Kwity Paye delivered a standout debut for the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, earning the Africa Player of the Week nod, according to the report. The Guinea-born Liberian defensive end made an immediate impact after joining the Raiders from the Indianapolis Colts, helping Las Vegas to a 27-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Paye was credited with involvement in three of the five sacks on Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis in his first regular-season game for the Raiders. His personal stat line included one full sack plus two split sacks (0.5 each), four quarterback hits and a total of six tackles, according to the report.
The 27-year-old made a series of plays that swung momentum for Las Vegas. His first tackle of the game, alongside Taron Johnson, stopped De’Von Achane two yards deep on Miami’s opening drive. Paye recorded a split sack on the Dolphins’ second drive with Folorunso Fatukasi and later added another split sack with Maxx Crosby early in the fourth quarter to preserve a 14-point lead. He closed out the pass-rush work with a solo sack roughly three minutes before the final whistle, according to the report.
Other notable performances with African heritage were highlighted in Week 1. Kyle Monangai, a first-generation Cameroonian-American running back, scored a career-long 61-yard touchdown as the Chicago Bears beat the Carolina Panthers 59-37; the run extended the lead from seven to 14 at the end of the third quarter, according to the report.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has Sierra Leonean ancestry through his grandparents and is the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, totaled 122 yards on eight receptions and a touchdown in the Seattle Seahawks’ 13-10 win over the New England Patriots, according to the report. Additional mentions included defensive plays by Boye Mafe, Foyesade Oluokun, Kingsley Enagbare, Odafe Oweh and others, plus scoring contributions from Elic Ayomanor and Chuba Hubbard, all noted in Week 1 action, according to the report.
