James Ugochu Ihedigbo (/iːˈhɛdiːboʊ/ ee-HED-ee-boh; born December 3, 1983)[1] is an American former professional football safety.

Ihedigbo played at Amherst Regional High School where he was a two-time All-Western Massachusetts and All-League selection.

In the following season, he started 10 of 12 games for UMass, picking off 4 passes, making a total of 74 tackles with 2 forced fumbles and was named the team's most improved defensive player.

[3] In his redshirt junior year, he was named to the Atlantic 10 conference third-team and started at strong safety for a team which allowed the fewest points in all of Division I-AA football.

[6] James Ihedigbo recorded his first NFL tackle on November 23, 2008, against the Tennessee Titans in a 34-13 Jets win.

In a 16–13 overtime loss to the Buffalo Bills on October 18, 2009, Ihedigbo and fellow Jet Marques Murrell threw punches at Bills tight end Derek Fine, causing Ihedigbo to be ejected from the game by officials.

The NFL fined both players $5,000 and head coach Rex Ryan benched Ihedigbo, along with Murrell, for the following game against the Oakland Raiders.

[7] On December 13, 2009, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ihedigbo got his first NFL sack on quarterback Josh Freeman.

In the fourth quarter of the game, Jay Feely was kicking off to San Diego after a Jets touchdown by quarterback Mark Sanchez.

They opened the season on Monday September 13, 2010, against the Baltimore Ravens in the Jets' new home, MetLife Stadium.

James Ihedigbo recorded his first sack of the season in week 4 against the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The Jets won the game in overtime when Mark Sanchez threw a touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes for the victory.

Later on that drive because of Ihedigbo fumble recovery the Jets scored on a touchdown pass from Mark Sanchez to Santonio Holmes.

[16] The Jets ended the season with 11 wins and 5 losses and finished in 2nd place in the AFC East behind the Patriots.

[17] Next week the Jets lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and missed the Super Bowl by one game for the second straight year.

The Jets had three free agent safeties: Brodney Pool, Eric Smith, and James Ihedigbo.

Prior to the start of the season, Pro Bowl safety Brandon Meriweather as well as fellow starter James Sanders were cut.

[24] James Ihedigbo started the game and made five tackles but the New England Patriots would lose to the New York Giants 21-17.

"I went into this game with that kind of mentality and when you put the history of these two teams on top of it, it just became a very personal and emotional thing.

[31] On March 12, 2013, it was announced that the Baltimore Ravens re-signed James Ihedigbo to a one-year contract.

[32] At the end of the 2013 pre-season coach John Harbaugh announced that Ihedigbo would start at safety in week 1 for the Ravens.

[38] The foundation offers a wealth of assistance to these communities in the form of scholarships, mentoring, funding, and developmental projects.