Kyle Hinton, reserve offensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons, will make his Germany return on Sunday, just like many of the fans he’ll be playing in front of. Sunday’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, which will be played in Berlin, is a special homecoming for Hinton. He launched a career on the gridiron by competing on Vilseck High School’s football team in Bavaria through the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) program.
Hinton’s odyssey started when his family moved to Germany as his father, Curt, was stationed there with the Army. As a native son of military family culture, he faced special challenges. One of those challenges included competing in football with teams from other U.S. military installations throughout Europe. Yet these experiences, while difficult for any athlete to endure, forged resilience and an iron will deep in his core.
During his time at Vilseck, Hinton’s team endured demanding travel schedules, including a grueling 16-hour road trip where players often slept on the opposing team’s gym floor. This commitment to the craft prepared him for all the amazing things he would go on to do.
After two years in Germany, Hinton relocated to Arizona. There, he made his last two years of high school a move to sharpen his tools. He went to Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, a Division II school. There, he cleaned up his mechanics and sharpened his instincts as a player before declaring for the NFL Draft.
In 2020, Hinton was selected in the seventh round by the Minnesota Vikings. Since then, he’s emerged as one of the more effective players in the league despite little time as a starter. Now with the Atlanta Falcons, he’s made just one professional start. Hinton likely is to start tonight against the Colts, and this game has extra special meaning for him. He’ll replace the injured Matthew Bergeron at left guard.
Hinton is very much looking forward to being back in Germany. He’s especially looking forward to reuniting with friends and former coaches who’ve supported him throughout his journey.
“I haven’t seen them in about 10-plus years, so they’re all super excited,” – Kyle Hinton
Along with family and friends, Hinton will have a number of former coaches from Vilseck on hand to witness his moment. The outpouring of love and support from his small community reveals just how influential those early years in Germany would be to his football story.
Hinton is just one of three NFL players who signed up for the DODEA program. This experience provides a window into the unusual arc his career has taken. Zavier Scott, running back for the Minnesota Vikings, is another graduate of Vilseck and another DODEA alum. He reflected on the unusual nature of all of them sharing such an experience so openly.
“[The] odds of that are probably the closest thing you can get to impossible,” – Zavier Scott
Regardless of position, Hinton’s coach, Dwayne Ledford, is confident in his impact on the field.
“I don’t really look at him as a backup. I see him as a starter. He’s played a lot of meaningful games. He’s done really well in there,” – Dwayne Ledford
As he gets ready for the game on Sunday, Hinton knows that this is a rare opportunity.
“It’s definitely weird how it all comes around, but for me, I can’t get too much into the sentimental and stuff like that,” – Kyle Hinton
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