Christian Emeka Okoye is a Nigerian-born former American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1987 to 1992.
22 Facts About Christian Okoye
2.
Christian Okoye ended his NFL career due to multiple injuries.
3.
Christian Okoye was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000.
4.
Christian Okoye is notable for not having ever played football until the age of 23, but later leading the NFL in rushing at age 28.
5.
Christian Okoye arrived in the US at age 21 and did not play American football until age 23, when he joined the squad at California's Azusa Pacific University.
6.
Christian Okoye excelled in track and field, winning seven college titles in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw.
7.
Christian Okoye's speed was unusual for someone his size, and this rare combination of talents led to his selection by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft.
8.
In 1989, Christian Okoye had his best NFL season statistics by far, leading the league in both rushing attempts and rushing yards, becoming the first Chiefs player to lead the NFL in rushing.
9.
The remainder of Christian 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.
10.
Christian Okoye's last carry as a professional football running back was an 8-yard touchdown.
11.
Christian Okoye went home to California to continue rehabilitating his knee.
12.
Christian Okoye intended to work out for other teams before ultimately retiring.
13.
Christian Okoye has stated that he ended his NFL career because he became tired of practice, and that he considered football to be a job.
14.
Christian 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.
15.
Christian Okoye was the team MVP in 1989, and was enshrined in the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000.
16.
Christian Okoye is well known in video gaming for his appearance in Tecmo Super Bowl, in which he's nearly impossible to tackle.
17.
Christian Okoye was an investor in the Golden Baseball League and owned Christian Okoye Health and Fitness, a company that sells nutritional supplements.
18.
Christian Okoye appeared as a boxer on the FX Network's Celebrity Boxing special.
19.
Christian Okoye founded the California Sports Hall of Fame of which he is president.
20.
Christian Okoye 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, receiving no gold.
21.
Christian Okoye appeared on Pros vs Joes in its third season.
22.
Christian Okoye married his college sweetheart Lauren Brown in 1990, and divorced in 1996.