Christian Okoye
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| Christian Okoye | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | August 16, 1961 (age 45) |
| Place of birth |  Enugu, Nigeria |
| Position(s) | Running Back |
| College | Azusa Pacific |
| NFL Draft | 1987 / Round 2/ Pick 35 |
| Pro Bowls | 2 |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 1987-1992 | Kansas City Chiefs |
Christian Emeka Okoye (born August 16, 1961 in Enugu, Nigeria) is a former American Football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs (1987-1992). Nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," Okoye's six seasons in the NFL saw a league rushing title in 1989, two Pro Bowl appearances (1989, 1991), and three playoff appearances. His career was cut short by a knee injury. He wore number 35.
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[edit] College career
Born in Nigeria, Okoye did not play American football until 1984, when he joined the squad at California's Azusa Pacific University. He excelled in both football and track & field, winning seven college titles in the shotput, discus, and hammer throw. His track speed was unusual for someone his size — 6-foot-1, 260 pounds — and this rare combination of talents led to his selection in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
[edit] NFL career
Okoye's NFL career was as brief as it was prolific. 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'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. A re-injury of his knee in training camp in 1993 forced his retirement.
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 only been surpassed by Priest Holmes. His 40 career rushing touchdowns as a Chief 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.
[edit] Post-NFL career
He is currently an investor in the Golden Baseball League and owns Okoye Fitness and Nutrition, 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.[1] He is the head football coach at Montclair high school.
[edit] References
- ^ State's Hall of Fame to induct first class. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
