 Asomugha in 2009 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 21, 24, 28 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Cornerback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1981-07-06)July 6, 1981 (age 44) Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Narbonne (Harbor City, California) | ||||||||||||||
| College | California (1999–2002) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2003: 1st round, 31st overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Nnamdi Asomugha (Listenⓘ); born July 6, 1981) is an American actor, director, producer, and former professionalfootballcornerback who played 11 seasons in theNational Football League (NFL) with theOakland Raiders,Philadelphia Eagles, andSan Francisco 49ers. He playedcollege football for theCalifornia Golden Bears, and was selected in the first round of the2003 NFL draft by the Raiders. For several years, he was considered one of the bestshutdown corners in the NFL.[1][2][3][4] In his 11-year career, he was votedAll-Pro four times, including twice to the first team. Asomugha was selected as a member ofFox Sports's NFL All-Decade Team 2000–2009[5] andUSA Today's NFL All-Decade Team 2000s,[6] and is considered one of the greatest Raiders of all time.[7][8][9]
Asomugha received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Carl King in the filmCrown Heights (2017).[10][11][12] He was nominated for anIndependent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male and he was nominated for anNAACP Image Award forOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.[13][14]Variety named him one of the seven breakout performers of 2017.[15]
Asomugha made hisBroadway debut in the Pulitzer Prize-winning playA Soldier’s Play (2020) as Private First Class Melvin Peterson, a role originated off-Broadway byDenzel Washington.[16][17] Later that year, the production won theTony Award for Best Revival of a Play.[18]
Asomugha received his first Emmy nomination whenSylvie’s Love (2020)—which he produced and starred in—was nominated for Outstanding Television Movie at thePrimetime Emmy Awards.[19] That same year,Variety named him one of its '10 Producers to Watch.'[20]
Nnamdi Asomugha was born inLafayette, Louisiana, toNigerianIgbo parents. His childhood was spent making numerous trips to Nigeria.[21][22] He was raised inLos Angeles,California. He attendedLeuzinger High School inLawndale, California, andBishop Montgomery High School inTorrance, California, before transferring to and fromNarbonne High School inHarbor City, California, playing high school basketball and football.
Asomugha attended theUniversity of California, Berkeley, where he played for theCalifornia Golden Bears football team.[23] He finished his career with 187 tackles, three sacks, 19 stops for losses, eight interceptions, three touchdowns, 15 pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble in 41 games as afree safety.[23] Asomugha graduated with a Bachelor of Science inBusiness Administration.[24]
He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, where he spent eight seasons.[21] He later played for the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers before retiring at the end of the 2013–2014 season.[21]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft2+3⁄8 in (1.89 m) | 213 lb (97 kg) | 32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) | 9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 4.45 s | 1.60 s | 2.66 s | 37.5 in (0.95 m) | 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) | 16 reps | |||
| All values fromNFL Combine[25][26] | ||||||||||||
Asomugha was selected by theOakland Raiders in the first round, with the 31st overall pick, of the2003 NFL draft. He was the second Cal player drafted in the first round that year.[27] He was moved tocornerback but played sparingly the first two seasons of his career. He became a starter in 2005 and set new highs in tackles with 60 tackles (55 solo) and passes broken up with 14.[28]
In 2006, he recorded his first two career interceptions against theCleveland Browns. He got his third interception four weeks later against thePittsburgh Steelers and returned it 24 yards for the first touchdown of his career. Though the team suffered through a 2–14 season, Asomugha's 2006 campaign was his finest yet as he finished the season with 50 tackles (48 solo), eight interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble and one touchdown. His interception total tied him for second highest total in theNational Football League along with four other players (including former Oakland Raiders cornerbackCharles Woodson). After the season, Asomugha was invited to thePro Bowl as an alternate but because of late notice he was not able to attend the annual all-star game.[29] He also received theOakland Raiders "Commitment to Excellence" Award and was named the team'sMost Valuable Player. In addition, Asomugha was selected toDr. ZSports Illustrated 2006 All-Pro team[30] as well as TheAssociated Press2006 All-Pro Team.
Asomugha was selected as the Raiders Team Captain for the2007 season. Opposing quarterbacks tested him only 31 times with a mere 10 completions the entire season. OneNFL scout toldPro Football Weekly that Asomugha was thrown at "less than any defender in the last ten years" in 2007.[31] He finished the 2007 season with 34 tackles(32 solo), 1 interception and 7 breakups and was named a2008 Pro Bowl alternate.
