October 12, 2022 • 18 mins
Amobi Okoye was a first round pick for the Texans in 2007, and played with the Texans through 2010. He and Texans TV's Drew Dougherty talked about what he's up to now, his favorite memories as a Texan, and what it was like playing for Gary Kubiak and then Lovie Smith.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, Well this is a fun one because we've
got former Texans defensive linemen a Mobe, a Koyer. It's
where are they now? A Mobe? It's good to see
my friend. What's going on? Man, where are you these days?
And what are you doing? It's going on? Drew Man,
I'm good Man, I'm good old Houston. Um. I told
everybody else like once I got drafted by the Texans,
(00:23):
and I fell in love with this this just town,
the city, and I retired here. I got a daughter
here now, so I'm I'm like, I mean Katie, but uh, okay,
I mean, but I'm you know, I'm a Texan for life.
What do you what occupies your days? Well, you got
a job, you you retire, what's the deal. What's going on? Well?
My daughter? Okay, okay? Raising huh. I still have my
(00:45):
nonprofit foundation, the Mobile Core Foundation, and uh it's not
as active as it was while I was a player,
but we're still doing some things. And um yeah, if
people want to find out more information or Facebook or
on Instagram, so can reach out to me on those
two and um yeah, so just just two for now. Man.
Obviously standing golf everything Texan and so yeah, you know
(01:08):
that coaching little league? Yeah, what sport? What are you doing? Well? Football?
A little football? Okay, littleague football and uh yeah, buddy
of mine, Andre Dean, he played at Katie High as well.
He asked me to join his uh it's his team
and help him out, have him out. So that's been
fun so far. So what's that like? Because how old
(01:30):
are these kids? And what exactly are you are you?
I'm guessing you're coaching, help coach defense? What do you do? Okay?
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's fine, it's fine. Uh.
You gotta have a lot of patience for sure, and
uh but I enjoy it. Well, let's take us back
down memory lane. You're coming out of Louisville, and what
(01:53):
was draft day like for you? Because the Texans take you,
you know, the first round, you're their first pick. It's
the first pick of the Rick Smith as general manager era.
Where were you? How did you find out? What happened? Oh? Well,
I got invited um coming to New York, but I
decided wanted to uh stay at home and we would
do with family and friends for that this time, I
(02:14):
was getting all kind of projections as far as UM
being I took a couple of visits places. The funny
thing was the Texas. I didn't take a visit to
the Texas day. They interviewed me during the combine. But
I had no idea it was gonna pick. That's how
crazy the drafted is. Man like, yeah, yeah, the mock drafting.
(02:35):
The mock drafts for a reason. But you never know.
And so I was. I was thinking at first, uh,
Tampa Bay because I had played uh at the Senior
Bowl and uh was he had coached h who was
the coach with the South team day and I had
performed real good. It did like me to said available
going to take you, So um I was. I was shocked.
(02:57):
And then back Petrainer, who's my coach and college it
just got job in Atlanta. At the time, I thought
he was gonna take me at eight. At that time,
the Atlanta and usually had switched peaks because that's how
right they got a shot job. Yeah, and uh So
by the time eighth it came at Atlanta to take me,
(03:19):
I was like, I had no idea what I was
gonna go next. So when I got there, called a
three two called and uh Rick rickuld uh spoke to me,
and I was just I was, I was, I was.
I was excited on the inside, but I didn't want
to show it an outside. Well he was, I was,
I was. I was ecstatic, oh man. And from there
what happens? I mean, you get picked. Obviously, you celebrate
(03:41):
with your family and friends and all that stuff. But
then how soon before you're in Houston kind of not
for good. But you obviously visit the team and do
the press conference that next day, but then you go
back home after that. When did you come to town,
you know, for rookie camp and setting things up? And
what was that like for you? I think we only
(04:01):
got like a few weeks, a week or two, I
want to say, And then we had to come in
for a rookie mini camp and it was cool. It
was cool. It was still warm, and it was still
like you know, the weather was was was was was
great during that time. It was the spring when I
got when I got my welcome to Houston weather. It
was the training camp. Yeah, at first too, I think
(04:22):
I want to say, hey, rookie, welcome to the NFL.
Was actually recording me then, so that clicked is somewhere
out there. But the first two of they practice. I
think I lost like fifteen pounds that day. Oh my gosh. Yeah,
So that was like my welcome to Houston humidity and
e and uh I had to get an ib and everything.
