Oshiomogho Atogwe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Oshiomogho Atogwe

Atogwe with the Washington Redskins in 2011
No. 21, 20
Position:	Safety
Personal information
Born:	(1981-06-23) June 23, 1981 (age 44) Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school:	Herman (Windsor)
College:	Stanford
NFL Draft:	2005 / Round: 3 / Pick: 66
CFL draft:	2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5
Career history
As player:
St. Louis Rams (2005) Washington Redskins (2011) Philadelphia Eagles (2012)*
As coach:
Memphis Express (2019) Secondary coach
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 454 Sacks: 5.5 Forced fumbles: 16 Fumble recoveries: 8 Interceptions: 25 Defensive touchdowns: 2
Player stats at PFR

Oshiomogho Isaac "O.J." Atogwe (born June 23, 1981) is a former professional football player from Canada. He played as a safety in the National Football League (NFL). The St. Louis Rams picked him in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. He also played college football for the Stanford Cardinal. Atogwe was also part of the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles teams.

Early Life and Sports Talents

Oshiomogho Atogwe grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He went to W.F. Herman Secondary School. There, he was a star in many sports. He played football, soccer, basketball, and even did track and field.

Basketball Achievements

In basketball, Atogwe was chosen as an All-City player three times. He was also named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in his final year of high school.

Football Skills in High School

For football, he played as a running back and a cornerback. He was a starter for two years. In 1999, he was named the Defensive MVP of the league. He was also an All-City running back.

Track and Field Success

Atogwe was also very good at track and field. He won a gold medal in the long jump in 2000. He also earned a silver medal in the triple jump that same year.

College Football Career

Atogwe continued to play college football for the Stanford Cardinal team. They are part of the Pac-10 Conference. During his time there, he made nine interceptions.

Starting at Stanford

He didn't play in his first year at Stanford (2000). In 2001, he played in every game as a reserve safety. He made four tackles on special teams. In 2002, Atogwe became the starting strong safety. He started the next 33 games in a row.

Leading the Team

In 2002, he led his team with 71 tackles. He also had a sack, a fumble recovery, and three forced fumbles. He made three interceptions and broke up four passes. In 2003, he was named co-MVP of his team. He led the team again with 90 tackles. He also had two interceptions and eight pass deflections. He led all college players with six fumble recoveries and six forced fumbles. In his senior year (2004), he played all 11 games. He finished with 76 tackles, four interceptions, and seven passes broken up.

Track and Field in College

Atogwe also joined the Stanford track team in 2001 and 2002. He competed in sprints and jumps. He studied Biological Sciences while at Stanford.

Professional Football Journey

Oshiomogho Atogwe was chosen by the St. Louis Rams in the 2005 NFL Draft. He was the 66th player picked overall.

Playing for the St. Louis Rams

Atogwe signed a contract with the Rams in July 2005. In his first year, he played in 12 games. He had 11 tackles, one sack, one interception, and one fumble recovery.

In 2006, he had 72 tackles and three interceptions. He also forced five fumbles. The 2007 season was a great one for Atogwe. He led his team and the NFC with 8 interceptions. He also had 75 tackles and scored one touchdown. In 2008, he again led the Rams with five interceptions. He also made 83 tackles and forced six fumbles.

In 2009, the Rams kept Atogwe by using a special "franchise tag." This meant he stayed with the team for another year. He signed a contract for $6.342 million. Later that year, he was placed on injured reserve because of a dislocated shoulder. In June 2010, he signed a five-year contract worth $32 million with the Rams. However, the Rams released him in February 2011.

Time with the Washington Redskins

In March 2011, Atogwe joined the Washington Redskins. He signed a five-year deal worth $26 million. He made his first interception for the Redskins in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. In another game, he made an amazing leaping interception. He played in 13 games for the Redskins in the 2011 NFL season. He had 60 tackles, three interceptions, and broke up six passes. The Redskins released him in March 2012.

Brief Stint with the Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles signed Atogwe to a one-year contract in June 2012. However, he was released by the team in August of that year.

NFL Career Statistics

Life After Football

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Atogwe became a coach. In December 2018, he was hired as the secondary coach for the Memphis Express. This team was part of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) league. He worked under head coach Mike Singletary, who is also his father-in-law. The AAF league stopped all football operations in April 2019.

Boxing Hobby

Since retiring from football, Atogwe has also started boxing. He has competed in a few amateur boxing matches.

See also

• List of Canadian sports personalities