The 5 Best Asian NFL Players of All-Time
The 5 Greatest Asian NFL Players Ever!
When it comes to common types of ethnicities that exist in the NFL, Asian players are one of the last to come to mind.
As a matter of fact, only 0.1 percent of modern NFL players are Asian-American, but who was (or is) the best among them?
NFL Gunslinger Kyler Murray
However, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been some great players over the years with Asian heritage.
Read our list of the 5 best Asian NFL players of all-time!
Tedy Bruschi
Career highlight stats
Three Super Bowl wins in four years
1,110 tackles, 30.5 sacks and 11 forced fumbles with the Patriots
2005 Come Back Player of the Year
Tedy Bruschi spent his entire career from 1996-2008 with the Patriots.
He is of Filipino descent, and he was part of the Patriots teams that won three Super Bowls in four years.
Bruschi was considered an unstoppable force as linebacker, garnering 1,110 tackles, 30.5 sacks and 11 forced fumbles with the Patriots.
While Bruschi had a storied career, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have setbacks.
He suffered a stroke during the 2005 season but eventually came back, winning the 2005 Come Back Player of the Year award.
He suffered a stroke in 2019 too, long after his playing days were over. However, he is still in the game in other ways, as he gives his opinion on certain football issues on ESPN.
Kyler Murray
Career highlight stats
2019 Rookie of the Year
Heisman Trophy winner
First pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cardinals
While the Kyler Murray story is still being written, there is no doubt that it is off to a fantastic start!
The Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback is Korean-American and African-American.
He is known just as much for his running as he is for his passing. The 5’10, 207-pound quarterback also won the 2019 Rookie of the Year award.
Dat Nguyen
Career highlight stats
30 double digit tackle games
Cotton Bowl record 15 tackles
90 games, 516 tackles, seven interceptions and six sacks with the Cowboys
Dat Nguyen is Vietnamese, and he made his mark in the football world. However, his success was mainly at college.
He had a storied college football career at Texas A&M, leading the Aggies in tackles all four years.
He is the only player in school history to do so!
He had 30 double digit tackle games and a Cotton Bowl record 15 tackles. However, that effort was in vain, as the Aggies still lost to UCLA 29-23.
During his seven-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys, he played in 90 games, had 516 tackles, seven interceptions and six sacks.
After retiring from the Cowboys in 2005, the 5’11 238-pound linebacker had his own radio show on 1250 ESPN.
He also served on the board for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and he is part of the San Antonio Sports Foundation, which focuses on sports facilities for schools and playgrounds.
Hines Ward
Career highlight stats
Two-time Super Bowl champion
More than 1000 receptions across his career
2006 Super Bowl MVP
Hines Ward spent his entire career as a wide receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1998 to 2011.
He is also a two-time Super Bowl champion.
One Super Bowl was in 2006, when he was Super Bowl MVP in a 21-10 win over the Seahawks, and the other was just a few years later in 2009, when the Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals in a 27-23 win.
Besides his Super Bowl accomplishments, Ward is also one of 14 players in NFL history to have more than 1,000 receptions for their career.
John Lee
Career highlight stats
First Asian player in the NFL
32nd pick of the 1986 NFL draft by the Saint Louis Cardinals
Kicked field goals in the 1983, 1984 and 1986 Rose Bowls
While John Lee, like Dat Nguyen, didn’t have a huge success in the NFL, he still made history.
He was the first Asian player to ever play in the NFL.
Lee is from South Korea, and he was the 32nd pick of the 1986 NFL draft by the Saint Louis Cardinals (not to be confused with the baseball team).
He signed a four year contract worth $900,000 and a $250,000 signing bonus with this team, where he stayed put until the 1998 season.
He was then signed by the Raiders, and he was waived that season after missing two of three field goals.
While his pro career only had nominal success, he achieved a tremendous amount in college.
This included kicking field goals in the 1983, 1984 and 1986 Rose Bowls.
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