(04:42):
But uh uh yeah, used to it, Yeah, used to it. Yeah,
you do, or you get shipped out. So you go
through that first training camp and then you kind of
start with a bang. You've got three sacks within that
first month. What was it like when you you finally
hit the field for the first time and you're playing
in NFL game action. You joke about that welcome the
(05:04):
NFL moment being in training camp and being so hot,
But what about on the field, what was your first yeah,
I'm in the big leagues now type of moment. I
want to say it was the very first, um, your
first ot as, the first mandatory OTAs, or the first
training camp, one of those. I noticed the speed change. Yeah,
(05:26):
college to the pros. Um, that was the very first
thing I know. The speed of the game. Um, everybody
as quicker rights fasten and the whole technique ordeal about it.
So um yeah that that was probably the the first
thing I know for sure I recognize as the speed
of the game. And how the different changed from high
school of college and college to the NFL. Yeah, yeah,
(05:49):
kind of off the subject of football, But how good
was it that you were picked by Houston seeing as
how the city of Houston there's there's a pretty sizeable
Nigeria in population and you know that's that's your roots
as far as your family and everything. Right, how beneficial
was that for you having some folks who knew a
little bit about your background and could relate. Oh, it was,
(06:11):
it was, It was huge. Um my dad actually um
prior to him, um having us again barrier and avens
when he uh, when he was when he was in
the US, Houston was where he went to TSU and
Pray Ofew. This is where he graduator before he went
back in Nigeria, met my mom and had us. So
(06:31):
when when the when when the call came in and
the pig came in, he was the most ectatic because
he was like, I'm going back to you know, my roots,
And for me, I was just in shock and uh.
But then as soon as I got here, um, I
had already I only visited Houston once on a family visit.
(06:52):
This is like, uh, while I was in college and
then when I got here, just the huge Africa and
I especially in Nigeria in presidence. I was like, okay,
well this is I feel home. That's awesome. Yeah. So
moving on, what was that first month of the regular
season like for you take me through that. It was
(07:13):
great because I had the rookie of the of the
of the month old ward. I had the first game,
I didn't have any sack. In the first of the
second game, I had two sacks. And it's that come
in and come in and then I hit a long
and you just tell you about the NFL man and um,
you know, but um. But the very first month, first
(07:35):
call of the first half of the first half of
our rookie year was just splendy. Yeah. And then moving
into you know, oh you get here at oh seven,
Texans finish a five hundred. They do so the next
year as well, oh nine, they go nine and seven.
That was a real different year because you guys start
(07:58):
out and you go into the buy even three never
been that successful going into a buy or at a
midway point of the season, come out of the buy
and you guys lose four in a row to go
under five hundred by two games, and then you you've
closed out with four straight wins, and you win that
game on the last game of the season against the Patriots,
and if some things had fallen the right way in
(08:18):
some other games around the NFL, Texans would have been
in the playoffs. What was it like being a part
of that kind of like flipping the script, turning the table.
It was. It was an emotional role comes the show
for sure, because you know, we we we felt good.
We feel like, you know, we were making some some
some leadway in. It just tells you about the NFL,
(08:39):
man and it gives Sunday you got you know, you
gotta bring it all and uh and that's then about
the pro sports, especially in football. So yeah, it was.
It was promising. It was definitely promising, but it turned
out wasn't what we wanted. But I know, I know
it's our In fact, we gave it. We gave it
a lot like Kubiak, definitely he coached as well. Yeah
(09:00):
as well. Yeah, what are your memories of him? Hands
down him, I love you the best head coaches I
had in my in my my uh my playing career, Um,
no doubt he Uh. What I liked about both of
them is they they treated you as a as a
man first and play a second. Yeah. Yeah, remind folks
(09:21):
about your Lovey Smith connection. We knew about the Kubiak connection.
Use your head coach here. But after you leave the Texans,
what was it like you played for love You Smith
for a little bit. What were the circumstances? Yeah, so
uh yeah I played, I was. I was in Chicago
with a love You in twenty eleven and twenty twelve.
So it was just uh, going from an offensive minded
head coach to a defensive minded head coach. But they,
(09:43):
like I said, they both treated you, you know, as
a man first but then a player. And they they
they did they did you respect. That's what That's what
I really liked about about both of them. Yeah. Who
do you keep in touch with Texans wise from your
your playing day? Um, Antonio Smith for sure? That all right? Right? Yeah?
