Learn more about Steelers seventh-year defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi in this edition of Five Fast Facts.
1. Signed a three-year contract this offseason to remain with the Steelers. Ogunjobi originally signed with the Steelers last June after spending his first four seasons with the Cleveland Browns and the 2021 season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
2. He started 16 games in 2022 for the Steelers, finishing the year with 48 tackles, 25 of them solo stops, 11 quarterback hits, seven tackles for a loss and one and a half sacks. He also dealt with a variety of injuries throughout the season but played through it all.
"Sometimes you just have to be resilient and trust your process," said Ogunjobi. "There's obviously ups and downs. Seasons can play out a whole bunch of different ways. You take it one day at a time, stay focused, trust your process and just find ways to get better each and every day. For me personally, I continue to trust my process to find ways to get better. Regardless of the ups and downs of the season, when you're resilient and trust your own process, things find a way of working out."
3. Ogunjobi said playing for Coach Mike Tomlin was one of the things he enjoyed the most last season, especially enjoying Tomlin's overall approach and his day-to-day personality.
"It's his level of detail and understanding, his leadership," said Ogunjobi. "He played a pivotal role not only in my own personal development, but the development of the entire team, along with the coaches, support staff and ownership. It's a first-class organization that's been run the right way for a really long time.
"When we started off 2-6, Coach T said something in the meetings that he is not going to be a moving target. Any time you want to be great at anything, consistency is the key. He was always consistent, always coming into the morning meetings with the energy, sending a message that we're still in this thing regardless of where we are right now. He always said we're not going to blink. He told us to smile in the face of adversity. Stand tall, find a way to get it done because the only people that can fix it was us. And that was one of the important messages. That is just the type of person he has been for everybody to just watch and emulate.
"You know he's not going to play around with you. He's going to keep it completely honest, but I think that's what you need to do. You need clarity, cohesion, honesty, because when you go through relationships, real conversations, it leaves room for real growth. I think that's really important."
Take a look at photographs of Steelers LB Larry Ogubjobi from the 2022 season
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022 in Indianapolis, IN. The Steelers beat the Colts 24-17. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022 in Atlanta, GA. The Steelers defeated the Falcons 19-16. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Buccaneers 20-18. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Buccaneers 20-18. (Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Jets beat the Steelers 24-20. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Buccaneers 20-18. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers defeated the Buccaneers 20-18. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Las Vegas Raiders, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers defeated the Raiders 13-10. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 in Miami, FL. The Dolphins beat the Steelers 16-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers defeated the Buccaneers 20-18. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Jets beat the Steelers 24-20. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Jets beat the Steelers 24-20. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Saints 20-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 in Miami, FL. The Dolphins beat the Steelers 16-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Las Vegas Raiders, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers defeated the Raiders 13-10. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers defeated the Saints 20-10. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 in Miami, FL. The Dolphins beat the Steelers 16-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Las Vegas Raiders, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. The Steelers beat the Raiders 13-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) prior to a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 in Miami, FL. The Dolphins beat the Steelers 16-10. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65) prior to a preseason game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 in Jacksonville, FL. The Steelers beat the Jaguars 16-15. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 in Cleveland, OH. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)
Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (99) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts, Monday, Nov. 28, 2022 in Indianapolis, IN. The Steelers defeated the Colts 24-17. (Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers)
4. His parents moved to the United States from Nigeria in 1993, a year before he was born. He started playing football in high school and over time developed a love for the game that he is passionate about now.
"I enjoy the sport," said Ogunjobi. "I should say, I love the sport. I love everything about it. Football has opened so many doors for me, allowed me to do so many things, helped so many people. I owe this game a lot, so I don't take it for granted."
5. Ogunjobi became a 'dog dad' for the second time last season when fellow defensive lineman Cameron Heyward brought it in as a gift as part of the defensive line grab bag, and Ogunjobi was happy to take home the three-month-old Bernese Mountain puppy. Heyward said he did clear it with Ogunjobi before bringing the puppy in as a gift.
