The New York Giants signed defensive end Romeo Okwara as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame following the conclusion of the 2016 NFL Draft, and he went on to spend two years with the team.
During that span, Okwara appeared in 22 games (four starts), recording 28 tackles (two for a loss), two passes defensed, seven QB hits and one sack. He flashed several times, but never received the defensive snaps he seemed to warrant.
In September of 2018, Okwara was waived by the Giants and almost immediately claimed by the Detroit Lions, where his career has excelled.
Now in 2020, another Okwara is coming up through college and drawing interest at the 2020 NFL Combine.
Notre Dame defensive lineman Julian Okwara is under the bright lights in Indianapolis this time, and he’s fielded several questions about his brother. Among them has been whether or not he holds any ill-will towards the Giants for sending Romeo packing.
He does not.
“The Giants are a team that gave him a chance,” Julian said, via Newsday. “That’s the reason he’s with the Lions right now. He could have not been on a team. So I’m grateful to them for giving him an opportunity and hopefully it opens up a door for me.
“Whatever happened to him, in this league, you can bounce around from team to team. You have to work and be humble and hope to see the game the next day. You can get cut at any time. I’m not holding a grudge against them. It happens. It’s football.”
Julian said that he’d have no reservations about playing for the Giants if they called his name, but admits it would be “cool” to end up on the Lions’ roster alongside his Nigerian brother.
“It’d be cool,” Julian said. “I told him I’d move in with him on the couch and he’d have to pay the rent, I’m not splitting it. I’m the younger brother and that’s what older brothers do, they take care of younger brothers. But it’d be cool.”
As of Friday morning, the Giants have not held a formal or informal meeting with Julian.
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