Diego Viamontes

Diego Jair Viamontes Cotera (born September 23, 1990) is a Mexican professional gridiron football wide receiver and kickoff returner for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was the first overall pick by the Eskimos in the 2019 CFL–LFA Draft after playing with the Mayas CDMX of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Viamontes and the second or maternal family name is Cotera.
Diego Viamontes
No. 89     Edmonton Eskimos
Born: (1990-09-23) September 23, 1990
Career information
StatusActive
CFL statusGlobal
Position(s)Wide receiver, kickoff returner
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight189 lb (86 kg)
CollegeUniversidad del Valle de México
Career history
As player
2016–2017Raptors Naucalpan
2018–2019Mayas CDMX
2019–Edmonton Eskimos
Career stats
Diego Viamontes
Medal record
Men’s American football
Representing  Mexico
World Championship
2015 CantonTeam

Early career

Viamontes began playing American football in 2001 at the age of 11.[1] He went on to play in high school as well as ONEFA college football at the Universidad del Valle de México.[1]

Professional career

Viamontes played for the Raptors Naucalpan during the inaugural 2016 season of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA); the Raptors would go on to lose Tazón México I to the Mayas CDMX. He played for one more year before being traded to the Mayas CDMX ahead of the 2018 season. That year he recorded 26 receptions for 519 yards and seven touchdowns.[2]

He also played for the Monterrey Steel of the National Arena League during the pre-season in 2017.[3] Among Viamotes' teammates were future CFL players René Brassea and Greg Reid.

CFL

Viamontes was selected first overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2019 CFL–LFA Draft in Mexico City in January.[1] After playing another season with the Mayas CDMX in the spring,[4] he appeared in both preseason games for the Eskimos in May, lining up on both offense and special teams.[5] After beginning the 2019 season on the practice squad, Viamontes was called up to the main roster ahead of their week 18 matchup against the BC Lions.[6] He made his CFL debut on October 12 against the Lions.[7] On November 2, he became the first Global player to ever start a CFL game when he started at receiver during the Eskimos' regular-season finale against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.[7] However, he was not targeted in the passing game; Viamontes instead recorded 3 kickoff returns for 44 yards and a missed-field goal returned for 25 yards.[8] This was also the first CFL game where two Global players dressed in a game for the same team, with Maxime Rouyer also playing for Edmonton.

International career

Viamontes represented the national under-19 team at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Cup in Canton, Ohio.[9]

While still in college, Viamontes played for the Mexico national team at the 2011 IFAF World Championship in Austria.[9] Notably, he returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown in the defeat to Japan in the bronze medal game.[10][11] He later won a bronze with Mexico at the 2015 edition.

Personal life

With the 2020 CFL season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Viamontes and his wife opened a cafe and Mexican chocolate shop, ch. cafeteria, in Edmonton.[12]

References
  1. Ralph, Dan (14 January 2019). "Eskimos select Diego Jair Viamontes Cotera with historic 1st pick in CFL/LFA draft". CBC Sports. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  2. O'Leary, Chris (14 January 2018). "O'LEARY: SURE-HANDED COTERA WORTHY OF TOP CFL-LFA DRAFT PICK". Canadian Football League. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  3. Almaraz, Marc (9 March 2017). "Arrolla Monterrey Steel a Bulls de Texas" (in Spanish). El Norte. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  4. "Mexico: Liga de Football Americano Profesional Power Rankings after Week 5". americanfootballinternational.com. 29 March 2019. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  5. "Speed of CFL game matched by learning curve for Global players". American Football International. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  6. Moddejonge, Gerry (11 October 2019). "Eskimos activate top global draft pick, receiver Diego Viamontes". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  7. "ESKS' DIEGO VIAMONTES BECOMES FIRST GLOBAL PLAYER TO START". Canadian Football League. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  8. Moddejonge, Gerry (28 February 2020). "Fans aren't the ones who need convincing of CFL's global 2.0 initiative". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  9. "Calidad ofensiva en la selección mexicana" (in Spanish). deporte.unam.mx. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  10. "Japan finishes third at World Cup". american-football-japan.com. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  11. "México cae en emocionante juego y finaliza cuarto en Mundial de Futbol Americano" (in Spanish). publimetro.com.mx. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  12. "Edmonton football players find challenges, opportunities in coronavirus-cancelled season". CTV News Edmonton. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
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