By: D. Scott Fritchen
Ekow Boye-Doe has overcome the odds. Born in Accra, Ghana, Boye-Doe came to the United States when he was 3 years old. His parents wouldn't allow him to play sports as a child. Then, one day, they relented. And Boye-Doe picked up a football.
Today, Boye-Doe is a Super Bowl Champion.
Boye-Doe, who finished his Kansas State career with 74 tackles and 13 pass deflections, finished his rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs by holding the Ghana flag on February 11 after the victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Months earlier, Boye-Doe joined the Chiefs after trying out at a rookie mini-camp. Boye-Doe landed a spot on the practice squad before he was promoted to the active roster on November 28.
Now he has a riveting story to share forever.
Boye-Doe has learned a lot about life and about himself in the past year. He discussed his journey with K-State Sports Extra's D. Scott Fritchen.
D. Scott Fritchen: There is the video from the Super Bowl on NFL Africa. You're on the video and say, "Hey, NFL Africa, it's Ekow here with a Super Bowl ring, man. Let's go! Love you all! Love you all!" What is going through your head at that moment?
Ekow Boye-Doe: Honestly, it's tough to put into words. It's just a feeling that I never thought was attainable. Just thinking about where I came from and my journey, it's just a crazy feeling. I was thinking I'm just blessed, and I soaked in the moment. My brother ordered a Ghana flag after we found out we were going to play in the Super Bowl. After the game, he brought the flag down to the field. Holding up the flag, it's something you do if you're able to get to a big stage like that, showing where you came from, and holding that flag up meant everything to me, because coming from Ghana, the expectations aren't set high for you, especially coming from there to the United States. I had to in some way just show where I came from. That's how I did it.
Fritchen: Can you describe your journey from Ghana to America?
Boye-Doe: I moved here when I was 3. I moved to Lawrence, Kansas, and my dad actually received a lottery to go to school in the United States, and he attended Washburn. A year later, my mom, my brothers and me followed him. We moved to Lawrence. My dad was always about education, education, education. He didn't allow my older brothers to play sports. My brothers and some other neighbors and friends helped convince my parents that they should let me play sports. I was the one in our family that was able to play.
Fritchen: Do you have a big extended family in Ghana?
Boye-Doe: I only have a few aunts and uncles who live in the states. Everybody else lives in Ghana. I'm actually flying there in two weeks in early March. I'm excited to go back because I don't remember anything there, and it'll be my first time going back. This is going to be an exciting deal. Honestly, I don't know much about it, but my parents and brothers have been back to Ghana multiple times. Living there, we obviously didn't have much. My dad is still the same way, all he does is work, and my mom is the same way. You can't take anything for granted. All my dad told me was to keep working. I feel like that really shows in my journey.
Fritchen: So, the Super Bowl is finished, and you shower and change clothes. Then what? What's the first thing you did?
Boye-Doe: We celebrated in the locker room, and it took a while to shower and change clothes, you know, with the champagne showers. After we changed clothes, we had an afterparty with Ludicrous and Post Malone, and we were on stage with them. After that, we went to another place and saw some more artists perform. It was like a movie. It was awesome.
Fritchen: When did it fully set in that the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl? What was that moment like when you realized you were a world champion?
Boye-Doe: Man, as you just said that I realized that it really hasn't set in yet. Being on the Chiefs, you know that's always the one goal. It's expected of us. Until you actually get there and win it, you really don't know what it's like, especially with it being my first year with the Chiefs. It's just a glorious feeling. You feel on top of the world, you know? It's the master goal in football. It's just awesome to be a part of and I'm just blessed.
Fritchen: We see what he does on the field every season, but exactly what is it like being on the same team as Patrick Mahomes?
Boye-Doe: It's special to be a part of and just to see Patrick Mahomes attack each day with the same mentality he holds all of us to a high standard is special. It doesn't matter if you're a scout-team player or Travis Kelce, he's going to push you. It's pretty cool at practice just watching him do the things that everyone raves about on Sundays. It's awesome to just see that every single day. When we're in the game, it's like, "Oh yeah, that's just what he does." It's not even a surprise to me at this point. I've seen it too often.
Fritchen: Can you take me back to the day after the NFL Draft and walk me through your first step toward finding a home on an NFL team? Can you describe that journey?
Boye-Doe: Obviously, I wanted to be one of the drafted players. Then not being able to get an undrafted free-agent contract right after the draft, I was definitely in a dark place. I always referred back to my past. I've always had that chip on my shoulder, and I've always been doubted, so it kind of felt like I've been in this position before. So whatever opportunity arrived, I was going to give it my all like I always do. I didn't feel much pressure, I just felt like once I received an opportunity, I was going to show them what I could do. I think what I could do was more than enough. That was definitely a very tough time for me, but once I look back and see the journey, I've learned so much through it, and I feel like whatever I go through in life going forward, I'll be able to overcome because of the experience.
