?Ladies and Gentleman, I would like to introduce in our midst, NFL Star Mr. Jerry Azumah of Chicago Bears?. This was an introduction by one of the MCs during the dinner at the just ended CEANA 2004 convention in Chicago, IL. The dining area was packed so this introduction led to a huge round of applause. I decided to lean to find out who this person was and needed such an introduction. As the gentleman stood up with his mother and sister to acknowledge the applause, few people including myself started to take some photos of them.
I went to introduce myself to him and his mother as Mr. CNN of Ghana Homepage, Ghanaweb.com. I said we have a segment where we profile our brothers and sisters all over the world, who are at the peak of their profession. It is our way of giving them the ?props? and the recognition they deserve. It is also a good way for Ghanaian youths to use these wonderful people as role models. His mother, Bertha Azumah would say ?some people say he is a Nigerian but he was born in America of Ghanaian parents?.
Information below is what was found on this young dynamic Ghanaian future football hall of famer:
Teammates voted him the 1999 rookie recipient of the Brian Piccolo Award.
Walter Payton Award recipient as the top player in NCAA Division 1-AA football following his senior year at New Hampshire (1995-98)
As a junior, named to AFCA All-America first-team as a returner and garnered second-team honors as a RB from the Associated Press and The Sports Network.
His NFL draft 1999 report reads; ?He is a little guy with a lot of production on the college level. He has good versatility and in addition to his run skills, he also catches the ball fairly well out of the backfield and has had success as a return specialist. He is nifty and quick as a runner and has a good feel for the hole. He is not really a breakaway threat and is probably not fast enough to be a serious nickel offense candidate. He is a productive little guy that will get a shot?.
Jerry Azumah who needs no further introduction is the youngest of 2 children of Theophilus K. (TK) and Bertha Azumah, born on September 1, 1977 in Worcester, MA. A two-year starter at cornerback for Chicago, arrived as a 2-way weapon in 2003 by leading the NFL in kickoff return average and TDs, earning his first career Pro Bowl appearance and just the fourth ever for a Bears kickoff returner ... Posting the highest single-season KR average for a Bear since 1975 earned him All-Pro honors from Football Digest (first-team) and The Sporting News as well as All-NFC from Pro Football Weekly.
In his second season as Chicago's starting RCB, tied for team lead with career-high 4 INTs and ranked 2nd with 90 tackles while extending his games played streak to 55 .. Recorded career-high 92 tackles in 2002 in his first year as a starter ... Scored his first NFL TD on an INT return in his first career postseason game ... Graduated to starting role after increasing his role in the defense each of his first 3 NFL seasons ... Entered the NFL as a standout collegiate RB, but immediately began the transition to CB.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS: Entered NFL as a fifth-round selection (147th overall) by Chicago in the 1999 NFL Draft. Signed contract extension on (8/22/01). SIGNED through 2005.
2003 SEASON: Named to first career Pro Bowl as a kickoff return specialist with an NFL-high KR avg. of 29.0 yards and TD returns of 89 and 88 yards while starting 13-of-16 games at CB and ranking 2nd on Bears with 90 tackles and a career-high 4 INTs ... Compiled 1,191 KR yards - the fourth-highest single-season total in Bears history - and the second-highest single-season average for a Bears kickoff returner with at least 25 returns ... Led NFL with 14 KRs of 30 or more yards while 28-of-41 returns went for 20 or more yards, helping Bears lead the NFL with an average drive starting position of Chicago's 33-yard line - the best single-season average in the NFL this decade - while leading the NFC (3rd in the NFL) with a team KR avg. of 23.8 yards per return ... Led Bears secondary with 8 tackles at MIN (9/14).
Moved to reserve CB role vs. OAK (10/5), but took over the KR role by making his debut with returns of 31 and 30 yards en route to a 25.2-yard avg. on 5 returns ... Averaged 30.3 yards on 3 KRs at NO (10/12) with a long of 46 ... Marked return to starting lineup vs. DET (10/26) with his first career KR for TD (89 yards to open 2nd half) and an INT with an 11-yard return while adding 10 tackles and 1 PD ... Dashed 39 yards on lone KR while posting 7 tackles vs. SD (11/2) ... Averaged 32.0 yards on 4 KRs, including returns of 45 and 36 yards at DET (11/9) to go with secondary-high 6 tackles ... Recorded INT and 2-yard return to go with 9 tackles (with 1 TFL and 1 sack) vs. STL (11/16) while adding returns of 31 and 38 yards with a 29.3-yard avg. on 3 returns ... Averaged 38.7 yards on 3 KRs (26, 51, 39) with 4 tackles and 1 PD at DEN (11/23)
Recorded INT and 6-yard return vs. ARIZ (11/30) ... Ran 88 yards for second KR TD of season and had 37-yarder en route to 31.2-yard avg. at GB (12/7) while adding 7 tackles ... Led Bears with career-high 13 tackles vs. MIN (12/14) ... Led Bears with 10 tackles and 25-yard INT return at KC (12/28) while tying career-high with 6 KRs for a 28.0-yard avg. and a long of 44 ... In his first career Pro Bowl (2/8/04), averaged 32.6 yards on 7 kickoffs to set a Pro Bowl record with 228 KR yards including a long of 60; added a 36-yard fumble return as a reserve DB.
