Freedom Akinmoladun
{{Short description|American football player (born 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Freedom Akinmoladun
| image = Freedom Akinmoladun (52735518249) (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Akinmoladun with the St. Louis BattleHawks in 2023
| current_team = St. Louis Battlehawks
| number = 98
| position = Defensive end
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|2|11}}
| birth_place = Grandview, Missouri, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lb = 286
| high_school = Grandview
(Grandview, Missouri)
| college = Nebraska
| undraftedyear = 2019
| pastteams =
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2019}})*
- Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2019}}–{{NFL Year|2020}})
- Tennessee Titans ({{NFL Year|2021}})*
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2021}})
- Philadelphia Stars ({{USFL Year|2022}})
- St. Louis BattleHawks ({{XFL Year|2023}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statleague =
| statseason =
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 4
| statlabel2 = Total tackles
| statvalue2 = 2
| statlabel3 = Sacks
| statvalue3 =
| statlabel4 = Forced fumbles
| statvalue4 =
| statlabel5 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue5 =
| statlabel6 = Pass deflections
| statvalue6 =
| pfr = AkinFr01
}}
Freedom Akinmoladun (born February 11, 1996) is an American football defensive end for the St. Louis BattleHawks of the United Football League (UFL). He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2019 following his college football career with the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Professional career
=New York Giants=
Akinmoladun signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent following the 2019 NFL draft on May 14, 2019.{{Cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Paul |date=May 14, 2019 |title=Giants shuffle roster, add Nebraska defensive end Freedom Akinmoladun |url=https://nypost.com/2019/05/14/giants-shuffle-roster-add-nebraska-defensive-end-freedom-akinmoladun/ |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=NYPost.com}} He was waived during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019,{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=August 31, 2019 |title=New York Giants announce 53-man roster |url=https://www.giants.com/news/new-york-giants-announce-53-man-roster-x1935 |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Giants.com}} and signed to the team's practice squad the next day.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=September 1, 2019 |title=Giants place CB Sam Beal on IR, sign TE Eric Tomlinson and 8 to practice squad |url=https://www.giants.com/news/giants-place-cb-sam-beal-on-ir-sign-te-eric-tomlinson-and-8-to-practice-squad |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Giants.com}} He was released on November 12, 2019.{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=November 12, 2019 |title=TE Scott Simonson re-joins Giants |url=https://www.giants.com/news/te-scott-simonson-re-joins-giants-in-series-of-roster-moves |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Giants.com}}
=Cincinnati Bengals=
Akinmoladun signed to the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad on November 19, 2019.{{Cite web |date=November 19, 2019 |title=Bengals Sign Akinmoladun And Thompson To Practice Squad |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-akinmoladun-and-thompson-to-practice-squad |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Bengals.com |archive-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919025429/https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-akinmoladun-and-thompson-to-practice-squad |url-status=dead }} He was promoted to the active roster on December 14, 2019.{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2019 |title=Bengals Sign Akinmoladun To Roster, Place Wren On Reserve/Injured |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-akinmoladun-to-roster-place-wren-on-reserve-injured |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Bengals.com |archive-date=September 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928173009/https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-akinmoladun-to-roster-place-wren-on-reserve-injured |url-status=dead }} He appeared in two games for the Bengals in the 2019 season, Weeks 16 and 17.{{Cite web |title=Freedom Akinmoladun 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AkinFr01/gamelog/2019/ |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Akinmoladun was waived during final roster cuts on September 5, 2020,{{Cite web |date=September 5, 2020 |title=Bengals Reduce 2020 Roster To 53 Players |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-reduce-2020-roster-to-53-players |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Bengals.com}} and signed to the team's practice squad the next day.{{Cite web |date=September 6, 2020 |title=Bengals Establish Practice Squad |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-establish-practice-squad-x0373 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929052540/https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-establish-practice-squad-x0373 |archive-date=September 29, 2020 |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Bengals.com}} He was elevated to the team's active roster on September 17 for the team's week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns and reverted to the practice squad the next day.{{Cite web |date=September 17, 2020 |title=Akinmoladun; Henderson Elevated To Active Roster |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/akinmoladun-henderson-elevated-to-active-roster |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Bengals.com}} He was elevated again to the team's active roster on October 3 for the week 4 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.