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Roman Oben
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Roman Oben (born 9 October 1972) is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Louisville before being drafted by the New York Giants in 1996. Oben spent 12 years as an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) playing for the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the San Diego Chargers. He was a starting offensive tackle on the Buccaneers Super Bowl XXXVII Championship team.
Key Information
Oben is currently the NFL Vice President of Football Development. He joined the NFL as Director of Health & Safety in December 2014.
Early life
[edit]At the age of four he moved with his mother from Cameroon to the United States and settled in Washington, D.C. He attended Gonzaga College High School and spent one year at Fork Union Military Academy where he set a FUMA discus record at 185 ft 10 in (56.64 m) that stood for 21 years (the record was broken in 2012).
College career
[edit]A two-sport college athlete, Oben played college football at the University of Louisville, and was a four-year letterman in football and three-year letterman in track and field.
In football, he was an All-National Independent first team selection as a junior. In track and field, as a freshman in 1991, he placed at the Metro Conference Championship in the shot put.
While at the University of Louisville, Oben became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and was Vice President of the Alpha Pi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha.
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+1⁄8 in (1.93 m) |
301 lb (137 kg) |
36 in (0.91 m) |
10+1⁄8 in (0.26 m) |
5.07 s | 1.79 s | 3.04 s | 4.95 s | 29.0 in (0.74 m) |
8 ft 11 in (2.72 m) |
28 reps |
Selected in the third round (66th overall) by the New York Giants in the 1996 NFL draft, Oben was the first Cameroonian-born NFL player drafted.[1] Oben started in over 90% of the games in his 12-year career at left tackle. He played for the New York Giants (1996–99), Cleveland Browns (2000–01), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2002–03), and San Diego Chargers (2004–07).
New York Giants
[edit]Oben spent four seasons (1996–99) as a member of the New York Giants where he started 48 of 50 games.
Cleveland Browns
[edit]Oben joined the Browns as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2000 season and registered 29 starts at left tackle during his two-year tenure in Cleveland.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
[edit]Oben was the starting left tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their Super Bowl victory in 2002, leading an offensive line that allowed only one sack in 100 passing situations during the postseason, and earning a Super Bowl XXXVII championship ring in the process.
San Diego Chargers
[edit]In 2004, the Chargers traded a fifth-round pick in the 2005 NFL draft to the Buccaneers for Oben. The move was made with the pick obtained from the Giants in the Rivers-Manning trade. Oben quickly became a fixture at the left tackle position and after bouncing back from a career-threatening foot injury, he spent the 2007 season as a player-mentor on the Chargers' young offensive line.
Off the field
[edit]While serving as the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) team representative for three teams over seven years, Oben was integral in drafting a resolution that ensures NFL Player Programs pay for continued education for retired players and as an active team representative. Oben was a charter member of the NFLPA Benefits Committee that ensured future medical coverage for all NFL players.[citation needed]
Education
[edit]Oben earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Louisville in 1995. He took graduate courses each NFL off-season towards a master's degree in public administration which he earned from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2001 while playing for the Cleveland Browns.[2]
Ring of Fame honors
[edit]- University of Louisville Football Ring of Honor, 2006
- University of Louisville Athletic Hall of Fame, 2009
- Gonzaga College High School Athletic Hall of Fame, 2009
- Fork Union Military Academy Sports Hall of Fame, 2009[3]
- Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame,[4] 2013[5]
Awards
[edit]Oben has been honored for his work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in San Diego where he was recognized as the 2007 Man of the Year.[6]
After football career
[edit]After retiring from football in 2008, Oben worked in broadcast media as a football analyst, and held executive positions in sales and business development. He is now a Vice President in the Football Operations department at the National Football League.[7]
Personal
[edit]He is the father of RJ Oben, a former defensive end for Duke Blue Devils and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
References
[edit]- ^ "1996 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Roman Oben". The Africa Soft Power Project, and Africa Month, is an initiative focused on how Africa can leverage its cultural and creative industries. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ "FUMA Sports Hall of Fame | Fork Union Military Academy". www.forkunion.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2010.
