tampa before joining New England’s practice squad for their playoff run in January. Fast forward nine months, and he’s experiencing this incredible trip to Germany, fully embracing his role as the local guy. He’s not just there, he’s *all in*: snagging more than 30 tickets for friends and family for Sunday’s game, and even treating his fellow offensive linemen and some other teammates to dinner on Thursday night. And get this, the personal connection for him runs even deeper because his brother was at the first-ever NFL game in Munich back in 2022, which just so happened to be our Seattle Seahawks taking on the Buccaneers. “I was following it all,” Metz said about that game. “I already was in college in Cincinnati, couldn’t come to the game unfortunately, but did get two tickets for my brother. So, this is almost like a full-circle moment playing in that game and taking the field.”
While Metz won’t be suiting up against the Lions, this trip is clearly huge for him personally. It’s a powerful reminder of how far these guys come, and how even for an international practice squad player, the game can bring you right back home in the most incredible ways. What an awesome journey to witness!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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