The story of Diego Paz González It is one of those that show that opportunities can appear when you least expect it. In your case, The path to American football began in 2022after more than a decade practicing athletics and a couple of years away from competition. A friend who played Las Rozas Black Demons I encouraged him to try: “You’re big, you’re fast, come here and try”. And that invitation ended up changing his life.
The funny thing is that Diego didn’t even really know American football. “Before 2022 I had never heard of American football,” acknowledges during the interview with Rafa Sanz del Ríoon the Onda Cero podcast, Underdog. Nor was his first experience in the position that would become his specialty. It started as receiverbut the lack of troops on the defensive line during a game It led him to change sides of the field.
That improvisation ended up being decisive. In his first game as a defensive lineman he had several sacks and numerous tackles. The coaches quickly found his place and he began to discover a position that he was increasingly passionate about.
In 2023 his first great season in the senior category arrivedin which he got around ten sacks – or sacks of the quarterback – in the Spanish league and received his first professional opportunity with the Barcelona Dragons. He also highlights the importance that the coach had in his evolution. Chase Bakerwhich helped him better understand the ins and outs of the game.
Since then, His progression has been marked by the study of the great references of the NFL. one of them is Maxx Crosbystar of the Las Vegas Raidersof whom he admires both his sporting abilities and his mentality and leadership capacity. ““I think attitudes and non-verbal language are contagious.”he explains.
For Diego, a good defender must not only perform individually, but also transmit energy to the rest of his teammates.
An unexpected call while playing the console
The jump to international competitions and his experience in Germany consolidated a path that until then seemed very far away. But The most important opportunity came when I least expected it: a call to carry out some tests with the New England Patriotsone of the most recognized teams in the NFL.
The moment is almost cinematic. After a demanding season, Diego was resting and playing the console when he received the news. “He caught me playing Play lying on the bed”he remembers between laughs.
The call came when he had just finished a season that, despite falling just short of the final, had left him with good feelings. From there began a process that had to be accelerated to the maximum: He barely had two weeks to prepare before traveling to the United States.
Without quite believing it, he took a plane to Boston. Once in the United States, He was able to see the franchise’s facilities, train with another player, undergo measurements and physical tests, and pass a medical examination.
He also had the opportunity to have breakfast with team players and hold meetings with those responsible for the franchise to find out how the process worked.
For Diego, that meant much more than a sporting experience. “It’s a dream, a dream and an honor,” he admits when remembering that he was able to set foot in an NFL facility. An opportunity that, furthermore, It has a special meaning due to its roots and what it can represent for Spanish American football.
“You don’t enter the NFL like someone who’s going to have a coffee”
Despite the enormous impact of the experience, Diego is aware that there is still a long way to go. His visit to the Patriots facilities does not mean that he has a contract or that his incorporation into the NFL is closed. The franchise wanted to see it in person, analyze its conditions and learn first-hand about its potential.
“They wanted to see me in person. They wanted to analyze me in person”he explains. Now he is waiting for new opportunities, with the possibility that other teams may also be interested in his profile.
The player himself avoids hasty expectations and remembers that Reaching the NFL requires an especially complicated processeven more so for someone who has developed his career far from the American university system.
“You don’t enter the NFL like someone who’s going to have a coffee”he warns. His immediate objective is to take advantage of everything he learned during that visit and improve the technical and physical aspects that he was able to observe in professional players.
“I want to start training and preparing for atmospheres like that,” he says. YesOur intention is to work to get closer and closer to the level required by the best competition in the world.
A personal dream that can open doors to Spanish American football
Beyond your individual future, Diego is very aware of what his experience can mean for other Spanish athletes. In the colloquium he recognizes the sacrifices involved in pursuing a career in this sport from Spain: time away from family and friends, travel and personal sacrifices to compete at the highest level.
That is why it is especially gratifying to see that all that effort is beginning to bear fruit. “Everything you invest in yourself ends up coming back”he reflects.
He also trusts that his time at the Patriots facilities will help other franchises pay attention to the talent that exists in Spain.. “I am very excited that this is going to open more doors and put Spain on the map”he explains.
“I would like to sack Mahomes, who complains about everything”
The conversation also leaves room to get to know your most competitive side. When they ask Which NFL quarterback would you like to sack?Diego does not hesitate to show his particular sense of humor. He’d like to confront quarterbacks who protest too much after being tackled.
And there he is clear about who he would want to tackle, none other than Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes. He explains that his decision comes from the two-time NFL MVP’s habit of protesting to referees when he is caught, and he doesn’t understand why players like him can’t congratulate someone who makes a great defensive play.
“If I congratulate you when you throw a touchdown pass, then congratulate me when I managed to tackle you after getting a 150 kilo guy off my back”he jokes.
And if it comes to choosing a stage, he is also clear about which one particularly attracts him: the Los Angeles stadium. RaidersAllegiant Stadium, for its black and gray aesthetic in the town of the state of Nevada.
Diego Paz González still has a long way to go, but His story has already achieved something important: demonstrate that Spanish American football can aspire to cross the Atlantic and knock on the doors of the NFL. His next objective is clear: to continue working so that that unexpected call while playing the console is nothing more than the beginning.
