American football is probably not the first sport that pops into your mind’s eye when you think of the sports Ugandans excel in. But did you know that three Ugandans have played in the National Football League (NFL), American football’s highest level of competition? Even better than that, one man won the coveted Super Bowl not once but twice during a glistening career in the United States. Mathias Kiwanuka is that man.
Kiwanuka was not the first Ugandan to grace the NFL with his presence; identical twin brothers Kato and Wasswa Serwanga set the stage in the late 1990s. The brothers were standout cornerbacks for the Sacramento High School Dragons. Wasswa Serwanga played 23 games during his two-year NFL career, while Kato Serwanga’s lasted eight years; he played 120 games for the New England Patriots, Washington Redskins, and New York Giants before retiring.
Mathias Kiwanuka’s Early Years
Although born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in March 1983, Kiwanuka is very much Ugandan. His mother grew up in Konge in the Pearl of Africa, and his grandfather, Benedicto Kiwanuka, was Uganda’s first beloved Prime Minister before his brutal murder in 1972. How did a young man with a deep Ugandan heritage find his name in lights on the best Super Bowl betting sites?
Kiwanuka’s parents emigrated to the United States before he was born. He grew up in Indianapolis and played football for Cathedral High School, helping the team reach three consecutive IHSAA state championships. Kiwanuka was not short of college offers when he graduated high school but committed to Boston College.
The Boston College Eagles played Kiwanuka as a defensive end due to his size and stature. Between 2001 and 2005, Kiwanuka played 49 games for the Eagles, including 38 starts. He made 245 tackles during those games and set school records with 64.5 stops for losses and 37.5 sacks.
During his college career, Kiwanuka was twice named a First-team All-American, twice in the First-team All-Big East, and the 2004 Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Unsurprisingly, Kiwanuka was a hot prospect coming out of college, with several NFL teams looking to secure his signature.
Mathias Kiwanuka’s Professional Career
The New York Giants selected Kiwanuka as the 32nd overall pick in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. The Giants tied Kiwanuka to a five-year rookie contract worth $10 million with at least $5 million guaranteed.
Kiwanuka started nine games and played 16 during his rookie season in the NFL. His statistics were impressive; he recorded 53 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. Despite shining as a defensive end, the Giants head coach retrained Kiwanuka as a linebacker during the offseason, a position he played during the 2007 season.
After starting the 2007 regular season strongly, Kiwanuka fractured his left fibula, which required surgery and ended his season. The New York Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLII without Kiwanuka, although he did collect a coveted NFL Championship ring as he had started ten regular season games.
He recovered from his broken leg and resumed the defensive end role in 2008, recording 51 tackles, eight sacks, two passes defensed, a brace of forced fumbles, and a couple of fumble recoveries.
2009 saw Kiwanuka struggle for game time through injury, and he sat out most of the 2010 campaign with a herniated disc. Kiwanuka was determined to return from his career-threatening back injury, and he did precisely that. During the 2011 regular season, Kiwanku produced the best figures of his career. He made 84 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 14 tackles for loss.
The Giants reached the Super Bowl that season, and Kiwanuka appeared in the Giants’ 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots, making him a two-time Super Bowl winner. Kiwanuka was rewarded with a three-year contract extension worth up to $17.75 million, including an $8.5 million signing bonus, with $10.95 million guaranteed.
Kiwanuka played for three more seasons before the New York Giants released him in February 2014, which spelled the end of his excellent American football career.
Mathias Kiwanuka, the Businessman and Philanthropist
After hanging up his boots and helmet, Kiwanuka turned his attention to becoming a businessman and philanthropist. He and two partners founded Wandering Wines, a wine importer and distributor based out of Coconut Creek in Florida. Although he initially struggled with the lack of physicality of a regular job, Kiwanuka has grown into a successful businessperson.
Despite earning over $27.2 million during his New York Giants career, Kiwanuka never forgot his Ugandan roots. While playing professional American football, Kiwanuka returned to Uganda with teammate Kawika Mitchell and funded and built a freshwater well outside a school.
Kiwanuka has put his name, money, time, and effort behind numerous projects in Uganda. In April 2021, he joined the board of Smile Train, a charity that provides life-changing surgery for children suffering from a cleft. The charity trains doctors so they can continue improving lives long after the initial project is over.
Conclusion
Mathias Kiwanuka is a shining example of why it is important for humans to remember where they come from and where their roots are. Kiwanuka is grateful for the path his life has gone down but knows that it could have been much different. He is one generation away from living in a small village in Uganda; his mother grew up in Konge before moving to the United States.
Some lesser people would earn millions of dollars, win the Super Bowl or other significant sporting trophies, and live a life of luxury without a second thought about anyone but themselves. but Kiwanuka is not like those people. Instead, he uses his fame and fortune for the greater good, helping those less fortunate to enjoy a better life, which should be commended.
Kiwanuka was not only an elite sportsman but a fantastic human being, one who serves as an inspiration for young Ugandans.