The NFL regular season is so last year, and a number of African players will be appearing in the play-off rounds after making hefty contributions to their teams.
KweséESPN takes a look at seven players of African origin, all of whom featured heavily on the NFL Africa Zone this season, who (probably) ensured another paycheck come next pre-season.
Nelson Agholor (Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles)
The Nigeria-born wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles is having a 2017 to remember (much like his team).
Agholor had a nightmarish first two seasons in the NFL and was on his last chance with the Eagles this season. 'All' it took was the continued trust of his coach and quarterback, a position switch to slot receiver, plus a trip to work with his old high school coach Dominick Ciao, and lo and behold, Agholor made a complete 180.
"Swaghalor" caught 59 passes for three touchdowns and 648 yards in his first two seasons combined (not to mention more than his fair share of dropped passes). In 2017, the USC grad already had 59 passes caught for eight touchdowns and 757 yards before the regualr season even ended.
If the Eagles are to get far in the playoffs without quarterback Carson Wentz (who is out for the season with an ACL injury), Agholor's Big Match Temperament will help.
Alvin Kamara (Running Back, New Orleans Saints)
The rookie out of the University of Tennessee by way of Norcross, Georgia has become a league favourite this season. Kamara has been a breath of fresh air for the Saints, and for veteran quarterback Drew Brees.
The Liberian-American running back is a consistent safety net for Brees out of the backfield and Kamara has put up some impressive numbers during his first season in the NFL.
With 111 carries for 684 yards and seven rushing touchdowns, to go along with 75 receptions and 742 yards for five receiving touchdowns, Kamara is in the top five of NFL players All Purpose Yards list this season.
The combination of Kamara and veteran running back Mark Ingram has made the Saints a team to be wary of once the playoffs begin.
Yannick Ngakoue (Defensive End, Jacksonville Jaguars)
Ngakoue had an impressive rookie season in Jacksonville last year but took his play to another level in 2017. The Cameroonian-American defensive end had eight sacks last year and surpassed that number by week 11 this season.
After week 16 of this season, Ngakoue had 12 sacks on the year and is a key member of the talented Jacksonville defense. As the Jaguars are poised to return to the NFL playoffs for the first time in a decade, Ngakoue is integral to that resurgence thanks to his brilliant performance in 2017.
Mohamed Sanu (Wide Receiver, Atlanta Falcons)
The Atlanta Falcons receiver is having another solid season to cap off his sixth year in the NFL. Showing no ill effects from the devastating Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots in February this year, Sanu has caught 60 passes for 632 yards and five touchdowns as of week 16.
And don't forget about his touchdown pass.
The Sierra-Leonean from New Jersey stepped up last season to complement All pro wideout Julio Jones, and this season Sanu has only gotten better as he has made opposing defenses think twice about double covering Jones while leaving Sanu free.
Sanu has gone from strength to strength since arriving in Atlanta in 2016 and it stands to be expected that he will only get better in upcoming seasons playing alongside an All-Pro wide receiver in Jones and an MVP quarterback in Matt Ryan.
Russell Okung (Left Tackle, Los Angeles Chargers)
A forgotten offensive lineman after a down year in Denver last season, Nigerian-American left tackle Okung has been a consistent blocker at left tackle for the Chargers all season.
The 2014 Super Bowl winner signed with the Chargers in the off-season and rediscovered his form this year in Los Angeles, as he plays a major part in keeping quarterback Philip Rivers upright and opening lanes for running back Melvin Gordon, who just had his first 1,000 yard rushing season in the league this season.
David De Castro (Left Guard, Pittsburgh Steelers)
Now an important member of the Steelers offensive line, the addition of Seattle-born South African left guard David DeCastro in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft helped with the revamping of the previously iffy Steelers offensive line.
Now in his sixth season, DeCastro was named to the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive year. One of the most dependable offensive lineman in the NFL, DeCastro is consistently one of the better rated pass and run blockers in the NFL and is the highest graded left guard, per Pro Football Focus.
Run blocking is where DeCastro constantly puts on a masterclass and this season he has improved his consistency and sharpened his ability at the dark arts of offensive line play to the point at which he is now no longer highly penalized.
Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell passed the 1200 rushing yards mark and is in the mix for the league lead. DeCastro's run blocking and ability to pull and get out to either side of the line is a significant reason for the holes Bell finds.
Patrick Onwuasor (Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens)
Undrafted second year linebacker Patrick Onwuasor has been a revelation for the Baltimore Ravens in 2017. The Ravens were forced to find a weak side linebacker after Zach Orr retired at the end of the 2016 season.
Nigerian-American Onwuasor stepped up throughout training camp and pre-season and soon won over coaches and teammates with his attitude and ability. He has made the weak side linebacker position his own and currently has 84 tackles, second-most on his team.
Peanut (as he is called by teammates) is still in the process of making a name for himself in the league, and his committed 2017 season will only serve as notice that he will be even better in years to come.