FLORIAN BIERBAUMER INTERVIEW - “Seikovits and I played rock-paper-scissors to decide…”

Florian Bierbaumer is one of the star players of the Vienna Vikings. The Graz native, who carries the nickname “Cheat Code”, recently had to take an enforced break due to an ankle injury but used the time to try out new things alongside his recovery.

The former NFL hopeful looked back on his AFLE season so far exclusively with First Down Magazine, spoke about his experience as a co-commentator, his collaboration with fellow tight end Bernhard Seikovits, and his evaluation of his time with the Louisville Kings.

How would you sum up your season so far?

BIERBAUMER: Of course, I had hoped to play through the entire season. Unfortunately, my body didn't cooperate. Aside from that, we've built great chemistry within the team, even with so many key players. Everyone is 100 percent ready to give everything and help each other out. That's very special this year—there hasn't been anything like it in recent years.

You missed three games. What was it like being sidelined?

Football is a contact sport. It was an unfortunate moment in London: a player fell on me and my ankle gave way. But that had also little to do with travel, which is very exhausting for the body—the distances are longer this year than before. The field in London wasn't ideal either. Those are all small details that play a role. I don't like watching at all; I prefer to be out on the field myself.

We noticed that you used your injury break to try new things off the field…

I made good use of the time and appeared twice as a co-commentator on krone.tv. That allowed me to focus on my career outside of football, which was really nice.

How was it?

I definitely gained a lot of respect for all journalists. It's not as easy as it seems. You have to think a lot and research information that isn't just handed to you. We weren't on-site at the stadium, so I had to work with the broadcast feed I was provided with. That wasn't quite as easy as expected. But the feedback was very positive, which makes me extremely happy. I definitely want to keep doing that in the future.

Are you already thinking about a second career?

I used the time to think about what I want to do outside of football. My body won't keep doing this forever. At my age, I have to start thinking about life after sports. Commentating is an industry I'm taking a very close look at.

When will you return to the field?

I definitely won't play before Saturday (August 15th). The healing process is complete, but the rebuilding phase is still ongoing. I feel stable and fit again, but not quite 100 percent yet. I can tease one thing: for the home game against the Firenze Red Lions, I might be back on the field.

You have a great chemistry on the field with Bernhard Seikovits. How do you view your collaboration?

I've been able to learn a lot from him. Through his four years in the NFL, he has built up a huge amount of experience. His technique is very clean and he brings enormous power. We complement each other perfectly; our game is dynamic. That takes pressure off both of us. We even played rock-paper-scissors at times to decide who got to play the next drive. Coach Jordan Neuman has already mentioned how dangerous it is for other teams when both of us are on the field.

Isn't there a risk of ego issues with such a high-caliber Vikings roster?

We haven't had a single player this season who showed anything like that. No one demands a specific number of catches. Everyone is an absolute team player; that selflessness is standard for us.

It starts right at the top with Head Coach Chris Calaycay, who places extreme value on that during player recruitment. It was clear to us players from the beginning that no one would break individual records. But that's exactly what makes our offense unpredictable and super dangerous.

Could you compare the atmosphere to the UFL, especially the Louisville Kings?

The UFL is a sort of safety net for players. Many are extremely tense because, sportingly, it's about pure survival for them. With the Kings, there was a fight right in my first week of training—just over

the distribution of reps. In Europe, we are much more disciplined and family-like. In the UFL, everything happens extremely fast; the pre-season only lasts a month, so practice gets heated quickly. But compared to other teams, the Kings were still one of the most brotherhood oriented.

Looking back, was that the “brotherhood” the key to winning the UFL?

In my opinion, that was a major reason why they won the league. Head Coach Chris Redman reminded me a lot of Coach Calaycay: to him, the human aspect was sometimes more important than the physical one. He paid close attention to making sure the players fit together mentally and emotionally. The Kings were at 1–4 after Week 5 but fought their way back and took the title. That shows how strong the bond was to not throw in the towel in a situation like that.

Do you think the Kings were the right step for you at the time?

It was definitely an incredible experience that helped me immensely as a football player. However, I believe there would be teams where I might have been a better fit for my playing style. At the Kings, we were five tight ends after the second week of practice. I did think to myself, "I was actually meant to be a developmental project." I had never played football in the USA before, everything was new to me, and I needed a bit more individual attention.

How did you experience that tough competition?

Sitting in a room with four other tight ends was tough. Tight Ends Coach Jeff Jagodzinski simply didn't have the time to deal with each individual. He represents the old-school approach with tight ends—focusing primarily on blocking. Based on my playing style, I'm more of a receiving tight end. That could hardly be utilized, which was hard to showcase in that situation.

And unfortunately for you, your positional colleagues all had NFL experience…

Practices lasted 90 minutes. With five tight ends, that results in a massive rotation where you get very limited reps. It's extremely hard to put yourself in the spotlight. The other four tight ends (Zach Davidson, Tre' McKitty, Chris Pierce Jr., and Jalen Wydermyer) had all played in the NFL or were on a practice squad. So, it was an extremely tough environment—but I was able to learn an incredible amount and take a lot away from it.

Did you look around at other teams back then?

No, I was fully committed. I internalized that from Europe: your full commitment goes to the team that signs you. I consistently stuck to that over there as well.

Do you think the door to the USA is closed now that you're 27?

The door is never closed. In the USA, a lot revolves around connections; with the right agent, a lot is possible. Especially if I show over the next few years in Europe that I am a complete and established football player. Maybe another opportunity will arise where a team wants to give me a chance. If someone from the USA reaches out, I'm reachable anytime. Any coach can confirm that I could jump right into a UFL team and deliver immediately.

How are salaries structured in the UFL?

Salaries in the UFL are standardized league-wide (around $64,000 per year, excluding bonuses). There is a uniform contract that all players receive. However, the amounts are adjusted depending on whether you are active or inactive for game day. Those salaries are also publicly viewable there. - The cover photo is from photographer Hannes Jirgal.