Panthers Defensive End’s Journey From Human Trafficking Victim To NFL Pro

From homeless human trafficking victim to professional football player: one NFL long shot is now making big plays with the Carolina Panthers.

Four years ago, Efe Obada had not played one game of football.
Now the Panthers defensive end has the game ball from Sunday’s win against the Cincinnati Bengals and he says he’s planning to put in his man cave.

Obada had a dazzling debut Sunday, with an interception in the 3rd quarter and a sack that stopped a potential Bengals comeback in the 4th quarter.
“It was just preparation and hunger,” Obada said after the game. “Opportunities like this don’t come around for people like me, so I’d be a fool to not make the most of it.”

Obada also has an incredible story.
He born in Nigeria and moved to the Netherlands, where he and his sister were taken and trafficked to London when Obada was just 10-years old.
Obada discovered football at 22 and played briefly in England.
He joined the Panthers practice squad last year, through the NFL’s International Pathway Program.

Edge contributor Jonathan Jones wrote about Obada’s journey to the NFL for Sport’s Illustrated.

‘He made the 53-man roster but was inactive for the first two games of the 2018 season. Obada didn’t want to go into Carolina’s early Week 4 bye without showing the coaches they made the right decision, and he put together the best week of practice of all players according to his coaches. He found out he’d be active against Cincinnati when he walked into the locker room Sunday morning and saw his jersey and pads placed on his chair.’

Read More From SI’s Jonathan Jones.