David Onyemata

David Onyemata's Biography

David Onyemata, born on November 13, 1992, is a recognized Nigerian pro football nose tackle who currently battles the gridiron for the Atlanta Falcons in the National Football League (NFL). He forged his football prowess while studying in Manitoba, where he played for the university’s Bisons football team.

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Onyemata’s education began in the Chrisland Schools, and his high school years were spent in Rainbow College. In 2011, he embarked upon a bold journey, immigrating to Winnipeg in Canada on his own to study at the University of Manitoba.

It wasn’t until Onyemata arrived in Winnipeg that he experienced his first gridiron football game. Despite his lack of familiarity with the sport, Onyemata’s natural skill for the game was soon recognized as he rapidly rose through the ranks to become a standout player for the Manitoba Bisons. He was awarded the 2015 J. P. Metras Trophy, a distinguished award given to the best down lineman in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) football league. His talents earned him an invitation to the East–West Shrine Game, catapulting him to the top of the prospect list in the 2016 draft.

His prowess did not go unnoticed. Onyemata was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL draft as the 120th overall pick. This marked a breakthrough in his University’s history, making him the first player from the University of Manitoba to be selected for the NFL draft, and only the twelfth draft pick from the CIS (now known as U-Sports). In a strategic move, the Saints traded their fifth-round picks for 2016 and 2017 to Washington in order to secure Onyemata. His talents were also acknowledged by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 CFL Draft.

Onyemata proved his worth in the NFL in 2018, playing in all 16 games with four starts, amassing 35 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Despite facing a suspension at the start of the 2019 season for violating the league’s substances of abuse policy, he was reinstated on the active roster on September 10, 2019.

His performance in the NFL led to Onyemata signing a noteworthy three-year, $27 million contract extension with the Saints on March 18, 2020. In Week 9 of the same year, he made his first career interception off a pass thrown by Tom Brady in a thrilling 38-3 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.

Despite facing a six-game suspension by the NFL in July 2021, for testing positive for a banned substance, Onyemata remained committed to the sport. Earlier that year, on March 3, he had agreed to convert part of his $7MM base salary into a signing bonus, freeing up cap space for the New Orleans Saints.

Onyemata’s journey took a new turn in March 2023 when he was presented with a three-year, $35 million contract by the Atlanta Falcons. This move reunited him with his former Saints position coach, Ryan Nielsen, who had recently been appointed as the Falcons’ defensive coordinator.