Cards rookie LB Victor Dimukeje is eyeing medical school after football,
Duke draft pick to chase dream after NFL career
Victor Dimukeje built a solid resume at Duke. He started all 49 football games during his time there, and he majored in evolutionary anthropology.
"I've always been into medicine," he said Tuesday over Zoom. "My mom's a nurse, my sister's a nurse. So I was interested in the physical therapy aspect and kinesiology. So I chose to do that because I was hoping to go to med school, later in the future sometime."
At the moment, the linebacker is focused first on playing football for as long as possible before re-examining the med school dream. Dimukeje was one of two sixth-round picks by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2021 draft. He's ready for rookie mini camp, which starts Friday for the Cardinals, and looking forward to getting to know some of his teammates. But he still leans on everything he learned in his science classes.
"That major helps me know more about the body," he said. "It helps me know what body parts I'm working in the weight room when I'm stretching and stuff like that."
The interest pre-dated his classes, and it wasn't solely tied to sports, even if the lessons overlap in other ways.
"Just watching my mom, while she was in school studying for stuff like that, her interest in it, her hard work — that really rubbed off on him," the Baltimore native said.
For now, he'll study the playbook. During his time at Duke, Dimukeje compiled 166 tackles, 36.0 tackles for loss, and 21.5 sacks. He pins part of that on preparation and understanding the defensive plan as a whole.
"I knew my job, and I knew what the linebackers and the safeties were doing," he said. "So that's the biggest thing, just know what your teammates are doing, and just knowing where you fit in the defense. And I feel like that's really gonna help me make this transition."
Dimukeje is also looking forward to learning from the Cardinals veterans. He says he's watched Chandler Jones a lot over the years, and he's drawn comparisons to Markus Golden from General Manager Steve Keim.
His mannerism may also mirror Golden as far as personality on the field. Dimukeje admits that he's a bit louder once he gets on the field.
"On the field, I'm passionate, I'm loud sometimes," he said. "It depends on how I'm feeling, but I always bring energy . ... I'm amped up most of the time."
Mexico City game out, per report
The Cardinals were scheduled to play one of their home regular-season games in Mexico City last year, but that plan was scrapped with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the pandemic still not under control in Mexico, it appears the Cardinals won’t be playing a game there in 2021, either.
According to Dan Kaplan of The Athletic, the NFL is forging ahead with international games this year in London but has decided not to play any games in Mexico City this season.
— Bob McManaman
Hopkins launches cereal to give back
Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is reportedly getting into the cereal business.
TMZ Sports talked to a representative of PLB Sports & Entertainment, who told the site that the wide receiver was launching a cereal, which would be called "DeAndre's Hop Box."
According to Troy Witt, the representative, a portion of the proceeds of the cereal will benefit survivors of domestic violence through the S.M.O.O.O.T.H. Foundation, a charity set up by Hopkins and his mom, Sabrina Greenlee.