Atlanta Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu is playing in the biggest football game of his life on Sunday.
But not very many people want to ask about his 59-catch regular season leading into the Super Bowl LI matchup with the New England Patriots .
In the wake of President Donald Trump ‘s executive order that puts a temporary travel ban in place against seven Muslim-majority countries, Sanu is suddenly a player in demand and it has nothing to do with his football skills.
It is because he is a Muslim playing in the big game on the heels of a controversial executive order.
«It’s a very tough situation and I just pray that us as a country and a world can be united as one,» Sanu told reporters in Houston. «It’s really hard for me to talk about this right now. It would take a lot of time so I just want to focus on the game and focus on football. »
Sanu’s reception total was the best of his five-year career and he also had 653 yards and four touchdowns. He added two more scoring receptions in the postseason and Patriots coach Bill Belichick can’t stop raving about his skills.
«He’s big, he’s tough, he’s got great hands — tremendous hands,» Belichick said. «He has a great catch radius. He catches everything. He’s a tough blocker, and he’s hard to tackle. He’s an explosive player.
«Sanu would help any team. There’s not a team in the league he wouldn’t help. »
However, the 27-year-old Sanu knew his talents weren’t going to be the main topic when a group of reporters surrounded him in Houston.
«Of course I knew. My name is Mohamed and a lot of people know I am Muslim,» Sanu said. «But I am here because of my football talents, not because I am Muslim. And I am here to talk about football so if you are going to continue to ask me about my religious beliefs, then I am going to tell you the same thing. I am here to talk about football. »
Sanu’s mother, Aminata Koroma, fled the West African country of Sierra Leone for the United States in 1975. Sanu later lived in Sierra Leone as a child for three years before coming to the United States.
His mother once again lives in Sierra Leone, and she is expected to arrive in Houston for the Super Bowl on Wednesday.
Sanu is worried about his mother but not due to the travel ban, which isn’t in effect for Sierra Leone.
«I am always concerned when you have someone in your family traveling long distance like that, you are always concerned,» Sanu said. «Something could go wrong with the plane engine, you never know. It is what it is. You just got to hope for the best and pray that she makes it safely. »
Super Bowl week is always a time for human-interest features and the timing of Trump’s ban placed Sanu is a spotlight he wasn’t forecasting.
As the questions continued, he kept trying to turn the focus back to football. And he made it clear that being Muslim hasn’t been a distraction before and shouldn’t be Sunday.
He also won’t be thinking about the travel ban partially designed to limit the number of Muslims in the United States.
«I’m just going to go out there and play for my teammates and my brothers, my family and everybody else that I’m representing,» Sanu said. «I can’t really think about that right now. Just have to focus on the game and give all I can for my teammates. «
