Thanks to the much-publicized love story of Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, American football has landed in the world’s spotlight–the Philippines included. But the love for the pop superstar isn’t the only connection the team has to Filipinos. Among the Kansas City Chiefs’ full roster includes Nikko Remigio, a Pinoy-blooded athlete!
Nikko Remigio: Meet the Filipino Player in NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs
Raised in Orange, California, United States, Kansas City Chiefs’ wide receiver Nikko Remigio comes from Filipino roots. The mixed-race footballer’s father is a second generation Filipino immigrant born in Seattle, Washington and raised in southern California, whose family originated from Iloilo and Muntinlupa. Meanwhile, Nikko’s mom is half-Black and half-white.
The 24-year-old began his burgeoning football career as a varsity player at Mater Dei High School, and soon played college football at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley. In an article for the university’s news engine, Nikko recalled his personal challenges growing up as a mixed-raced kid with “predominantly white” teams, and how he later came to terms with his own skin.
“I love being Filipino: The family dynamic, the music, the dancing and the get-togethers—where you know there’s going to be like a thousand trays of lumpia and massive pots of rice to go with pounds of meat and fried fish—and the next morning you know we’re going to heat those leftovers up, fry an egg and make that a Filipino breakfast,” he said.
“I took a trip to the Philippines with my dad, my brothers and my lolo (grandfather) a few years ago, and it felt good to go back to the motherland to be where your family comes from.”
After his stay in Berkeley, Nikko later moved to Fresno State University in 2022 as a graduate transfer, where he would showcase his skills during an astounding fifth season. While he remained undrafted during his campaign in Fresno State, Nikko would soon take part in the training camp for the professional league with none other than the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions.
He would later play his first game as part of the Chiefs roster against the New Orleans Saints, where he earned impressive stats, including two of the biggest three passes from the team’s quarterbacks.
However, Nikko’s stint in the Kansas City Chiefs is currently on pause, as the athlete is placed on injured reserve in August 2023 due to a dislocated shoulder.
“In due time,” he captioned a post on Instagram, days after the news’ release.
We hope to see you back on the field soon, Nikko!
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