32 Facts About Alex Okafor

1.

Alex Okafor was born on February 8,1991 and is an American football defensive end who has played 8 seasons in the NFL.

2.

Alex Okafor was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, and has played for the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs.

3.

Alex Okafor's parents met in college at Grambling State University, a historically black university, before settling down in Texas.

4.

Alex Okafor attended Pflugerville High School in Pflugerville, Texas, and played for the Pflugerville Panthers high school football team, helping them to the 5A Div.

5.

Alex Okafor played soccer and basketball and was a stand out in both, as well as being academic all-district twice.

6.

Alex Okafor attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he played for coach Mack Brown's Texas Longhorns football team from 2009 to 2012.

7.

Alex Okafor finished his 2011 junior season with 46 tackles and seven quarterback sacks, and was named a first-team All-American as a defensive end by the American Football Coaches Association.

8.

Alex Okafor was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2011 and again in 2012 and made the UT Athletic Director's Honor Roll three times.

9.

Alex Okafor was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award, and CFPA Defensive Lineman Trophy watch lists to start the 2012 season.

10.

Alex Okafor was ranked as one of the middle tier pass rushers in the 2013 NFL Draft.

11.

Alex Okafor was projected as either a defensive end or linebacker in the NFL.

12.

Alex Okafor was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth round, with the 103rd overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

13.

Alex Okafor played in his first game in 2013, recording a special teams tackle before a bicep injury ended his season.

14.

Alex Okafor recorded his first two career sacks in Week 6 of the 2014 season against the Washington Redskins on quarterback Kirk Cousins.

15.

Alex Okafor had his first interception in Week 14 on Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Alex Smith.

16.

Alex Okafor ended the season playing in 13 games with 12 starts, recording 30 tackles, 8 sacks, three passes defensed and one interception.

17.

On March 14,2017, Alex Okafor signed with the New Orleans Saints.

18.

Alex Okafor started the first 10 games of the season, recording a career-high 43 tackles, 4.5 sacks and four passes defended.

19.

Alex Okafor suffered a torn Achilles in the team's Week 11 win over the Redskins and was ruled out for the rest of the season.

20.

On March 16,2018, Alex Okafor re-signed with the Saints on a two-year contract.

21.

Alex Okafor started all 16 games in 2018, recording 36 tackles and four sacks.

22.

On February 14,2019, the Saints voided the final year of Alex Okafor's contract, making him a free agent at the start of the new league year.

23.

On March 14,2019, Alex Okafor signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

24.

Alex Okafor played in 10 games before suffering a torn pectoral in Week 15.

25.

Alex Okafor was placed on injured reserve on December 16,2019.

26.

Alex Okafor finished the season with 22 tackles and five sacks.

27.

On October 24,2020, Alex Okafor was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 6 and was activated on November 21,2020.

28.

Alex Okafor played in 11 games and all 3 playoff games, recording 21 combined tackles and a forced fumble.

29.

Alex Okafor played in all 17 games and all 3 playoff games, recording 27 combined tackles, 7 QB Hits, 2 pass deflections and a forced fumble.

30.

Alex Okafor became a free agent at the end of the season but was left unsigned.

31.

Alex Okafor traveled to Kenya during the 2016 offseason with former Texas and Saints teammate Kenny Vaccaro and is involved in community and fundraising efforts to construct a school in the region.

32.

On March 9,2015, Alex Okafor was arrested for evading arrest on foot and for a misdemeanor warrant for jaywalking in Austin, Texas after he knocked over a pedestrian.