Ronnie Amadi
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Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
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| Position: | Defensive back | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | October 6, 1981 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Houston (TX) Alief Hastings | ||||||||
| College: | Kansas | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2006 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career CFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Career Arena League statistics | |||||||||
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Ronnie Amadi (born October 6, 1981) is an American former professional football defensive back. He played arena football in the Arena Football League (AFL) and af2 as well as Canadian football in the Canadian Football League (CFL). His most substantial professional experience came with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, where he started 11 games as a defensive halfback. He played college football at the University of Kansas. Amadi also played for the New York Dragons and the Tulsa Talons of the AFL.
Amadi and his brother, Donnie Amadi, were born in Columbia, South Carolina. The brothers lived in Nigeria for six years with their father, John Amadi, before returning to the United States to live with their mother, Christiana Georgewill, in Houston, Texas. While in Nigeria, the Amadi brothers frequently played soccer, but they transitioned to American football upon moving to Texas.[1]
Early career
Amadi played high school football at Alief Hastings High School. He recorded 80 tackles and three interceptions in 1999 before being named an all-district player as a senior in the 2000 season. Amadi was also a member of Alief Hastings' track and field team. Following his senior season, Amadi was recruited by several programs, including Texas Tech and Indiana. He committed to play for the Kansas Jayhawks in early 2001, largely because Kansas also recruited his brother, with whom he played in high school.[1][2]
As a freshman, Amadi was designated a redshirt and did not play. As a backup cornerback in 2002, Amadi received substantial playing time due to personnel changes resulting in him being the sole backup to both starting cornerbacks.[1] He continued in a reserve role through 2004.[3] After backing up cornerback Theo Baines as a junior, Amadi started much of his senior season in place of Baines due to nagging injuries.[4][5][6] In a November game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Amadi blocked a punt which was returned for a touchdown by teammate Darren Rus, marking the second time the two had combined to return a blocked punt for a touchdown.[7] By early November, Amadi had recorded 22 tackles and two fumble recoveries in his final and most successful college season.[8] Amadi also played on the college indoor track and field team while at Kansas when not involved in football activities.[1]