Christian Okoye
_(cropped).jpg) Okoye in 2023 | |||||||
| No. 35 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Fullback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | August 16, 1961 Enugu, Nigeria | ||||||
| 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 | |||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
| |||||||
| Player stats at NFL.com | |||||||
Christian Emeka Okoye (
College career
A member of the
After the Nigerian government declined Okoye for the
Professional career
In his rookie year, Okoye rushed for 660 yards on 157 carries. The following year, a thumb injury limited him to nine games, and he finished the season with 473 yards.
In 1989, Okoye had by far his best statistical season, leading the league in both rushing attempts (370) and rushing yards (1,480), becoming the first Chiefs player to lead the NFL in rushing. Though the Chiefs missed the playoffs, Okoye was selected by
The remainder of Okoye's career was marked by a nagging knee injury, which limited him to 805 yards and a 3.3 yard average per carry in 1990. Though his 1991 performance (1,031 yards and 4.6 yards per carry) earned him his second Pro Bowl appearance, his carries in 1992 were largely limited to goal-line situations. His last carry as a professional football running back was an 8-yard touchdown.
On August 25, 1993, Chiefs placed him on injured reserve before the regular season began due to knee injuries.[10] He underwent surgeries on both knees and was released on an injury settlement that September. He went home to California to continue rehabilitating his knee. He intended to work out for other teams before ultimately retiring.[11] He has stated that he ended his NFL career because he became tired of practice, and that he considered football to be a job.[5]
Okoye retired as the all-time rushing leader of the Chiefs, having amassed 4,897 yards, 1,246 attempts, and 14 games with at least 100 yards rushing, in his six seasons. Those team records have since been surpassed by Priest Holmes. His 40 career rushing touchdowns as a member of the Chiefs trail only Holmes and Marcus Allen. His Chiefs records for carries in a game and rushing attempts in a season were surpassed by Larry Johnson. Okoye was the team MVP in 1989, and was enshrined in the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000.
Okoye is well known in video games for his appearance in Tecmo Super Bowl (1991), in which he is nearly impossible to tackle.[12]
NFL career statistics
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | KC | 12 | 157 | 660 | 4.2 | 43 | 3 | 24 | 169 | 7.0 | 22 | 0 |
| 1988 | KC | 9 | 105 | 473 | 4.4 | 48 | 3 | 8 | 51 | 6.4 | 12 | 0 |
| 1989 | KC | 15 | 370 | 1,480 | 4.0 | 59 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 8 | 0 |
| 1990 | KC | 14 | 245 | 805 | 3.3 | 32 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 5.8 | 8 | 0 |
| 1991 | KC | 14 | 225 | 1,031 | 4.6 | 48 | 9 | 3 | 34 | 11.3 | 13 | 0 |
| 1992 | KC | 15 | 144 | 448 | 3.1 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
| Career | 79 | 1,246 | 4,897 | 3.9 | 59 | 40 | 42 | 294 | 7.0 | 22 | 0 | |
Post-NFL career
Okoye was an investor in the
He appeared on the
The Christian Okoye Foundation sponsors the Ontario Mills 5K and 10K race, benefiting local after-school athletic programs in the Inland Empire.
Okoye is part of the ownership team of the Kansas City Goats, an indoor football team that plays in The Arena League.[15]
Personal life
As a child in Nigeria, Okoye became good friends with Olympian Innocent Egbunike. When Egbunike began attending Azusa Pacific, he recommended Okoye for his discus abilities to track and field coaches, who offered Okoye a scholarship.[16]
Okoye married his college sweetheart Lauren Brown in 1990, and divorced in 1996.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "Christian Okoye, RB at NFL.com". NFL.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ "Christian Okoye Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ a b "Official Website of the Kansas City Chiefs | Chiefs.com". Kansas City Chiefs. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- ^ Williams, Doug (October 2, 2017). "How Christian Okoye is still making an impact 30 years after his debut". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Radio interview on the Phoenix-based sports talk show "Gambo & Ash" on KTAR 620, April 10, 2008
- ^ Smith, M. D. (2022, July 21). Christian Okoye envisions a huge NFL talent influx from Africa. ProFootballTalk. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/07/21/christian-okoye-envisions-a-huge-nfl-talent-influx-from-africa/
- ^ Petersen, Al (June 23, 2015). "Christian Okoye's past spurs him forward". Orange County Register. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
- ^ Sando, Mike (December 27, 2017). "Nigerian Nightmare: The legend lives on, 30 years later". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
- ^ "1987 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ "N.F.L. Training Camp Report". The New York Times. August 25, 1993.
- ^ "Chiefs and Okoye Reach Injury Settlement". The New York Times. September 2, 1993.
- ^ Strauss, Chris (October 23, 2012). "Chiefs legend Christian Okoye discovers his Tecmo Super Bowl dominance". USA Today.
- ^ "State's Hall of Fame to induct first class". The Union. Grass Valley, California. December 11, 2006. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ Warner, Tyrone (June 8, 2007). "Ex-NFL running back cut adrift from 'Pirate Master'". CTVglobemedia. Archived from the original on March 2, 2008. Retrieved February 27, 2009.
- ^ Palmer, Tod (July 17, 2023). "Arena football returns to Kansas City: Goats set to play in June 2024". KSHB. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ Lieber, Jill (April 27, 1987). "A Bruiser from Azusa". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
External links
