Bernhard Raimann Bio
Bernhard Raimann (born September 23, 1997) is an Austrian professional American football offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas and was selected by the Colts in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighing approximately 137 kilograms, Raimann has developed into one of the league’s emerging young left tackles after a rapid rise from a tight end position.
Born in Steinbrunn, Austria, Raimann took up the sport as a teenager and built his path through European youth football, a U.S. high school exchange, and a Mid-American Conference college program. His progression from international amateur athlete to NFL starter is among the more unconventional journeys in the modern league.
Early Life and Background
Early Life and Background
Bernhard Raimann grew up in Steinbrunn, a small town in the Austrian state of Burgenland. He began playing American football at the age of 14, joining the youth team of the Vienna Vikings, one of the most established American football programs in Austria. The early exposure to the sport shaped his development and gave him a foundation in the game at a time when opportunities for European players were limited.
Raimann attended Ballsportgymnasium in Vienna, a publicly funded upper secondary school designed for elite competitive athletes across multiple sports. The institution is known for combining academic coursework with intensive training schedules. As part of his educational path, Raimann also spent time as an exchange student at Delton-Kellogg High School in Delton, Michigan, attending for his junior year and gaining his first experience within the U.S. high school football system.
While living in Michigan, Raimann stayed with a host family that included Rollie Ferris, a former Central Michigan University football player, and Ferris’s son Tyden, who would later become one of Raimann’s college teammates. After returning to Austria, Raimann completed his compulsory service in the Austrian military following his graduation from Ballsportgymnasium Wien, and then committed to play college football at Central Michigan.
Path to American Football
Raimann’s introduction to competitive American football came through the Vienna Vikings’ youth system, where he developed the technical base and physical profile that would later attract the attention of U.S. college programs. The Vienna Vikings have long served as a pipeline for Austrian players pursuing the sport at higher levels, and Raimann’s progression through their ranks reflected both the club’s reputation and his own athletic ceiling.
His year as an exchange student at Delton-Kellogg High School proved decisive. The exposure to American high school football, combined with his host family’s Central Michigan connection, opened a clear route to NCAA competition. After completing his Austrian military service, Raimann enrolled at Central Michigan University and began his college career as a tight end.
During his first two seasons at Central Michigan, Raimann recorded 20 receptions for 164 yards. The Chippewas’ staff moved him to offensive tackle after his sophomore year, a position change that ultimately defined his professional trajectory. He started all six of the Chippewas’ games during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, and in 2021 he was named the Offensive Player of the Year for the Mid-American Conference by Pro Football Focus. That same year he earned First-team All-MAC honors and Second-team All-American recognition.
Bernhard Raimann Career
Early Career (2022)
Raimann entered the NFL after being selected in the third round, 77th overall, of the 2022 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts initially planned to use veteran lineman Matt Pryor at the critical left tackle position, but the experiment faltered early in the season. By Week 5, head coach Frank Reich inserted Raimann into the starting lineup, and the rookie went on to start 11 of the Colts’ final 13 games.
His rookie campaign came with typical first-year challenges, including adjustment to NFL speed and technique. Despite those growing pains, the Colts’ confidence in his long-term potential remained clear, and the organization committed to his development along the offensive line heading into his second season.
NFL Breakthrough (2023)
Raimann approached the 2023 off-season with a focus on adding mass and strength to his 6-foot-6 frame, reportedly adding 15 pounds during the preparation period. The Colts named him the starting left tackle from the opening week of the 2023 season, and he appeared in 15 games during the year, establishing himself as a long-term fixture on the offensive line.
His performance improved measurably in year two. According to Sports Info Solutions analysis, his rate of quarterback sacks allowed dropped from 2.2 percent as a rookie to 1.2 percent in 2023, while his percentage of blown run blocks fell from 3.7 percent to 2.1 percent. Raimann’s accepted penalty total also declined from seven in 2022 to four in 2023, even as he participated in 180 more passing snaps. The statistical improvement reflected both his physical development and his growing comfort at the position.
