Olakunle Fatukasi facts for kids
| No. 33 – St. Louis Battlehawks | |||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | June 11, 1999 Far Rockaway, New York, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Grand Street Campus (Brooklyn, New York) |
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| College: | Rutgers (2017–2021) | ||
| Undrafted: | 2022 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Roster status: | Injured Reserve | ||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
Olakunle Fatukasi (born June 11, 1999) is an American professional football player. He plays as a linebacker for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the United Football League (UFL). Before joining the UFL, he played college football at Rutgers University.
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College Football Career
Olakunle Fatukasi joined Rutgers University in 2017. He was considered a promising player.
Early Years at Rutgers
In his first year, Olakunle played in all 12 games for Rutgers. During the 2018 season, he played in 11 games. He made 20 tackles as a linebacker and on special teams. In 2019, he played in all 12 games. He started 10 of those games as a weak-side linebacker.
Becoming a Team Leader
The 2020 season was special for Olakunle. He was named a team captain. He started all nine games and led the Big Ten Conference in tackles. He was even named the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week once. He was also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. This award goes to the best linebacker in college football. He earned honors like First-team All-Big Ten from the media.
Final Season and Injuries
Olakunle returned to Rutgers for the 2021 season. He switched from playing outside linebacker to inside linebacker. He was named third-team All-Big Ten that year. However, he missed several games because of an injury.
Professional Football Journey
After college, Olakunle Fatukasi began his professional football career. He joined several teams in the NFL and later the UFL.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Olakunle signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in May 2022. He was not chosen in the draft but still made the team. He played in 13 games for the Buccaneers. He was later released by the team in December 2022.
Denver Broncos
In December 2022, Olakunle joined the practice squad of the Denver Broncos. A practice squad is where players train with the team but are not on the main roster. He was released by the Broncos in January 2023.
New England Patriots
Olakunle signed a contract with the New England Patriots in January 2023. This type of contract is called a reserve/future contract. It means a player is signed for the next season. He was released by the Patriots in August 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs
In August 2023, Olakunle signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was later released due to an injury. He then went on the Chiefs' injured reserve list. After reaching an agreement with the Chiefs, he was released from the injured reserve list in September 2023.
Los Angeles Rams
Olakunle joined the Los Angeles Rams practice squad in October 2023. He signed a reserve/future contract with them in January 2024. He was released by the Rams in August 2024.
St. Louis Battlehawks
On December 4, 2024, Olakunle Fatukasi signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks. This team plays in the United Football League (UFL). He was released by the Battlehawks in May 2025.
Personal Life
Olakunle Fatukasi comes from a Nigerian family. He has two brothers who also play football. His younger brother, Tunde, played at Rutgers and now plays for Bowling Green. His older brother, Folorunso, played at UConn and currently plays for the Houston Texans. Olakunle also has his own T-shirt company called O3.
