In 2012, Mohamed Sanu wasn’t just catching footballs, he was throwing them too. During a Redskins–Bengals game, the wide receiver stunned fans with an unexpected move.

In an interview with Essentially Sports, Sanu shared how Coach Jay Gruden approached him with a bold idea.

“He was like, ‘Hey man, you wanna throw it this week?’ I said, ‘Yeah!’ Then he said, ‘I’m gonna call it the first play of the game,” Sanu explained to Essentially Sports.

Despite nursing a sore shoulder from a week of blocking practice, Sanu took on the challenge. Warming up before the game, he made sure his arm was ready.

As the game kicked off, Sanu locked in. With Leonard Fletcher on defense and A.J. Green sprinting down the field, the moment came. Sanu launched a perfect 73-yard pass, hitting Green in stride for a touchdown.

“It was like throwing the ball a million times,” Sanu explained.

His pass outshined Bengals’ quarterback Andy Dalton, who struggled with only 24 yards and an interception.

Mohamed Sanu’s new goal: Building a community center in Sierra Leone

Beyond football, Sanu has shifted his focus to making a difference in his homeland of Sierra Leone. Partnering with his mother, Aminata Koroma, and the nonprofit Develop Africa, Sanu is spearheading the construction of a three-story community center in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital.

The community center aims to uplift locals by providing individual workspaces, a large event hall, and a computer training facility. Sanu is especially passionate about the third-floor computer lab, where young people will have access to technology that many have never experienced.

“The average high school graduate in Sierra Leone has never had access to a computer,” he concluded.

On July 11th, Sanu hosted a celebrity golf outing at Bear’s Best Atlanta to raise funds for this initiative. The event attracted athletes like Sean Weatherspoon and Christian Blake, all eager to support Sanu’s mission. For Sanu, this project is more than just charity-it’s a responsibility.

From throwing game-changing passes to building life-changing opportunities, Mohamed Sanu continues to score in the most important game of all: giving back.