Justin Madubuike

Justin Madubuike's Biography

Nnamdi Madubuike, born as Justin Madubuike on November 17, 1997, is an American professional football defensive tackle, currently playing for the National Football League’s Baltimore Ravens. He was born in Dallas, Texas, to Nigerian parents and later attended McKinney North High School, located in his Texas hometown. During his high school years, he had an opportunity to play in the prestigious 2016 U.S. Army All-American Game, a springboard for the future football star that led him to commit to playing college football at Texas A&M University.

Entering his college life, Madubuike decided to redshirt his first year in 2016. However, it didn’t take him long to join the field as he appeared in all 13 games in 2017, where he had 20 tackles. By the next year, his presence in the field increased substantially as he finished with 40 tackles and bagged 5.5 sacks, appearing in all 13 games yet again. In his junior year of college, he scored a total of 45 tackles and replicated his previous year’s record of 5.5 sacks. With this promising performance on track, he decided to forgo his senior season and entered the 2020 NFL draft, although he made a conscious choice to sit out the 2019 Texas Bowl.

The Baltimore Ravens recognized Madubuike’s potential and drafted him as the 71st overall pick in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft. A knee sprain during the training camp took him out of the field for the first four games. In the middle of the season, he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, a detour before he was activated again in December.

His resilience was shown in Week 16 against the New York Giants, where he made his career’s first sack on Daniel Jones, solidifying a 27–13 win. By the end of the season, he had made 19 combined tackles and one sack, playing in 10 games. The subsequent season of 2021 saw Madubuike under the limelight more often due to the extensive injuries the Ravens’ roster was plagued with. He showcased a solid performance down the stretch, finishing with 36 combined tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 2 pass-breakups.

Madubuike’s career blossomed in the following season, with a rise in his production in his third season as a Raven. He played every game of the season, making 42 combined tackles, 5.5 sacks, and three pass-breakups. The 2023 season marked his league prowess with a half-sack in 11 consecutive games. He secured 2.0 sacks in a victory over the Tennessee Titans and another sack during the win over the Detroit Lions. His performance against the LA Chargers made him the first Raven in five years to reach double-digit sacks. This impressive performance not only tied him to an NFL record but also led to his first Pro Bowl selection, as well as a ranking of 61 by his peers in the NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.

The Ravens placed the franchise tag on Madubuike on March 5, 2024, after a breakout season and he was soon signed to a four-year, $98 million contract extension three days later, underlining the team’s belief in his potential. A notable moment off the pitch came in 2024 when Madubuike, initially known as Justin, chose to be recognized by his Nigerian first name Nnamdi, a testament to his heritage and his path to self-identity.