Riding the wave of international popularity, 49ers special-teams player Mark Nzeocha is atop the list of NFL Pro Bowl voting.
Nzeocha, who played college football at Wyoming, is from Neusitz, Germany. The small town is located approximately an hour east of Nuremberg in the southern part of the country. His parents and two of his brothers still live there.
“It’s a big thing back home,” Nzeocha said last week. “In Germany, they’re promoting it big time.
“Over the years, the interest in football has been growing. But I had no idea.”
Nzeocha and fullback Kyle Juszczyk are the only 49ers players who lead in the Pro Bowl voting through Dec.