U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the 37-year-old former Indianapolis Colts linebacker was removed from the country on June 20 following an immigration judge’s removal order issued in late March.
According to ICE, Adongo remained in the United States after his visa expired in 2016, a year after his NFL career came to an end.
The agency also cited his criminal record, saying he was convicted of misdemeanor criminal mischief involving property damage in 2020. He was sentenced to 364 days in jail but ultimately served about six months after receiving credit for time already spent in custody.
ICE further noted that Adongo had previously faced other charges, including felony intimidation, battery and disorderly conduct, although court records show those cases were dismissed without convictions.
Adongo shot to international fame in 2013 when the Indianapolis Colts signed him despite having no previous experience playing American football. Having transitioned from rugby, he became the first Kenyan to reach the NFL, a milestone that inspired many aspiring athletes back home.
His NFL career, however, lasted just two seasons before he was released by the Colts in 2015.
The Indianapolis Star previously reported that Adongo had multiple encounters with law enforcement during and after his football career. The newspaper also said court records showed he had at times been found incompetent to stand trial, with his attorney raising concerns that he may have suffered a traumatic brain injury during his rugby and football career.
In August 2020, disturbing videos circulated showing a visibly unkempt and disheveled Daniel Adongo with nose piercings, smoking and talking to himself. The footage sparked widespread shock and concern in Kenya about his well-being.
Former Kenya 15s rugby international Ken Thimba described Adongo’s return as a dramatic turn for an athlete who once symbolized hope for Kenyan talent on the global stage.
“Adongo’s return to Kenya marks a dramatic change in the journey of an athlete who was once celebrated as a symbol of hope and opportunity for Kenyan talent on the global stage,” Thimba said.
He said moving from rugby to American football requires more than physical ability.
“Physically, rugby players have a strong foundation: tackling, spatial awareness, aggression and conditioning. That part translates. But the NFL is a system-heavy sport, highly specialised and highly technical. Every role is precise. In rugby, you read the game. In the NFL, you execute within a system, repeatedly, under pressure.”
“The real transition is not physical. It is mental discipline and technical adaptation. It is like learning a new language,” he added, suggesting Adongo may have struggled with the intense pressure and scrutiny that comes with competing in the NFL.
Adongo’s deportation comes as the Trump administration continues a broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants. ICE said his latest detention fell under the Laken Riley Act, legislation requiring authorities to detain undocumented immigrants arrested, charged or convicted of certain theft-related offenses. Critics of the law argue it weakens due process protections for immigrants accused, but not convicted, of crimes.
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