University Dropout to the NFL: Kenya’s Joshua Weru Speaks on Relentless Work Ethic

Joshua Weru’s path from the rugby pitches of Nairobi to the National Football League (NFL) is a story of determination, intentional sacrifice, and the belief that Kenyan resilience can open doors where none existed before.

In a recent video shared on the NFL’s official account, Weru hailing from Nairobi, Kenya offered a candid look into the journey that carried him from dropping out of university to chasing a professional football dream in America. “I was in university, and I decided to drop out to actually play for Kenya,” Weru said in the video. “Hard to play rugby, so I just keep that same mentality. And then obviously the physicality, movement, skill that you get from rugby, they just all transfer.“

For Weru, the transition to American football was a natural one, but the destination required careful study. He identified defensive end as the clearest positional fit, modelling his approach after some of the league’s most disruptive players.

“I just look at guys who are similar size profile to me, like Micah Parsons and Nico Bonitto, or guys who are just killing it in the league,” he explained. “If you can really threaten speed to the tackles, everything else opens up. So, kind of seeing how those two do that, and obviously the power that they bring to the game is something I’d want to emulate.”

He found inspiration closer to his own path, another rugby convert who proved the leap was possible. “A rugby player who I was a fan of called Paul Christian Wade. Actually joined this same NFL IPP program I’m part of now, and watching him be successful kind of just inspired me, or almost put a thought in my head that I could possibly play this game one day.”

That thought became a mission. Weru immersed himself in the fundamentals of a sport he had not grown up playing, grinding through drills that many American players had long mastered as children. “I guess we started from where kids are starting when they’re playing. Growing up, all 22, we’re standing some of the leash. We’ve been doing a lot of fast trucks, always ripping when you’re kind of turning the corner. All of those kinds of small things that players who played for a while probably don’t even think about.“

But for him, the work was never just about personal achievement. He carried a larger purpose, to represent Kenya and pave the way for those who would come after him.

“When it comes to recruiting and the IPPs thinking of the athletes that they should be looking for, I knew if I performed, then that could possibly open doors for other young Kenyan athletes.”

That performance came after years of persistence that few witnessed. “That was years of work that was unseen that I could have, I guess, given up on at certain points. But Kenyans are very resilient people, and it paid off.“

To young athletes watching from Kenya and across Africa, Weru offered simple a advice, “I‘d just say be intentional with what you’re doing. Make sure that the work is actually leading to somewhere you have a goal that you’re trying to reach.” As he looks ahead, he hopes to pass on the same support he received from those who came before him. “I just hope to kind of be the same way the older players were for me, supportive of young Kenyans who want to chase this dream.”

Weru has since signed with the Philadelphia Eagles through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, adding his name to a growing list of global athletes making their mark on American football.