(10:05):
Um uh the meek until he got the you know,
the defense, the coach day job national. It's hard to
get hold of yeas a time, yeah exactly. Uh yeah,
Jacobi actually just saw him. You know, he's coaching as
well now too with the mistake and then they played
at TSHO and then out him. Uh, zacked downs. Uh case,
(10:28):
he stuttered, Um, just about all the guys still keep well.
Of course we were through the the uh n NFL
Legends group that way Chester. I tell him, you know,
when is he gonna run from me? Because I know
you're reading my mind because I was gonna say, well,
(10:49):
he knows just about everybody, doesn't he. Yeah, just just
just you know, we play. We practiced against each other
a lot to start out was attack and so use
tackling him. So yeah, man, just that's my guy. Man,
all right, he brought him up. So I gotta gotta
ask you, what's your favorite Antonio Smith memory? Because that
(11:11):
guy has a personality that is about as big as
the state of Texas. I mean, that thing is enormous.
His personality. Oh still probably just be his his first
couple of days when he came to us, um, you know,
Arizona and just kind of left that. I think they
just they just lost the um the Steelers in the
(11:32):
Super Bowl, the stealing bow. So he just brought that
that that that dog mentality of pointing to go out there,
and I know he experienced it just recently so that
that that really helped out in the locking room and
he he's just a loose guy. You know. When it
was time to work, it was time to working. When
he's time to play, it was time to play. What's
your favorite Texans memory overall? Uh? Man, I want to say,
(12:07):
uh the Monday night game probably, Oh oh oh, I
definitely got one. What is it? Andre and courting affiliate?
What was your vantage point? Take me through this? What happened?
Would you see? I was? I was. I was a
little because it happened to kind of been knowing to
(12:28):
be a brulant like you know, I mean and and
and are just gave he reached the straight show because
it takes a lot to reach his show for that player.
Today we all know Andre, he's there all this guy,
he never ever being so once that came about, everybody
d was like, okay, he had enough. So I was.
(12:48):
I was on the side. I was with the offices
on damn on the sideline, and we did just sense
it was coming and then interrupted and poh, I was
like they calling you had to coming for you, buddy.
I mean that that is a special level of agitation
because you you bring it up. But just Andre is
the calmest guy, and how you could never see that happening,
(13:12):
but that guy got it out of him, and it's
it's remarkable. I mean, it's remarkable that you were able
to not you, that he was able to get him
so riled. Yeah, like you're talking about the guy who
I mean I thought he talks more now, but like
back then then at all, so that it was like
who who is this? So that's your favorite memory? Has
(13:36):
a Texan? And since you brought up Andre Johnson? Why
does Andre Johnson belong in the Pro Football Hall of
Fame in your mind? I mean the the you know
they say, numbers don't lie, the numbers itself just it's
just you know, what he put out there. I let
alone could tell it. But you know what he was
(13:56):
able to do, you know, with with you know, I'm
telling we had quarterback at Charlotte was best quarterback. Yeah,
so what he's able to do, and it's it's just
it's just remarkable. It's and I was shockling he didn't
get in last year, but he better being this this
next one. Amen, he better, he better, that's for sure.
(14:18):
Well what's next for you? Man? What's what's the future
hole for you? Mobi? I'm I'm I'm definitely I'm thinking
of doing more in the coaching now that you know
I started doing the coaching with the kids. Uh. There
may be some of some media stuff as well, so
I might be coming that longer. What you're doing some
more stuff, man, so anything involved football, sit down. I
(14:41):
still have the heart as far as what I was
doing while I was UM active, polarizing football in Africa
and uh ociuman yours. He's been picked it up and
doing a real good job with that what he's doing,
so might jump on board with damage and what they're
doing and just anywhere I can do. UM be a
part growing the game globally is uh, you know, of
(15:02):
all the five major sports, American football is still you know,
the fifth when it comes to global yea, and it
just overall everything. So let's uh, let's let's let's been
working to get that too be number one because it's
it's been, it's viewed, it's view the whole of the
world like it's it's it's really being viewed over Like
(15:23):
I'm being like, it's surprising to hear when you when
you call back home a year people talking about football
and it's like, wow, it's growing for sure. And you've
been in Nigeria a few times in the last decade,
haven't you, yeah, doing us. Soon as I got drafted,
I started my nonprofit and half of it is was
(15:45):
was giving back home to Nigeria and what I was
trying to do. And uh so, you know, since I
had the braining this in twenty thirteen, I've kind of,
you know, skill scale back on the nonprofit stuff, obviously
to focus on my health. But now that I'm feeling
all the way, you know, back, I want to get
back to get to get the foundation back to what
(16:07):
it was when I was prior to the illness. That's great. Yeah,
I remember going I think it was twenty ten maybe,
uh going with you to a warehouse like can near
the Heights and you I think you had like a
shipment of books going back to Yeah that was Yeah,
it was a pretty big undertaking for sure. Oh for sure,
for sure. So that all that stuff we're working on,
(16:30):
getting that, getting that, going back, going on getting this
using this the same platform. So give the the legend
players and the current active players our opportunity to go
back home and uh and give back, if not just
I've not just Nigeria, all of Africa. One of the
good guys a Mobia Koya. It's always fun talking with you,
(16:50):
my friend. It was great seeing you at the game.
