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Ositadinma "Osi" Umenyiora (pronounced /OH-see yoo-men-YUR-ah (oo-men-yor-ah in Igbo)/) (born November 16, 1981 in Golders Green, London, England) is an American football defensive end in the NFL for the New York Football Giants. [1] He was drafted in the 2nd round (56th pick overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Troy State University (now simply Troy University), where he finished second in the nation with 16 sacks.[2] Umenyiora is one of three British born players to have won the Super Bowl, alongside Scott McCready and Giants teammate Lawrence Tynes. He also recorded four tackles, three of which were solo.
Umenyiora was born in London to Nigerian parents. His family moved back to Nigeria and later to Auburn, Alabama, where he started playing football in high school. He attended Auburn High School, the same school attended by fellow Troy State alum and current Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Demarcus Ware as well as Washington Redskins linebacker Marcus Washington.
Umenyiora established himself as a premier pass rusher in 2005 and is known for his quickness off the line as well as his explosive power. In his first year, starting all 16 games for the Giants, he recorded 70 tackles and 14.5 sacks, which placed him second in the NFL, behind only Derrick Burgess of the Oakland Raiders, who had 16 sacks. He also had 4 forced fumbles and 2 fumbles recovered. His outstanding and consistent playmaking ability earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl, where he played with teammate Michael Strahan. The two collected 26 sacks total, tops in the NFL for any pair of teammates. Umenyiora and Strahan form what is considered to be the best defensive end pass rushing duo in the entire NFL.[3]
In the 2004 Season, he scored his first career NFL touchdown on a 50-yard fumble return against the Baltimore Ravens on December 12. He recorded his second touchdown on 21 October 2007 against the San Francisco 49ers when he sacked Trent Dilfer, forced a fumble, recovered the fumble and sped untouched 75 yards down the field for the score[4].
On December 23, 2005, he signed a six-year, $41 million contract extension with the New York Giants.[5]
In the fourth game of the 2007 season, Umenyiora set a Giants franchise record by recording six sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles.[6] In the October 22, 2007, game against the San Francisco 49ers, Umenyiora, in one play, recorded a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a return for a touchdown.
Umenyiora will be making his second Pro Bowl appearance in the 2007-8 season as the only New York Giants player voted to the team by the fans and NFL coaches and players.
He is known for his speed off the outside edge and his ability to sneak behind the play and strip the ball free from the quarterback as he goes into his throwing motion.
Umenyiora is currently dating Victoria Secret model Selita Ebanks
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