Sometimes, there's more than just one reason to like a pro athlete. I can think of at least two why you should be a big fan of Obi Melifonwu, one of the newest members of the New England Patriots.
He made his debut for the team on Sunday and made a tackle against the New York Jets. So yes, he is a backup in the secondary, so he does not seem like the kind of guy who would get a lot of fanfare, but this is different: he's from Grafton, Massachusetts.If you don't know where that is, that's OK. It's in Worcester county. Better yet, it's in New England--and the Patriots play in New England. You should know where that is because New England is GIANT.
This means that he grew up a Patriots fan, so he is living out a boyhood dream to be playing for the team he grew up watching. Think about it: he was a small child when Tom Brady started playing in the league (he's 24 now). So he probably grew up worshipping the GOAT as all of us do and now, they get to play side-by-side as teammates. Well, maybe not side-by-side because Melifonwu plays defense, but you get the idea.
The Graftonite (is that a thing?) also played at UConn before being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. With the Raiders, he endured a hip injury and pretty much got released because of it. But hey, the Patriots got a talented young player because of it, who happens to be from the area, so it all works out.
Now the question on everyone's minds should be: where can I get my jersey of this guy? Uh... They don't do those, so keep dreaming, bud. But yeah, definitely cool to see him in New England this year.