Week 11 of the 2025 NFL season saw Africa's standout offensive and defensive players of the campaign so far respectively - Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Nate Landman - go head-to-head as the Seattle Seahawks faced the Los Angeles Rams.
Both players impressed in a battle which ultimately saw the Rams emerge victorious. Meanwhile, there were important contributions elsewhere in the league from Malik Mustapha, Kyle Monangai, Chidobe Awuzie, John Metchie III and Osa Odighizuwa.
African Player of the Week: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
It is only on rare occasions that we award Player of the Week to one who ended up on the losing side, but Smith-Njigba so clearly set the standard for African players this week that it is impossible to overlook him.
Of Sierra Leonean descent through his grandparents, the wide receiver continues to smash NFL records. In the Seattle Seahawks' 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, he made nine catches for 105 yards and made another 11 up off a carry for a total of 116 yards.
In doing so, he became the first player in NFL history to record 75+ receiving yards in the first 10 games of a season. His targets were impactful, too, as he got seven first downs.
The pick of the bunch was a beautiful one-handed catch on the edge of the sideline, which he had to get around Darious Williams to make.
Smith-Njigba remains on course to hit 2,000 total yards for the regular season and potentially even scoop the NFL MVP prize at the age of 23.
African Moment of the Week: Malik Mustapha
Mustapha showed why he is known as the 'Nigerian Missile,' putting his body on the line for an interception in the San Francisco 49ers' 41-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
The safety clattered into teammate Renardo Green, but still held onto the pick off Jacoby Brissett's pass - which, if completed, would have moved the Cardinals almost from one thirty-yard line to another.
The interception came shortly before half-time with the Niners 22-10 up. A field goal from Eddy Pineiro off the back of Mustapha's pick stretched the lead to 15 heading into the break, leaving the Cardinals with an ultimately insurmountable climb to get back in the game.
The 49ers went 7-4 for the season and kept the pressure at the top of the NFC West on the Rams and Seahawks.
Honorable mentions
Nate Landman picked up his fourth forced fumble of the NFL season in the Rams' win over the Seahawks. He also picked up seven tackles - six of which were solo tackles.
Osa Odighizuwa - a first-generation Nigerian-American - had a huge performance for the Dallas Cowboys in their 33-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The defensive tackle picked up a sack and three quarterback hits.
Kyle Monangai - a son of Cameroonian immigrants - scored a vital touchdown in the Chicago Bears' 19-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Elsewhere, the Baltimore Ravens continued their resurgence as cornerback Chidobe Awuzie - another first generation Nigerian-American - masterfully broke up plays with three passes defended in a 23-16 win over the Cleveland Browns.
John Metchie III scored a touchdown for the New York Jets against the New England Patriots. Born in Taiwan to a Nigerian father and Taiwanese mother, his family moved to Accra, Ghana, when he was one - and then on to Brampton, Ontario, Canada, while his father stayed in Ghana. Unfortunately, Metchie's contribution this week was ultimately in vain as the Jets lost 27-14.
Africa-born Player Watch
As far as players born on the continent go, Landman continues to be the pick of the bunch this season with the Rams owing their 8-2 start to the season largely to his defensive efforts.
The win over NFC West rivals the Seahawks (7-3) at SoFi Stadium was particularly significant to their Super Bowl ambitions.
Elsewhere, Nigerian-born IPP product Basil Chijioke 'CJ' Okoye remains the fairytale story of the season as he made a seventh regular season appearance for the Ravens - the last four of which have resulted in victory.