Josh Jacobs is Filipino! (Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Raiders).
We often discuss the lack of Asian American and Pacific Islander representation in the NFL, but sometimes we don’t remember to celebrate the players we do have! There are seven players of Filipino descent that you either may not know are, or are up-and-coming players you may not know well. We will celebrate the unique story of all seven gentlemen and what their Asian American heritage means to them if they’ve told us. Let’s dig into the list!
Andrei Iosivas
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas is just 25 years old and has played for Cincy since 2023. Iosivas has come a long way, literally and figuratively. He was born in Tokyo, Japan, to his Romanian father, Mihai, and his Filipino mother, Evelyn. The name Andrei has origins in both Romania and Russia and means “manly.” Talk about manifestation with that name from the Iosivas’ parents.
When Andrei was just four years old, he moved from Japan to Hawaii, where he grew up. He did not become an American citizen until he was 17 years old. Iosivas attended college at Princeton and was initially nicknamed Yoshi, which he promptly corrected. His name was Andrei, and they better use it. Iosivas has been vocal about his Filipino roots—primarily while discussing his mom’s best recipes. Andrei is a foodie, so that’s where his mind first goes when discussing his heritage. If Mom is cooking, we will definitely show up anytime, Andrei!
Iosivas was drafted by the Bengals in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. The rookie had 15 possessions, 116 yards, and 4 TDs in his first year. He actually started in week 18 when Tee Higgins was out with injury. In 2024, Andrei was named third-string WR and proved it with beefier stats. Ja’Marr Chase has apparently hit it off with the new kid, making specific bird calls to address each other on the field during practice. We can’t wait to see what Iosivas does this year for the Bengals!
Camryn Bynum
Indianapolis Colts’ Safety Camryn Bynum is known for always having a smile on his face and a tribute to his Filipino roots everywhere he goes. Common accessories are themed cleats, towels, or just the flag in general. His wild turnover dances with references to movie classics like The Parent Trap and White Chicks are iconic. That last part might be why Bynum was traded from the Minnesota Vikings to the Colts. The 26-year-old was drafted in the fourth round in 2021 by the Vikings and remained there for four seasons.
Before Minnesota and Indianapolis, Bynum was born in Corona, California, and remained there all through college at the University of California, Berkeley. He was raised by his Filipino mother, Jennifer, who has roots tracing back to Leyte, and his Black father, Curtis. Nowadays, he spends his off-season in the Philippines. Part of that choice might be informed by the lengthy period of time it took to get his wife, Lalaine, to America from her native Phillipines an immigration nightmare that shows the holes in the current American process that he has been extremely vocal about.
Philanthropy
We can’t miss Bynum’s strong stats on the gridiron. He has opted between free and strong safety, starting every season since 2022. That’s the norm for him—he was the only player that started in all 42 games as a Golden Bear between 2017 and 2020. However, you can’t miss his passion for the Philippines and his Christian faith that he serves through his Bynum Faith Foundation. Every year, Camryn hosts a Filipino Fiesta charity event where he recently raised $12.5 million for typhoon disaster relief in the Philippines. Bynum also has done football camps in the Philippines, supported the flag football movement in the country, and believes that Filipinos can and should take a more prominent role in the NFL. He truly has a heart for others. Although his opponents might not feel that way post-tackle.
Jason Myers
This author has been a Seattle Seahawks fan since birth and loathes Jason Myers with a fiery passion. Myers, in her opinion, will make every field goal ever until the game depends on him, and then he flounders consistently. Do generally strong stats make this author feel better? Not even a little bit. What she just learned is that Myers has Filipino roots, something that had no impact on her years-long ire for the kicker. Even if he doesn’t deserve it by football talent alone, he will be highlighted since his presence as a Filipino in the league is significant.
Myers’ great-grandfather immigrated from the Philippines to the United States via Pensacola, Florida, as a US Navy SEAL. It feels like there’s some information we’re missing in that story, but we’ve heard very little about great-grandfather Myers. The Seahawk has been vocal about things like the rise of violence against Asian Americans via social media, which is admirable.
In reference to his roots, Jason Myers was quoted saying, “I wish I would take more opportunity to dig into my Filipino roots, but I am proud to say I am Filipino. It’s made me who I am. It’s a tiny little group when you get to pro sports. There are some names that don’t sound Filipino, but once you find out, it’s always met with a smile and a hug.” It’s wonderful that there is a camaraderie amongst Filipino Americans in the league and that Jason Myers can serve as an example to Filipino young people that they too are represented in the NFL.
Josh Jacobs
We all know Josh Jacobs. He is an absolute beast of a running back who was with the Las Vegas Raiders from 2019 to 2023 and the Green Bay Packers in 2024 and beyond. It would be patronizing to try to list all of Jacob’s qualifications; there isn’t enough room for it, but his accolades do some of the talking. He is a 3-time Pro Bowler, first-team All-Pro in 2022, and was the NFL rushing yard leader in 2022. That’s possibly only topped by his college performance at Alabama. This pro had a broken ankle his sophomore year and pushed through all 284 yards, 46 carries, and one TD on it. Jacobs was also MVP of the 2018 SEC Championship game.
