A Maryland offensive tackle whose path from Togo to the NFL ran through Frostburg State and a standout UFL season with the Houston Gamblers.
Gottlieb Ayedze is a Miami Dolphins offensive tackle with one of the more unusual backgrounds on the roster, having only started playing football as a teenager after moving back to the United States from Togo. After going undrafted out of Maryland and bouncing through NFL practice squads, he rebuilt his stock with an All-UFL season before signing with Miami.
Path to the league
Ayedze was born in the United States but moved to Togo at age five before returning at 15, eventually attending Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland. He began his college career at Frostburg State before transferring to Maryland in 2023, where his pass-protection work earned him an invite to the 2024 East/West Shrine Bowl. He went undrafted in the 2024 NFL draft.
Career highlights
After going undrafted, Ayedze signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and later spent time on the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad. He was let go after training camp in 2025 and signed with the Houston Gamblers of the UFL for the 2026 season, where he started along the offensive line and earned All-UFL Team honors.
2025 season recap
Ayedze did not appear in an NFL regular-season game in 2025, spending the year working to latch on with a roster after his release from the Raiders following training camp. He used the 2026 UFL season with the Houston Gamblers to prove himself as a starting-caliber tackle, which led directly to his signing with the Miami Dolphins.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Gottlieb Ayedze
- Pro Football Reference: Gottlieb Ayedze
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Offensive Tackle
- Group
- offense
- College
- Maryland
- Hometown
- Germantown, MD, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
