RWU HQ – The name Daniel Adongo might sound familiar. Last summer the former Southern Kings lock took a leap of faith – putting his rugby life on hold for a shot to play in the NFL.
Adongo signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an outside linebacker last July, making the practice squad at the end of training camp. He was also featured as one of our RWU dual-sport athletes. Here’s the link to the column in case you need a refresher.
The former rugby star, who last played the sport in 2013 for the Kings of Super 15 Rugby, appeared in two games for the Colts last season – playing primarily on special teams.
But things turned for the worse for the first Kenyan-born NFL player this summer. There was a lot of hype entering training camp for the second-year player, but Adongo hit a road block early in training camp. In only his first play of the opening preseason game against the New York Jets on Aug. 7, Adongo sustained a season-ending bicep injury. With the injury, the Colts placed him injured reserve four days later.
Even though things look bleak for the 24-year-old, he isn’t letting this latest setback slow him down.
“My faith is not going to waver just because I got injured,” Adongo told The Criterion. “It’s part of the game. I’m not going to wallow in disappointment. Absolutely not. I’m looking forward to redefining myself, finding myself in this challenging time and looking for a better way to do things and come back even stronger.”
Even though Adongo’s season is over, don’t expect him to give up on his dream and continue to strive to make a splash in the NFL. With a full recovery, Adongo should be back at it next spring in time for the team’s OTAs.
Good luck in your recovery Daniel!
