Daniel Adongo Biography: NFL Career and Deportation

Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in the National Football League, has been deported from the United States to Kenya after overstaying his visa.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Adongo was removed on June 20, 2026. A Department of Justice immigration judge had ordered his removal on March 23.

The deportation brought renewed attention to one of Kenya’s most unusual sporting journeys. Adongo moved from rugby in Kenya, South Africa and New Zealand to the Indianapolis Colts despite having no previous American-football experience.

His story after professional sport is more complicated. Federal officials highlighted his arrests and a 2020 conviction. Court records reviewed by NBC News show that several other charges cited in reports were dismissed.

His family, former lawyers and supporters have also raised concerns about serious mental illness and possible brain injury. Those concerns deserve careful reporting, but suspected chronic traumatic encephalopathy, known as CTE, has not been established as a medical diagnosis in Adongo’s case.

Daniel Adongo quick facts

Why was Daniel Adongo deported?

ICE said Adongo remained in the United States after overstaying his visa in 2016, one year after his NFL career ended.

The agency said an immigration judge ordered his removal on March 23, 2026. ICE then deported him to Kenya on June 20.

ICE also referred to arrests in Indiana and a 2020 criminal conviction when announcing the removal. The agency described Adongo as a threat to the community.

However, an arrest or criminal charge is not the same as a conviction. That distinction is important in Adongo’s case because some coverage has combined all three.

The immigration case also should not be described as a new criminal conviction. The central immigration issue identified by ICE was his visa overstay and the removal order issued by an immigration judge.

Daniel Adongo’s immigration timeline

Current reports do not provide a complete public account of his original visa category, every immigration hearing or whether he pursued an appeal. Those details should not be assumed.

What is Daniel Adongo’s verified criminal record?

According to NBC News, court records show that Adongo was convicted of misdemeanor criminal mischief with damage in 2020.

He was sentenced to 364 days. NBC reported that credit for time served reduced the remaining county-jail term to six months.

ICE also mentioned arrests or charges involving felony intimidation, battery and disorderly conduct. NBC’s review found that those charges did not result in convictions and were dismissed.

The most accurate summary is therefore:

• Adongo had several arrests and criminal charges in Indiana.

• The intimidation, battery and disorderly-conduct charges identified in NBC’s report were dismissed.

• The confirmed conviction described in the reviewed court record was a 2020 misdemeanor criminal-mischief case.

This distinction does not erase the seriousness of allegations or the experiences of anyone involved. It prevents arrests and dismissed charges from being inaccurately reported as convictions.

What happened at the end of his Colts career?

Adongo’s final weeks with Indianapolis followed police visits to the home he shared with a woman in 2015.

People reported that police went to the residence after the woman sent a message to a friend asking for help. She did not request medical assistance when officers arrived and did not explain the message, according to the police account cited by the publication.

Earlier reporting said police received reports of possible domestic violence. Adongo was not convicted of a domestic-violence offence in connection with the events described in the sources reviewed for this article.

The Colts waived him in December 2015. It is safer to say his release followed the reported incidents than to claim that the allegations were legally proven.

Who is Daniel Adongo?

Daniel Adongo is a Kenyan former professional rugby player and NFL linebacker.

He was born in Nairobi and attended Strathmore School before continuing his sporting development in South Africa.

Older sports databases commonly identify him as Daniel Ojambo Adongo. ICE and several 2026 reports use Daniel Ogama Adongo. Because the records contain different middle names, “Daniel Adongo” is the safest form for publication unless a primary identity document resolves the variation.

Sources also disagree on his exact age. ICE-linked reports, Citizen Digital and NBC described him as 37 in July 2026, while People reported that he was 36. Older player records list a 1989 birth year. His exact date of birth should therefore be treated cautiously.

Daniel Adongo’s rugby career

Adongo began in the Kenya Harlequins system and represented Kenya at youth level.

His size and athletic ability attracted attention from South African scouts. He joined the Sharks Academy in 2007 and progressed through its age-group structure.

He later played for the Sharks XV and Blue Bulls in South Africa. In 2012, he joined Counties Manukau in New Zealand, where the team won the second-tier ITM Cup Championship and earned promotion.

Adongo returned to South Africa for the 2013 Super Rugby season with the Southern Kings. SA Rugby Magazine describes him as the first Kenyan to play Super Rugby.

He played as a lock or flanker, positions that demanded strength, mobility and repeated physical contact. Those qualities later attracted the attention of American-football recruiters.

How Daniel Adongo reached the NFL

The Indianapolis Colts signed Adongo in July 2013 as an outside-linebacker project.

The move was remarkable because he had never played organised American football. A rugby agent contacted the Colts, and the team believed his size, speed and physical experience could be converted into pass-rushing ability.

Adongo began on the practice squad while learning a new sport, playbook and set of techniques.

On December 3, 2013, the Colts promoted him to their 53-man active roster. NFL.com described him at the time as a powerful athlete attempting an unusual transition from rugby.

His appearance for Indianapolis made him the first Kenyan to play in the NFL.

How many NFL games did Daniel Adongo play?

Official NFL career statistics show that Adongo appeared in five regular-season games:

• Two games in 2013

• Three games in 2015

He spent the 2014 season on injured reserve after suffering a biceps injury during the preseason.

Some recent reports say he played only two NFL games. That figure appears to count his 2013 appearances and omit the three games recorded in 2015.