A lot of that toughness came from his father, Marty Jacobs, who is half-Black and half-Filipino. Josh Jacobs himself is one-quarter Filipino. Jacobs’ mother wasn’t present in her children’s lives, so she won’t be present in this article either. Josh’s father and grandmother worked hard to keep Jacobs grounded in his Filipino heritage, and he has traveled to his grandmother’s native city of Angeles in the Philippines before and will again. Jacobs understands and appreciates the importance of representing Filipinos in the league.
He has been very transparent about his childhood in the past, in particular in this NFL article. Jacobs experienced homelessness with his father and was so used to sleeping on the floor he did so automatically in college until his roommate pointed out beds are good too. Do look at that article for a fuller perspective on Marty’s sacrifice and Josh’s tenacity. Josh Jacobs is a father, and Marty can tell that his son is putting in the effort. He learned from the best.
Nikko Remigio
Remigio is a name you may not have heard much of on the gridiron. He has been a Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver since 2023, when he was signed as an undrafted free agent. It’s easy to get lost in the sauce with the Chiefs’ controversies and big-personality players who suck up the attention. In 2023, Nikko spent the majority of the year on IR, and it wasn’t until December of 2024 that he was active for the first time. You may remember his 44-yard punt return during the AFC Championship that helped the Chiefs head for the Super Bowl once again.
The Golden Bear and Fresno State Bulldog was born in Orange, California, to his half-Black, half-white mother, Jennifer, and Filipino father, Mark. He has two little brothers, Kai and Nino. Mark Remigio’s family hails from the Iloilo and Muntinlupa regions of the Philippines. Nikko expressed loving being Filipino. The food, music, parties, and sense of community are a few of his favorite things. He has traveled to the Philippines with his father and brothers and appreciated learning more about his background and meeting new relatives.
Getting Personal
Remigio grew up in predominantly white areas and details in a very personal article how he has struggled with his racial identity as a mixed-race child. Feeling different from his sometimes insensitive peers was hard as well. People would often assume he was Hawaiian, and for a time he would agree with them to avoid conflict. It felt like erasing a part of himself and is no longer something he is willing to do. The disgusting racial slurs that target both his Black and Asian background are reminders. It is an opportunity for us all to hold ourselves and others accountable to do better. He is only 25 years old—too young to have experienced so much in an ideal world.
Tyler Allgeier
Many of us know Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier as a fairly safe pick for fantasy football. His stats are good. However, few have heard of the Allgeier lore. The 25-year-old was raised in Fontana, California, with his sister Nalonie by his single mother, Ester. Tyler is Black, White, and Filipino, and it’s not totally clear how that works out in the family tree. His grandmother is from Leyte and helped raise the Allgeier kids alongside their other Filipino family. In honor of that, Allgeier got the sun and stars tattoo as mentioned above. Interestingly, Allgeier is a surname from Germany, and assuming it came from his dad tells us a little about him.
Football Experience
With the support of his mother behind him, Tyler Allgeier decided to attend BYU as a walk-on. Two years later he was awarded a scholarship to the school, but it was a financial struggle for Tyler and his mother to pay the full tuition for non-Mormon individuals for the first two. In 2021, Allgeier was interviewed by the university for Juneteenth. He was one of two Black students on the team.
When asked how BYU students could make people from other cultures feel more comfortable, he said this: I can be the only one walking in a crowd and literally the only color guy or a minority there. Honestly, just saying hi, or whatever. Instead of just like that mean mug stare.” That gives a little insight into how being a person of color has been for Tyler Allgeier. Be mindful, folks. Besides this interview, there was also one sighting of Allgeier fist-bumping a fan who had the Filipino flag on his shirt. Actions sometimes speak louder than words.
Zaire Barnes
Zaine Barnes is a bit of a wallflower in the league. The 25-year-old Mundelein, IL native has been in the league for two seasons so far as a New York Jet. The linebacker didn’t get that much play time as a rookie, and was injured much of last season, so 2025 is his year to shine. Before New York, Barnes was a Bronco at Western Michigan.
Barnes thanked his team for an amazing AAPI event this year. He was able to share his stories for for a panel, and more information on the event and what he had to say can be viewed here. He talks about growing up in a predominantly Filipino community and even whips out a little Tagalog for the guests. We appreciate the young man being so open about his story. Barnes is African American on his dad’s side and Filipino on his mother’s side. And that’s about all we know about that for now.
In Conclusion
The league has a surprisingly large Filipino representation. Sadly, seven constitutes a large number when considering how underrepresented other minority groups are. There is room for improvement. However, these gentlemen are great role models for up-and-coming young men that they too can carve a career in the NFL. There are people who look like you and share common cultural and life experiences. The stars are the limit, kids. Others have gone before you so that you can do the same with a slightly less tumultuous path. Learn more about the first Asian American NFL player in the league ever here.
