Kyle Monangai powered the Chicago Bears past the New York Jets, while Chuba Hubbard helped the Carolina Panthers hold off the Detroit Lions in a Week 4 slate packed with major contributions from players with African ties.
Monangai, whose parents are from Cameroon, scored twice and carried 30 times for 146 yards in Chicago’s 23-12 victory at Soldier Field. His lone catch gained four yards, giving him 150 yards from scrimmage.
Hubbard, born in Canada to a Nigerian father and Canadian mother, also found the end zone twice as Carolina beat Detroit 32-26. New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, who has Liberian connections, added two touchdowns despite the Saints’ 45-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Quick facts
- Kyle Monangai: 146 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns and 150 scrimmage yards in Bears win.
- Chuba Hubbard: Two touchdowns in Panthers’ six-point victory over the Lions.
- Foyesade Oluokun: Seven tackles, a sack and a red-zone interception for Jacksonville.
- CJ Okoye: First regular-season sack by an NFL Africa International Player Pathway graduate.
- Nate Landman: 10 tackles for the Rams against Philadelphia.
Monangai’s expanded role
Monangai is becoming a larger part of Chicago’s offense in his second NFL season. After scoring five touchdowns as a rookie, he already has three this year.
He opened the season with 100 rushing yards on 10 attempts and a touchdown in the Bears’ 59-37 win over Carolina. He also caught two passes for 24 yards in that game.
Against the Jets, Monangai’s workload reflected Chicago’s confidence in him. His two-touchdown afternoon helped the Bears control the game and close out a 23-12 result.
Hubbard breaks through Detroit
Hubbard’s second touchdown was the defining sequence in Carolina’s win. He slipped through traffic and shook off five tackle attempts during a 25-yard run before a sixth defender stopped him at the 2-yard line.
On the next snap, Hubbard ran in for the score. Ryan Fitzgerald’s extra point pushed the Panthers’ advantage to 10 points in the third quarter, the final scoring margin before Detroit’s fourth-quarter comeback attempt fell short.
Atlanta’s win over New Orleans also included a Nigerian defensive highlight, with Falcons edge rusher Samson Ebukam recording a sack.
Defensive standouts across the league
Jacksonville linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, who has Nigerian family ties, delivered one of the week’s most complete defensive performances. He posted seven tackles, a sack and an interception in the red zone as the Jaguars beat the Cincinnati Bengals 22-17.
Seattle safety Nick Emmanwori, another player of Nigerian heritage, was also part of a strong defensive showing in the Seahawks’ 30-23 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Los Angeles Rams’ 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles featured notable performances from players with Zimbabwean ties. Rams linebacker Nate Landman made 10 tackles, while Eagles defensive back Andrew Mukuba, who also has family connections to the Democratic Republic of Congo, intercepted a pass.
Okoye reaches a breakthrough moment
New York Giants defensive lineman Basil Chijioke “CJ” Okoye recorded his first regular-season sack in a 36-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals, becoming the first NFL Africa International Player Pathway Program graduate to do so.
The Nigerian-born Okoye dropped Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett for an eight-yard loss with about two minutes remaining in the first half. The Giants were leading 19-14 at the time.
Okoye attended the 2022 NFL Africa Touchdown camp before entering the International Player Pathway Program. He previously spent time with the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens, and the 24-year-old has progressed quickly after first playing organized football during the 2023 preseason.
His breakthrough sack, alongside Ebukam’s for Atlanta, gave Nigerian-born players two quarterback takedowns in Week 4 victories.
