Chig Okonkwo
American football player (born 1999)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chigoziem Charlton Okonkwo (ⓘ; born September 8, 1999) is an American professional football tight end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
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Powder Springs, Georgia, U.S.
Okonkwo in 2023 | |||||||||||
| No. 85 – Washington Commanders | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | September 8, 1999 Powder Springs, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 238 lb (108 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Hillgrove (Powder Springs) | ||||||||||
| College | Maryland (2018–2021) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2022: 4th round, 143rd overall pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2025 | |||||||||||
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Early life
Okonkwo grew up in Powder Springs, Georgia, and attended Hillgrove High School.[1] He was born to a Nigerian family.[2] As a junior, he caught 48 passes for 907 yards and 12 touchdowns.[3] Okonkwo was rated a three-star recruit and committed to play college football at Maryland over offers from Georgia Tech and Wisconsin.[4]
College career
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Okonkwo caught six passes for 69 yards and a touchdown and also rushed three times for 72 yards and a touchdown during his freshman season.[5] As a sophomore, he had 19 receptions for 201 yards and two touchdowns.[6] Okonkwo missed the 2020 season after he developed myocarditis.[7][8] As a senior, Okonkwo caught 52 passes for 447 yards and five touchdowns.[9]
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 2+1⁄2 in (1.89 m) | 238 lb (108 kg) | 32+3⁄4 in (0.83 m) | 9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) | 6 ft 6+1⁄8 in (1.98 m) | 4.52 s | 1.57 s | 2.65 s | 4.45 s | 7.19 s | 35.5 in (0.90 m) | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) | 13 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[10][11] | ||||||||||||
Tennessee Titans
2022 season
Okonkwo was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft with the 143rd overall pick by the Tennessee Titans.[12] He made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the New York Giants.[13] In Week 4, against the Indianapolis Colts, he scored his first NFL touchdown on an eight-yard reception from Ryan Tannehill.[14] As a rookie, he appeared in all 17 games and started eight. He finished with 32 receptions for 450 receiving yards, 3 rushing attempts for 2 yards, and three receiving touchdowns.[15] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[16]
2023 season
In the 2023 season, he appeared in all 17 games and made 11 starts. He finished with 54 receptions for 528 receiving yards, two rushing attempts for six yards, and one receiving touchdown.[17]
2024 season
On a Week 12 road game against the Houston Texans, Okonkwo caught a career-high 70-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, leading the Titans to a 32–27 upset.[18] He finished the 2024 season with 52 receptions for 479 yards and two touchdowns.[19]
Washington Commanders
On March 12, 2026, Okonkwo signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Washington Commanders.[20][21]
NFL career statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