Adongo’s NFL career was brief, but its importance in Kenyan sport was historic. He crossed from rugby into one of the world’s most specialised professional leagues and reached the field after only months of learning the game.

What happened after Daniel Adongo left the NFL?

Adongo’s public life became increasingly connected to police cases, court proceedings and mental-health concerns after his NFL career ended.

In 2017, he spent time in a psychiatric facility after a judge found him incompetent to stand trial following an examination, according to reports citing Indianapolis court records.

In 2020, videos showing him in distress circulated widely in Kenya. His father, Joseph Adongo, asked the public for calm and said the family was working to support him.

“The media can build or destroy someone,” his father said in comments later reproduced by SA Rugby Magazine.

The family’s response did not establish a specific diagnosis. It did show that concerns about Adongo’s wellbeing existed years before his deportation.

Did Daniel Adongo have CTE?

There is no confirmed diagnosis showing that Daniel Adongo had CTE.

His supporters, former legal representatives and a social worker raised the possibility that repeated impacts during rugby and American football may have contributed to his condition.

NBC reported that a doctor who examined him in 2020 described him as acutely psychotic and referred to traumatic brain injury. A social worker reportedly said his undisclosed mental illness was suspected to be CTE.

That is not the same as a confirmed CTE diagnosis.

CTE can currently be conclusively diagnosed only after death through examination of brain tissue. Adongo is alive. Any headline stating that he “has CTE” would go beyond the available evidence.

The responsible wording is that he experienced documented mental-health difficulties and that people involved in his care suspected possible brain injury or CTE.

What did Daniel Adongo’s supporters say?

Supporters launched a petition before his deportation, arguing that he needed treatment instead of continued detention.

They said most of the charges used to portray him as dangerous had been dismissed and claimed his mental health worsened while he was detained. They also questioned whether he received suitable treatment.

ICE did not publicly answer all of those medical-care claims in the reports reviewed by XTRAfrica.

The supporters’ statement represents advocacy on Adongo’s behalf. It should be attributed to them, just as ICE’s assessment should be attributed to the agency.

Where is Daniel Adongo now?

ICE said Daniel Adongo was deported to Kenya on June 20, 2026.

No reliable public report reviewed for this article provided his exact location in Kenya, his medical condition after arrival or his future plans.

Is Daniel Adongo married?

No reliable source reviewed for this article confirms that Daniel Adongo has a wife.

Reports from 2015 referred to a woman with whom he lived, but they did not establish a marriage. Her identity should not be published without a clear public-interest reason and reliable confirmation.

Frequently asked questions

Why was Daniel Adongo deported?

ICE said he overstayed his US visa in 2016. An immigration judge ordered his removal on March 23, 2026, and he was deported to Kenya on June 20.

How old is Daniel Adongo?

Current reliable reports conflict. ICE-linked reports and NBC identify him as 37, while People says 36. Older player records list a 1989 birth year, so his exact age should not be presented as settled.

What is Daniel Adongo’s full name?

Current US government reporting uses Daniel Ogama Adongo. Older rugby records use Daniel Ojambo Adongo. Daniel Adongo is the consistent public name across both sets of records.

Which NFL team did Daniel Adongo play for?

He played for the Indianapolis Colts from 2013 to 2015 as an outside linebacker.

How many NFL games did Daniel Adongo play?

Official NFL statistics record five regular-season appearances: two in 2013 and three in 2015.

Was Daniel Adongo convicted of all the offences mentioned by ICE?

No. NBC’s review of court records found a 2020 misdemeanor criminal-mischief conviction. The cited felony-intimidation, battery and disorderly-conduct charges were dismissed.

Does Daniel Adongo have CTE?

CTE has been suspected by supporters and people involved in his care, but it has not been confirmed as a diagnosis.

Was Daniel Adongo the first Kenyan in the NFL?

Yes. He became the first Kenyan to play in the NFL after joining the Indianapolis Colts and reaching the field in 2013.

Why Daniel Adongo’s story matters

Adongo’s rise remains an important part of Kenyan sporting history. Few athletes change codes at the highest level, and fewer do so without having played the new sport before signing a professional contract.

His later years also raise difficult questions about how former contact-sport athletes are supported when professional careers end.

The deportation story involves three separate issues: immigration status, criminal proceedings and mental health. Combining them into a simple rise-and-fall narrative risks losing the facts.

ICE confirmed the visa overstay and deportation. Court records confirm one misdemeanor conviction while showing that other cited charges were dismissed. Mental-health struggles were documented, but CTE remains unconfirmed.

All three parts are necessary to understand Daniel Adongo’s story fairly.

Editorial verification notes

Verified

• ICE announced that Adongo was deported to Kenya on June 20, 2026.

• An immigration judge ordered his removal on March 23, 2026.

• ICE said he overstayed his visa in 2016.

• He became the first Kenyan to play in the NFL.

• He played for the Indianapolis Colts from 2013 to 2015.

• NFL records show five regular-season appearances.

• Court records reviewed by NBC show a 2020 misdemeanor criminal-mischief conviction.

• NBC reported that the cited felony-intimidation, battery and disorderly-conduct charges were dismissed.

• His family and people involved in his care raised mental-health and possible brain-injury concerns.

Unconfirmed or disputed

• Exact date of birth and whether he was 36 or 37 at publication

• Whether “Ogama” or “Ojambo” is his legally correct middle name

• A confirmed CTE diagnosis

• His current health, treatment or exact location in Kenya

• Wife, children or current relationship status

• Full immigration-hearing and appeal history