Blog of the week 4: Celebrating international diversity

Celebrate international diversity: Four Steelers players will participate in a special initiative to celebrate international diversity that the NFL will be undertaking over the next two weeks, when they wear a flag helmet sticker of the country or territory that represents their nationality or culture.

The player-led initiative showcases the NFL’s global influence, with more than 50 nations and territories represented. Players can carry, alongside the American flag, the flag of a country they have lived in for two or more years or have a parent or grandparent who was born there.

Participants include David Anenih (Nigeria), Chase Claypool (Canada), Larry Ogunjobi (Nigeria) and Chukwuma Okorafor (Nigeria).

“I think it’s amazing,” Ogunjobi said. “My parents were immigrants. I am first generation here in the United States. I think there are over 80 Nigerian players playing in the NFL. It means a lot to me and my countrymen to carry this flag and to represent our country. We don’t come from a lot, but it’s exciting to do these things and represent our country in the right way and be part of something special.”

Ogunjobi’s parents, Larry and Mercy Ogunjobi, moved to the United States in 1993, the year before he was born. He pledged to continually strive to do more to honor the sacrifices they have made.

“We come from humble beginnings, and I think about it every day, what they went through to get me here and give me a better life, better opportunities,” Ogunjobi said. “I try to reward them every day with my work and the way I attack every day.”

He will be joined by Anenih and Okorafor carrying the Nigerian flag, which will be carried by more players than any other flag.

“It means a lot, especially to me because my parents, my mother and my father, still live in Nigeria,” Anenih said. “Without my parents, without their education, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It means a lot to me to represent my country.

“I think it’s a good thing to allow people who aren’t from America to represent where they’re from, where their parents were born, so that’s really a positive thing.”

Okorafor, who was born in Nigeria, also understands the sacrifices that were made for them to have the life they have now.

“It means a lot to do this,” Okorafor said. “We all came to the NFL, but you have to remember what your parents did to get us here. I think about my life every day, what my mom and dad had to do to get us here. here. It means a lot.”

Claypool was born and raised in Canada and is happy to see more Canadians playing in the NFL every year.

“Wearing the flag is something I did in college on the back of my helmet, so I think it’s cool to be able to do it in the NFL as well,” Claypool said. “I think it shows the diversity. There aren’t too many of us from Canada, but there are more and more coming into the league. I think it will be cool to see the other Canadian players too, and even from other countries. talking point and makes us more of a family.”