Giants Kiwanuka Returns To Indy

By Garrett Turner–1/31/2012
Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka has come full circle. He went to Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. It’s just ten miles away from Lucas Oil Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLVI. Today at Media Day, Kiwanuka told WEBN how thankful he was to come home.
“It’s awesome,” Kiwanuka said. “I was hoping I’d be playing in the game while I was here. Having this opportunity put in front of me makes it so much more enjoyable.”
In 2007, the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. But Kiwanuka sat on the sideline with a fractured left fibula. Now the Patriots are looking for redemption,and Kiwanuka will get his first shot at actually playing in the big game.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Kiwanuka said. “You work as hard as you can to get to this level. To come back and get a second chance is fun. At every step along the way I couldn’t have imagined the amount of success I was going to have.”
Kiwanuka’s success has historical roots. His grandfather Benedicto Kiwanuka was Uganda’s first prime minister. In 1972 he was assassinated. Today, Kiwanuka makes the hardship and struggles of the Ugandan people a philanthropic priority.
“I feel like it’s a responsibility and I feel like I haven’t done enough,” Kiwanuka said. “God’s put me in this situation for a reason. He’s given me this platform and the financial ability to help people. I look forward to doing more and more.”
Kiwanuka’s humble demeanor is recognized within his own franchise. New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin says Kiwanuka’s dedication is unmatched.
“He’s a football player,” Coughlin said. “He’s a tremendous example. He has been a tremendous inspiration to all of us even though he doesn’t want anything to do with that. He’s a class act.”
Cathedral High School head coach Rick Strife also thinks highly of Kiwanuka. Strife says his quiet temperament helped keep him out of trouble while in school so he could develop into the man he is today.
“He’s truly a remarkable young man,” Strife said. “You don’t always see that in a lot of those NFL guys. He plays the game as we had hoped he would when we taught him how to play in high school.”