In the late â80s and early â90s,
Christian Okoye punished defenses while playing running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. Teammate Irv Eatman appropriately labeled him âThe Nigerian Nightmareâ â a nickname that rang true for opposing defenses.
Okoye was a big back who could run around you or through you; he led the NFL in rushing yards in 1989.
He was hard to bring down and seldom was he tackled by a single defender.
Breaking arm tackles while scurrying into the end zone became his forte. The Nigerian-born Okoye didnât pick up the sport until he was in college, but he was a quick study. In the course of his career, he was selected to two NFL Pro Bowls and won an AFC Offensive Player of the Year Award. He was inducted into the Ring of Honor at the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.