Donald Amechi Igwebuike (born December 27, 1960) is a Nigerian former professional player of

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

who was a kicker in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL) for the

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...

from 1985 to 1989. He was selected by the Buccaneers in the tenth round of the

1985 NFL draft The 1985 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The NFL draft, draft was held April 30 and May 1, 1985 NFL season, 1985, at the Omni Park Central Hotel in New York City, New ...

. He is the seventh place all-time scorer for the Buccaneers with 416 overall points. Often kicking barefoot, Igwebuike also played for the 1990

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

and in the

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

(CFL) with the

Baltimore Stallions The Baltimore Stallions (known officially as the "Baltimore Football Club" and previously as the "Baltimore CFL Colts" in its inaugural season) were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, which played ...

in 1994 and the

Memphis Mad Dogs The Memphis Mad Dogs were a Canadian football team that played the 1995 CFL season, 1995 season in the Canadian Football League. The Mad Dogs were part of a failed attempt to CFL USA, expand the CFL into the United States. They played at Liberty ...

in 1995. Earlier, he attended

Clemson University Clemson University () is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university near Clemson, South Carolina, United States. - The blue-shaded pattern denotes university property. This shows Clemson University is ''out ...

and was brought on as the kicker for the football team on the recommendation of his childhood friend and graduating Clemson kicker Obed Ariri. He agreed to join the team as long as he could continue playing for the soccer team, and took a football scholarship to save the soccer team a slot. His first attempt, a 52-yarder, was during the first American football game he had ever attended. He started as the kicker for the Tigers' 1981 national championship team. In November 1990, Igwebuike was indicted by a federal grand jury on felony charges that he assisted a $1 million

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...

smuggling Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. More broadly, soc ...

plot. He was acquitted in April 1991.

Personal life

Igwebuike is a first cousin, once removed to

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

running back Godwin Igwebuike.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Igwebuike, Donald 1960 births Living people Sportspeople from Enugu American football placekickers Canadian football placekickers Baltimore Stallions players Clemson Tigers football players Memphis Mad Dogs players Minnesota Vikings players Nigerian emigrants to the United States Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Tampa Bay Storm players Nigerian players of American football