Christian Emeka Okoye (; born August 16, 1961) is a Nigerian-American former American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1987 to 1992. Nicknamed the "Nigerian Nightmare", he is known for his powerful running style and ability to break tackles. His six-season NFL career produced an NFL rushing champion title in 1989, first-team All-Pro honors in 1989, second-team All-Pro honors in 1991, two Pro Bowl appearances in 1989 and 1991, and three playoff appearances. He ended his NFL career due to multiple injuries. He was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2000. He is also notable for not having ever played football until the age of 23, but later leading the NFL in rushing at age 28. College career A member of the Igbo ethnic group, Okoye was born in Enugu, Nigeria. He arrived in the US at age 21 and did not play American football until age 23, when he joined the squad at California's Azusa Pacific University. He excelled in track and field, winning seven college titles in the shot put, discus, and hammer throw. The first time he attended an American football game he thought the game was boring. After the Nigerian government declined Okoye for the Olympics in track and field, he sought other activities and went out for American football. Initially, he did not enjoy the roughness of football and considered quitting but friends convinced him to continue playing. His speed (4.45-seconds in the 40-yard dash) was unusual for someone his size (6'1" and 260 lbs), and this rare combination of talents led to his selection by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 1987 NFL Draft. Professional career In his rookie year, Okoye rushed for 660 yards on 157 carries. The following year, a thumb injury limited him to nine games, and he finished the season with 473 yards. In 1989, Okoye had his best NFL season statistics by far, leading the league in both rushing attempts (370) and rushing yards (1,480), becoming the first Chiefs player to lead the NFL in rushing. Though the Chiefs missed the playoffs, Okoye was selected by UPI as the American Football Conference's Offensive Player of the Year and earned entry to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. The remainder of Okoye's career was marked by a nagging knee injury, which limited him to 805 yards and a 3.3 yard