By: Marques Eversoll
Most professional football players grew up as fans of the sport, idolizing their favorite players before playing major college football and being drafted into the NFL. Packers rookie outside linebacker Andy Mulumba, however, took an unconventional path to Green Bay.
Mulumba was born in Luputa, Congo and lived there for the first 12 years of his life. Stuck in the middle of the Second Congo War, Mulumba’s family relocated to Montreal, Canada.
After playing four years at Eastern Michigan Unversity, Mulumba was drafted into the Canadian Football League, but instead, he opted to join the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.
“I wanted to fulfill my dream and try the NFL first and see how it goes,” Mulumba said. “I could have went to (the CFL) and maybe be a starter right away, but I wanted to get a challenge and try to make it in the NFL.”
And the rookie has certainly made it. After an impressive training camp, Mulumba cracked the Packers’ 53-man roster over second-year player Dezman Moses, who was quickly snatched up by the Kansas City Chiefs following his release from the Packers.
Mulumba, a fan of the CFL since moving to Canada at age 12, always preferred American rules to Canadian rules.
“I was a fan of the (Canadian) game, but I wasn’t necessarily a fan of the three downs.” Mulumba said. “It’s different rules. I’d rather play four-down football than three.”
In Canada, football is played under American rules at the high school level and Canadian rules don’t start until college. At Eastern Michigan, which is also where teammate T.J. Lang attended, Mulumba made 31 starts and appeared in all 48 games.
Coming to Green Bay after four years at Ypsilanti, Mich. hasn’t been a big adjustment, as there aren’t many 23-year-olds as well-traveled as Mulumba.
“Green Bay is similar to Ypsilanti, Mich. where I was, so that’s not a big change, but Montreal was a city, there’s more entertainment and distractions,” Mulumba said. “When I go back to Africa, it’s completely different than here. At first, it was a little bit of an adjustment, but I’m used to it.”
On the field, the biggest change for Mulumba has been playing in space after playing with his hand in the dirt for four years at Eastern Michigan.
“At defensive end, you’re vision is really limited to the tackle and the backfield,” Mulumba said.
“At linebacker, you have to see the outside of the field and the wide receivers because you’re in coverage, and you have to rush the passer.”
Despite being undrafted, Mulumba has been forced into the starting lineup due to injuries to starting outside linebackers Clay Matthews and Nick Perry. Mulumba started and played a career-high 61 snaps against the Cleveland Browns Oct. 20 and started on Monday Night Football against the division-rival Chicago Bears Nov. 4.
But while Mulumba may not have envisioned himself playing so early in his career, he credits his position coach Kevin Greene, whose 160 career sacks rank third-most in NFL history, for getting Mulumba and fellow rookie Nate Palmer ready to play on Sundays.
“Kevin Greene is an intense coach, really emotional and passionate about the sport,” Mulumba said. “He loves what he does and wants to succeed as players. He gives us the best teaching, and I love the way he coaches and teaches us the technique. I’m really fortunate to have him as a coach.”
With so many injuries at the position already this season, the Packers are lucky to have rookies who aren’t fazed by being thrown into the lineup. But through it all, Mulumba has stayed ready.
“The guys always told me, ‘You never know what’s going to happen in the season, and so you just have to stay ready,’” said Mulumba. “And when injuries happen, you get called up. I was ready, so I just had to go out there and do my job.”
You can hear Marques on the Saturday Morning Showcase, follow him on Twitter @MJEversoll