A free agent in the 2008 offseason, the Raiders placed the exclusivefranchise tag on Asomugha on February 20, 2008.[32]
Asomugha was again selected a team captain before the2008 season. Opposing quarterbacks tested him only 27 times the entire season resulting in just 8 completions. Only perennial all-prosRandy Moss (3 receptions, 40 yards) andTony Gonzalez (2 receptions, 34 yards) would catch more than one ball on him during the year. New England Patriots head coachBill Belichick said Asomugha is "as complete a cornerback as he has seen all year".[33] He finished the 2008 season with 40 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 9 pass deflections. He received theOakland Raiders "Commitment to Excellence" Award for the second time and was named the team's 2008 Co-Most Valuable Player along with running backJustin Fargas. Asomugha was selected as a starter for the2009 Pro Bowl. He was selected onto TheSporting News 2008 All-Pro Team[34] as well as thePro Football Writers Association All-NFL Team for 2008.[35] Asomugha was also selected ontoPeter King'sSports Illustrated 2008 All-Pro team[36] as well as TheAssociated Press2008 All-Pro Team.
On February 19, 2009, the Raiders re-signed Asomugha to a complex three-year deal that made him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. The first two years, worth $28.5 million, were fully guaranteed. In the third year of the contract, if Oakland wanted to keep Asomugha, it had to pay him the average of the top five highest-paidcornerbacks or $16.875 million, whichever was higher. If the Raiders failed to pick up the option, Asomugha became a free agent with Oakland not having the ability to tag him again.[37]
In August 2009 theOakland Tribune named Asomugha one of the greatestOakland Raiders of all time.[38]
A team captain again in 2009 and the NFL's least targeted cornerback by an extremely wide margin, Asomugha was challenged by opposing quarterbacks only 27 times and allowed 13 completions the entire season. After his performance against theHouston Texans, head coachGary Kubiak said "Asomugha is the best (corner) I've seen in a while throughout this league. He's big, he's fast, they put him out there on an island the whole game. He's an exceptional player." Similar to the past three seasons, Asomugha finished the 2009 season with 34 tackles, 1 interception, and was second in the league with 8 tackles for loss from the cornerback position.Cleveland Browns defensive coordinatorRob Ryan said "The guy is truly unbelievable. He made himself the best corner in football by his work ethic, the way he studies tape, and he's so smart."[39]
Following the 2009 season, Asomugha was selected as a starter for the2010 Pro Bowl. Asomugha was selected onto TheSporting News2009 All-Pro Team (2nd team) as well as TheAssociated Press2009 All-Pro Team (2nd team). This would mark his third selection to both thePro Bowl andAll-Pro team in his seven-year career with theOakland Raiders.
In 2010, Asomugha was selected as a member of theFox Sports'[40] andUSA Today's NFL All-Decade Team.[6]
The shutdown corner lived up to his title once again in the 2010 season. While shadowing the opposing teams' top receiver most of the season, Asomugha was still targeted much less than any other cornerback in the NFL. Asomugha allowed just 10 receptions on the 27 passes thrown his way. Most important, Asomugha did not give up a touchdown all year.[41] "He has extraordinary speed – great speed," Seahawks coachPete Carroll said. "He's exactly what you're looking for in a press corner and about as good as you could hope a guy to be."[42] When facing theArizona Cardinals,All-Pro wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald said "The thing you see on tape for a man of his size, he has incredible hips and amazingly quick feet, and that's just God given ability to be that tall and be able to move and cut and drive on balls the way he's able to."[43] Following the 2010 season, Asomugha was selected as a starter for the2011 Pro Bowl. Asomugha was selected ontoESPNJohn Clayton's 2010 All-Pro Team[44] as well asPeter King'sSports Illustrated 2010 All-Pro team.[45] Asomugha was also selected to the prestigiousAssociated Press2010 All-Pro Team, his fourth selection as anAll-Pro. He was ranked 18th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2011.[46]
Entering the2011 season, Asomugha was regarded as the top free agent available on the market. On July 29, 2011, Asomugha agreed to a five-year, $60 million deal, and at least $25 million guaranteed, contract with thePhiladelphia Eagles.[47][48]
In 2011, he finished the season with 40 total tackles, 5 passes defended, and 3 interceptions. Asomugha was named a2012 Pro Bowl alternate.[49]
During his time in Philadelphia, the team struggled to a 12–20 record, missing the playoffs both years. Asomugha was eventually released by the team at the end of the2012 season after he was unable to agree to a restructured deal with the team.[50]
On April 2, 2013, Asomugha signed a one-year deal with theSan Francisco 49ers, under which he would earn a base salary of $1.35 million and with a chance to earn up to an additional $1.65 million in incentives.[51] On November 4, 2013, Asomugha was waived by the team.[52]
On December 26, 2013, Asomugha signed a one-day contract with Oakland so he could retire as a Raider. He officially announced his retirement on December 27, 2013.[53]
