It has always been a challenge to separate Arie Kouandjio's personal backstory from his football life. So, it seemed fitting that both intersected again early this week in such a tidy way.

Less than 24 hours after Kouandjio's second NFL season with the Washington Redskins began, he walked into the U.S. Department of Labor headquarters in the nation's capital Tuesday to officially become an American citizen.

A special naturalization service for the former Alabama offensive guard and 44 other immigrants was arranged, marking the end of a long process that began when Kouandjio's family relocated to the United States from Cameroon in 1998.

He was six back then. Kouandjio's now 24 -- a 6-5, 325-pound adult living a dream that is uniquely American, playing professionally in a sport that this country cherishes and sanctifies like no other.

"It means a lot to be going through this and be able to call myself an American," Kouandjio said.

Kouandjio has a strong affinity for his adopted nation and has sought citizenship as soon as he became eligible to attain it. Five years ago, he was granted a green card, making him a permanent resident. In May, the process toward becoming a full-fledged American began in earnest.

It came at a time when Kouandjio was still trying to find his way in the NFL after playing in only three regular-season games as a rookie in 2015. Although Kouandjio experienced significant growing pains in his transition to the professional ranks, he was willing to skip out on a few team activities to go through each of the naturalization steps, which included filling out paperwork and getting fingerprinted f

Arie Kouandjio takes the Oath of Allegiance to become a U.S. citizen

or an FBI background check.

Most recently, he participated in an interview and took a 10-question civics test, which he studied for and passed.

"It's been a very important part of my life these past few months," said Kouandjio, who was inactive in Washington's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last night. "I just had to manage that and football. A few times I had to miss meetings and stuff like that."

It was well worth it -- not only for Kouandjio but his mother Georgette as well. Georgette and her husband, Jean-Claude, came to the United States to improve the lot of their four kids -- one of whom is Cyrus Kouandjio, Arie's younger brother who is the mammoth-sized former Alabama tackle playing for the Buffalo Bills and going through the process of being naturalized.

"My Lord, that is a blessing," Georgette crowed. "I cannot tell you. Oh, the Lord is good. This country has given us everything we never expected. We have two sons in the NFL. This is the country of opportunity -- if you work hard and follow your dreams...It was my dream to become an American citizen. It was my dream to get a better life for our children."

In the United States, her wishes have come true, and Arie Kouandjio is appreciative of what this country has done for him during his journey that has taken him from Maryland prep power DeMatha, through Alabama and eventually onto the NFL.

"I think it's pretty awesome," he said.

Others around him feel the same way, too. The Redskins, according to Kouandjio, have been supportive. But his path to citizenship has come at an interesting time in the NFL, when players -- most notably San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick -- have elected to kneel or sit during renditions of the national anthem as a form of protest against social injustice.

Arie Kouandjio signs a hat for Deputy Secretary of Labor Chris Liu at a naturalization ceremony for U.S. citizenship on Sept. 13, 2016.

"It's these people's right to do so," Kouandjio said. "I just kind of really hope they're doing for the right reasons in their heart...Part of my being [an] open [person] is that. I think people do stuff for dumb reasons all of the time and they make scenes for dumb reasons all of the time, which I have a problem with. But if they are doing it for real thought-out reasons they have in their hearts, then let's talk about it."

That, of course, will be a conversation for another day. For now, Kouandjio wants to turn his undivided attention toward the latest step in his life. On Tuesday, shortly after 10 a.m. Central Daylight Time, he stood and gave the oath of allegiance to his adopted nation.

"Very happy to finally get this done," he said. "I have grown up as an American."

And now he has officially become one.