Table of Contents
Who is Obi Melifonwu?
Obi Melifonwu is a National Football League professional football player. Throughout his career, Obi Melifonwuhas been a member of some outstanding teams. He was most recently with the New England Patriots.
The footballer, though, began his career with the Oakland Raiders.
In addition, he is the Patriots’ 2018 Super Bowl winner.
The New England Patriots released him in April after his contract expired.
As a result, the Nigerian American player is currently unattached to any NFL team.
Nonetheless, given his outstanding abilities, he will be back on the field in no time.
Melifonwu wore number 22 for the Patriots and was a safety for the team.
The footballer was born in London and raised in America.
His parents came to America when he was a child.
As a child, Obi had a deep passion and admiration for football.
As a result, he doggedly followed his burning passion to be a player, and his dreams came true in 2017.
Obiajulu was selected by the Raiders in the second round.
In addition, his younger brother is footballer Ifeatu Melifonwu.
He is a member of Syracuse University’s football team, the Syracuse Orange.
Ifeatu, the eldest of five siblings, plays defensive back for his college team.
Furthermore, with his abilities and hard effort, he has a shot at a good NFL career.
Before we get into the specifics of the NFL Safety’s biography and football career, here are some basic facts about him.
Childhood, Family, and Education
Tina Melifonwu and an unnamed father gave birth to Obi Melifonwu in London, England.
His parents moved to London from Nigeria, where he was born.
They migrated to Massachusetts, USA, when Obi was just three years old.
There is very little information about his parents.
Tina, on the other hand, works as a nurse in a prominent hospital.
The five children adore their parents and look up to them as role models.
Obi especially admires and respects his mum.
He was raised in America with three brothers and one sister. Michael Melifonwu is the NFL player’s older brother.
Nonso and Ifeatu Melifonwu are his two younger brothers.
Former Raiders Player with His Mother Tina Melifonwu, his mother
Nonso recently received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He enjoys playing casual football.
Meanwhile, Ifeatu, the youngest Melifonwu child, plays college football.
He also attends Syracuse University and is well-known for his defensive abilities.
Similarly, there are rumors that Ifeatu will be a top pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
Obi attended Grafton High School, where he played football.
He was a defensive back, quarterback, and runner.
He also graduated with a high GPA and chose to attend the University of Connecticut.
The former Raiders safety was a standout for the UConn Huskies during his college career.
Height, Weight, And Age
On April 5, 2022, NFL Safety will be 28 years old.
As an athlete, he is concerned with his fitness, food, and overall health.
Obi weighs 224 pounds (102 kg) and stands 6 feet 4 inches tall.
Football Career, High School, And College
As a high school student in Massachusetts, he played defensive back, quarterback, and running back for the team.
He has also played with his brothers because they went to the same school.
Grafton High School student was recognized for his football prowess and defensive ability.
Similarly, he scored 17 touchdowns and rushed 1,394 yards in his senior year at Grafton High School.
He then went on to play collegiate football for the UConn Huskies at the University of Connecticut.
He redshirted his first year and began playing in 2013.
In his second year at college, he started 12 games and recorded 70 tackles and two interceptions.
Obi recorded 88 tackles and two interceptions the next season.
In his final season with the Huskies, he started all 13 games, totaling 118 tackles and four interceptions.
NFL playing career
Pre-NFL Profession
The NFL player was invited to the Senior Bowl, a post-season college football all-star game that showcases the best NFL Draft prospects.
He enhanced his draft stock throughout sessions while on the North team and had three total tackles.
Melifonwu made an impression on recruiters.
He also attended the NFL Combine to complete his positional training.
Despite skipping the three-cone exercise and the short shuttle, Obi excelled in the other workouts.
In addition, the majority of NFL draft experts and commentators expected his selection in the second round.
Aside from that, NFLDraftScout.com and NFL analyst Mike Mayock ranked him fourth among strong safety prospects in the 2017 draft.
Meanwhile, ESPN ranked the former quarterback fifth, and Sports Illustrated ranked him sixth.
Oakland Raiders and New England Raiders careers
Melifonwu was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
However, due to an injury, the Raiders placed him on the injured list.
Despite this, he was back on the field in less than two months.
The safety then had hip surgery, which put him back on the injured list.
In 2018, he was waived by the Oakland Raiders and placed on the injured list. On October 23, 2018, the Raiders released him.
Obi went on to another NFL team after an unremarkable career with his last team.
In less than a month, the footballer signed a two-year contract with the New England Patriots.
He advanced to the Super Bowl finals after making three tackles in two games.
Melifonwu won Super Bowl LIII alongside the New England Patriots.
The Patriots won the Super Bowl by defeating the Los Angeles Rams.
However, he was waived and re-signed to the Patriots’ practice squad.
Obiajulu was released on April 27, 2020, despite signing a future contract with the team.
He signed a reserve/future contract with the San Francisco 49ers on January 4, 2021, after leaving the Patriots.
Obi Melifonwu | Marriage, Relationships, and Children
The former UConn Husky is dating fitness fanatic, Alyssa Okada.
They met at the University of Connecticut and have been in a relationship ever since.
As a result, they are college sweethearts.
Okada studied Public Relations and Communications.
She primarily works at the gym as a personal trainer.
Furthermore, the exercise enthusiast excels academically.
She was born in 1995 to a Japanese-American father and a German-American mother.
Due to discriminatory insults, Alyssa quit her job as a gym trainer in Fort Myers.
Two of her male coworkers said something racist about her boyfriend.
Furthermore, she posts their chat online after they deny the charges.
Obi Melifonwu and His Lover Alyssa Okada Okada is an outspoken supporter of the “Black Lives Matter” organization and movement, and she strongly opposes racism.
She is currently a model for the sportswear firm Physiq Apparel.
Obi and Alyssa don’t have any plans to get married as they’re both fairly focused on their profession.
Although expecting wedding bells in the future years is not unreasonable.
Obi Melifonwu | Net Worth And Salary
Despite the fact that he has been a safety officer for four years, he has earned a good living.
According to his wealth and earnings, he lives a rather comfortable life.
Aside from that, he is sponsored by a number of well-known brands and companies.
Also, read Feyisa Lilesa, David Boudia, Walt Lemon Jr.
Obi Melifonwu | Online Presence
The former Raider is quite active on social media.
He typically shares images with his coworkers, as well as football highlights and training videos.
Aside from that, he frequently poses for photographs with his mother, brothers, and girlfriend.
He also flaunts his Super Bowl ring on occasion.
Melifonwu also has over 14 thousand followers on Twitter.
He joined in 2011, and he is followed by numerous celebrities and fellow footballers.
Obi usually tweets football-related information.
From his Twitter feed, it is clear that he adores children and enjoys playing football with them.