- ^ Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame
- ^ "Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame announces 2013 inductees — University of Louisville". louisville.edu. Archived from the original on 6 May 2013.
- ^ Waxberg, Greg (21 February 2013). "Former NFL Star Roman Oben Bringing "Oben Flag Football" to Pingry". Basking Ridge, NJ Patch. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
- ^ "The NFL Ops Team | NFL Football Operations". operations.nfl.com. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
External links
[edit]This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. (May 2019) |
- thecorporateplaybook.com
- http://www.gocards.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/oben_roman00.html
- http://www.buccaneers.com/news/article-1/Where-Are-They-Now-Roman-Oben/f3a1075a-80e6-403f-8de5-57f299069aa5
- http://holmdel-hazlet.patch.com/articles/nfl-new-york-giant-visits-holmdel#photo-10966467
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/football-insider/post/six-days-two-lives-two-deaths/2012/05/11/gIQAFFL9HU_blog.html
Roman Oben
View on GrokipediaEarly Life
Childhood and Family Background
Roman Oben was born on October 9, 1972, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, becoming the first Cameroonian-born player to be drafted into the National Football League (NFL).[7][8] In 1976, at the age of four, Oben immigrated to Washington, D.C., joining his mother, Marie Oben, who had moved ahead to pursue better opportunities; she initially left him in Cameroon with relatives due to logistical challenges but reunited with him after about ten months.[9][10] The family faced economic hardships as a single-parent household in an urban environment during the 1980s, with Marie working at Cameroon's embassy in the U.S. before earning two bachelor's degrees—one in computer science—and an MBA, eventually advancing to a position at the World Bank.[9][11] This focus shaped Oben's early years, as his mother cautioned against prioritizing sports amid their immigrant struggles, though she later supported his pursuits upon recognizing their developmental benefits.[11] The cultural adjustment proved challenging for the young Oben, who endured bullying at school due to his accent and foreign background, leading to feelings of isolation until he adapted around the fourth or fifth grade.[9] Early exposure to American sports came through community activities, such as selling concessions at RFK Stadium, which introduced him to the local athletic culture and paved the way for his later involvement in organized sports.[9][10]High School Career
Oben attended Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., where he first took up football as a sophomore and rapidly distinguished himself as a defensive end. In that season, he earned All-Metropolitan honors while recording around 13 sacks, establishing himself as one of the top players in the District of Columbia.[12][9] To prepare for college, Oben transferred to Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia, for a postgraduate year.[12] There, he continued playing football as part of the acclaimed postgraduate class of 1991, a group that produced over 50 Division I college signees and 13 eventual NFL players.[13] In addition to football, Oben competed in track and field at Fork Union, where he set the school's discus throw record at 175 feet 10 inches—a mark that endured for 21 years until it was surpassed in 2012 by Jordan Roach's throw of 179 feet 2 inches.[13][14] Oben's postgraduate experience at Fork Union facilitated significant physical maturation, transforming him from a defensive standout into a highly regarded offensive lineman prospect at 6 feet 4 inches and over 250 pounds, which drew interest from multiple college programs.[13] He committed to the University of Louisville following a recruitment process that emphasized his versatility and growth potential.[12]College Career
University of Louisville Football
Roman Oben enrolled at the University of Louisville in 1991 after attending Fork Union Military Academy, and played football for the Cardinals from 1992 to 1995 as an offensive tackle.[4][13] During his freshman year in 1992, Oben served primarily as a backup on the offensive line for a Cardinals team that finished 5-6 overall. He progressed to become a full-time starter at left tackle by his sophomore season in 1993, anchoring the line for a squad that achieved a 9-3 record, ranked 24th in the final AP Poll, and won the Liberty Bowl 18-17 over Michigan State. In 1994, his junior year, Oben started all 10 games without allowing a sack, earning first-team All-America honors from Gannett News Service and first-team All-Independent recognition as one of the nation's top offensive linemen.[4][15] The 1994 Cardinals posted a 6-5 record but did not qualify for a bowl game.[16] As a senior in 1995, Oben started all games at left tackle, receiving second-team All-America honors from College Sports and Football News along with second-team All-Independent selection, while contributing to a 7-4 team.[4][15][17] Over his four seasons, Oben started all 45 games he appeared in, providing crucial protection for the quarterback and run blocking that supported key team performances, including the program's first bowl victory in 1993.[15] In addition to football, Oben participated in track and field as a two-sport athlete, competing in the shot put and discus events; as a freshman, he placed in the shot put at the Metro Conference Championship and earned All-Conference honors in the discus, enhancing his overall athletic profile with his strength and explosiveness.[13][15]Academic and Extracurricular Achievements