It's great to see you now, and it's always fun
hearing your story. It's it's a unique one in so
many different ways. So I'll take care of yourself. Yeah,
Manual TV again together, sound good, No doubt, no doubt.
I want to come back home for sure. Uh. The
kids from Buffalo almost beat my record. I still got it,
(17:12):
but I'm sure it's gonna menation to get broken. As
far as the youngest player ever, oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
I remember. Bring that up. We gotta stop, we gotta
let's rewind because you were nineteen years old when you
were drafted by the Texans. I mean, how does a
nineteen year old fit into an NFL locker room? Initially,
it's it's it's I don't think anybody, not everybody can
(17:33):
do it. But I think it's that that's some kids nowadays,
like I can Nagia Harris, Yeah he could. I could
see him playing if he didn't, you know, come in time.
He gave me. I could see him coming in the
nineteen It's just it's some kids I could tell uh
that that that probably could that could have done it.
But yeah, the Edmond Kids Buffalo he almost beat me.
(17:54):
Man so hot down you still got it. I like it.
I like It's a great record to hold man all right. Well, Amobi,
awesome to see you and let's do this again soon.
Sounding good, I'll be back, I'll be back. Go Texas, baby,
you go Texas, Go Texans, Go Amobia Koya. This has
been Where are they now?
All right, Well this is a fun one because we've
got former Texans defensive linemen a Mobe, a Koyer. It's
where are they now? A Mobe? It's good to see
my friend. What's going on? Man, where are you these days?
And what are you doing? It's going on? Drew Man,
I'm good Man, I'm good old Houston. Um. I told
everybody else like once I got drafted by the Texans,
(00:23):
and I fell in love with this this just town,
the city, and I retired here. I got a daughter
here now, so I'm I'm like, I mean Katie, but uh, okay,
I mean, but I'm you know, I'm a Texan for life.
What do you what occupies your days? Well, you got
a job, you you retire, what's the deal. What's going on? Well?
My daughter? Okay, okay? Raising huh. I still have my
(00:45):
nonprofit foundation, the Mobile Core Foundation, and uh it's not
as active as it was while I was a player,
but we're still doing some things. And um yeah, if
people want to find out more information or Facebook or
on Instagram, so can reach out to me on those
two and um yeah, so just just two for now. Man.
Obviously standing golf everything Texan and so yeah, you know
(01:08):
that coaching little league? Yeah, what sport? What are you doing? Well? Football?
A little football? Okay, littleague football and uh yeah, buddy
of mine, Andre Dean, he played at Katie High as well.
He asked me to join his uh it's his team
and help him out, have him out. So that's been
fun so far. So what's that like? Because how old
(01:30):
are these kids? And what exactly are you are you?
I'm guessing you're coaching, help coach defense? What do you do? Okay?
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's fine, it's fine. Uh.
You gotta have a lot of patience for sure, and
uh but I enjoy it. Well, let's take us back
down memory lane. You're coming out of Louisville, and what
(01:53):
was draft day like for you? Because the Texans take you,
you know, the first round, you're their first pick. It's
the first pick of the Rick Smith as general manager era.
