American Football: Nigerian Deji Olatoye helps Atlanta Falcons to Super Bowls glory bid

In less than three years after joining professional football, the Nigerian-American Deji Olatoye will be playing at his first Super Bowls this February. This follows the 44-21 victory of his Atlanta Falcons side over the Green Bay Parkers in the National Football Conference (NFC) semi-final last Sunday. That victory came with the coveted George Halas trophy, and the opportunity to contest the overall National Football League top prize with the victors at the semi final games of the rival conference, American Football Conference (AFC). The AFC will be represented by at the Houston final event on February 5 by seventh-time winners, and ninth-time finalists, New England Patriots, led by the legendry Tom Brady. Atlanta Falcons will only be making their second Super Bowls in history, the first being in 1999.

25-year old Olatoye, a cornerback, joined the Atlanta side in September 2016 after a move from Dallas Cowboys, and was promoted from practice to active squad just two months later. Olatoye, who grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, had played college football in the two universities he attended, University of Colorado and North Carolina A&T. Before that, he participated in a string of sporting activities going back to his high school days, including soccer, basketball and athletics. His four-foot, six-inches jump remains the high jump record in his alma mater, Dublin Scioto High School, Dublin, Ohio.

After the victory on Sunday, Olatoye kissed the Halas trophy and the photograph has gone viral.

 He also took time out to celebrate with his family who were in the stand the whole time. Olatoye is the son of Nigerian immigrants Oye and Ade Olatoye. The Olatoyes are originally from Okemesi in Ekiti State.