During his time at the University of Louisville, Roman Oben earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1995, graduating a semester early to facilitate his transition to professional football.[18][19] Oben was an active member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the oldest intercollegiate historically African American Greek-letter organization, through its Alpha Pi chapter at Louisville.[20] He held leadership positions within the chapter, including serving as vice president, which allowed him to engage in campus leadership and community service alongside his athletic commitments.[21] Oben balanced his demanding football schedule—where he started all 11 games as a senior—with rigorous academic pursuits, crediting his mother's emphasis on education for instilling disciplined study habits that proved essential for his later NFL career.[11] These habits, developed amid the rigors of Division I athletics, enabled him to maintain strong academic performance while preparing for the professional level.[22] His undergraduate focus on economics sparked an early interest in public administration and policy, laying the groundwork for advanced studies in the field after college.[19]Professional Football Career
Draft and New York Giants Tenure
Roman Oben was selected by the New York Giants in the third round, 66th overall, of the 1996 NFL Draft out of the University of Louisville.[2] As a rookie offensive tackle, Oben saw limited action, appearing in just two games without any starts during the 1996 season, a year in which the Giants finished 6-10 under head coach Dan Reeves.[2][23] Oben transitioned to a starting role in 1997 under new head coach Jim Fassel, anchoring the left tackle position for all 16 regular-season games and earning a spot in the lineup for the Giants' wild-card playoff matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.[2] He maintained that consistency through the 1999 season, starting all 48 games at left tackle from 1997 to 1999, contributing to a total of 50 games played and 48 starts during his Giants tenure.[2] Over these years, Oben focused on pass protection and run blocking, with his approximate value metric rising from 6 in 1997 to 7 in both 1998 and 1999, reflecting his growing reliability on the offensive line.[2] One of Oben's notable performances came in the 1997 preseason, where he helped the Giants' offensive line surrender only one sack in their final exhibition game against the Green Bay Packers, a marked improvement after early struggles that included 11 sacks allowed in the first three preseason contests.[24] In the playoff loss to the Vikings, Oben provided effective pass blocking against Pro Bowl defensive end John Randle, though the line as a unit faced challenges in generating run-block movement, limiting the Giants to 76 rushing yards.[25] As a young lineman adapting to the professional level, Oben encountered early hurdles, including criticism following a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars where he was beaten for multiple sacks by defensive end Tony Brackens, prompting adjustments in technique and preparation under Fassel's scheme.[26][24] These experiences highlighted the physical and mental demands of NFL play, such as intensified training regimens and integrating into veteran-dominated team dynamics, which Oben navigated to secure his starting position by the regular season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.[27][24]Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After being released by the New York Giants following the 1999 season, Roman Oben signed with the Cleveland Browns as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2000 NFL season.[2] He quickly became a cornerstone of the Browns' offensive line, starting all 16 games at left tackle in 2000 and 13 games in 2001, totaling 29 starts over two seasons during the team's early rebuilding years after its 1999 reactivation as an expansion franchise.[28] Oben's veteran presence helped provide stability to a young and developing unit, anchoring the left side as the Browns posted records of 3-13 in 2000 and 5-11 in 2001, laying groundwork for offensive consistency amid frequent lineup changes. Released by the Browns in February 2002 after his contract was set to pay $4 million, Oben signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in May 2002, joining as a free agent to bolster their offensive line depth.