We're all from somewhere. Our home, our heritage, it shapes us, for better or for worse, and no matter where life takes us, that tether holds; sometimes faint, sometimes like a siren, but always present.

The NFL invites players to celebrate that heritage with flags on the back of their helmets, representing countries where they were born, if other than America, or have ancestors tracing back two generations. They are a reminder that players come from all around the world, with threads of stories that circle the globe. And as the NFL continues to grow its brand in new countries, sharing the sport with the world, it's crucial to remember that with each new country ventured, the world is also sharing itself with us. It's vital we listen.

The Carolina Panthers boast 11 players who display their history with the Heritage Helmet stickers. These are their stories.

"I feel like my heritage is so special because, wherever you see successful people, you see Nigerians, you know, whether that be abroad or domestic. We have a culture of successful people," says Ekwonu, passion for the subject tinged in his voice as he explains why showcasing the flag in that way was so important.

"To me, heritage is just acknowledging things that came before you, whether that be people, culture, whatever came before you, being able to honor that, I feel like that ties into heritage."

What came before Ekwonu was a family that immigrated to North Carolina from Anambra, Nigeria. Both the left tackle's parents were born in that state before coming to America and making a home just outside of Charlotte. These days, most of the Ekwonu family is in the area, providing a community for one another and a way to marry their North Carolina home with Nigerian heritage and influences.

"My Nigerian heritage means a lot to me, growing up, big emphasis on education and discipline, and just being proud about being Nigerian," Ekwonu brags before highlighting the part of the culture that is often most beloved.

"My favorite Nigerian food, I'm going to go ahead and go with a classic, it's jollof rice and goat meat. When I tell people about goat meat, they always kind of give me a look, and I was a little bit shocked, but honestly, I think the flavor is one of the tastiest proteins you can have.

"A sneaky, sneaky favorite of mine is moin moin. It's the ground-up black-eyed peas with spices and stuff, and you can add your own protein to it…I love kind of breaking it open and seeing what's inside."

The first time Ekwonu traveled to Nigeria, he experienced the culture come alive in a way that made him feel closer than ever to a home he had never visited.

"My first time in Nigeria was great. It was honestly very, very fun. I got to see a lot of my dad's side of the family, got to try food straight from the source, and I got to go to a couple of museums and stuff, a couple of history museums, and learn a little more about the history of Nigeria."

After he was drafted, the NFL invited Ekwonu back again, this time to host football camps in partnership with NFL Africa. It was a chance to make an impact on the culture that had the same effect on him.

"Being able to teach the guys some more and more about my sport of football, it was really just impressive how fast they're able to pick some of that stuff up, you know, with the technique and everything like that. It's not an easy job," Ekwonu recalls.

"It also put a smile on my face seeing how excited they were as well to be able to learn a new sport and to be able to just be out there running around on the field."

Ekwonu then looks down, smiling as he sees the picture lying on the table.

"Wow, OK," he laughs, staring at the decades-old picture for a minute, talking through the possible occasions it could have been at before wagging his finger when it hit him. "Oh, actually. This, I remember this. This is actually our first baptism. That's why me and my (twin) brother were in all white, yeah, yeah, yeah.

"Usually, how it works, it'd be like…the whole family has a color. You might do like men and women in separate things, or especially, like my sister was in a couple of weddings growing up, so she might have her own separate color scheme, and then we'd have our own different ones, and we'd be the same, yeah.

"I'll probably get one custom-made for the walkout on Sundays, make sure I look my best, but you know, weddings, graduations, anything where just a bigger group of people come in, it's fun to kind of dress up and also color coordinate as well."

Because the color tells a story, whether it's at a baptism, a wedding, or a draft night, when a Top 10 pick tells the world where he's from and what it means to him.

"Heritage is important to me to represent because it's part of me, everything that came before me, my family, my last name, it all ties into Nigeria."

Which is why, on game days, just above the nameplate on his jersey, next to the NFL shield and the American flag that represents the country that raised him, Ekwonu proudly also displays the flag of the country that first inspired him.

"I just hope that when fans see the Nigerian flag on the back of my helmet, I just hope they realize that Nigerians come in all shapes and sizes, and all different occupations," implores Ekwonu. "We're just one people that just, we travel a lot and we like to be successful in everything we do.

"So being able to speak on my culture and speak on my heritage means the world to me."