From Redhawk to role model Emmanuel Rugamba looks to inspire with his ‘Next Play’

“Football saved my life.”

Four words that mean everything to Emmanuel Rugamba. Long before championships and professional contracts, football gave a young boy who had overcome unimaginable odds something he desperately needed – hope and purpose.

Now, the former NFL and CFL defensive back is helping the next generation through his new book, “Next Play,” co-authored with Indiana State football player Kaelub Newman.

“It’s just exposing youth, exposing different athletes to the things that they might not think that they need while they’re chasing this,” said Rugamba. “One of the things that I talk about is building yourself outside of sports because that gives you a form of clarity.” This Where Are They Now segment is presented by Grow Sports Psychology.

A mother’s inspiration

That clarity was shaped early on by his mother.

Born in a refugee camp in Zambia in 1998 to Rwandan parents fleeing civil war, Rugamba moved to the United States at just two-and-a-half years old with his mother and nine siblings. She was uncertain of her next play but unwavering in the belief that life could be better.

“Her positive attitude was something that made you, as you were growing up, not realize how critical the situation at hand you’re in,” said Rugamba.

Finding football

At nine years old, Rugamba tried to sign up for basketball with his brothers and sisters, only to learn he was a year too young. Instead, he found football — and football found him.

“It was something that was mine, growing up in a house where there was so much going on,” said Rugamba. “It gave me a sense of identity.”

That identity blossomed at Naperville Central High School, where he starred as wide receiver and cornerback under coach Mike Stine.

“Coach Stine has definitely been a form of a father figure,” said Rugamba. “One thing he always said was ‘Emmanuel, control what you can control, but don’t sell yourself short.’”

Starring on both sides of the ball, Rugamba helped lead the team to a state championship as a sophomore in 2013, alongside his brother Johnny Lubanza.

Collegiate and professional play

After an All-State career with the Redhawks, he played for two years at the University of Iowa, where he started multiple games as a freshman in 2016. After transferring before his junior season, he finished his collegiate career at the University of Miami-Ohio, where he was a two-time All-MAC selection.

Rugamba’s journey eventually led him to the Cleveland Browns, becoming the first player of Rwandan heritage to sign an NFL contract in 2021.

“The kind of pride and the kind of support that I got worldwide, it really opened my eyes that this football thing is bigger than just yourself,” said Rugamba.

After a brief stint in the NFL, his professional career continued with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, where he played four seasons.

“It gave me everything I thought I was able to get in the NFL, and I was able to have success,” said Rugamba. “It’s something that I’m extremely grateful for.”

From the gridiron to giving back

These days, Rugamba’s purpose stretches far beyond the gridiron.

When he’s not leading the family holdings company, he’s speaking to youth about leadership and antibullying – already reaching more than 120 schools. He’s also launching his own foundation, Vision Forward, with hopes of creating opportunities for underserved youth. One major goal: growing the game of flag football in Rwanda with hopes of eventually producing an Olympian for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

“You[‘ve] got to throw big goals out there,” said Rugamba. “And that’s something that I feel will go hand in hand with creating social and economic opportunities through sport.”

And for young athletes chasing their own dreams, Rugamba leaves one final message.

“If you can see yourself doing it, consider it done,” said Rugamba. “Have supreme confidence, but also build yourself up outside of that because you’re more than the sport that you’re chasing.”

Rugamba’s next big play

As for Rugamba’s next play, it may be his biggest yet, as he and his fiancée are preparing to welcome a baby boy this September. As for whether he’ll return to the football field, he says he’s “still open to it.”