OSI UMENYIORA

*EDITOR’S NOTE- This story orginally ran in 2014 as a part of the Class of 2014 Troy Sports Hall of Fame Ceremony.*

One of many former Trojans to turn into wildly successful professional players, Osi Umenyiora was a key piece of Troy teams that started the Trojans’ Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history.

An All-American following his senior season in 2002, Umenyiora first rewrote the Troy defensive record books, and then did the same in the National Football League. What’s incredible is the young age at which he did it all.

“Osi Umenyiora was a 16-year-old high school senior at Auburn High School,” Troy head coach and fellow Troy University Sports Hall of Fame member Larry Blakeney said. “An assistant coach there said we needed to take a second look at Osi. We signed him and redshirted him after watching his tape again.

“He did well in school, was very bright and very eloquent. He came in here, worked hard and had a great career.”

Umenyiora recorded 20.5 tackles for loss during that 2002 season to establish a new single-season school record. The record held true for eight seasons until now Atlanta Falcons teammate Jonathan Massaquoi, finished the 2010 campaign with 21.5 tackles for loss.

The London, England, native’s senior year at Troy was one of the best in school history as he finished second in the country with 15 sacks, a total which is tied for fifth best in a season in Troy history.

Also that season, Umenyiora helped form one of the most feared defensive end combinations in the country. In just it’s second season as an FBS member, Troy’s front featured a senior end in Umenyiora and sophomore end DeMarcus Ware. Each went on to a Pro-Bowl NFL career and each is now enshrined in the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame.

An All-Southland Football League selection in 2000 and AllNCAA DI Independent selection in 2002, Umenyiora ranks second all-time in Troy history with 38.5 tackles for loss behind only Ware. Umenyiora also ranks eighth in sacks and 16th in tackles.

He holds the Troy single-game record after picking up four sacks against Florida A&M in 2002.

Umenyiora was a part of two Southland Football League Championship teams, helping the Trojans win titles in their final two seasons in the league in 1999 and 2000. He was then a part of a 2001 team that went 7-4 in its inaugural season as an FBS member.

Umenyiora joins teammates in Ware and Lawrence Tynes, and his coach in Blakeney in the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame.

Now one of the most feared defensive lineman in the National Football League, Osi Umenyiora wasn’t invited to the NFL Draft Combine, but Umenyiora was selected by the New York Giants in the second round (56th overall pick) of the 2003 NFL Draft.

He went on to win a pair of Super Bowl titles with the Giants and has twice been selected to the NFL Pro Bowl. career. He led the NFC in sacks in 2005, was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month in Oct. 2010, set the New York Giants record with six sacks in a game and holds the NFL record after forcing 10 fumbles in 2010.

“He was fun to coach, fun to watch and a really great kid and student,” Blakeney said. “He has represented Troy University really well.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Since 2014, Umenyiora retired from the NFL and joined BBC Sport helping with their NFL coverage through their NFL International Series. Umenyiora has worked alongside Mark Chapman, Jason Bell, Nat Coombs, Mike Carlson and Dan Walker to earn and earned highly-rated reviews for their coverage.

He also works on BBC’s NFL weekly highlights shows. Umeyiora has been recognized by the Royal Televsion Society and the 2018 Sports Journalists’ Association for his work.

Umenyiora married Miss Universe 2011, Leila Lopes in 2015. The couple has welcomed a son, Dijani, in 2018.

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