In 2016,Pro Football Focus named Asomugha the best Oakland Raiders player of the past decade.[54]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | ||
| 2003 | OAK | 15 | 1 | 28 | 20 | 8 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | OAK | 16 | 7 | 45 | 37 | 8 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | OAK | 16 | 16 | 60 | 55 | 5 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | OAK | 15 | 15 | 51 | 48 | 3 | 1.0 | 3 | 8 | 59 | 1 | 24 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | OAK | 15 | 15 | 34 | 32 | 2 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | OAK | 15 | 15 | 40 | 33 | 7 | 0.0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | OAK | 16 | 16 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 0.0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | OAK | 14 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | PHI | 16 | 15 | 40 | 35 | 5 | 0.0 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | PHI | 16 | 16 | 55 | 47 | 8 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | SFO | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 157 | 131 | 408 | 356 | 52 | 2.0 | 24 | 15 | 79 | 1 | 24 | 79 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
Asomugha's first onscreen role was onThe CW sitcomThe Game, followed by roles in other television series, includingFriday Night Lights and theTNT dramaLeverage.[55][56] He also appeared inWill Ferrell's comedy web seriesFunny or Die (2012) and theRoadside Attractions filmHello, My Name Is Doris (2015).[57]
In 2014, Asomugha worked as anexecutive producer on theNetflix filmBeasts of No Nation.[58] The film premiered at the72nd Venice International Film Festival and was a critical success, garnering numerous awards that year, including a nomination forBest Feature at the2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards.[59]
Asomugha's breakout performance came when he produced and starred in theAmazon Studios filmCrown Heights.[60] The film premiered in competition in theUS Dramatic Category at theSundance Film Festival on January 23, 2017, where it received favorable reviews[61][62] and won theAudience Award for U.S. Dramatic Film.[63][64] Following its success, Asomugha was widely regarded as one of the breakout actors of the 2017Sundance Film Festival, with Jenelle Riley ofVariety calling his performance "simply astounding."[65][66][67][68] He was later nominated forBest Supporting Actor at the2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards, as well asOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture at theNAACP Image Awards.[69][70]
Asomugha made his stage debut in theOff-Broadway playGood Grief (2018) at theVineyard Theatre.[71] The play was named aNew York Times Critic's Pick,[72] andSara Holdren ofNew York Magazine praised Asomugha's performance as "excellent."[73]
Asomugha has served as a producer or executive producer on several film and theatre projects, including theFocus Features filmHarriet (2019), theApple Studios filmThe Banker (2020), and theAmazon Studios filmNanny (2022), which won theGrand Jury Prize at the2022 Sundance Film Festival.[74][75] He has also produced for theatre, including the Broadway playsAmerican Son (2018) andPurlie Victorious (2023), which was nominated for theTony Award for Best Revival of a Play.[76]
In 2020, Asomugha received critical acclaim for hisBroadway debut in the Pulitzer Prize-winning playA Soldier’s Play, portraying Private First Class Melvin Peterson, a role originally performed off-Broadway byDenzel Washington.[77][78][79] Jesse Green ofThe New York Times praised his standout performance as "excellent,"[80] while David Rooney ofThe Hollywood Reporter declared it a "promising Broadway debut."[81] The production went on to receive sevenTony Award nominations, winningBest Revival of a Play.[82]
Also in 2020, Asomugha produced and starred alongsideTessa Thompson in theAmazon Studios romantic dramaSylvie's Love. Both Asomugha and the film received high praise from critics after premiering at the2020 Sundance Film Festival.[83][84][85] In his review, Vince Mancini ofUproxx wrote, "It's a rare wonder to find out that an ex-athlete is both an actor and agreat actor at the same time."[86] Benjamin Lee ofThe Guardian praised the chemistry between Thompson and Asomugha, calling it "a genuine, pulse-quickening connection that's impossible to feign and rare to witness."[87] Asomugha went on to receive anNAACP Image Award nomination forOutstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series, or Dramatic Special.[88] The following year, he earned his firstPrimetime Emmy Award nomination as a producer whenSylvie’s Love was nominated forOutstanding Television Movie.[89]
In 2022, Asomugha starred oppositeEddie Redmayne andJessica Chastain in theNetflix thrillerThe Good Nurse. The film premiered at theToronto International Film Festival to generally favorable reviews.[90][91] On February 2, 2024,Deadline announced that Asomugha and Chastain would reunite on theApple TV+ thriller miniseriesThe Savant, inspired by the true story of a top-secret investigator who infiltrates online hate groups.[92]
