American Football has always been one of the most popular sports in the USA and Canada. The National Football League (NFL) is the biggest sports tournament in USA and draws millions of American soccer fans. In the recent past, it has also reached out to the non-American people outside the continent. One reason for this development has been the popularity of some the players. B.J. Raji is one of these popular faces of NFL who has become a noted face in the country for his performances. He was the oldest of their parents 3 children. B.J. currently plays for the Green Bay Packers by whom he was he drafted to play for in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He plays in the position of a nose tackle, a defensive alignment position in the defensive tackle line.
Raji is a well-known NFL player by his own right and quite popular among fans. But there are some lesser known facts about him that might be interesting to the laymen. Some of these facts are as follows:
B.J has non-American lineage through the paternal side of his family. His father Busari Raji, Sr. had actually migrated to USA from Nigeria.
While B.J chose American football, his much young in age brother whose name is Corey Raji is a professional basketball player.
During his high-school days, B.J played both on the defensive and also in the offensive player’s lines for the Westwood Regional High school.
During this time, he also earned All-the-State, All-Conference and All-County honours as a senior.
B.J. Raji was selected for All-Bergen-County-Scholastic-League on two different occasions during his early career.
B.J. Raji played college football for the Boston College between 2004 and 2008. During his amateur and sophomore years with the college, B.J recorded 99 tackles and 9 sacks in all.
During this time, B.J was named a two time all-ACC, as a 2nd team member in 2006 and as a member of the starting line-up in 2008.
2010 was the break-out season for B.J after being drafted to Green Bay Packers as a professional. In the 16 games that he played in, he recorded 39 tackles.
In a game against the Bears in Chicago during the 2011 NFC Championship game, B.J recorded the first interception and touchdown of his career after he intercepted a pass and threw it 18 yards to the end zone. This touchdown was also a record in itself as B.J became the heaviest player to score a post-season touchdown, breaking the previous record of William Perry in the NFL.
B.J. Raji’s nickname, ‘œThe Freezer’ is his tribute to William Perry who was called ‘œThe Fridge’.
B.J. Raji is only the fourth defensive lineman in the history of NFL/AFL to score a rushing touchdown.
B.J was ranked No 81 in the list of Top 100 Greatest Players of 2011 by the NFL Network.
These are only a few of the interesting facts about B.J. Raji who is considered a prospect in the American Football and NFL and is expected to make it to the list of the bests of all time.
