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The Playbook With David Meltzer

Christian Okoye: From Nigeria to the NFL in Three Years | #ThePlaybook 91

The Playbook With David Meltzer

David Meltzer, Entrepreneur.com

Entrepreneurship, Business, Careers

4.61.9K Ratings

🗓️ 25 April 2019

⏱️ 20 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Christian Okoye nicknamed the "Nigerian Nightmare" is a former NFL running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. He came to the US at the age of 21 to attend Azusa Pacific on a track and field scholarship. Christian did not begin playing football until the age of 23 after the Nigerian government did not select him for the Olympic team. He was selected in the second round of the 1987 NFL draft and went on to win AFC offensive player of the year in 1989 after leading the NFL in rushing. He finished his career as a 2X Pro Bowler, a first team All-Pro player in 1989, and has since been inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome back to the Thursday edition of the playbook. I appreciate everyone's feedback.

0:04.4

They want more playbook, so I'm working on putting out more contents, so now we have them on Thursdays.

0:09.6

I am so excited about this episode. My friend, you've heard about him, those

0:15.3

listeners out there, the Nigerian nightmare Christian Acoye is on the

0:20.6

playbook, the person who ended my career, doctor, lawyer, or failure.

0:26.8

I have his signature footprint still impressed upon my chest when he not only ran me over but stepped on me. Anyway I will talk to

0:35.9

Rick Christian about transitioning from and to the US as an Olympian into the NFL

0:42.2

where he barely knew the game of football and his

0:45.6

reaction to football and who his key mentors and how important mentors are to him

0:51.6

especially Marty Schottheimer, one of my favorite coaches as well.

0:55.6

This is Entrepreneurs The Playbook, where each week I bring you some of the greatest athletes,

1:01.2

celebrities, and entrepreneurs to talk about their personal and professional

1:06.0

playbook to success and what made them champions on the field and in the boardroom.

1:12.0

I'm your host and CEO of Sports One Marketing, David Melzer.

1:17.0

This day Melter with Entrepreneurs The Playbook and I have a dear friend Christian

1:26.4

Nicoye who as he stated when he got here my stories about Christian keep getting

1:31.3

bigger and better it reminded me Vita Blue one time told me,

1:34.8

he goes, it's funny, the older I get, the better I was. The older I get, the better my stories get.

1:40.8

That's how it works. So my claim to fame is I first play in college at Occidental College.

1:46.8

Christian played for Azusa Pacific.

1:48.8

He ran me over and literally stepped on my chest.

1:52.0

And I decided to go to med school after that.

...

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