Israel Idonije

Infobox NFLactive

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caption=Israel at training camp, 2008
width=300
currentteam=Chicago Bears
currentnumber=71
currentposition=Defensive Tackle
birthdate=birth date and age|1980|11|17
birthplace=Lagos, Nigeria
country=Nigeria
heightft=6
heightin=6
weight=295
debutyear=2004
debutteam=Chicago Bears
college=Manitoba
undraftedyear=2003
pastteams=
* Cleveland Browns (2003)
* Chicago Bears (2004-present)
nfl=IDO444955

Israel Idonije (born November 17, 1980 in Lagos, Nigeria, later immigrated with his family to Brandon, Manitoba) is a Canadian defensive tackle for the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Manitoba. A draft pick of the now defunct Ottawa Renegades of the Canadian Football League, for whom he never played for, "Izzy" (as he is affectionately referred to by his teammates), spent a year on the Cleveland Browns' practice roster. According to Alex Brown, another defensive end for the Chicago Bears, Idonije is "280 pounds and has 9 percent body fat," and eats no fat whatsoever. On February 4, 2007 the Bears played in Super Bowl XLI, but lost to the Indianapolis Colts. He also has two brothers, Rhema Idonije, who was a member of the Winnipeg Rifles in the CJFL (Canadian Junior Football League), and Emmanuel Idonije, who was a member of the Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves Men's Basketball team in the A.C.A.C (Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference).

External links

* [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1170359774906&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull NFL's Israel wants to celebrate victory in Israel]
* [http://www.israelidonije.com Official Site]

* [http://www.israelidonije.org Charity Foundation Site ]
* [http://www.nfl.com/players/israelidonije/profile?id=IDO444955 NFL Profile]
* [http://www.chicagobears.com/team/player43.html Chicago Bears Profile]