Christian Okoye
Encyclopedia
Christian Emeka Okoye is a Nigerian-American former American football
running back
for the Kansas City Chiefs
from 1987 to 1992. Nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," Okoye was known for his powerful running style and ability to break tackles. Okoye's six seasons in the NFL saw a league rushing title in 1989
, two Pro Bowl
appearances (1989, 1991
), and three playoff appearances. He voluntarily ended his NFL career due to multiple injuries. He wore number 35.
's Azusa Pacific University
. He excelled in track & field, winning seven college titles in the shotput, discus
, and hammer throw
. The first time he attended an American football game he thought the game was boring.
After the Nigerian government failed to select Okoye for the Olympics, he sought something else to do besides track & field and went out for American football. Initially, Okoye did not enjoy the roughness of football and thought about quitting but friends convinced him to continue playing. His track speed was unusual for someone his size — 6'1", 260 lbs. — and this rare combination of talents led to his selection in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft
by the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 1989, Okoye enjoyed his best NFL season by far, leading the league in both rushing attempts (370) and rushing yards (1,480). Though the Chiefs missed the playoffs, Okoye was selected by UPI as the American Football Conference
's Offensive Player of the Year and earned a trip to Hawaii
for the Pro Bowl
.
The remainder of Okoye's career was marked by a nagging knee injury, one which limited him to 805 yards and a 3.3 yard average per carry in 1990. Though his 1991 performance (1,031 yards, 4.6 yards per carry) earned him his second Pro Bowl appearance, Okoye's carries in 1992
were largely limited to goal-line situations.
Okoye has stated that he ended his NFL career because he became tired of practice, and that he considered football to be a job.
Okoye retired as the Chiefs' all-time rushing leader, 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 recently surpassed by Larry Johnson. Okoye was the team MVP in 1989, and was enshrined in the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000.
Among videogamers, Okoye is well known for his performances in Tecmo Super Bowl
(1991), in which he's nearly impossible to tackle.
and owns Okoye Health and Fitness, a company that sells nutritional supplements. He made an appearance as a boxer on the FX Network's Celebrity Boxing special. He also founded the California Sports Hall of Fame
of which he is president.
He appeared on the CBS
reality show Pirate Master
and was voted off by his shipmates on the second episode for his slow speed in the Expedition. He went home with no gold from Expeditions. Okoye appeared on Pros vs Joes
in its third season.
He also worked at Montclair High School in Montclair, California as a head football coach.
Okoye appeared on the cover of the Christian teen magazine, Breakaway.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
from 1987 to 1992. Nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," Okoye was known for his powerful running style and ability to break tackles. Okoye's six seasons in the NFL saw a league rushing title in 1989
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
, two Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
appearances (1989, 1991
1991 NFL season
The 1991 NFL season was the 72nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXVI when the Washington Redskins defeated the Buffalo Bills....
), and three playoff appearances. He voluntarily ended his NFL career due to multiple injuries. He wore number 35.
College career
Born in Enugu, Nigeria, Okoye did not play American football until 1984, when he joined the squad at CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's Azusa Pacific University
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa Pacific University is a private, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian university located near Los Angeles in suburban Azusa, California. It was founded in 1899, with classes opening on March 3, 1900 in Whittier, California. It began offering degrees in 1939...
. He excelled in track & field, winning seven college titles in the shotput, discus
Discus
Discus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
, and hammer throw
Hammer throw
The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...
. The first time he attended an American football game he thought the game was boring.
After the Nigerian government failed to select Okoye for the Olympics, he sought something else to do besides track & field and went out for American football. Initially, Okoye did not enjoy the roughness of football and thought about quitting but friends convinced him to continue playing. His track speed was unusual for someone his size — 6'1", 260 lbs. — and this rare combination of talents led to his selection in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft
1987 NFL Draft
The 1987 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 28–29, 1987...
by the Kansas City Chiefs.
NFL career
In his rookie year, Okoye rushed for 660 yards on 157 carries; and though a thumb injury limited him to nine games, he managed to gain 473 yards the following season.In 1989, Okoye enjoyed his best NFL season by far, leading the league in both rushing attempts (370) and rushing yards (1,480). Though the Chiefs missed the playoffs, Okoye was selected by UPI as the American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
's Offensive Player of the Year and earned a trip to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
for the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
.
The remainder of Okoye's career was marked by a nagging knee injury, one which limited him to 805 yards and a 3.3 yard average per carry in 1990. Though his 1991 performance (1,031 yards, 4.6 yards per carry) earned him his second Pro Bowl appearance, Okoye's carries in 1992
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
were largely limited to goal-line situations.
Okoye has stated that he ended his NFL career because he became tired of practice, and that he considered football to be a job.
Okoye retired as the Chiefs' all-time rushing leader, 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
Priest Holmes
Priest Anthony Holmes is a former American football running back of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at Texas.Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV...
. His 40 career rushing touchdowns as a member of the Chiefs trail only Holmes and Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
. His Chiefs records for carries in a game and rushing attempts in a season were recently surpassed by Larry Johnson. Okoye was the team MVP in 1989, and was enshrined in the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000.
Among videogamers, Okoye is well known for his performances in Tecmo Super Bowl
Tecmo Super Bowl
Tecmo Super Bowl , is an American football video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System that was released in 1991...
(1991), in which he's nearly impossible to tackle.
Post-NFL career
Okoye is currently an investor in the Golden Baseball LeagueGolden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
and owns Okoye Health and Fitness, a company that sells nutritional supplements. He made an appearance as a boxer on the FX Network's Celebrity Boxing special. He also founded the California Sports Hall of Fame
California Sports Hall of Fame
The California Sports Hall of Fame recognizes athletes, coaches, and members of sports media who have made a "lasting impression to California sports". It was established in 2006 by Christian Okoye, former All-Pro running back for the Kansas City Chiefs...
of which he is president.
He appeared on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
reality show Pirate Master
Pirate Master
Pirate Master is a CBS reality television show created by Mark Burnett which replaced the previous Mark Burnett show on CBS, Rock Star. It follows 16 modern-day pirates on their quest for gold, which totaled US$1,000,000. The show was hosted by Cameron Daddo, and took place in the Caribbean island...
and was voted off by his shipmates on the second episode for his slow speed in the Expedition. He went home with no gold from Expeditions. Okoye appeared on Pros vs Joes
Pros vs Joes
Pros vs. Joes is an American physical reality game show that airs on Spike TV. The show features male amateur contestants matching themselves against professional athletes in a series of athletic feats related to the expertise sport of the Pro they are facing...
in its third season.
He also worked at Montclair High School in Montclair, California as a head football coach.
Okoye appeared on the cover of the Christian teen magazine, Breakaway.