ARIZONA CARDINALS

Shake & bake: Bernhard Seikovits taking in US culture, Cardinals coaching

Aug 18, 2021, 3:10 PM | Updated: 4:57 pm
Arizona Cardinals tight end Bernhard Seikovits makes a catch during rookie minicamp Friday, May 14,...
Arizona Cardinals tight end Bernhard Seikovits makes a catch during rookie minicamp Friday, May 14, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports)
(Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports)

GLENDALE — Arizona Cardinals tight end Bernhard Seikovits has had to learn much more than just the ins and outs of being an NFL player this offseason.

Hailing from Austria, Seikovits is one of 14 international players on NFL rosters through the International Players Pathway Program.

While some of his other teammates made their way across the country for training camp, Seikovits came from another continent, meaning there’s quite a few things to get used to.

That includes stuff most NFL players don’t have to think about, like getting a social security card and a bank account set up, which Arizona took care of.

There’s also the American culture and cuisine to get accustomed to. Luckily for the Austrian, fellow tight end Maxx Williams is providing some useful material for Seikovits to absorb.

“It’s a completely different culture over here and it’s really interesting to learn how people live their life over here. The jokes are a little bit different, the humor’s different.

“[Williams] told me this weekend he’s gonna give me a movie, make me watch a movie that is supposed to be super iconic over here. … He’s gonna make me take notes and stuff so I’m going to learn.”

After further digging and an assist from Williams on Twitter, the film is none other than NASCAR-inspired “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.” Couldn’t get more American than that, shake and back and all.

Getting engrained in his surroundings is certainly up high on Seikovits’ to-do list, yet it’s nowhere near cracking Arizona’s active roster.

“Of course the [53-man roster] is the goal,” Seikovits said. “I’m not striving for a lower goal, I’m not lowering the standards just because I know it’s going to be hard.

“I’m striving for the ultimate goal every day and if I come short that can happen, but I’m giving my all and my intention is to make the roster.”

Of the things he has improved on since joining the team, blocking and footwork are at the forefront.

It’s all becoming much more natural, the tight end said.

“He’s doing well, he’s very smart, very conscientious, works hard. Athletically, he’s talented,” Kingsbury said. “This is a completely different level, obviously, the speed of the game and all those things are coming along. I’m anxious to see his development throughout the year and he’ll certainly serve a purpose on this team.”

Friday marked another milestone for Seikovits, who experienced his first taste of live NFL action in the team’s 19-16 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

The tight end was on the field for four offensive snaps (6%) and 12 special teams snaps (46%).

He was seen after the game soaking in the emotional moment with fellow international player and Cowboy Issac Alarcon, someone Seikovits trained with for two months through the IPP.

“Even though we never played with each other, I think it’s just uniting if you’re kinda fighting for the rest of the world to be recognized as football players, too, because the only real place you play football is from the U.S.A,” Seikovits said. “We from the IPP, we feel like we have to represent the rest of the world.”

Cardinals LB Tanner Vallejo runs through a drill during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB Terrance Smith runs through a drill during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through a drill during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through a drill during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through a drill during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals running backs go through drills during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB Chandler Jones looks on during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB Jordan Hicks (58) and others wait to run through drills during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB Markus Golden waits to run through drills during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals LB coach Bill Davis during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Cardinals S Budda Baker and LBs Chandler Jones and Isaiah Simmons point to the crowd during training camp Friday, July 30, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Chandler Jones (55) and Devon Kennard (42) chat during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals DL Victor Dimukeje (92) runs through drills during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals running backs Eno Benjamin (26) and Jonathan Ward (29) run through drills during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals running backs James Conner (6) and Chase Edmonds (2) run through drills during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB Jonathan Ward runs through a drill during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Devon Kennard during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Chandler Jones during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Devon Kennard during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals running backs Chase Edmonds during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Markus Golden during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Zaven Collins looks on during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner runs through drills during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Jamell Garcia-Williams during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Chandler Jones looks on during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals S Chris Banjo warms up during training camp Thursday, July 29, 2021, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports)

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Shake & bake: Bernhard Seikovits taking in US culture, Cardinals coaching