[29][30] He earned the starting left tackle role, appearing in all 16 regular-season games and starting each one in 2002, while also starting all three postseason contests, including Super Bowl XXXVII.[31] Oben's integration brought veteran leadership and resilience to the line, helping to gel the unit under new head coach Jon Gruden's scheme as the Buccaneers improved to 12-4 and advanced to their first Super Bowl.[32] In Super Bowl XXXVII against the Oakland Raiders on January 26, 2003, Oben started at left tackle and contributed to an offensive line that provided flawless protection for quarterback Brad Johnson, allowing zero sacks on 34 pass attempts during the Buccaneers' 48-21 victory.[33] His blocking helped support a balanced attack, with Tampa Bay rushing for 150 yards on 42 carries and Johnson completing 18 of 34 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns.[33] Oben's performance exemplified the line's stability, as he protected Johnson's blind side effectively against a formidable Raiders defense led by pass rushers like Trace Armstrong and Greg Spires, aiding the team's first championship.[34] Throughout the 2002 playoffs, his commitment and character served as a role model, fostering team chemistry during the high-stakes run.[32]San Diego Chargers and Retirement
In June 2004, Roman Oben was traded from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for the team's fifth-round draft pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.[35] Upon joining the Chargers, Oben assumed the role of starting left tackle, anchoring the offensive line during the 2004 season in which he appeared in all 16 regular-season games and started every one, including the team's divisional playoff matchup against the New York Jets.[36] His performance contributed to the Chargers' 12-4 record that year, providing crucial protection for quarterback Drew Brees as the team advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 1994. Oben's tenure with the Chargers extended through the 2007 season, during which he continued to serve as a key member of the offensive line despite mounting physical challenges. In 2005, he started the first eight games before a severe foot injury sustained midway through the season against the Kansas City Chiefs sidelined him for the remainder of the year, marking the beginning of his reduced on-field role.[37] The injury, described as career-threatening, limited him to just two regular-season appearances in 2006 and four in 2007, with no starts in either year; however, he remained part of the team's playoff efforts in 2006 (AFC Championship contenders) and 2007 (AFC Wild Card winners).[38] During these later seasons, Oben transitioned into a player-mentor capacity, offering guidance to the Chargers' younger offensive linemen while providing occasional protection for emerging quarterback Philip Rivers, who took over as starter in 2006 and led the team to consecutive playoff berths.[39] The cumulative physical toll of his 12-year NFL career, exacerbated by the 2005 foot injury and subsequent surgeries, ultimately led Oben to announce his retirement in 2008 at age 35.[39] Reflecting on the end of his playing days, Oben later described the emotional difficulty of the transition, noting that the realization of not returning to training camp brought a profound sense of loss amid the ongoing pain from his injuries.[40] Even as he stepped away from the field, Oben began planning for his post-football life, leveraging his experiences to focus on mentorship and development opportunities within the league.[19]Career Statistics and Milestones
Roman Oben played in 143 games over 12 NFL seasons from 1996 to 2007, starting 130 of them as an offensive tackle.[2] He recorded 4 fumble recoveries during his career, with two in 1999 while with the New York Giants, one in 2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and one in 2005 with the San Diego Chargers.[2] A key milestone in Oben's career was becoming the first Cameroonian-born player drafted into the NFL, selected in the third round (No. 66 overall) by the New York Giants in 1996.[34] He started over 90% of the games in which he appeared, demonstrating consistent reliability at left tackle across multiple teams.[2] As an offensive tackle, Oben earned a weighted Approximate Value (AV) of 47 from Pro Football Reference, ranking him 1,986th among all players since 1960 and reflecting his solid contributions to pass protection and run blocking.[2]| Team | Seasons | Games Played | Games Started |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | 1996–1999 | 50 | 48 |
| Cleveland Browns | 2000–2001 | 32 | 29 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2002–2003 | 31 | 29 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2004–2007 | 30 | 24 |
| Career Totals | 1996–2007 | 143 | 130 |