National Football League

Chiefs' sixth-round pick from Belize has an amazing story

Published May. 5, 2015 12:58 a.m. ET

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If they made a movie about new Chiefs defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches' life, you'd call it too corny to be true.

Of course, that film would end with the Chiefs selecting the Southern Miss product in the sixth round last weekend. But it would start with an eight-year-old kid from Belize marveling at something as simple as running water.

Really when I got here, I was excited," Nunez-Roches said via quotes from the Chiefs. "Everything amazed me from the little things - running water to electricity. Because that's not what I'm used to, that wasn't what I was accustomed to."

Life was tough for Nunez-Roches in Dangriga, Belize. It didn't get easier once the family moved stateside, but the young future NFLer used his mother's struggles as a motivating tool.

"Growing up and seeing the hardships of my mom from job to job," he said. "Being homeless periodically from here and there, having to move a lot of places, relocating depending on job security. I really took that and I ran with it."

After some nudging by his motivational mother, Nunez-Roches picked up football as a way to "get anger off." Now, thanks to that push, he's able to give his family a fresh start with his first pro contract.

"Just seeing my mom and I knew I wanted to be in the best situation where I grew up to put her and my kids in the best situation," Nunez-Roches said. "I think that's what motivated me to be the best I can be. On and off the field."

(h/t Arrowhead Pride)

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

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