By Khalil Garriott
On the football field, Osi Umenyiora is a two-time Pro Bowl defensive end for the New York Giants. Away from the field, he is a named plaintiff in the Brady v. NFL lawsuit currently playing out in the court system.
But neither of those descriptions characterizes Umenyiora’s full narrative. One or two labels don’t define him. Rather, his Nigerian roots and passion for service work in Africa come closer to describing the man he is. He is one of several NFL players making an impact in Nigeria by creating educational opportunities for young children.
“We’re the financing behind our grassroots operation,” said Umenyiora, who was born in London and moved to Nigeria at age 7. “Then we go back to Nigeria together to ensure that our money is being used properly. Our goal … is to lift children out of poverty by providing them with the same opportunities they would have here (in the United States.)”
While playing college football at Troy, Umenyiora showed the potential that later would vault him into a starting role in the NFL by 2005.
Umenyiora is an established pass rusher; he’s one of the league’s best at that skill, in fact. He recorded 11.5 sacks for the Giants last season, giving him 60 sacks over his eight-year career. He doesn’t care whether a traditional pocket-passer or a run-first quarterback is behind center—Umenyiora doesn’t think about that when he’s out there. His singular focus is on getting to the quarterback and causing a disruption.
“I’m going to try to rush the same way no matter who is in there,” he said.
Umenyiora also is a respected leader in the Giants’ locker room. His teammates seek him out for advice, and he’s often the one to laud a teammate on either side of the line when he feels it’s deserved.
The star defensive end speaks highly of Eli Manning, who eclipsed the 100 consecutive starts plateau late in the 2010 season.
“He’s been here for a while and been an outstanding quarterback for a while,” Umenyiora said. “It just shows his longevity and type of player he is. He’s a tough guy and we have a very good offensive line. They do a good job of preventing him from getting hit too much.”
Like Reggie White and Freeman McNeil before his time, Umenyiora has joined Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and six other NFL players as the faces of the court fight against the league. The players are saying the NFL’s lockout is inflicting “irreparable harm” on their playing careers.
“Today’s ruling is a win for the players and for the fans that want to see a full NFL season in 2011,” Umenyiora said in an April 25 NFLPA statement after an injunction was issued, temporarily lifting the lockout. “The lockout is bad for everyone, and players will continue to fight it. We hope that this will bring us one step closer to playing the game we love.”
