Ezekiel Ansah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ezekiel Ansah

Ansah with the Detroit Lions in 2014
No. 94
Position:	Defensive end
Personal information
Born:	(1989-05-29) May 29, 1989 (age 36) Accra, Ghana
Height:	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight:	275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
High school:	Presbyterian Boys' Secondary (Legon, Ghana)
College:	BYU (2010–2012)
NFL Draft:	2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Career history
Detroit Lions (2013–2018) Seattle Seahawks (2019) San Francisco 49ers (2020)
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Pro (2015) Pro Bowl (2015) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013) First-team All-Independent (2012)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 236 Sacks: 50.5 Forced fumbles: 12 Fumble recoveries: 5 Pass deflections: 4
Player stats at PFR

Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah, born on May 29, 1989, is a former professional American football player from Ghana. He played as a defensive end. He was born in Accra, Ghana, and later moved to the United States to study at Brigham Young University (BYU). There, he played college football for the BYU Cougars. The Detroit Lions picked him as the fifth overall player in the 2013 NFL draft.

Early Life and Sports Beginnings

Ziggy Ansah grew up in Ghana playing soccer and was also a big fan of basketball. He had never even seen American football before moving to the U.S. He often played pickup basketball games at Golden Sunbeam Montessori School, where he attended from 4th to 9th grade. He became the most valuable player on his school's basketball team.

His basketball skills caught the attention of missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ansah became friends with one missionary and later joined the church at age 18. This missionary suggested that if Ansah was serious about basketball, he should try out for the team at Brigham Young University (BYU) in the United States.

High School Years

In 2004, Ansah started attending Presbyterian Boys' Senior Secondary School in Legon, Ghana. He focused on business studies. During high school, he was very active in sports, playing on the basketball team and participating in track and field. He graduated in June 2007.

After high school, Ansah returned to Golden Sunbeam as a teaching assistant. In his free time, he coached the younger students in basketball. With his help, the Golden Sunbeam basketball team won several tournaments against international schools in Ghana. Ansah also did very well in his exams, earning high marks in his business program.

College Football Journey

With help from Golden Sunbeam and a friend, Ansah was accepted into Brigham Young University. His excellent academic record earned him a scholarship in 2008. Adjusting to a new country and culture was challenging, but his friends helped him.

Ansah tried out for the BYU Cougars men's basketball team twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he didn't make the team. After this, he successfully joined the BYU Cougars track team. He was a fast runner, completing the 100 meters in 10.91 seconds and the 200 meters in 21.89 seconds. Finally, he was convinced to try out for the BYU Cougars football team. He made the team and played from 2010 to 2012.

Learning American Football

Since Ansah was new to American football, he had to learn everything from scratch. This included basic rules and even how to put on his pads.

• 2010 Season (Sophomore): Ansah played his first college game midway through the 2010 season against Wyoming. He made his first tackle in that game. He played in six games, mostly on special teams and defense, recording three tackles and one pass breakup.
• 2011 Season (Junior): In 2011, Ansah played more often, especially on third downs as a defensive end or outside linebacker. He recorded seven tackles that season.
• 2012 Season (Senior): For the 2012 season, Ansah was expected to play a similar role. However, in week four, a teammate got injured, and Ansah stepped in. For the rest of the season, he became a key player. He was third on the team in tackles (48), second in sacks (4.5), and first in tackles for loss (13).

The BYU Cougars defense was very strong in 2012. They were one of the best teams in the nation at stopping opponents from scoring in the red zone and preventing rushing yards.

College Statistics

Here are Ansah's college football statistics:

Professional Football Career

Before the 2013 NFL draft, Ansah was seen as a very promising player. Even though he was still learning the game, his large size, speed, and athletic skills made him a top pick. Many experts believed he would be chosen in the first round.

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions selected Ansah as the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. He signed a four-year contract worth over $18 million.

2013 Season: Rookie Success

Ansah started his first professional season as a backup defensive end. In his very first regular season game, he made three tackles and helped sack the opposing quarterback. He quickly became a starter after a teammate's injury. In one game, he made seven tackles and sacked the quarterback twice, forcing a fumble.

Despite missing two games due to an ankle injury, Ansah finished his rookie season with 32 tackles, 8 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. His 8 sacks were the most among all NFL rookies that year. He was named the Mel Farr Rookie of the Year for the Detroit Lions and was also chosen for the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

2014 Season: Continued Growth

In 2014, Ansah continued as a starting defensive end. He had a strong season, recording 49 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles in all 16 games. He also played in his first career playoff game, making two tackles and a sack.

2015 Season: Pro Bowl Year

The 2015 season was Ansah's best. He had a season-high 3 sacks in one game. He finished the year with 47 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles. His 14.5 sacks ranked third in the entire league. This impressive performance earned him his first trip to the Pro Bowl, which is an all-star game for the best players in the NFL. He was also ranked among the top 100 players in the NFL by his fellow players.

2016 Season: Injury Challenges

In 2016, the Lions kept Ansah for another year. However, he injured his ankle early in the season and missed three games. He finished the season with 35 tackles and 2 sacks, which was a big drop from his previous year. Despite his injury, the Lions made it to the playoffs. In the playoff game, Ansah made five tackles and sacked the quarterback twice, but the Lions lost.

2017 Season: Strong Comeback

Ansah had a great comeback season in 2017. He recorded 12 sacks, a big improvement from the year before. He had three games where he recorded 3 sacks, which was a first for a Lions player. His performance in Week 17 earned him the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award.

2018 Season: More Injuries

In 2018, the Lions used a "franchise tag" on Ansah, which meant he would play for them for one more year at a high salary. However, he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 1 and missed six games. He returned to play for a few weeks but re-injured his shoulder in Week 14 and was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Seattle Seahawks

In 2019, Ansah signed a one-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He continued to deal with injuries and recorded 2.5 sacks during his time with the team.

San Francisco 49ers

Ansah signed with the San Francisco 49ers in September 2020. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn bicep injury in Week 4, which ended his season early.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are Ezekiel Ansah's career statistics in the NFL:

Personal Life

Ezekiel Ansah is the youngest of five children. His father, Edward, was a sales manager, and his mother, Elizabeth, was a nurse. Ansah is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While at BYU, he worked as a custodian to pay for his tuition until he received a scholarship in his senior year. He is known for his close friendship with former teammate Kyle Van Noy.