When Bernard Tanyi arrived at his son Mbi’s first football practice, he didn’t realize what the fifth-grader was getting himself into.
Bernard, who emigrated from Cameroon to Texas in 1985, expected to see shin guards, a round ball and goals. Instead, there were pads, helmets, uprights and a whole lot of hitting.
“Oh no, Daddy,” Mbi said, “this is American football.”
Mbi got his dad up to speed, and Bernard let him keep playing. But when Mbi began coming home sore and sporting bruises, his parents again grew uneasy.
“Wow, all this contact,” Mbi remembers them saying. “This the type of person you want to be?”
After a conversation with one of Mbi’s youth team coaches, Bernard understood there was more to the game than reckless hitting. He saw that his son would be able to use not only his size, but also his motor, to stand out from the other kids on the field.
Tanyi’s drive has been a constant throughout his career, both on and off the field. In addition to being a three-year starter in high school, he worked a series of odd jobs to supplement his family’s income and help fund his silver Chrysler 300.
After earning a scholarship to play for Maryland football as a defensive lineman, Tanyi overcame two torn labrums in his first two seasons, played under four different head coaches and came together with his teammates after the death of offensive lineman Jordan McNair.
Now, Tanyi is preparing for the NFL Draft. He remains a longshot to be selected, but he will draw on a lifetime of hard work as he attempts to tackle one more challenge: making a professional roster…
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