Joshua Weru has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent through the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) Program, becoming the first Kenyan and Eastern African player to do so.
In a congratulatory message from Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Salim Mvurya, the CS expressed that the signing of Joshua was a historic milestone for Kenyans as the nation continues to make progress in global arenas.
In addition, he added that Kenya’s sports continue to break new ground and produce champions in track, rugby, field, and now American football.
“Joshua becomes the first Kenyan and first East African to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent through the NFL International Player Pathway Program. This is a historic milestone for Kenya, as our nation continues to export world-class talent beyond athletics and rugby into new global arenas,” part of the statement from Mvurya stated.
Early Life and Educational Background
Joshua Ngacha Weru is a Kenyan born in Nairobi in 2003 who grew up in a rugby-oriented family.
His father, Ken “KT” Thimba, inspired his journey as he is a former player who was featured for Kenya and Kenya Harlequins.
During his early life, Weru was actively engaged in cricket, field hockey, and rugby at the Pembroke House School.
At the age of 14, Joshua Weru relocated to the United Kingdom for his high school education, attending the Stowe School during his studies at the institution, Weru was scouted for rugby.
Later, Weru transferred from the Stowe School to Rugby School, where he trained and played rugby as he completed his A-levels in the UK.
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Joshua Weru’s Rugby Career in the UK
Werus’ rugby career grew when he was 14 years old, when he joined the Northampton Saints academy system following his scouting at the Stowe School.
During his time in the club’s youth setup for the under-18s in the Northampton Saints academy system, Weru predominantly featured at No. 8 or blindside flanker due to his power and speed.
He signed his first professional contract with Northampton Saints, graduating from the Under-18s into the senior academy setup in 2022.
Signing of the professional contract made Weru the ninth player from the Under-18 group to move up. It was set to train with the first-team squad at Franklin’s Gardens while studying full-time for a degree at Loughborough University.
Weru Career in Kenya
In 2020, Weru was called to play alongside the rugby players in the Kenya U20 squad by head coach Paul Odera.
In addition, in 2021, Weru signed a professional contract with the Kenya national team, the Kenya Simbas, while still in high school in the UK.
Weru made his senior international debut for the Simbas at the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final Qualification Tournament in Dubai, scoring a try against the United States.
At the tournament, Joshua Weru earned three senior caps and scored 5 points in the overall rugby tournament.
However, in November 2022, after the Simbas’ debut and try-scoring, Weru left Northampton Saints to pursue his international aspirations with Kenya full-time.
Achievements
In early 2024, Weru started his exploration of the American Football with dedicated training and workouts in n Loughborough, England, leading to his selection for the NFL International Player Pathway (IPP) program.
In December 2025, Weru was officially named to the NFL IPP Class of 2026, becoming the first Kenyan and East African to be selected.
Despite being officially named to the NFL IPP class of 2026, Weru went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in April through the IPP pathway.
Eagles GM Howie Roseman publicly confirmed the signing, noting Weru’s traits and the team’s interest in international development.
Weru has trained alongside fellow IPP participant Uar Bernard from Nigeria, and the two are expected to continue to Philadelphia together.
