Christian Okoye facts for kids
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Okoye in 2023
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| No. 35 | |||||||
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| Position: | Fullback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | August 16, 1961 Enugu, Nigeria |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 253 lb (115 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| College: | Azusa Pacific | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1987 / Round: 2 / Pick: 35 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
Christian Emeka Okoye (born August 16, 1961) is a Nigerian–American former professional football player. He was a fullback for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL). Okoye played from 1987 to 1992.
He was nicknamed "the Nigerian Nightmare" because of his powerful running style. He was known for being very hard to tackle. In 1989, he led the NFL in rushing yards. He was also named an All-Pro player twice and went to the Pro Bowl two times. Christian Okoye was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000. It's amazing that he didn't start playing football until he was 23 years old!
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College Sports Journey
Christian Okoye was born in Enugu, Nigeria. He came to the United States when he was 21. He didn't start playing American football until he was 23. Before football, he was a talented track and field athlete. He won seven college titles in events like the shot put and discus throw.
Okoye decided to try football after the Nigerian government didn't pick him for the Olympics in track and field. At first, he didn't like how rough the game was and thought about quitting. But his friends encouraged him to keep playing. He was very fast for his size, which was unusual. This special combination of speed and strength led the Kansas City Chiefs to draft him in 1987.
Playing in the NFL
In his first year with the Chiefs, Okoye ran for 660 yards. The next year, he had a thumb injury that limited him to nine games. He still managed to gain 473 yards.
His best season was in 1989. He led the entire league in rushing attempts and rushing yards, with 1,480 yards. He was the first Chiefs player ever to lead the NFL in rushing. Even though the Chiefs didn't make the playoffs that year, Okoye was chosen for the Pro Bowl.
After 1989, Okoye dealt with a knee injury. This injury affected his performance in 1990. However, in 1991, he still had a great season with 1,031 rushing yards. This earned him his second trip to the Pro Bowl. By 1992, his playing time was mostly limited to short-yardage situations. His very last run as a professional football player was an 8-yard touchdown.
Christian Okoye retired from the NFL because of his knee injuries. He had surgeries on both knees. He later said he retired because he got tired of practicing and saw football as a job. When he retired, he was the Chiefs' all-time leading rusher with 4,897 yards. Other players like Priest Holmes and Marcus Allen have since passed some of his team records.
Okoye is also famous among video game fans. He appeared in the 1991 game Tecmo Super Bowl, where he was known for being almost impossible to tackle!
NFL Career Stats
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | KC | 12 | 12 | 157 | 660 | 4.2 | 43 | 3 | 24 | 169 | 7.0 | 22 | 0 |
| 1988 | KC | 9 | 9 | 105 | 473 | 4.4 | 48 | 3 | 8 | 51 | 6.4 | 12 | 0 |
| 1989 | KC | 15 | 14 | 370 | 1,480 | 4.0 | 59 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 8 | 0 |
| 1990 | KC | 14 | 13 | 245 | 805 | 3.3 | 32 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 5.8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1991 | KC | 14 | 12 | 225 | 1,031 | 4.6 | 48 | 9 | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 13 | 0 |
| 1992 | KC | 15 | 5 | 144 | 448 | 3.1 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
| Career | 79 | 65 | 1,246 | 4,897 | 3.9 | 59 | 40 | 42 | 294 | 7.0 | 22 | 0 | |
Life After Football
After his NFL career, Christian Okoye became an investor in the Golden Baseball League. He also owned a company called Okoye Health and Fitness, which sold health supplements.
He appeared on a reality show called Pirate Master. He was also on Pros vs Joes.
Christian Okoye started the Christian Okoye Foundation. This foundation helps support after-school sports programs for kids in the Inland Empire area. He is also part of the ownership team for the Kansas City Goats, an indoor football team.
Personal Life
When Christian Okoye was a child in Nigeria, he became good friends with Olympian Innocent Egbunike. Egbunike later suggested Okoye to track and field coaches at Azusa Pacific University because of his discus skills. This led to Okoye getting a scholarship.