On January 18, 2022,Deadline announced that Asomugha would make his directorial debut with the feature filmThe Knife, from a script he co-wrote withMark Duplass.[93] In addition to directing, he would also star alongsideAcademy Award-winning actressMelissa Leo,Aja Naomi King, andManny Jacinto.[93] The film premiered in competition at theTribeca Film Festival on June 9, 2024, receiving high critical praise and rave reviews.[94][95][96] Many critics cited it as a "remarkable and powerful directing debut," while also lauding the "strong and poignant performances" from the ensemble cast.[97][98][96] Film critic Will Bjarnar, in his review forNext Best Picture, said that "the film was as engaging a work of suspense as I've seen this year."[99] Lovia Gyarkye, a critic forThe Hollywood Reporter, highlighted the film's "chilling and visceral frankness," calling it "not just a story of horror, but of heartbreak."[100]
Asomugha won the Tribeca Film Festival Award forBest New Narrative Director, andThe Knife was nominated for theFounders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature.[101][102] The film had its European premiere on September 11, 2024, at theDeauville American Film Festival, where it won theJury Prize and was nominated for the festival'sGrand Prix.[103]
On November 4, 2024, Asomugha was honored with theBreakthrough Director Award at theDenver Film Festival.[104]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Fire with Fire | Sherrod | Feature film debut |
| 2015 | Beasts of No Nation | N/a | Executive producer, premiered atVenice Film Festival in 2015 |
| 2016 | Hello, My Name Is Doris | Shaka | |
| 2017 | Crown Heights | Carl King | Also producer |
| 2019 | Harriet | N/a | Executive producer |
| 2020 | When the Streetlights Go On | adult Charlie Chambers | |
| 2020 | Sylvie's Love[105] | Robert | Also producer |
| 2020 | The Banker | N/a | Producer |
| 2022 | Nanny | N/a | Executive producer,Sundance Grand Jury Prize in 2022 |
| 2022 | The Good Nurse | Danny Baldwin | Premiered atToronto International Film Festival in 2022 |
| 2025 | The Knife | Chris | Also director/co-writer, premiered atTribeca Festival in 2024 |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Game | Party Guest | Episode: "The List" |
| 2009 | Friday Night Lights | Ken Shaw | Episode: "East of Dillon" |
| 2010 | Leverage | Walle | Episode: "The Scheherazade Job" |
| 2013 | Kroll Show | Himself | Episode: "Please God" |
| 2025 | The Savant | Charlie Goodwin | Upcoming miniseries |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Good Grief | Bro | Vineyard Theatre, Off-Broadway |
| 2018 | American Son | N/a | Booth Theatre, Broadway; Producer[106] |
| 2020 | A Soldier's Play | Private First Class Melvin Peterson | American Airlines Theatre, Broadway |
| 2023 | Purlie Victorious | N/a | Music Box Theatre, Broadway; Producer[107] |
Asomugha serves asChairman for theAsomugha Foundation. The Asomugha Foundation operates two primary programs: Orphans and Widows In Need (OWIN) and Asomugha College Tour for Scholars (ACTS).
ThroughOWIN, Asomugha and his family provide food, shelter, medicine, vocational training, literacy efforts, and scholarships to widows and orphans victimized by poverty or abuse inNigeria. Currently, OWIN has two centers inNigeria and plans to expand to other countries inAfrica.[122]
In 2006, Asomugha launched the annualACTS program. Each year, he teams up with selected students fromBay Area andLos Angeles Area high schools on college tours across the country. One of the organizations he partnered with is theEast Oakland Youth Development Center, a501(c)(3) non-profit organization inOakland, California.[123] In the first two years, Asomugha took students to visitMorehouse College,Spelman College,Georgia Institute of Technology,Clark Atlanta University,Harvard University,Massachusetts Institute of Technology,Boston University,Brown University and theBerklee College of Music. For the 2009 tour, Asomugha took students to visit schools in New York City includingNYU,Columbia University,The Juilliard School, TheFashion Institute of Technology,Fordham University andThe New School.[124] In 2010, ACTS expanded to not only service high school students in the Bay Area but also select high schools in the Los Angeles area. For the 2010 tour, ACTS visited schools in Washington D.C. includingGeorgetown University,George Washington University,American University,Howard University andUniversity of Maryland.[125] In 2011, ACTS traveled to New Orleans, LA. The campuses visited wereLoyola University,Xavier University of Louisiana,Southern University,Tulane University andLouisiana State University. All of the tour participants who have graduated from high school have gone on to attend higher education institutions.[126]
Additionally, Asomugha distributes backpacks to the incoming freshmen each year at Narbonne High School in Los Angeles. He also outfits the football and basketball team with shoes, a mandate he wrote into an endorsement contract he signed withNike.
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On June 24, 2013, Asomugha married actressKerry Washington.[136][137][138] The couple have two children.[139][140] Asomugha also has a daughter from a previous relationship.[141]
Asomugha has a form ofcolor-blindness calleddeuteranomaly and stated in the June 2009 issue ofESPN The Magazine that "It was determined when I was about 7 years old. It's never really affected my play on the field — I can easily distinguish between light and dark colors. I only have trouble between similar colors — the light ones. They look the same to me. No problems on the field."[142]
Asomugha is a member ofKappa Alpha Psi.
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