Where were you? How did you find out? What happened? Oh? Well,
I got invited um coming to New York, but I
decided wanted to uh stay at home and we would
do with family and friends for that this time, I
(02:14):
was getting all kind of projections as far as UM
being I took a couple of visits places. The funny
thing was the Texas. I didn't take a visit to
the Texas day. They interviewed me during the combine. But
I had no idea it was gonna pick. That's how
crazy the drafted is. Man like, yeah, yeah, the mock drafting.
(02:35):
The mock drafts for a reason. But you never know.
And so I was. I was thinking at first, uh,
Tampa Bay because I had played uh at the Senior
Bowl and uh was he had coached h who was
the coach with the South team day and I had
performed real good. It did like me to said available
going to take you, So um I was. I was shocked.
(02:57):
And then back Petrainer, who's my coach and college it
just got job in Atlanta. At the time, I thought
he was gonna take me at eight. At that time,
the Atlanta and usually had switched peaks because that's how
right they got a shot job. Yeah, and uh So
by the time eighth it came at Atlanta to take me,
(03:19):
I was like, I had no idea what I was
gonna go next. So when I got there, called a
three two called and uh Rick rickuld uh spoke to me,
and I was just I was, I was, I was.
I was excited on the inside, but I didn't want
to show it an outside. Well he was, I was,
I was. I was ecstatic, oh man. And from there
what happens? I mean, you get picked. Obviously, you celebrate
(03:41):
with your family and friends and all that stuff. But
then how soon before you're in Houston kind of not
for good. But you obviously visit the team and do
the press conference that next day, but then you go
back home after that. When did you come to town,
you know, for rookie camp and setting things up? And
what was that like for you? I think we only
(04:01):
got like a few weeks, a week or two, I
want to say, And then we had to come in
for a rookie mini camp and it was cool. It
was cool. It was still warm, and it was still
like you know, the weather was was was was was
great during that time. It was the spring when I
got when I got my welcome to Houston weather. It
was the training camp. Yeah, at first too, I think
(04:22):
I want to say, hey, rookie, welcome to the NFL.
Was actually recording me then, so that clicked is somewhere
out there. But the first two of they practice. I
think I lost like fifteen pounds that day. Oh my gosh. Yeah,
So that was like my welcome to Houston humidity and
e and uh I had to get an ib and everything.
(04:42):
But uh uh yeah, used to it, Yeah, used to it. Yeah,
you do, or you get shipped out. So you go
through that first training camp and then you kind of
start with a bang. You've got three sacks within that
first month. What was it like when you you finally
hit the field for the first time and you're playing
in NFL game action. You joke about that welcome the
(05:04):
NFL moment being in training camp and being so hot,
But what about on the field, what was your first yeah,
I'm in the big leagues now type of moment. I
want to say it was the very first, um, your
first ot as, the first mandatory OTAs, or the first
training camp, one of those. I noticed the speed change. Yeah,
(05:26):
college to the pros. Um, that was the very first
thing I know. The speed of the game. Um, everybody
as quicker rights fasten and the whole technique ordeal about it.
So um yeah that that was probably the the first
thing I know for sure I recognize as the speed
of the game. And how the different changed from high
school of college and college to the NFL. Yeah, yeah,
(05:49):
kind of off the subject of football, But how good
was it that you were picked by Houston seeing as
how the city of Houston there's there's a pretty sizeable
Nigeria in population and you know that's that's your roots
as far as your family and everything. Right, how beneficial
was that for you having some folks who knew a
little bit about your background and could relate. Oh, it was,
(06:11):
it was, It was huge. Um my dad actually um
prior to him, um having us again barrier and avens
when he uh, when he was when he was in
the US, Houston was where he went to TSU and
Pray Ofew. This is where he graduator before he went
back in Nigeria, met my mom and had us. So
(06:31):
when when the when when the call came in and
the pig came in, he was the most ectatic because
he was like, I'm going back to you know, my roots,
And for me, I was just in shock and uh.
But then as soon as I got here, um, I
had already I only visited Houston once on a family visit.
(06:52):
This is like, uh, while I was in college and
then when I got here, just the huge Africa and
I especially in Nigeria in presidence. I was like, okay,
well this is I feel home. That's awesome. Yeah. So
moving on, what was that first month of the regular
season like for you take me through that. It was
(07:13):
great because I had the rookie of the of the
of the month old ward. I had the first game,
I didn't have any sack. In the first of the
second game, I had two sacks. And it's that come
in and come in and then I hit a long
and you just tell you about the NFL man and um,
you know, but um. But the very first month, first
(07:35):
call of the first half of the first half of
our rookie year was just splendy. Yeah. And then moving
into you know, oh you get here at oh seven,
Texans finish a five hundred. They do so the next
year as well, oh nine, they go nine and seven.
