Former New York Giants defensive lineman Israel Idonije, who last appeared in the NFL in 2014, will try his hand at a second career in June when he appears in a Netflix original film, “Beats.”
Although it’s unclear how significant a role Idonije will play, his IMDB page lists his character as “Dad,” and he appeared in the film’s trailer.
The film, which also features Anthony Anderson, Uzo Aduba and Emayatzy Corinealdi, and is directed by Chris Robinson, has the following description:
“An agoraphobic hip-hop prodigy and a disgraced former music manager cross paths in Chicago’s South Side and help each other face demons of their pasts.”
Idonije, who was also a second-round pick in the 2003 Canadian Football League draft, signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted rookie in 2003. He had only a cup of coffee in Ohio before joining the Chicago Bears, with whom he would spend the majority of his career.
Idonije spent the 2013 season with the Detroit Lions. Idonije signed the next year with the Giants but failed to appear in a single regular-season game. He was eventually released and subsequently retired.
In 149 career games, Idonije recorded 283 tackles, 29 sacks, eight forced fumbles, 15 pass deflections and one touchdown.
