Rakeem Nunez-Roches Bio
Rakeem Nathan Nuñez-Roches (born July 3, 1993) is a Belizean professional American football defensive end who has built a long career across the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft and later became the first Belizean-born player ever drafted into the league. Over the course of his career, Nuñez-Roches has worn the uniforms of the Chiefs, the Indianapolis Colts, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the New York Giants, establishing himself as a dependable interior presence on defensive lines. He is best known for being part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl LV, capping a memorable championship run with a decisive victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 305 pounds, Nuñez-Roches plays with the power and leverage typically expected of a nose-style defensive end. He attended Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, before starring at the University of Southern Mississippi. His journey from Dangriga, Belize, to the NFL has made him a notable representative of Belizean athletes on the American football stage.
Early Life and Background
Rakeem Nathan Nuñez-Roches was born on July 3, 1993, in Dangriga, a coastal town in Belize. When he was eight years old, his family migrated to the United States and settled in Alabama, where he would spend the remainder of his childhood. Growing up in a new country, Nuñez-Roches adapted quickly and found a sense of belonging through sport, eventually turning his energy toward football, a game that would define his future.
He attended Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama, where he became a starting defensive lineman. Across his high school career, he recorded 132 tackles, 17 sacks, and four forced fumbles, numbers that underlined his pass-rushing instincts and physicality. He was rated as a three-star defensive lineman by ESPN and earned recognition as a Second-team All-Area selection by the Opelika-Auburn News. Recruiting outlets also listed him as one of the top 50 players in the state of Alabama, signaling the promise he carried into the next level.
Path to American Football
Following high school, Nuñez-Roches committed to the University of Southern Mississippi, where he played for the Golden Eagles from 2011 to 2014. He majored in biological sciences while developing into a starter on the defensive line. As a freshman in 2011, he appeared in six games and earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman team, a notable early honor for a young player adjusting to college competition.
As a sophomore in 2012, he started 11 of 12 games and produced 37 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, one sack, and one forced fumble. A season-ending injury cut short his 2013 junior campaign, leading to a medical redshirt, but he returned strong in 2014, recording 63 tackles, 15 tackles-for-loss, four sacks, and one forced fumble. That productive redshirt junior season convinced him to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2015 NFL draft, where the Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the sixth round with the 217th overall pick, making him the first Belizean-born player ever drafted into the NFL.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches Career
Early Career (2015–2017)
Nuñez-Roches began his NFL journey with the Kansas City Chiefs, signing his rookie contract on May 11, 2015. In his first season, he appeared in seven games and recorded four solo tackles while learning the pace and demands of professional football. The following year, in 2016, he spent time on the practice squad before being elevated back to the active roster, where he played eleven games with five starts. On December 8, 2016, he notched his first career sack against the Oakland Raiders, a milestone moment in his development.
In 2017, Nuñez-Roches played in all 16 games for the Chiefs, earning 11 starts and recording 24 total tackles. Although he had grown into a rotational starter, the Chiefs ultimately allowed him to explore other opportunities. In 2018, the Chiefs placed an original-round restricted free agent tender on him, and after no other team made an offer, he re-signed with Kansas City before being released on May 8 of that year.
Indianapolis Colts (2018)
On May 11, 2018, Nuñez-Roches was claimed off waivers by the Indianapolis Colts, giving him a fresh opportunity to compete for a roster spot. The Colts, however, waived him on September 1, 2018, ending a brief stint in Indianapolis. Despite the short tenure, the experience allowed him to stay in shape and remain ready for another chance at the professional level.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Era and Super Bowl LV (2018–2022)
On October 2, 2018, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Nuñez-Roches, where he would spend the most productive and meaningful stretch of his career. He appeared in only three games to close out 2018, but he quickly earned a longer role, playing all 16 games in 2019 as a rotational defensive player. He continued to be a regular contributor, re-signing with the franchise in March 2020 and finishing that season with 20 tackles across 16 games, including 11 starts.
The highlight of his Tampa tenure came during the 2020 season, when the Buccaneers finished 11–5 and ultimately won Super Bowl LV by a score of 31–9 over the Kansas City Chiefs. As a member of that championship roster, Nuñez-Roches earned a Super Bowl ring. He remained with the Buccaneers through 2022, starting one game in 2021 and ten games in 2022, finishing his final Tampa season with two sacks and 33 total tackles.
New York Giants Era (2023–2025)
On March 17, 2023, Nuñez-Roches signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the New York Giants, marking the biggest free-agent move of his career. He became a regular contributor on the defensive line, appearing in 16 games with four starts in 2023 and finishing with 26 total tackles, a half-sack, and one pass defended. In 2024, he started 15 games, produced two sacks, 52 tackles, and two passes defended, establishing himself as one of the more consistent defensive ends on the roster.
During the 2025 season, he made nine appearances with five starts, recording three sacks, 23 combined tackles, and one pass deflection. On January 3, 2026, he was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to ankle and toe injuries. On April 7, 2026, he signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, returning to the franchise where he had won his Super Bowl.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Nuñez-Roches’ career came with the Buccaneers’ victory in Super Bowl LV, a championship he earned as a reliable member of the defensive rotation. His first career sack, recorded on December 8, 2016, against the Oakland Raiders, marked his arrival as a pass-rushing presence. Becoming the first Belizean-born player ever drafted into the NFL stands as a historic personal milestone that reflects his pioneering role for his home country.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches Career Wins
Across his NFL career, Rakeem Nathan Nuñez-Roches has accumulated 233 total tackles, 9 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 4 pass deflections, according to verified career statistics. His most celebrated victory remains Super Bowl LV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a championship earned in the 2020 season.
NFL Highlights
Nuñez-Roches’ first career win came during his rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015, and he has since been a regular on winning rosters. His most recent verified win came during the 2025 season with the New York Giants, where he continued to be a regular contributor. The crown jewel of his career is unquestionably the Super Bowl LV championship with Tampa Bay, a moment that defined his legacy as a professional.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Born in Dangriga, Belize, Rakeem Nathan Nuñez-Roches migrated to Alabama with his family at the age of eight. His upbringing in Belize and his life in the United States have given him a deeply multicultural identity. He is fluent in both English and Garifuna, the language of the Garifuna people of coastal Belize, and he has spoken proudly of his Belizean roots throughout his career.
2025 Season Performance
During the 2025 NFL season, Rakeem Nathan Nuñez-Roches appeared in nine games for the New York Giants, making five starts. He produced three sacks, 23 combined tackles, and one pass deflection, continuing to provide a steady pass-rushing presence on the defensive line. His season, however, was cut short on January 3, 2026, when he was placed on season-ending injured reserve due to ankle and toe injuries, closing the year earlier than expected.
Despite the injury, Nuñez-Roches had been a reliable rotational piece for the Giants, helping anchor the interior of their defensive front. The team had signed him to a three-year, $12 million contract in 2023, and he had repaid that investment with strong play across two full seasons. His 2024 campaign, in which he started 15 games and produced 52 tackles and two sacks, set the stage for the role he held in 2025.
Looking ahead, Nuñez-Roches signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on April 7, 2026, returning to the franchise where he had won Super Bowl LV. The move offers him an opportunity to rejoin a familiar defensive system and compete for a championship-caliber roster, while also giving him a chance to extend a career that has already spanned more than a decade at the highest level of professional football.