Kony Ealy is one of the best defensive end players in the National Football League (NFL), he rose to fame for his outstanding performances in Super Bowl 50. Since then, he has remained in the limelight thanks to his excellent defensive skills. Ealy currently plays as a defensive end for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers as the 60th overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Interestingly, the superstar has been linked to other NFL teams including the New England Patriots and New York Jets. He finished his college career at the University of Missouri. Besides football, know that the exceptional playmaker is also a father. When he is not on the playground, he is always with his child, fulfilling his duties as a father. Learn more about his biography, career, family and other interesting facts below.
Biography of Kony Ealy
Kony Ealy entered this world on December 21, 1991; he was born in Morganton, North Carolina. He is of American nationality and of African-American ethnicity. Growing up in Missouri, Kony attended New Madrid County Central High School. While there, he was popular for his athletic ability. he participated in football, basketball and athletics events.
During his junior year, he acted as a defensive end for his school football team and by the end of the season, Ealy had 89 total sacks and 22 passes for 501 yards and three touchdowns. In his senior year, he had 104 tackles, 7 busts, 4 blocks, 5 forced fumbles and 12.5 sacks. He was named to the all-district first team, as well as all-state, all-conference, and all-region first teams. Additionally, he was rated as a four-star rookie by Rivals.com and ranked the 11th top defensive prospect in his class.
After graduating, Ealy enrolled at the University of Missouri where he began his college career. He was redshirted in his freshman year in 2010. Returning the following year, Ealy made his debut for Missouri in their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels football team; scoring 2 tackles and half tackles for loss. He made 12 appearances for the Tigers, having 13 tackles and a sack. After his impressive record, Kony Ealy was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team in 2011.
In 2012, he was named to the All-SEC first team after a brilliant performance. He finished the season with a record of 37 tackles, 7 assists and 3.5 sacks. The following year, he recorded 43 tackles, 9.5 sacks and three fumbles. After his junior season, Ealy decided to forgo his senior year in college so he could join the 2014 NFL Draft.
Professional career and statistics
Kony Ealy was expected to be a third-round pick by the NFL Advisory Board because he was an underclass. However, his exceptional record places him among the top 10 players in the draft. In the 2014 draft, Ealy was selected by the Carolina Panthers, who named him an immediate starter for the team. He signed a four-year contract worth $3.55 million with the Panthers in May 2014. Making his professional debut with the Panthers in their game against the Detroit Lions, he finished his rookie season with a total of 4 sacks, a fumble and 12 tackles. He was also named to the 2014 Rookie Sports Illustrated Team.
In his second season in 2015, Ealy was named a full-time starter for the Panthers alongside Johnson Charles. He recorded 10 quarterback pressures in six games and led the Panthers to the Super Bowl 50 championship. However, they lost to the Denver Broncos 24–10. After the game, Kony Ealy became the first player in Super Bowl history to record multiple sacks and one interception in Super Bowl competition. Additionally, he became the first player since 1993 to record multiple sacks, a forced fumble, and interceptions in a postseason game.
During the 2016 season, Ealy appeared in 16 games and had a record 32 tackles, one interception and five sacks. The following season, he was traded to the New England Patriots alongside a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, in exchange for a second-round pick. In August 2017, Ealy was released by the Patriots and claimed by the New York Jets. He then signed with the Dallas Cowboys in April 2018.
Family – parents, sister, wife and children
Kony Ealy came from a loving and caring family; he was born to Willie Ealy and his wife Nettie Jones in Morganton, North Carolina. Kony is not the only child of his parents, he also has two sisters: Sierra Jones and LaToya Brown, as well as his brother, Danny Jones. Ealy’s family suffered a great loss in September 2017 when his sister LaToya Brown kicked the bucket. The cause of his death has not been revealed so far. Her other older sister, Sierra, had always suffered from a chromosomal disorder.
As we mentioned above, Ealy is also a proud father. Alongside his longtime partner named Asia, Ealy welcomed his first bundle of joy with a daughter they named Royal Ealy in November 2015. There isn’t much information about Ealy’s partner and their relationship. He prefers to keep his private life away from the media, thus establishing a balance between his personal life and his professional life. As he keeps his personal life under wraps, it will be unclear whether they are married or not. Kony and Asia currently have a happy relationship with their daughter.
Kony Ealy height and weight
Ealy is very tall standing at a height of 6ft4in and he has a large throwable frame while performing on his feet. He runs the bow, dips his shoulder, bends the corner and goes home, thanks to his gorgeous body measurements. The star also weighs in at 273 pounds which could be considered overweight for a player of his caliber. He has a hand size of 9.5 inches and an arm length of 34 ¼ inches. His eyes are brown, his hair is black.