LAS VEAGS (KTNV) — From London, England to Las Vegas, Nevada, the journey for a starting spot on the Raiders roster has been a unique one for offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor.
"It was all or nothing this year and if I didn't find a state this year, I was probably gonna be a journeyman and a backup the rest of my career," Eluemunor told KTNV-TV. "I knew I was better than that, and I was better than that, so every game I got...I was playing for something bigger."
Five teams and four seasons later, he found a home with the Las Vegas Raiders.
"I always associated the Raiders with really gritty, tough, disciplined, determined team and offensive line," Eluemunor said. "Being able to put the Silver and Black on and wear the logo on the side of my helmet means a lot because of all the history and tradition."
For the 27-year-old London native, American football wasn't exactly his first love. In fact, it was another kind of fútbol.
Eluemunor spent 10 years playing soccer, but it was one specific NFL game that caught his attention in 2007.
"I was flipping through channels and just came by the Miami-New York game that was at Wembley for the first time. And the physicality of the game caught my attention," said Eluemunor. "I went from researching teams to researching football to try to join a football team and getting the opportunity to move here. And then having to walk on at a junior college and then earn my way up the depth chart at Texas A&M, and then finally being here…it's been a crazy, crazy ride."
That ride brought him to the Silver and Black, where he strives to represent his English roots and help grow American football back home.
"It's dope to see how big it is now," he said. "When I first got into it, I don't think people even knew about it. It was nonexistent. But now that more people are playing in it and watching it and starting to grow more — there's what, three games a year over there now? And I'm sure it'll move to five. It's dope that it's growing and hopefully I can get over there and play there soon."