Indianapolis Colts Era (2024–Present)
Raimann continued as the Colts’ starting left tackle into the 2024 season, maintaining the role he had earned the previous year. His play through that period reinforced the organization’s belief that he represented a foundational piece of the offensive line. On July 28, 2025, the Colts signed Raimann to a four-year, $100 million contract extension, a commitment that underscored his standing within the franchise and the broader NFL marketplace for premier young tackles.
Driving Style and Strengths
Raimann’s game is built around his combination of length, athleticism, and technical refinement at the tackle position. His background as a tight end gives him above-average mobility in pass protection and the ability to redirect in space, while his added mass has improved his anchor against power rushers. The partnership with the Colts’ coaching staff and his development at left tackle have produced measurable gains in pass protection efficiency and run blocking consistency.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Raimann’s signature moments is his rapid rise from third-round pick to Week 5 starter as a rookie, followed by a 2023 season in which he cut his sack rate nearly in half. His 2025 four-year, $100 million contract extension stands as the most significant milestone of his professional career to date, reflecting his emergence as one of the Colts’ cornerstone players.
Bernhard Raimann Career Wins
Wins and statistical milestones for Bernhard Raimann are most clearly documented at the college level, where he earned First-team All-MAC honors in 2021, was named a Second-team All-American that same year, and was recognized by Pro Football Focus as the Offensive Player of the Year for the Mid-American Conference. In the NFL, individual win totals at the offensive tackle position are not commonly summarized, and verified postseason or award totals are not available.
Collegiate Highlights
At Central Michigan, Raimann’s most notable achievements came in 2021, when he was named First-team All-MAC and a Second-team All-American. The Pro Football Focus recognition as the top offensive player in the conference capped a transformation from tight end to dominant tackle. His first career start at offensive tackle had come during the 2020 season, when he started all six of the Chippewas’ games.
Other Performances
Before moving to tackle, Raimann posted 20 receptions for 164 yards as a tight end during his first two college seasons. Those receiving statistics remain part of his recorded college production, illustrating the athletic foundation that made the position change viable. Verified performance totals from his Vienna Vikings youth career are not available.
Bernhard Raimann Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Detailed public information about Bernhard Raimann’s parents and immediate family is limited. What is documented is the central role played by his host family in Michigan, where Rollie Ferris, a former Central Michigan University football player, and his son Tyden Ferris provided both a household and a connection to the program where Bernhard would eventually play college football. That family link helped shape the path from Austrian youth football to NCAA Division I competition.
Personal Life
Raimann’s personal life has remained largely outside the public spotlight. He is known to have completed compulsory service in the Austrian military before beginning his college career in the United States, a step that reflects standard practice for Austrian citizens of his generation. Verified information about a spouse, partner, or children has not been publicly confirmed.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Bernhard Raimann enters as the Indianapolis Colts’ entrenched starting left tackle, a status reinforced by his July 2025 four-year, $100 million contract extension. The financial commitment signaled both the franchise’s confidence in his trajectory and its plan to build the offensive line around him for the foreseeable future. The 2025 campaign is expected to be his first full season operating under that long-term framework.
Raimann’s development arc from a third-round pick thrust into action in Week 5 of his rookie year to a franchise cornerstone has been among the more positive stories along the Colts’ offensive line. The improvements he showed in 2023, including a halved sack rate and reduced blown-block percentage, set the foundation for the larger role he now occupies. With continuity at the position and added physical strength, the expectations for his 2025 performance are anchored in sustained protection efficiency and run blocking reliability.
The broader outlook for the Colts in 2025 will be shaped in part by the stability Raimann provides at left tackle. As Indianapolis works to solidify its offensive identity, his presence at a premium position offers a known quantity for the quarterback and the run game. The season represents an opportunity for Raimann to validate the contract extension and continue his progression among the league’s young offensive tackles.