Boye Mafe
American football player (born 1998)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boye Mafe (born November 30, 1998) is an American professional football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Mafe won Super Bowl LX with the Seattle Seahawks.
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Golden Valley, Minnesota, U.S.
Mafe in 2026 | |||||||||||||
| No. 53 – Cincinnati Bengals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born | November 30, 1998 Golden Valley, Minnesota, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 261 lb (118 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school | Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minnesota) | ||||||||||||
| College | Minnesota (2017–2021) | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2022: 2nd round, 40th overall pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||||
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Early life
Mafe's parents, Wale and Bola, came to the United States from Nigeria.[1] Mafe grew up in Golden Valley, Minnesota and attended Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota.[2] As a senior he was named All-Metro after recording 78 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and four sacks.[3][4]
College career
Mafe redshirted his true freshman season.[5] As a redshirt sophomore he recorded 14 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks.[6] Mafe was named honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference after recording 27 tackles, 5.5 for loss, and 4.5 sacks with two passes defended and two forced fumbles in six games played in the team's COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.[7][8]
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3+3⁄4 in (1.92 m) | 261 lb (118 kg) | 32+5⁄8 in (0.83 m) | 9+7⁄8 in (0.25 m) | 6 ft 8+3⁄4 in (2.05 m) | 4.53 s | 1.56 s | 2.65 s | 4.46 s | 7.24 s | 41.5 in (1.05 m) | 10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) | 21 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[9][10][11] | ||||||||||||
Seattle Seahawks
Mafe was drafted 40th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.[12] The Seahawks acquired the 40th overall selection from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade.[13] Mafe recorded his first career sack in Week 2 of his rookie season against the San Francisco 49ers.[14] He finished his rookie season with three sacks and 41 total tackles (28 solo).[15]
In week 10 of the 2023 season, Mafe recorded a sack against Sam Howell in a 29–26 victory over the Washington Commanders, setting a franchise record for the most sacks in consecutive games with seven.[16] In Week 16, against the Tennessee Titans, he had his first game with two sacks in the 20–17 win.[17] He finished the 2023 season with nine sacks, 52 total tackles (35 solo), six passes defended, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.[18]
Mafe started off the 2024 season with three consecutive games with a sack before missing Weeks 4–5 with a knee injury.[19][20] He finished the 2024 season with six sacks, 40 total tackles (25 solo), and three passes defended.[21]
In the 2025 season, Mafe had two sacks, 31 total tackles (11 solo), and five passes defended.[22] Mafe played in Super Bowl LX.[23] He won his first NFL championship when the Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29–13.[24]
Cincinnati Bengals
On March 12, 2026, Mafe signed a three-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals worth $60 million, with $19 million guaranteed.[25]