Isaiah Ekejiuba facts for kids
Ekejiuba in November 2008
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| No. 50 | |||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker/ Special teamer | ||||||
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| Born: | October 5, 1981 Nigeria |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Suffield (CT) Academy | ||||||
| College: | Virginia | ||||||
| Undrafted: | 2005 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Isaiah Afamefuna Ekejiuba (born October 5, 1981) is a Nigerian-American who used to play football as a linebacker. He was also a key player on special teams. He played for teams like the Oakland Raiders and the Detroit Lions in the National Football League (NFL).
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Growing Up and Early Life
Isaiah Ekejiuba was born in Nigeria. He moved around a lot when he was young because his mom worked for the United Nations. He lived in different parts of Africa, China, and London. Later, his family moved to upstate New York, where his mom taught at Colgate University.
Isaiah went to high school at Suffield Academy in Connecticut. Even though he only played football in his senior year, he was really good at other sports too. He excelled in soccer, basketball, and track.
College Football Career
In 2002, Ekejiuba joined the Virginia Cavaliers football team. They play in the NCAA, which is a big league for college sports.
When he first joined, Isaiah was a wide receiver. However, he didn't play in any games during his first season.
Before the 2003 season, he decided to switch positions. He became a linebacker, which is a defensive player who tries to stop the other team. He also became a leader on the special teams. Special teams are groups of players who play during kickoffs, punts, and field goals. Because of his hard work, he earned a scholarship before the season started.
During his college career, Isaiah played in 25 games. He made 15 tackles and helped his team by forcing one fumble.
Playing in the NFL
After college, Isaiah Ekejiuba began his professional football journey.
Arizona Cardinals
In 2005, Isaiah was not chosen in the 2005 NFL draft. However, the Arizona Cardinals still signed him as an undrafted free agent. This means he could sign with any team that wanted him. He spent time with the Cardinals during their training camp, but he was released before the regular season began.
Oakland Raiders
On September 6, 2005, the Oakland Raiders signed Ekejiuba to their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but don't usually play in games. After seven weeks, he was moved to the main team roster.
In 2008, Isaiah was a "restricted free agent." This meant the Raiders could offer him a contract, and if another team offered him one, the Raiders could match it. He signed a one-year contract and stayed with the team.
Isaiah was a very important player on special teams for the Raiders. He was even chosen as a third alternate for the 2009 Pro Bowl. This means if three other special teams players couldn't play in the Pro Bowl, he would have gone!
He was released by the Raiders on July 8, 2010.
Detroit Lions
Isaiah then signed with the Detroit Lions on July 23, 2010. He played for the Lions for two seasons before ending his professional career.
During his time in the NFL, Isaiah Ekejiuba played in many games. He recorded a total of 61 tackles, forced two fumbles, and recovered one fumble.
About Isaiah's Life
Isaiah Ekejiuba is the son of the late Felicia Ekejiuba. He has two brothers, Ben Umezurike and Sam Ekejiuba, and two sisters, Ada Umezurike and Felicia Ekejiuba. When he was at the University of Virginia, he studied electrical engineering.
