Efe Obada spent 10 years as an NFL player yet only now does he feel he has found his true calling. After spending the 2025 season without a team, the 34-year-old Briton officially confirmed his retirement on Wednesday. And to coincide with the announcement, Obada has launched his own foundation, which will help care-experienced people aged between 11 and 25.

Obada lived in more than 10 foster homes after being trafficked from the Netherlands and abandoned in London at the age of 10. He went on to make a remarkable journey to the NFL, where his career earnings were more than $8m (£6m). "I now have the means and resources to have real impact on something that I hold very dear," he added. "It's everything to me. I feel like it's my life's purpose."

Obada managed to progress at school and college, but his path was blocked because he was still classed as an illegal immigrant. At 22, he bumped into an old friend playing American football and after just five games at amateur level, he joined the Dallas Cowboys practice squad in 2015. He earned his NFL debut with the Carolina Panthers in 2018, racking up 80 games and 15 quarterback sacks before retiring. He also played for the Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders.

Obada, who finally became a British citizen last year, is now back in south London and will focus on establishing his foundation, which aims to provide support services and a permanent community hub. "I want to support kids that are still in those situations and make sure they understand that their past doesn't define their future," he said.