ORLANDO, Fla.---
There's a lot of reasons Orlando City is in the playoffs for the first time in club history. Daryl Dike's breakout season is close to the top.
"I think collectively the group has done really well this year," the humble rookie said. "Coaches included I think everybody has come together and it's kind of the product now making the playoffs."
In a year where the Lions lost Dom Dwyer early to a knee injury and fellow striker Tesho Akindele has been limited as well, Dike has been able to fill the scoring void. His six goals rank second behind only Chris Mueller on the team. His "mummy" celebration after a goal versus Nashville is one of the most memorable images of the season.
"I remember when they wrapped the wrap on me like yeah you look kind of like a mummy," Dike said remembering the moment. "I was like oh that would be kind of a funny celebration. Luckily I scored a little bit later."
His mummy celebration might not scare anyone, but his 6'2 220 pound frame will. Dike brings a physicality to the forward position that you just don't see very much. He looks like a running back on the soccer pitch. He's been asked many times to play american football before.
"When I was younger it was definitely a thing," Dike said. "Lot of my friends parents, or even high school coach, middle school coach...and stuff were like come try out for the football team."
Growing up in Oklahoma he definitely felt the pressure to try America's favorite sport, but Dike's Nigerian parents felt football was too dangerous. Hard to argue with their parenting decisions. Dike is the youngest of five siglings. His older brother Bright played soccer at Notre Dame and went on to a career internationally and in MLS. His sister Courtney played for the Nigerian national team in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
"Growing up when I was younger, it's always been a competitive environment," Dike said. "They kind of guide me, they give me tips on how to play. I have questions and stuff that maybe aren't answered by the coaces or the other players. They give me advice in my best interest."
His family situation has helped him become an athlete, it's also helped him become an activist. Dike was among the MLS players who participated in an 8-minute 46-second moment of silence to protest racial injustice in response to the death of George Floyd before the start of the MLS is Back Tournament in July.
"It meant a lot to be a part of something so big," Dike remembered. "I think sometimes a lot of us players kind of take for granted the platform and the kind of voice we have especially in times like this."
Dike has used his social media platform to discuss his own experiences with racism.
"I feel that there might have been some things that happened to me when I was younger that at the time I might not have, I kind of brushed it off because I was like oh this is normal," Dike said. "I think that's the problem today is we get so used to oh you can make a joke like that or you can say something like that because everyone does it, but in reality it rubs people the wrong way."
He's also used social media to bring awareness to the #EndSARS movement to put a stop to police brutality in his parents home country of Nigeria. Dike believes his heritage has allowed him to offer a different perspective to racial issues in America.
"I think that's something that I've been blessed with that I have parents like this that have allowed me to see things from other people's standpoint. Kind of have empathy about other cultures or how other people view things," Dike said.
He's got his mind on big issues and big time MLS success. His team is in the playoffs and isn't satisfied yet.
"We told ourselves at the very beginning of the year that this club has never been in the playoffs and we told ourselves that not only are we going to make the playoffs, we are going to push for more," Dike said. "We were going to be one of the top teams in the league. We expect to go out every single game and win every single game."