Igor Olshansky

(1982- )

Igor Olshansky is the first Soviet-born NFL player. Igor moved from the Ukraine to San Francisco when he was 9 years old. Currently, Olshansky plays defensive end for the Miami Dolphins. One of the strongest players in the NFL, Olshansky has helped make the San Diego Chargers’ defensive line one of the league’s best in 2005.

Olshansky is proud of his Jewish heritage. He has many tattoos, including two of the Star of David. He is regularly featured in Jewish news publications. For several years while growing up, Igor attended the Chabad Hebrew Academy.