Former Ohio State Football player Amir Riep gets a fresh start

Being given second chances to right a wrong is a healthy part of any society. In many aspects, sports reflect the current temperature of a culture and what that culture may be experiencing at any given time. Ohio State football players are no different.

With that in mind, if there is one thing Americans love, it is a comeback story, which bodes well for our society’s ability to forgive and then feel good about an individual, or even a team, who against all odds bounce back to achieve greatness. This brings us to today’s feel-good second chance story of Amir Riep.

Riep hasn’t seen a football field since 2019. He, along with teammate Jahsen Wint, was dismissed from the Ohio State football team in February 2020 after being charged by Columbus Police with rape and kidnapping. This past January, almost three years since their arrest, both Riep and Wint were acquitted of all charges.

Riep announced on Twitter yesterday that he has found a new home to begin the next chapter of his playing career. Lincoln University in Oakland, California will be where Riep begins writing that next chapter of his life titled A Second Chance.

Lincoln University launched its athletic department in 2021. Last season, the Oaklanders went 2-8, and although they are not formally an NCAA member as of yet, they will play a 12-game schedule in 2023 that consists of eight games against FCS schools, three Division II opponents, and one NAIA affiliate.

Riep was an Ohio State football player for three seasons before the unfortunate event that caused head coach Ryan Day to remove both him and Wint from the roster. During his time with the team from 2017-2019, he appeared in 40 games, amassing 33 tackles and three interceptions. Riep was considered a possible starter heading into the 2020 season.

Wint has also expressed a desire to continue his playing career as well, but as of this publication, there has been no announcement on if he has found a home to continue his comeback story.