GAMES PLAYED-STARTED: 16-13
PREVIOUS SEASONS: 2002 -- One of three Bears defenders to start all 16 games his first season as a starter at RCB, ranking 4th on team with career-high 92 tackles and 2nd with 8 PDs ... Posted 6 tackles, including 1 TFL, vs. MIN (9/8) ... Forced fumble and recorded season-high 12 tackles to lead secondary at BUF (9/29) ... Recorded 7 tackles, with 1 sack, and 1 PD vs. GB (10/7) in Monday Night Football debut ... Tallied 7 tackles at MIN (10/27) and vs. NE (11/10) ... Recorded 7 tackles and 2 PDs at GB (12/1) ... Notched 8 tackles, forced fumble and an 18-yard INT return at MIA (12/9) off Bobbie Howard lateral ... Recorded 7 tackles and 1 PD vs. TB (12/29).
2001 -- Moved into prominent role in secondary playing 16 games while starting 5 ... Started in 'nickel' package at BALT (9/9), posting 2 tackles, 1 PD and fumble recovery; also gained 36 yards on his first 2 NFL kickoff returns ... Posted 5 tackles vs. MIN (9/23) and a 17-yard kickoff return ... Delivered 4 tackles and 1 PD at CIN (10/21) ... Started at TB (11/18) and posted season-high 8 tackles and 1 PD ... Equaled season-high with 8 tackles at MIN (11/25); added 2 special teams tackles and a 16-yard punt return after taking Leon Johnson lateral ... Posted 3 tackles and 1 PD at WASH (12/23) ... Notched 4 tackles at DET (12/30), including first 2 career sacks and a forced fumble; added 2 special teams tackles
Grabbed INT in 6-tackle performance vs. JAX (1/6/02), returning the pick 14 yards to setup a FG to close the first half ... Gave Bears a 2nd-half lead in Divisional Playoff vs. PHI (1/19/02) by scoring on a 39-yard INT return off Donovan McNabb; added 2 tackles with 1 sack.
2000 -- Continued development at DB, playing 14 games and starting the last 4 ... Posted first career INT in season-opener at MIN (9/3) and forced a fumble ... Left game at GB (10/1) with left rib cartilage sprain ... Inactive vs. NO (10/8) and vs. IND (11/5) due to rib injury ... Moved into starting lineup vs. GB (12/3) in place of injured Walt Harris ... Posted season-high 8 tackles at DET (12/24).
1999 -- His successful transition from collegiate RB to professional DB was exemplified by his teammates voting him as Chicago's rookie recipient of the Brian Piccolo Award ... Played all 16 games, starting 2, playing primarily in nickel situations and on special teams ... Recorded 17 tackles, all in the last 4 games, and ranked 4th on the Bears with 20 special teams tackles while also forcing a fumble ... Did not make a tackle at WASH (10/31) in first NFL start .. Left game vs. DET (11/25) with minor concussion ... Moved to third on depth chart vs. GB (12/5) and registered first 2 career defensive tackles ... Totaled 6 tackles and 1 PD at STL (12/26) ... Started vs. TB (1/2/00) in place of injured Walt Harris and notched season-high 7 tackles.
COLLEGE: Walter Payton Award recipient as the top player in NCAA Division 1-AA football following his senior year at New Hampshire (1995-98) en route to setting the D-1AA career rushing record ... Totaled 6,193 career rushing yards during his 4-year career and became the only player in D-1AA history to rush for over 1,000 yards 4 times ... Also holds D-1AA record with 8,276 career all-purpose yards, including an 82-yard kickoff return TD ... Had 2 career 300-yard games and 2 career 5-TD games ... Unanimous All-America and All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection as senior while shattering conference and school season-records with 2,195 yards and 22 TDs on 343 carries ... Broke own school record with career-high 329-yards rushing with 5 TDs vs. Hofstra .
As a junior, named to AFCA All-America first-team as a returner and garnered second-team honors as a RB from the Associated Press and The Sports Network ... Led conference and ranked 6th in nation with 1,585 yards on 271 carries with 17 TDs ... Named All-ECAC, All-New England and All-Yankee first team as a sophomore ... Led conference in rushing (1,308), scoring (126) and all-purpose yards (2,109) ... Started 7-of-8 games played as a true freshman, leading team with 186 carries for 1,105 yards and 8 TDs ... Two-time Central Massachusetts and Shriners All-Star ... Majored in sociology.
PERSONAL: Led St. Peter Marion H.S. (Worcester, Mass.) to 3 state titles while rushing for 1,800 yards on 110 carries with 31 TDs his senior season ... Lettered in basketball and track ... Set school records in the long jump and 100-meter dash ... An active participant in the team's community relations endeavors to benefit Chicagoland and inner-city youths .
Jerry?s achievements deserve mentioning and Ghanaians are very proud of him. Mr. CNN of Ghanaweb.com says more grease to your elbow and keep up the good work, continue putting Ghana on the map of NFL.
Acknowledgement: Special thanks to Berthy Azumah & Family/Jerry Azumah
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