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Kenechi Nduka Udeze (pronounced /Ku-NEE-chee oo-DEZ-ay/) (born March 5, 1983 in Los Angeles, California) is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings.
[edit] College career
Udeze attended the University of Southern California, and was a three-year starter and helped his team to a 2004 Rose Bowl victory as a junior. He finished his college career with 135 tackles (51 of them for a loss), 28 sacks (a school record), 14 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception, five pass deflections, and two blocked kicks.
[edit] Professional career
Udeze was drafted by the Vikings out of USC in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft with the 20th overall selection. During his rookie season with the Vikings, he started 15 games and recorded 36 tackles, five sacks, one forced fumble, and one pass deflected. As a second year pro Udeze was injured in the Vikings third game of the season with cartilage damage in his left knee, which kept him out the rest of the year. Udeze finished the season with 3 games started, 5 tackles, and one sack.
Udeze played in all 16 regular season games in 2006.
[edit] Illness
On February 11, 2008 it was announced that Udeze was diagnosed by doctors with a form of Leukemia. KMSP (Ch. 9) also reported that Udeze is at Fairview Southdale Hospital undergoing tests and that he was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester the week before[1]. Udeze revealed that his acute leukemia is in a state of remission. Udeze will get a bone marrow transplant from his brother. He says he plans to play football again someday, but says health is his No. 1 priority for now.[2]
The Vikings placed Udeze on the non-football injury list, ending his 2008 season.
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