[1] Echemandu returned to the gridiron with a flourish in 2003 after spending the previous two years on the sidelines partially due to a knee injury.
He saw his banner final campaign end on a sour note after it was discovered that he fractured his fibula late in the year.
He sat out the 2002 season to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, and finished his career with 306 carries for 1,434 yards and 16 touchdowns.
On September 2, 2005, he was signed by the Minnesota Vikings and spent time on the practice squad for most of the season.
He is the son of Charity and Joe Echema Sr., as well as the cousin of former California and former Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha.
Following football, he reverted to the name Joe Echema and became a firefighter with the Redwood City, California fire department in 2012.