'Perennial underdog' Nikko Remigio vows to keep working hard toward impactful NFL career

MANILA, Philippines — Throughout his football career, Nikko Remigio has been an underdog.

The 24-year-old Fil-Am Remigio, a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League (NFL), said he has flown under the radar for the most part of his football journey.

After playing high school football at Mater Dei High School, he played collegiate football at University of California and Fresno State.

He then went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. But was signed by the Chiefs as a free agent and cracked the roster.

However, he suffered an injury and was placed on injured reserve. A few months later, Kansas City won the Super Bowl.

Now recovered, Remigio said that his underdog tag is still intact, with a comeback from his injury his “biggest motivating factor” going into his second year in the professional ranks.

“It's my biggest motivating factor right now… you know, growing up, there’s a sense of like, man, if I just make it to the NFL. But you know, I think my newfound goal and newfound inspiration is like ‘I’m trying to play in the NFL.’ Like, I’m not just content with being in the building, I’m trying to score a Super Bowl touchdown,” he told Philstar.com at the sidelines of CampBeezy Volume 3 on Saturday.

“I’m trying to make the big plays, so it's really everything to me. That injury, I think was as much as it hurt me, challenging as it was mentally, physically, emotionally, to be able to come back from that… I think it’s been the biggest lesson up until this point of my life,” he added.

He also underscored that while he is already a Super Bowl champion, he wants to earn his ring.

“There is a newfound, new-lit fire in me to continue the play, to play on the big stage to continue not only representing my family, my last name, but the Filipinos here.”

The 5-foot-10 Remigio said that he will rely on his heart and resilience in trying to stay in the league.

“You know I’m not the tallest. I’m not the fastest. I’m not the strongest. But I think one thing that I can attest to is that I have the heart to continue, the perseverance, and drive to continue moving forward and have discipline instilled in me from my parents to be able to persevere through hard times,” he stressed.

“Through it all, [I’m] finding ways to persevere through uncomfortability, finding ways to persevere through adversity. That’s kinda been my journey and by no means it was picture perfect, by no means it wasn’t easy,” he added.

“Just continuing to be the best version of myself every single day is why I'm in the position that I’m in now.”

And just like what he did throughout his career, he will work harder than anyone else as he aims to be one of the bests.

“So my goal right now is to make the team, once I make the team I find a meaningful role, once I make a meaningful role, contribute and start making plays and that’s all I can control right now,” he said.

“I’m taking it in baby steps, but I think for any professional athlete being the greatest in their position in their sport is the ultimate goal for anybody.”