That was a real different year because you guys start
(07:58):
out and you go into the buy even three never
been that successful going into a buy or at a
midway point of the season, come out of the buy
and you guys lose four in a row to go
under five hundred by two games, and then you you've
closed out with four straight wins, and you win that
game on the last game of the season against the Patriots,
and if some things had fallen the right way in
(08:18):
some other games around the NFL, Texans would have been
in the playoffs. What was it like being a part
of that kind of like flipping the script, turning the table.
It was. It was an emotional role comes the show
for sure, because you know, we we we felt good.
We feel like, you know, we were making some some
some leadway in. It just tells you about the NFL,
(08:39):
man and it gives Sunday you got you know, you
gotta bring it all and uh and that's then about
the pro sports, especially in football. So yeah, it was.
It was promising. It was definitely promising, but it turned
out wasn't what we wanted. But I know, I know
it's our In fact, we gave it. We gave it
a lot like Kubiak, definitely he coached as well. Yeah
(09:00):
as well. Yeah, what are your memories of him? Hands
down him, I love you the best head coaches I
had in my in my my uh my playing career, Um,
no doubt he Uh. What I liked about both of
them is they they treated you as a as a
man first and play a second. Yeah. Yeah, remind folks
(09:21):
about your Lovey Smith connection. We knew about the Kubiak connection.
Use your head coach here. But after you leave the Texans,
what was it like you played for love You Smith
for a little bit. What were the circumstances? Yeah, so
uh yeah I played, I was. I was in Chicago
with a love You in twenty eleven and twenty twelve.
So it was just uh, going from an offensive minded
head coach to a defensive minded head coach. But they,
(09:43):
like I said, they both treated you, you know, as
a man first but then a player. And they they
they did they did you respect. That's what That's what
I really liked about about both of them. Yeah. Who
do you keep in touch with Texans wise from your
your playing day? Um, Antonio Smith for sure? That all right? Right? Yeah?
(10:05):
Um uh the meek until he got the you know,
the defense, the coach day job national. It's hard to
get hold of yeas a time, yeah exactly. Uh yeah,
Jacobi actually just saw him. You know, he's coaching as
well now too with the mistake and then they played
at TSHO and then out him. Uh, zacked downs. Uh case,
(10:28):
he stuttered, Um, just about all the guys still keep well.
Of course we were through the the uh n NFL
Legends group that way Chester. I tell him, you know,
when is he gonna run from me? Because I know
you're reading my mind because I was gonna say, well,
(10:49):
he knows just about everybody, doesn't he. Yeah, just just
just you know, we play. We practiced against each other
a lot to start out was attack and so use
tackling him. So yeah, man, just that's my guy. Man,
all right, he brought him up. So I gotta gotta
ask you, what's your favorite Antonio Smith memory? Because that
(11:11):
guy has a personality that is about as big as
the state of Texas. I mean, that thing is enormous.
His personality. Oh still probably just be his his first
couple of days when he came to us, um, you know,
Arizona and just kind of left that. I think they
just they just lost the um the Steelers in the
(11:32):
Super Bowl, the stealing bow. So he just brought that
that that that dog mentality of pointing to go out there,
and I know he experienced it just recently so that
that that really helped out in the locking room and
he he's just a loose guy. You know. When it
was time to work, it was time to working. When
he's time to play, it was time to play. What's
your favorite Texans memory overall? Uh? Man, I want to say,
(12:07):
uh the Monday night game probably, Oh oh oh, I
definitely got one. What is it? Andre and courting affiliate?
What was your vantage point? Take me through this? What happened?
Would you see? I was? I was. I was a
little because it happened to kind of been knowing to
(12:28):
be a brulant like you know, I mean and and
and are just gave he reached the straight show because
it takes a lot to reach his show for that player.
Today we all know Andre, he's there all this guy,
he never ever being so once that came about, everybody
d was like, okay, he had enough. So I was.
(12:48):
I was on the side. I was with the offices
on damn on the sideline, and we did just sense
it was coming and then interrupted and poh, I was
like they calling you had to coming for you, buddy.
