An Eagle Has Landed.
Nairobi-born edge rusher Joshua Weru has been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent — confirmed by NFLAfrica. Kenya now has a player in the City of Champions. The dream is real.
Eagles Philadelphia Eagles | UDFA Undrafted Free Agent | EDGE Pass Rusher | IPP NFL Int’l Player Pathway |
WHAT HAPPENED
The 2026 NFL Draft closed in Pittsburgh. Joshua Weru’s name was not called across seven rounds. But the phones were ringing before the confetti had settled. The Philadelphia Eagles, reigning Super Bowl contenders, one of the most respected organisations in the NFL, came calling. Eagles GM Howie Roseman personally announced the signing at his post-draft press conference, making it official: Weru joins the Eagles as an undrafted free agent with an international player designation.
Going undrafted hurts in the moment. But history is full of NFL stars who took exactly this route. And landing with Philadelphia, a franchise that already drafted IPP defensive lineman Uar Bernard in the seventh round the same night, tells you everything about how seriously the Eagles are taking international talent. Roseman did not stumble onto Weru. He went and got him.
“The Eagles drafted one player from the International Player Pathway programme and then signed another.”
— Howie Roseman, General Manager, Philadelphia Eagles
WHY THE EAGLES
The Super Bowl Champions Want Kenya.
The Philadelphia Eagles are not a team that signs players as charity. They are methodical, analytical, and ruthless in their roster construction. When Roseman announces a signing himself at a press conference, it means the organisation believes in the player. Weru’s combine numbers made scouts take notice , a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, a 41.5-inch vertical leap, and an 11-foot-2 broad jump, all ranking first among edge rushers at the HBCU Showcase. That is not luck. That is generational athleticism.
The Eagles already selected Nigerian IPP prospect Uar Bernard in the seventh round. Weru trained alongside Bernard throughout the IPP programme in Fort Myers, Florida. Philadelphia has watched both men closely. They drafted one and signed the other the same night. That is a deliberate, coordinated investment in international football talent — and Weru is right at the centre of it.
THE MAN AND THE JOURNEY
From Nairobi to the City of Champions.
Born in Nairobi to former Kenya Harlequins rugby player Ken ‘KT’ Thimba, Weru grew up watching legends like Collins Injera at the Quins ground, dreaming of following his father into professional sport. At 14 he moved to the UK, was scouted by the Northampton Saints Academy, and signed his first professional rugby contract in 2022. At 19 he scored against the United States in Rugby World Cup qualifiers in the Kenya Simbas jersey.
Then came the pivot. Inspired by Christian Wade, the British rugby convert who made the NFL with the Buffalo Bills. Weru made the leap to American Football. He was selected for the NFL’s International Player Pathway class of 2026, one of just 13 athletes from 10 nations worldwide. After a 10-week training camp and a showcase performance that left every scout talking, he is now a Philadelphia Eagle.
THE KFAF PRESIDENT RESPONDS
“I have been praying for a moment like this. We surely do have talent and able athletes, and this reroutes NFL teams to look at Kenyan athletes. I wish him well. And I hope he goes all the way to win the Super Bowl in his new career.”
— KFAF President, Kenya Federation of American Football
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR KENYA
The Door Is Open. Walk Through It.
This is bigger than one signing. Joshua Weru is now the most visible Kenyan athlete in American sport, wearing the jersey of one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. Every young athlete in Kenya watching this story unfold is watching proof that the path from Nairobi to the NFL exists. It is narrow. It is demanding. But it is real.
KFAF holds an active partnership with NFL Flag, promoting flag football in Kenyan schools. The federation is building university programmes, running coaching clinics from Western Kenya to the Coast, and developing a national team with continental and Olympic ambitions. Weru is the living proof that the ecosystem KFAF is building produces world-class talent. From this moment, he is automatically Kenya’s ambassador for American Football, his success on the field is Kenya’s success.
Daniel Adongo blazed the trail at the Indianapolis Colts. Weru follows it, and extends it further, into a franchise that is built to compete for championships. The next Kenyan in the NFL will point to this moment and say: Weru showed me it was possible.
At a Glance:
| Player | Joshua Weru — Edge Rusher, Nairobi, Kenya |
| Team | Philadelphia Eagles — NFL |
| Status | Undrafted Free Agent + International Player Designation |
| Confirmed By | Eagles GM Howie Roseman — post-draft press conference |
| Programme | NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) — Class of 2026 |
| Previous | Kenya Simbas rugby, Northampton Saints (England) |
| Combine | 4.45s 40-yd dash | 41.5-inch vertical | 11’2 broad jump — all 1st among edge rushers |
