Kehinde Oginni Hassan Bio
Kehinde Oginni Hassan is a Nigerian professional American football linebacker who plays in the National Football League (NFL). Born in Abakaliki, Nigeria, he entered the league through the International Player Pathway Program (IPPP), an initiative designed to give athletes from outside the United States a route into professional American football. Standing 6 ft 6 in tall and listed at 232 lb, Oginni Hassan combines the size of a defensive lineman with the mobility developed during his years training on the fields of Ahmadu Bello University. His journey from a self-taught athlete posting workout clips online to a signed NFL player reflects both personal resilience and the expanding global reach of the sport.
Early Life and Background
Kehinde Oginni Hassan was born on 3 March 1999 in Abakaliki, Nigeria. Growing up in a country where American football was almost unknown, he spent his early childhood playing basketball, a sport he believed suited his tall, lean build. He played the game until the age of 15, when an invitation arrived that would change the direction of his life. In 2014, he attended a sports camp hosted by the Ejike Ugboaja Foundation, an eight-hour journey from his hometown that introduced him to football for the first time. After the camp, organizers provided equipment and encouraged the young athletes to continue training on their own.
The trip home turned tragic. On 10 June 2014, the bus carrying Oginni Hassan and several companions collided with an automobile, killing three of his friends. Oginni Hassan was hospitalized for two months with severe injuries. He later said the loss motivated him to pursue football, explaining that he wanted to honor his deceased friends by reaching the highest level of the sport. In the years that followed, he trained with the local team at Ahmadu Bello University in his free time, recording workouts and posting them to YouTube in hopes of attracting the attention of college programs in the United States. Several schools expressed interest, but visa costs and the lack of organized football in Nigeria caused his applications to be denied repeatedly.
Path to American Football
Oginni Hassan found his competitive footing with the Ahmadu Bello University football team, a squad founded in 2009 that searched for years before finding a suitable opponent. On 5 March 2016, the team finally played its first game against the Lagos Marines, winning 26–14. Oginni Hassan contributed six receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns in that debut, a performance that confirmed his potential as a multi-positional athlete. He continued to develop in a country with no formal league structure, sharpening his skills against limited competition while still sharing highlights online.
His breakthrough came in 2021, when former NFL defensive end Osi Umenyiora organized a football camp in Nigeria for the International Player Pathway Program. Oginni Hassan attended the camp and was one of three athletes selected to train in London, where they would showcase their abilities to NFL scouts. After six months of intensive work in London, he traveled to Arizona State University to participate in their pro day, a single event that would ultimately shape his professional future.
Kehinde Oginni Hassan Career
Early Career (2022)
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Kehinde Oginni Hassan as an undrafted free agent on 6 May 2022, shortly after his standout performance at the Arizona State pro day. The signing came through the International Player Pathway Program, which allowed teams to carry an extra international player on their roster without counting against the standard limit. Originally listed as a tight end, Oginni Hassan was assigned jersey number 67, a number reserved for offensive and defensive linemen, signaling the Chiefs’ intent to develop him along the line of scrimmage rather than as a pass catcher.
His initial stint in Kansas City was brief. He was waived on 30 August 2022, ending his first NFL chapter before the regular season began. Although the early exit was a setback, the experience gave him valuable time inside an NFL organization and exposure to professional coaching and training methods.
Kansas City Chiefs Era (2022)
Oginni Hassan’s tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs covered the 2022 offseason and training camp. Although he did not appear in a regular-season game, the opportunity marked the first time a player who grew up without an organized football league in his home country had reached an NFL camp through the IPPP route. His size and athleticism caught the attention of the Chiefs’ scouting staff, who saw long-term potential in a player still learning the technical nuances of the sport. Being waived did not end his NFL aspirations; it simply redirected his path.
Atlanta Falcons Era (2024–Present)
The Atlanta Falcons signed Oginni Hassan as a defensive end on 9 May 2024, giving him a second opportunity in the league. The Falcons, like the Chiefs before them, used the International Player Pathway Program exemption to add him to their roster. He was waived on 27 August 2024 as part of the league’s annual roster cuts, but his performance in camp was strong enough to earn a return. Atlanta re-signed him to its practice squad, allowing him to continue developing within the organization.
Oginni Hassan’s time on the practice squad ended on 14 October 2024, when he was released. Even with that setback, his journey from a self-taught athlete in Abakaliki to multiple NFL contracts remains a remarkable story of perseverance, and he continues to pursue opportunities in professional football.
Driving Style and Strengths
At 6 ft 6 in and 232 lb, Oginni Hassan possesses the frame of a prototypical edge defender, with the length and frame to set the edge against the run while also offering potential as a pass rusher. His background as a self-taught athlete has made him a quick study in technique, and his experience playing multiple positions, including tight end and defensive end, has helped him develop a broad understanding of offensive and defensive schemes.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of his life came on 10 June 2014, when the bus carrying him home from the Ejike Ugboaja Foundation camp was involved in a fatal accident. The loss of three friends and his own two-month hospital stay became the driving motivation behind his football career. On the field, milestones include Ahmadu Bello’s first-ever game on 5 March 2016, his selection for the IPPP London training stint in 2021, and his NFL contracts with both the Chiefs and the Falcons.
Kehinde Oginni Hassan Career Wins
Because Oginni Hassan’s professional career has unfolded primarily on practice squads and training-camp rosters, individual game statistics and win totals are limited. His most prominent recorded competitive victory came on 5 March 2016, when Ahmadu Bello defeated the Lagos Marines 26–14 in the program’s first-ever game, a result in which he recorded six receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his breakthrough performance for Ahmadu Bello, Oginni Hassan earned selection to the 2021 International Player Pathway Program camp in Nigeria and, subsequently, to the six-month London training program that culminated in his Arizona State pro day invitation. His standout showing at that pro day convinced the Kansas City Chiefs to offer him an undrafted free-agent contract in May 2022, and later convinced the Atlanta Falcons to sign him in May 2024.
Kehinde Oginni Hassan Family
Personal Life
Kehinde Oginni Hassan has spoken publicly about the friends he lost in the 2014 bus accident, often referring to them by name as a source of motivation. Beyond those memories and his ongoing commitment to football, limited public information is available regarding his immediate family, marital status, or children.
2025 Season Performance
As of the 2025 season, Kehinde Oginni Hassan remains an unsigned free agent after his release from the Atlanta Falcons practice squad in October 2024. He is eligible to be signed by any NFL team, and his profile as an IPPP alumnus continues to draw interest from organizations looking to develop international talent. With his combination of size, athletic upside, and proven ability to absorb professional coaching, he remains a candidate to land another opportunity during training camps or the regular season.
His story has also made him a recognizable figure for fans of the International Player Pathway Program, which has produced several notable NFL contributors in recent years. Whether he returns to an active roster or continues to pursue football at another level, Oginni Hassan’s journey from a basketball player in Abakaliki to a multi-time NFL contract holder stands as one of the most compelling personal narratives in the program.