Noah Knigga

Noah Ryan Knigga (; born October 5, 2006) is an American college football linebacker for the Eastern Michigan Eagles of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

During his junior year of high school at Lawrenceburg, Knigga went viral online and became an internet meme due to his surname's visual resemblance to the colloquial term nigga.

Early life Noah Knigga was born in Indiana, on October 5, 2006, to Staci Shipley and Ryan Knigga. Knigga was born into a sports-oriented family as his mother played volleyball; Having graduated from Lawrenceburg in 1996, Ryan has served as the high school's football coach since 2011 and ultimately became Noah's coach. Noah's twin sister, Natalie, is also involved in sports and signed a letter of intent to play college volleyball at Saint Mary of the Woods College.

A two-sport varsity athlete at Lawrenceburg, Knigga played both football and basketball primarily at the outside linebacker and small forward positions, respectively. Knigga also played junior varsity baseball as a first baseman and designated hitter. The following season, Knigga and the Tigers defeated Southridge in the Class 3A Regional final, before beating Monrovia in the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 3A semistate football championship. The Tigers then reached the IHSAA 3A state final, played at Lucas Oil Stadium against Bishop Chatard. Lawrenceburg held a 13–1 record entering the game, As a junior, he was considered one of the best linebackers in the state, being named to the Class 3A junior all-state team.

Recruitment and virality Knigga was listed as a two-star recruit by Rivals and a three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN, with the latter giving him a 75 scout grade.

In September 2023, Knigga made unofficial school visits to Purdue and West Virginia's football programs. The name's resemblance to the word nigga was a key factor in internet memes and many internet users speculated on its pronunciation. On his eponymous show, ESPN personality and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee discussed Knigga, drawing further media attention to him.

He received various offers from Division I FBS schools, including an early power conference offer from West Virginia, as well as Miami (Ohio) and Arkansas State, among others. In March, Knigga received an offer from Eastern Michigan and made an official visit to the school on June 9, before verbally committing to the Eagles on June 14.

College career Knigga began his college football career in 2025 as a linebacker on Eastern Michigan's roster. In August, Knigga released a line of baseball caps featuring his surname in block lettering.