A month ago, the world looked very different for Mark Nzeocha.

Since the German football professional lived in early retirement.

Helping around the house, playing with the children, doing the shopping, but above all: enjoying free time (in Nzeocha's case: the couch).

The Middle Franconian had actually reached the end of his career in the National Football League (NFL) and had not received a new contract after several seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

At the age of 31, especially as the new father of a second son, it quickly seemed clear: That's it then.

Jan Erhardt

sports editor.

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But in addition to all the things you do as a football pensioner (if your battered body still allows it), Nzeocha did something else whenever he got off the couch and out of the apartment: keep fit. He didn't want to give up his dream and dream job completely. So he kept training, privately, staying ready just in case.

Injuries are almost a daily occurrence in the world of American football, with an average NFL career lasting just three years.

Each team's 53-man roster at the start of the season doesn't have much left at the end of the season when it's either halftime or playoffs.

The corona pandemic and, most recently, the omicron wave are making a significant contribution to this.

Then it has to be filled with new players, from the so-called "Practice Squad", an internal team training group, or from the free player market.

Surprising turn

At the end of December, with the regular season almost over, Nzeoacha received a text message. His agent asked him if he had video footage of his training sessions. On which it can be seen that he is still in shape. An NFL team asked about him, wrote Nzeocha's agent. Nzeocha wrote to his fitness trainer. He sent the videos. The agent sent her to Buffalo to join the Bills, the team that had discovered Mark Nzeocha's name because of staffing difficulties. Then everything happened very quickly.

Nzeocha's cell phone rang, his agent answered and the story took a surprising turn. Because it wasn't the Buffalo Bills who wanted to sign Nzeocha on such short notice, but his former employer, the San Francisco 49ers. The agent had also sent the video recordings to them, on the off chance, so to speak, and the 49ers were so impressed by what they saw that they wanted to strike immediately. New contract, inclusion in the Practice Squad to be able to step in should the absentee list make it necessary. Nzeocha didn't hesitate: he got the call at 6 p.m., he was at the airport by 8 p.m., and the plane left his hometown of Dallas for San Francisco at 9 p.m.

This is what Nzeocha said in early January in an online talk show by former NFL pro Kasim Edebali. A "whirlwind" of feelings broke over him, but also an "incredible rush". Because the next morning, after four hours of sleep, Nzeocha started again straight away. Medical check-up at Stanford University, then the first meetings, then straight onto the lawn. "Like I was there all along. Rarely in my life have I felt so much love as on that day. From my teammates, the coaches and also the managers.” Getting used to it? There wasn't.

Nor did he need it. "He's an absolute professional, very smart, very physical and still has very good dynamics," Richard Hightower, the coach responsible for the special teams, promptly attested. Nzeocha was "activated" from the Practice Squad in the first week, i.e. he was appointed to the official team squad. According to NFL rules, each team can do this with up to two professionals from this training group per game. So it was that Nzeocha was back playing NFL football just five days after answering his agent's call; San Francisco beat the Houston Texans 23-7.

From the field, the German defender went straight back to the training ground, continued to work, continued to toil, week after week. Against the Los Angeles Rams at the end of the season and Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs last weekend, the now 32-year-old made it back into the squad; the 49ers won both games. Time to take a deep breath? There isn't. That's why Nzeocha didn't want to speak to the FAZ this week.

On Sunday night (2:15 a.m. CET on ProSieben and DAZN), the San Francisco 49ers will face the title favorites Green Bay Packers in the play-off quarterfinals.

It is not guaranteed that the German will make it into the team again.

But probably.

At least if you believe the words of his coach.

He said about Nzeocha: "It's great to have him back."