My name is Udochukwu Victor Ochi (you can call me Vic) and I am an Outside Linebacker/Defensive pass rusher for the Tennessee Titans. A friend recently told me about STEEM and I think it’s such a cool idea that I decided to join and help grow the STEEM community!
As the STEEM Ambassador to the NFL, I will provide you, the STEEM community, exclusive behind the scenes access of my journey as an professional football player. You will get to experience my day-to-day off-season and rehab (I injured my knee during last year’s training camp, more on that later.) First, let me introduce myself…
I am 24 years old. I was born in the Bronx and raised in Long Island, NY. I was born to hard working Igbo man and an Idoma woman, who were both born in Nigeria. Although I didn’t play organized football until high school, since the age of 12, I always wanted to play in the National Football League. After only playing 2 years of high school, I earned a full athletic scholarship to Stony Brook University where I became an All-American Defensive-end. Due to the hard work on and off the field and guidance from my coaches, parents and mentors I was fortunate to break Stony Brook University’s all time sack record with 32 ½ sacks, all time TFL (Tackle for Losses) leader with 49 TFL and I also hold the single season sack record with 13 sacks my senior year.
After a successful college career that was beyond my wildest expectation, I was invited to the 2016 NFL combine and soon after the 2016 NFL draft. Now most people would expect a fairy tale ending of big contracts, pro bowls, capped with a hall of fame jacket. But for me and like most NFL players, our journey is not all roses. To the contrary, the NFL journey is often filled with setbacks and extreme disappointments.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get drafted in 2016. I was hurt and embarrassed. What made it all really hard to take was that ESPN and the Long Island Newsday were in my parent’s living room filming along with 40-50 of my closest family and friends. But the story doesn’t end there. The Baltimore Ravens took a chance on me. The Ravens signed me as an undrafted free agent immediately after the draft. Although I did not get much playing time or opportunities at training camp, I made the most out of the situation. During the preseason I recorded 2 sacks, 1 TFL (Tackle for Loss) and 6 tackles. Unfortunately, I was cut from the Ravens after training camp due to salary cap and depth issues. Shortly thereafter, I signed with my hometown team, the New York Jets. I made the roster and things were looking up!
That year the Jets didn’t make the playoffs and decided to release me. As the saying goes “when a door closes, God opens a window.” When the season ended the Kansas City Chiefs call me to join the team to add depth to the Chief’s dynamic pass rushers for the 2016 NFL playoffs which included players such as Tamba Ali, Justin Houston and Dee Ford.
The experience was amazing. However the Chiefs lost in the first round to the Pittsburgh Steelers and I was soon released from the team because they were stacked with pass rushers. Then I received a call from the Tennessee Titans and was invited to their 2017 NFL training camp. I was excited to be there and felt I could help contribute to the team’s success! I was having a succesful camp, when during a scrimmage game I tore my ACL.
It was extremely disappointing to have my season end the way it did but this is certainly not the end!
Welcome to the Road Back!
I will document and share my wins, loses, blood, sweat and tears on my road back to the NFL! At the same time I want to bring awareness and support to the STEEM community as the community ambassador to the NFL. I hope you enjoy!
