In New Zealand, the sport of rugby is almost like a religion. Played all over the country, the world-famous All Blacks have been responsible for some truly iconic moments. However, there are many Kiwis who prefer American football thanks to global competitions like the NFL.
Offering hard hits, strategic plays, giant athletes, and an amazing atmosphere, the overall product on offer through an NFL viewing experience is amazing. For some Kiwis, they’ve even gone a step further and made the leap by representing the nation in the competition. These professional American football players had to overcome numerous obstacles along the way, earn their place in what is a ruthless sport, and showcase the type of Kiwi grit and determination that is seen on the rugby field.
As a result of their admirable journeys, New Zealand has a number of players who achieved a great deal of success in the NFL. Some players were adored by their respective fans and were regularly backed when it came to NFL betting, while others played their part in some memorable triumphs and have shared their experiences in some must-watch interviews. Below, we highlight just some of these inspirational New Zealanders and their NFL stories.
David Dixon
Born in Pukekohe, not many people in the area would have predicted David Dixon’s unusual rise to the NFL. The now-56-year-old shone on arguably the biggest sporting stage around, having made the jump to Ricks College and Arizona State, before eventually being a 9th-round pick for the New England Patriots. Also turning out for the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys, plus other teams, the offensive guard spent 11 seasons as a professional.
Michael Wilson
Fast forward to the modern era now, and Michael Wilson is a current NFL player with Kiwi roots. The Arizona Cardinals star’s mother was born in Wellington and he has spoken about his New Zealand heritage on a number of occasions. The wide receiver is only 25, but he’s certainly one to follow in the coming years after being selected by the Cardinals in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft in 2023.
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/yV0e-nZuM2s?si=BuB4sJwCT2rgtVTx” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
Riki Ellison
Playing a remarkable ten seasons in the NFL, Riki Ellison is a former player many aspiring Kiwi NFL players understandably look up to. The now-65-year-old started out at the USC Trojans, where he earned all-conference honours in the Pac-10 in 1982, but he eventually progressed through the ranks to become a key player for both the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Raiders. Ellison’s finest moment was quite clearly when he managed to get his hands on the prestigious Super Bowl prize, with the Christchurch-born linebacker being the first Kiwi to ever do so.
Stephen Paea
Up next is Stephen Paea, a former professional who had a solid American football career. From Auckland, Paea enjoyed rugby growing up, eventually going on to play for the All Blacks in his younger days. However, when his family moved to the United States when he was aged 16, Stephen Paea transitioned over to the sport of American football. Eventually, the defensive tackle was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2011 and he never looked back.
Rhett Ellison
The son of the aforementioned Riki Ellison, Rhett Ellison clearly wanted to emulate his father’s special NFL career by embarking on his own journey. While Rhett wasn’t born in New Zealand, he’s proud of his roots and actually spent his younger years at St Andrew’s College in Christchurch. Ellison junior then ended up spending eight years in the NFL, although the tight end was sadly forced to retire after suffering with serious concussion in 2020.