The NFL is the biggest sports league in the world, so naturally, it has featured individuals from diverse cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. However, one group that has remained relatively absent from its ranks is Indian Americans. To date, only two players of Indian descent have made it to the big league — Sanjay Beach and Brandon Chillar.
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While Beach paved the way as the first-ever Indian American in the NFL, it was Chillar who truly made his mark, playing alongside future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers and winning a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. Here’s all you need to know about the former Packers Linebacker.
Born in LA, Chillar grew up in Southern California with an Indian father and a mother of Irish and Italian descent. Early on, the future Packers star showed promise in track and football, earning him a spot at the prestigious UCLA.
Brandon Chillar’s talent quickly made him a key defensive player for the Bruins, as he racked up 455 tackles, 12 sacks, and 3 interceptions by the end of his CFB career. The linebacker’s impressive performances didn’t go unnoticed, as the St. Louis Rams selected him with the 130th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.
With the Rams, Chillar spent four seasons [2004-2007] where he grew into his role of tackling and coverage. He got better every season, as his best-ever campaign for the Rams came in 2007 when he recorded 65 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 15 games. The Rams Linebacker’s consistency was soon rewarded, as the Packers snatched him from LA for a two-year, $5.2 million contract.
Chillar’s fortunes changed significantly when he joined Green Bay, where he became a defensive standout with 111 total tackles and 3 sacks in his two seasons there. Impressed by his performance, the Packers decided to extend his contract with a four-year, $22.65 million deal.
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Unfortunately, this was the beginning of the end for Chillar, as injuries started piling up left and right. In the 2010 season, the Packers did win the Super Bowl, but Chillar’s impact wasn’t pivotal [16 Total Tackles, 1 Sack]. Soon after, the worst-case scenario came true — injuries derailed his career.
After the Super Bowl XLV run, he was released due to a lingering shoulder issue — a decision that coincided with Chillar hanging up his cleats. Despite his early retirement, Chillar left an impact as the only Indian American player to ever win a Super Bowl ring.
That said, Chillar’s influence didn’t stop at the NFL. Post-retirement, he became a key figure in the development of American football in India. Inspired by the growing global appeal of the sport, he became an investor alongside Michael Irvin, and Mark Wahlberg, among others, for the Elite Football League of India (EFLI) in 2011 — a professional league designed to bring American football to South Asia.
Though Chillar’s experience as an advisor and an NFL champion lent credibility to the project, the league failed to reach mainstream success. Despite that, his efforts in laying the foundation for football’s future in India deserve credit.
