Praise Olatoke enjoying ‘crazy journey’ from Scotland to NFL

LA Chargers new Scottish wide receiver Praise Olatoke has described his journey from Nigeria to Glasgow to the National Football League as “crazy”.

The 24-year-old has joined the Chargers after failing to land a spot with the Philadelphia Eagles while attending rookie minicamp in May.

Olatoke was born in Nigeria but moved to Scotland when he was just five years old and studied at Cardonald Primary School in Glasgow before attending St Columba’s in Kilmacolm.

“It’s been a crazy journey, honestly,” he said. “I was just talking to my mom yesterday about how far away I come from.

“From Kinning Park to Los Angeles is just crazy to think about the different directions and countries and cities we took to get here, so it feels amazing. It was a crazy story.

“I aspire to live an adventurous life and this kind of proves that. I’m just going for adventure. Yeah, I’m excited. I’m ready to see where this takes me.”

Olataku says that after the disappointment of missing out on a spot with the Eagles, he wasn’t sure his dream of playing the NFL would come true. Then the call came from LA.

“To be completely honest, after I came back from Philadelphia, I didn’t know if the league would be for me.” he said. “So I spent thirty-two weeks relaxing from football while thinking about what I want to do.

“I started making moves like my next adventure. I didn’t know where life was going to go.

“But I don’t limit myself and what I think I can do. I want to go to Mars, so I’m going to the moon. Ultimately, I think I will do it.”

Olatoke returns to Scotland next week before heading back to the United States for a four-week training camp before the start of the NFL season in September.