{{Cite web |date=October 3, 2020 |title=Bengals Make Four Player Moves Ahead Of Week 4 Matchup Versus Jacksonville |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-make-four-player-moves-ahead-of-week-4-matchup-versus-jacksonville |access-date=October 4, 2020 |website=Bengals.com}} He was placed on the practice squad/COVID-19 list by the team on November 18, 2020,{{Cite web |date=November 18, 2020 |title=Bengals Make Midweek Player Moves |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-make-midweek-player-moves |access-date=December 25, 2020 |website=Bengals.com}} and restored to the practice squad on December 2.{{Cite web |last=Alper |first=Josh |date=December 2, 2020 |title=Bengals activate Xavier Su'a-Filo, put Auden Tate on IR |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/bengals-activate-xavier-sua-filo-put-auden-tate-on-ir |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}} He signed a reserve/future contract on January 4, 2021.{{Cite web |date=January 4, 2021 |title=Bengals Sign 10 Players To Reserve/Future Contracts |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-sign-10-players-to-reserve-future-contracts |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=Bengals.com}} He was waived on August 22, 2021.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2021 |title=Bengals Make Roster Moves Ahead Of Third Preseason Game |url=https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-make-roster-moves-ahead-of-third-preseason-game |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=Bengals.com}}
=Tennessee Titans=
On August 24, 2021, Akinmoladun was claimed off waivers by the Tennessee Titans.{{Cite web |last=Wyatt |first=Jim |date=August 23, 2021 |title=Titans Claim Former Bengals DL Freedom Akinmoladun off waivers |url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-claim-former-bengals-dl-freedom-akinmoladun-off-waivers |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=TennesseeTitans.com}} He was waived on August 29, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Wyatt |first=Jim |date=August 29, 2021 |title=Roster Moves: Titans Part Ways With Five Players While Placing One on Injured Reserve, Another on Reserve/COVID-19 List |url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/roster-moves-titans-part-ways-with-five-players-while-placing-one-on-injured-res |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=TennesseeTitans.com}}
=New York Jets=
On December 21, 2021, Akinmoladun was signed to the New York Jets practice squad.{{Cite web |last=Greenberg |first=Ethan |date=December 21, 2021 |title=Jets Place TE Ryan Griffin on Injured Reserve, Activate QB Mike White |url=https://www.newyorkjets.com/news/jets-place-te-ryan-griffin-on-injured-reserve-activate-qb-mike-white |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=NewYorkJets.com}} He appeared in one game, which was Week 16 against the Jaguars, for the Jets in the 2021 season.{{Cite web |title=Freedom Akinmoladun 2021 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AkinFr01/gamelog/2021/ |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
=Philadelphia Stars=
Akinmoladun was selected with the sixth pick of the second round of the 2022 USFL draft by the Philadelphia Stars.{{Cite web |date=February 23, 2022 |title=Three Huskers Selected in USFL Draft |url=https://huskers.com/news/2022/2/23/football-three-huskers-selected-in-usfl-draft.aspx |access-date=February 27, 2022 |website=Nebraska Cornhuskers |archive-date=February 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227172701/https://huskers.com/news/2022/2/23/football-three-huskers-selected-in-usfl-draft.aspx |url-status=dead }}
=St. Louis BattleHawks=
The St. Louis BattleHawks selected Akinmoladun in the first round of the 2023 XFL Supplemental Draft on January 1, 2023.{{Cite web |title=Supplemental Draft Picks 2023 |url=https://www.xfl.com/supplemental-draft-2023 |access-date=January 2, 2023 |website=XFL.com}} He re-signed with the team on January 31, 2024.{{Cite news |title=UFL Player Transactions – Wednesday January 31, 2024 |url=https://uflboard.com/news/ufl-player-transactions-wednesday-january-31-2024/ |website=UFLBoard.com |date=January 31, 2024 |access-date=February 1, 2024}}
Personal life
Freedom's older brother, Olu'Kayode Akinmoladun, played college football at Nebraska–Kearney before going on to play professionally for various indoor football teams, including the Green Bay Blizzard, Texas Revolution, and Omaha Beef; additionally, Freedom's younger brother, Justice Akinmoladun, was playing college football at Washburn as of 2022.{{Cite web |last=Goodwin |first=Max |date=January 23, 2022 |title=Professional Indoor Football Champion Honored at Grandview Aldermen Meeting |url=https://martincitytelegraph.com/2022/01/23/professional-indoor-football-champion-honored-at-grandview-aldermen-meeting/ |access-date=January 19, 2024 |website=Martin City Telegraph}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://huskers.com/sports/football/roster/freedom-akinmoladun/15634 Nebraska Cornhuskers bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akinmoladun, Freedom}}
Category:People from Grandview, Missouri
Category:Players of American football from Jackson County, Missouri
Category:Sportspeople from the Kansas City metropolitan area
Category:American football defensive tackles
Category:Nebraska Cornhuskers football players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:Cincinnati Bengals players
Category:Tennessee Titans players
Category:New York Jets players