The Rise of a Filipino NFL Superstar: Nikko Remigio
You probably haven’t heard the name Nikko Remigio but I’m sure you’ve heard the name Josh Jacobs, the same Josh Jacobs that led the National Football League (NFL) in rushing yards. What do both players have in common? They’re both Filipino and both have been making their names known in the NFL. The odds haven’t always been in Nikko Remigo’s favor, standing 5’ 9” at a position that is typically 6 feet tall and yet here we are reviewing the standout debut he had earlier this week. Nikko Remigio, pronounced “knee-CO ruh-me-HEE-o” has been proving the haters wrong, showing the world that Filipinos can dominate at the wide receiver position. Let’s dive into the story of Nikko Remigio and how he’s primed to be the next NFL superstar.
Getting to the NFL has not been an easy road for Nikko Remigio, most might even call it the road less traveled. Rewinding back to his collegiate football days, Nikko spent 4 years at University of California, Berkeley, where he was able to occasionally flash his talent on the field but his 2022 season was a huge risk when Remigio transferred to Fresno State University for his fifth year and I think it really paid off. Nikko was better able to showcase his skills during his fifth season, totaling 2 rushing touchdowns, 6 receiving touchdowns from 852 receiving yards, 480 kick return yards, and 2 touchdowns from 259 punt return yards, one of those return touchdowns was from an astounding 87 yard return, nearly the entire field. Getting to the NFL is reserved for the best of the best of college football, the cream of the crop from the biggest schools, and unfortunately Nikko Remigio’s campaign with Fresno State left him undrafted.
But it wouldn’t be on brand if Nikko was drafted, offered a spot on a team, and had his fairytale ending. It’s true, Nikko Remigio went undrafted but he shortly found himself on the training camp roster for the best team in the National Football League, the reigning Super Bowl Championship team, The Kansas City Chiefs. Not only is he fighting for a spot to stay on the roster but now he is running with some of the best talent in the league and only has a short training camp to prove his worth. But of course, Remigio became a favorite within the Chiefs training camp and has nothing but praise from coaches and players around him. Fellow rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice commented “He’s been killing it. For him to go undrafted, I don’t really understand why. But he’s been showing everybody why he should have been drafted.” Coaches seemed to agree as they put Remigio in during the Chiefs first preseason game.
Fast forward to present day NFL, Nikko Remigio has just gotten the green light to play in the first game of the Chiefs NFL preseason against the New Orleans Saints and he did not disappoint. Remigio posted an impressive stat line, leading all players with 6 targets, hauling in 4 receptions for 71 yards (also a team high). Remigio looked electric and hungry to secure the ball, catching 2 of the biggest 3 passes from Chiefs quarterbacks, a 24-yarder from Shane Buechele and a 22-yarder from Chris Oladokun. Might I also add that receiving 1,000+ yards in a season is the trait of any legendary NFL receiver and 71 yards a game multiplied by 17 games a year would allow Remigio to hit that benchmark should he stay consistent with a similar legendary career. Head Coach Andy Reid commented ““He had a nice game,” and goes on more about Remigio when he says “Did some really good things special teams-wise and in the throwing game.” Sad to say that the hype around Remigio’s name has been put on a short pause due to an injury during training camp where he laid out for a deep pass, sprawling on the turf, resulting in a dislocated shoulder that he is currently nursing.
Call me naive or an optimist but after everything Nikko Remigio has worked so hard to achieve, I don’t think a sports related injury is going to set him back, it’s part of the game right? What I do know is, Nikko Remigio has always fought to put respect on his name, he is with the best team in the NFL, the coaches and players love him, and he has been able to show his skill in an actual game. This year might be the year that a Filipino football player could be the winning catch during the last second of the Super Bowl, birthing a Filipino NFL superstar.
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