1. Ezekiel Nana "Ziggy" Ansah was born on May 29,1989 and is a Ghanaian former professional American football defensive end.
41 Facts About Ezekiel Ansah
1. 2.
Ezekiel Ansah was drafted by the Detroit Lions fifth overall in the 2013 NFL draft.
3.
Ezekiel Ansah regularly played pickup basketball games at Golden Sunbeam Montessori School where he attended from 4th grade to 9th grade.
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Ezekiel Ansah developed his basketball interests and abilities on a turf donated by Forever Young Foundation.
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Ezekiel Ansah played on the Golden Sunbeam basketball team and became the most valuable player and led his team to win many games.
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Ezekiel Ansah was later baptized a member of the church at age 18.
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The missionary later suggested that if he was serious about basketball, Ezekiel Ansah should come to Brigham Young University and try out for the basketball team.
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Ezekiel Ansah joined the Presbyterian Boys' Senior Secondary School, Legon in 2004.
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Ezekiel Ansah graduated from high school in June 2007 and returned to Golden Sunbeam as a teaching assistant where, in his spare time, he trained the pupils in basketball.
10.
Ezekiel Ansah applied to and was accepted at Brigham Young University with the help and support of Golden Sunbeam and the assistance of his friend, former ICT teacher and mentor Alma Ohene-Opare, who was at BYU at the time.
11.
Alma Ohene-Opare and later Ken Frei played critical roles in helping Ezekiel Ansah adjust to his new surroundings and culture in a new country.
12.
Ezekiel Ansah tried out for the BYU Cougars men's basketball team twice, but was cut from both the 2008 and 2009 teams.
13.
Finally, Ezekiel Ansah was persuaded to try out for the BYU Cougars football team, successfully walked onto the team, and played for the Cougars from 2010 to 2012.
14.
Unfamiliar with American football, Ezekiel Ansah had to be instructed in basic rules and techniques, even needing help getting on his pads for the first time.
15.
Midway through the 2010 season, Ezekiel Ansah made his first collegiate appearance in the Cougars' game versus Wyoming, where he recorded his first tackle.
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Ezekiel Ansah played sporadically on third downs as a defensive end or outside linebacker, recording seven total tackles for the season.
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However, during week four, noseguard Eathyn Manumaleuna hurt his knee and Ezekiel Ansah took his place.
18.
Ezekiel Ansah was not found on any of the 2012 preseason mock drafts for the 2013 NFL draft.
19.
Ezekiel Ansah further improved his draft stock with his "outstanding defensive player" outing in the 2013 Senior Bowl, where he recorded seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble.
20.
Ezekiel Ansah was ranked the top defensive end and the seventh best player by NFLDraftScout.
21.
Ezekiel Ansah was selected by the Detroit Lions in the first round with the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.
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Ezekiel Ansah entered training camp competing to be the right starting defensive end.
23.
On September 22,2013, Ezekiel Ansah earned his first career start after Jason Jones was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
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Ezekiel Ansah returned in Week 12 after missing the previous two games with an ankle injury.
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Ezekiel Ansah finished his rookie season with 32 combined tackles, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a pass deflection in 14 games and 12 starts.
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Ezekiel Ansah was named the Mel Farr Rookie of the Year, honouring the Detroit Lions' most outstanding rookie.
27.
Ezekiel Ansah returned as the right defensive end in 2014 and was named the starting defensive end, by new head coach Jim Caldwell, to begin the regular season.
28.
Ezekiel Ansah was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.
29.
Ezekiel Ansah was ranked 43rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.
30.
Ezekiel Ansah finished his season with 35 combined tackles and two sacks in 13 starts.
31.
Ezekiel Ansah finished the season with 12 sacks, a significant improvement over the 2 sacks he had in 2016.
32.
Ezekiel Ansah recorded 3 sacks in one game on 3 different occasions, the first Lion to accomplish that feat.
33.
On February 27,2018, the Lions placed the franchise tag on Ezekiel Ansah that paid him $17.5 million in 2018.
34.
Ezekiel Ansah played in the next six games before re-aggravating the shoulder injury in Week 14.
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Ezekiel Ansah was placed on injured reserve on December 11,2018.
36.
On May 9,2019, Ezekiel Ansah signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks.
37.
Ezekiel Ansah dealt with nagging injuries , and only registered 2.5 sacks as a situational pass rusher for the team.
38.
On September 23,2020, Ezekiel Ansah signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
39.
Ezekiel Ansah's father, Edward, was a sales manager for a petroleum company, and his mother, Elizabeth, was a nurse.
40.
Ezekiel Ansah is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
41.
Ezekiel Ansah was assigned to room with Kyle Van Noy, a highly touted linebacker, during the 2012 season.