Diego Viamontes

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

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Viamontes and the second or maternal family name is Cotera.
Diego Viamontes
Dinos de Saltillo
Born: (1990-09-23) September 23, 1990
Career information
CFL statusGlobal
Position(s)Wide receiver, kickoff returner
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight189 lb (86 kg)
CollegeUniversidad del Valle de México
CFL Draft2019 LFA / Round: 1 / Pick: 1
Career history
As player
2016–2017Raptors de Naucalpan
2017Monterrey Steel*
2018–2019Mayas CDMX
2019–2021Edmonton Elks
2022Cabo Marlins
2023–Dinos de Saltillo
Career stats
Diego Viamontes
Medal record
Men’s American football
Representing  Mexico
World Championship
Bronze medal – third place2015 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 de 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.

Following a cancelled 2020 CFL season, Viamontes spent most of the next year on the practice roster. During that time, Canadian receiver Daniel Vandervoort paid tribute to Viamontes with a touchdown celebration.[9] Viamontes dressed for the first time in 2021 during the last game of the season as a last minute replacement for Derel Walker, but recorded no statistics.[10] Viamontes signed a two-year extension with the Elks in December 2021.[11] However, Viamontes and most of Edmonton's incumbent Global players were released under new Head Coach and General Manager Chris Jones prior to the 2022 CFL Global Draft.[12]

Return to Mexico

Viamontes played with the Cabo Marlins of the Fútbol Americano de México league in 2022.[13]

In November 2022, Viamontes returned to the LFA, after signing with the Dinos de Saltillo ahead of the 2023 LFA season.[14][15]

International career

Viamontes represented the national under-19 team at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Cup in Canton, Ohio.[16]

While still in college, Viamontes played for the Mexico national team at the 2011 IFAF World Championship in Austria.[16] Notably, he returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown in the defeat to Japan in the bronze medal game.[17][18] 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.[19] The "ch." is a play on "Chilango" a slang term for residents of Mexico City.

Following his release by the Elks in early 2022, Viamontes remained active in the community, holding a charity drive for the Rainbow Society of Alberta, promising to cut his long hair.[20]

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. "Vandervoort wonderful with pair of TDS in offensive debut with Edmonton Elks".
  10. "2021 CFL season featured Global starters, sack artists and first ever all-star". 26 November 2021.
  11. "Elks extend DB Grymes, four others". 15 December 2021.
  12. "Elks sign three, release three Global players". 28 February 2022.
  13. Ureña, Omar (31 May 2022). "THE CABO MARLINS LOOKED LIKE BADASS DOGS AGAINST THE BULLDOGS". Gráfico Sports. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  14. Espinoza, Roberto (18 November 2022). "Dinos refuerza el plantel rumbo a la LFA 2023". Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  15. "El regreso de los MexICanStars: Jair Viamontes y Andrés Salgado". LFA.mx (in Spanish). 13 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  16. "Calidad ofensiva en la selección mexicana" (in Spanish). deporte.unam.mx. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  17. "Japan finishes third at World Cup". american-football-japan.com. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  18. "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.
  19. "Edmonton football players find challenges, opportunities in coronavirus-cancelled season". CTV News Edmonton. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  20. "Former Edmonton Elk plans to cut long locks for charity | Watch News Videos Online".
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