An in-depth look at how one man’s football journey can impact thousands of lives across the globe.
In his Players Tribune article, released two days after the Atlanta Falcons defeated the then-Oakland Raiders during that magical 2016 season, Mohamed Sanu recounted his incredible journey to the NFL. Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Sanu spent part of his childhood in Sierra Leone, his family’s homeland.
While he was only there until he was six, Sanu feels a sense of responsibility to give back to the country that helped shape the person who made one of the more profound impacts on his life: his mother.
“She has influenced me by teaching the importance of hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice. Growing up, I never heard her complain about the hardships of life. What was most important to her was for me and my sister to be happy. She taught me that if you have a dream, you must protect it and do whatever it takes to accomplish that dream. She had a different perspective on how to approach life. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be the man I am today.”
Those lessons of strength and service echoed in Sanu’s admiration for his childhood football hero: Walter Payton. Long before he hit an NFL field, Sanu saw in Payton the perfect blend of on-field brilliance and off-field heart. Versatile. Tough. Giving. It wasn’t just about stats for Sanu, it was about legacy. Impact. Purpose.
“Football was not my purpose in life. It was a stepping stone for being an agent of change and making a difference.”
Together with his mother, Aminata Koroma, and the non-profit Develop Africa, which has been working to develop the next generation of lives in Africa, Sanu hosted his 2nd Annual Swing 4 Change Golf Outing on June 23rd. The outing was held in Cumming, GA, at the Polo Golf & Country Club.
115 golfers attended the outing and helped raise over $50,000 to assist Sanu in his mission to build a multi-purpose community center for those in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
In a recent press release, Sanu describes the community center as “one of the biggest responsibilities of my life.”
“It will bring together people who inspire each other, and they will stand as a testament to our long-term investment in the community. Beyond the bricks and mortar, the building will be transformed by the energy and passion of the people who visit – professionals, volunteers, staff, and families.”
If anyone understands what the power of community can do for a young person’s development, it’s Sanu. In the aforementioned Players’ Tribune article, Sanu outlined how his “Crew” of supporters is one of the main drivers of his success in the NFL. From his mother and sister making sure he had a roof over his head off the field to coaches Vinny Jackson and Joe Susan allowing him the opportunity to showcase his talents on it, Sanu was given a chance to succeed by those around him who cared about him.
Now, he is looking to give the next generation of youth that same chance.
Outside of Sanu’s mission to build the community center, he is working with former Falcons Sean Weatherspoon, Christian Blake, and Elijah Wilkinson, along with 2x Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis, former MLB pitchers Jonny Venters and Kris Medlen, and former MMA fighter Dustin Chovanic to establish Legacy Sports Complex. LSC is a multi-sport, state-of-the-art training facility that intends to “ignite the potential” of its members.
Sanu has parlayed his NFL success into real, measurable change in people’s lives. More than that, he’s turned his own story, sharing a bedroom and a living room in New Brunswick, into a lifelong mission to equip the next generation.
One last note from the Players Tribune article before we wrap: When people bring together the worlds of on-the-field success mixed with off-the-field philanthropy, the first person that comes to mind is the late Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton. Before he was old enough to understand the impact Payton had off the field, Sanu became a huge fan of Payton and his toughness on the field. He loved Payton’s versatility. His ability to run and catch separated him from the rest of the pack. During his 13-year career, all with the Chicago Bears, Payton led all running backs in receiving yards (4,538), being only one of two backs to hit the 4,000-yard mark in that span.
But Payton’s skillset didn’t stop there; Payton also threw the ball from time to time. When Payton lined up to take the direct snap, defenders had to respect it, which led to him being the only non-quarterback to have multiple 50-yard passes in 1979, and he held that mark for over three and a half decades. Until Sanu, and his perfect passer rating, hit Julio Jones on a 51-yard seam route over the top of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense in 2017.
So, while Sanu never got the chance to be immortalized as a finalist for the coveted Man of the Year award named after his favorite player, hopefully, we have shown the link to Payton, not only through the versatility that both men showed on the field but how they utilized their multifaceted talents to make a difference off the field.
And if that’s not what this beautiful game is all about, I’m not sure what is.