Fritchen: Exactly how did you land with the Kansas City Chiefs? And what were the emotions when you signed your first contract?
Boye-Doe: After the draft, my agent told me that I didn't receive any undrafted free-agent contracts, but I could try out for a couple different teams. The Chiefs had the earliest date for the tryout. I went in there and earned an undrafted free-agent contract following those three rookie mini-camp days. I just remember just going out there and doing what I do and not trying to be another more or less than what I am. It just happened to work out. It was four days after the rookie mini-camp with the Chiefs – you kind of had an idea if you made it or didn't make it, so they had kind of given me a hint that I needed to stick around, so I didn't attend the other team's tryout. I always knew I could do it and that this was my passion, but it was just a feeling that I couldn't believe, because this was the Kansas City Chiefs. They had a roster full of young defensive backs and I felt like all the chips were stacked against me, but I'd been there.
Fritchen: Describe your path to getting on the active roster and what that felt like being on the sideline for the first time.
Boye-Doe: I just attacked every day. I went out to practice and wasn't satisfied with being on the practice squad. I gave it 110% every day to show them that I could play. I kept reminding them. I didn't want to be complacent and go through the motions. Then being on the sideline was really surreal. It's hard to express those feelings because you just look back at what it was and what it is now and it's a blessing. This is everything I've ever dreamed of.
Fritchen: Perhaps the biggest signature play of your young career came when you downed a Tommy Townsend punt at the 1-yard line late in the fourth quarter of a game at the New England Patriots. Take me through that play and your emotions as you made such a big play in that ballgame.
Boye-Doe: It was a punt to the right and I was on the left side. When you're on the opposite side of the punt, you're supposed to actually go to the returner first and make him fair catch. It was an amazing punt. I ran down the field trying to force a fair catch, and I saw that the returner was bluffing, and I found the ball, the ball fell into my arms, and obviously, the play ended with me being very close to the end zone. Honestly, I didn't understand how big of a play it was at first, but that was awesome getting so much love from my teammates, and my friends and family, and getting that moment. That was huge for me. That moment made me hungry to make more and more plays in my future.
Fritchen: After the game, Andy Reid talked about you in his news conference.
Boye-Doe: Growing up and seeing Coach Reid, you'd never think that he was going to be your head coach. It was crazy to even see him talk about me. Really, it was awesome to see my family see that as well. That made me feel really good. I've definitely had conversations with Coach Reid. He's a man of very few words. I feel like in the beginning he sets the standard, and then we have so much respect for Coach Reid that he doesn't need to say much, and we just know what it takes and what the standard is for us, and what he expects each and every day.
Fritchen: Now as you enjoy the offseason, there's also a time to reflect. I'm wondering if you could reflect back on how this all started, how you were able to become involved with football.
Boye-Doe: I was in the third grade. One of my neighbors, his dad was a coach, and he convinced my parents every week that they should let me play because I could be good. It took a little while, but his son played and was the quarterback, and he was one of my good friends. So, we always tried to convince my parents. One day, they were like, "We'll let him play." I don't think they thought it was going to turn into this. Third grade. Our team name was the Twisters. Football grew into my passion because of games I watched on TV and the success I had playing the sport, which was probably the biggest reason. I saw that I could impact the game.
Fritchen: How would you describe your path to K-State? And what did you prove during your K-State career?
Boye-Doe: Well, after my high school junior season in 2018, K-State began recruiting me and the coaches wanted me to go to their camp. They liked what they saw and offered me a scholarship. Obviously, being from Lawrence, KU is right down the street, and they offered me a scholarship right after K-State when I attended a KU camp. But after the KU camp, KU didn't recruit me that much. K-State did a great job recruiting me, and I felt that K-State was the right fit for me. What did I prove at K-State? I showed my competitive edge and whenever the ball was in the air, more times than not, I was going to make a play on it. Obviously, I had God-given speed, which carried me a long way. I was coachable and was able to fit in the different defensive schemes. When it was one-on-one, I was able to be successful.
Fritchen: What was the sense of pride in representing K-State in the Super Bowl?
Boye-Doe: K-State has taught me so much. I appreciate the Wildcat Nation so much and all the support they've shown me throughout my career. To be able to represent K-State in such a big moment, it was everything.
Fritchen: What is your "why"?
Boye-Doe: My family. They came from nothing. My dad sacrificed everything for us and for my mom and my brothers, so I'm pretty much repaying him and showing him that him bringing us here to the states and being so selfless was … it shows a lot — what type of person he is to put everything on the line and to come someplace where there is no family, but knowing that it was going to be the best situation for his kids.
Fritchen: What have you learned most about yourself in the past year?
Boye-Doe: When times get tough, just stay the course and never stop believing. When I'm at my lowest point, just give more and more and more, even if there aren't results at that particular time. I've learned resilience.