I mean that that is a special level of agitation
because you you bring it up. But just Andre is
the calmest guy, and how you could never see that happening,
(13:12):
but that guy got it out of him, and it's
it's remarkable. I mean, it's remarkable that you were able
to not you, that he was able to get him
so riled. Yeah, like you're talking about the guy who
I mean I thought he talks more now, but like
back then then at all, so that it was like
who who is this? So that's your favorite memory? Has
(13:36):
a Texan? And since you brought up Andre Johnson? Why
does Andre Johnson belong in the Pro Football Hall of
Fame in your mind? I mean the the you know
they say, numbers don't lie, the numbers itself just it's
just you know, what he put out there. I let
alone could tell it. But you know what he was
(13:56):
able to do, you know, with with you know, I'm
telling we had quarterback at Charlotte was best quarterback. Yeah,
so what he's able to do, and it's it's just
it's just remarkable. It's and I was shockling he didn't
get in last year, but he better being this this
next one. Amen, he better, he better, that's for sure.
(14:18):
Well what's next for you? Man? What's what's the future
hole for you? Mobi? I'm I'm I'm definitely I'm thinking
of doing more in the coaching now that you know
I started doing the coaching with the kids. Uh. There
may be some of some media stuff as well, so
I might be coming that longer. What you're doing some
more stuff, man, so anything involved football, sit down. I
(14:41):
still have the heart as far as what I was
doing while I was UM active, polarizing football in Africa
and uh ociuman yours. He's been picked it up and
doing a real good job with that what he's doing,
so might jump on board with damage and what they're
doing and just anywhere I can do. UM be a
part growing the game globally is uh, you know, of
(15:02):
all the five major sports, American football is still you know,
the fifth when it comes to global yea, and it
just overall everything. So let's uh, let's let's let's been
working to get that too be number one because it's
it's been, it's viewed, it's view the whole of the
world like it's it's it's really being viewed over Like
(15:23):
I'm being like, it's surprising to hear when you when
you call back home a year people talking about football
and it's like, wow, it's growing for sure. And you've
been in Nigeria a few times in the last decade,
haven't you, yeah, doing us. Soon as I got drafted,
I started my nonprofit and half of it is was
(15:45):
was giving back home to Nigeria and what I was
trying to do. And uh so, you know, since I
had the braining this in twenty thirteen, I've kind of,
you know, skill scale back on the nonprofit stuff, obviously
to focus on my health. But now that I'm feeling
all the way, you know, back, I want to get
back to get to get the foundation back to what
(16:07):
it was when I was prior to the illness. That's great. Yeah,
I remember going I think it was twenty ten maybe,
uh going with you to a warehouse like can near
the Heights and you I think you had like a
shipment of books going back to Yeah that was Yeah,
it was a pretty big undertaking for sure. Oh for sure,
for sure. So that all that stuff we're working on,
(16:30):
getting that, getting that, going back, going on getting this
using this the same platform. So give the the legend
players and the current active players our opportunity to go
back home and uh and give back, if not just
I've not just Nigeria, all of Africa. One of the
good guys a Mobia Koya. It's always fun talking with you,
(16:50):
my friend. It was great seeing you at the game.
It's great to see you now, and it's always fun
hearing your story. It's it's a unique one in so
many different ways. So I'll take care of yourself. Yeah,
Manual TV again together, sound good, No doubt, no doubt.
I want to come back home for sure. Uh. The
kids from Buffalo almost beat my record. I still got it,
(17:12):
but I'm sure it's gonna menation to get broken. As
far as the youngest player ever, oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
I remember. Bring that up. We gotta stop, we gotta
let's rewind because you were nineteen years old when you
were drafted by the Texans. I mean, how does a
nineteen year old fit into an NFL locker room? Initially,
it's it's it's I don't think anybody, not everybody can
(17:33):
do it. But I think it's that that's some kids nowadays,
like I can Nagia Harris, Yeah he could. I could
see him playing if he didn't, you know, come in time.
He gave me. I could see him coming in the
nineteen It's just it's some kids I could tell uh
that that that probably could that could have done it.
But yeah, the Edmond Kids Buffalo he almost beat me.
(17:54):
Man so hot down you still got it. I like it.
I like It's a great record to hold man all right. Well, Amobi,
awesome to see you and let's do this again soon.
Sounding good, I'll be back, I'll be back. Go Texas, baby,
you go Texas, Go Texans, Go Amobia Koya. This has
been Where are they now?
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