Allen Park — The Detroit Lions have been assigned a new player through the league’s International Pathway Program, adding offensive tackle Max Pircher to the roster on Monday.
The 6-foot-7, 300-pound Pircher spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, where he shared a position room with veterans such as Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein.
A native of Italy, the 23-year-old Pircher picked up football at the age of 18. He’s played for multiple teams in Europe, including the Swarco Raiders in Austria, the Hildesheim Invaders in Germany and the Italian National Team.
With the Rams, Pircher appeared in one preseason game last season, logging eight snaps at left tackle.
Pircher replaces Australian tight end Patrick Murtagh, who had joined the Lions through the International Pathway Program earlier in the month. He is unable to participate this season due to a medical issue.
Established in 2017, the program aims to provide elite athletes from outside the United States and Canada with the opportunity to earn an NFL roster spot and increase the number of international players in the league.
The NFL allocated seven other players through the program this year to teams in the NFC North and AFC West divisions. In total, 37 players have signed with NFL teams since the start of the program. Currently, 13 of those athletes remain in the league, including four on active rosters.
As part of the program’s rules, Pircher won’t count against Detroit’s 90-man offseason roster.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers