2007 NFL Players of Polynesian Ancestry by Ietuma

The 2007 Football season is upon us. The pre-season has come and gone and the draftees and free agents who tried to secure positions with an NFL teams have either succeeded or been cut. After the smoke cleared there were 32 players of Polynesian Heritage still playing. There are16 who are starters and 16 who are back-ups and there are also a large number more who have been hired just to be on the practice teams for each club. All of these athletes make the minimum of $US200,000.00 while the starters and back-ups make much more. The following are the ones

Perhaps the most outstanding of this year’s group are a pair of rookies who were drafted by the Miami Dolphins. They not only made the team but are starting. Samson Satele is the starting Center anchoring the Offensive Line, while his teammate from the University of Hawaii, Reagan Mauia has become the starting Fullback. This quite a feat for both of these young men especially Reagan who only became a running back in his last year at the University of Hawaii because coach June Jones decided to switch him from a defensive lineman to his current position. He was noticed by the NFL because he was a large body (over 280lbs) with amazing quickness and speed. Now he is playing on Sunday afternoon for the NFL blocking for Ronnie Brown the Dolphin’s star running back.

There is only one Fijian, Freddie Keiaho, in the group, but he is the starting middle linebacker on the Super Bowl Champions, Indianapolis Colts. In fact he was so good that after his rookie season last year, the Colts let go of the starter veteran Cato June, to promote Freddie as their new middle Linebacker because of his ability to stop the run. He was instrumental in changing the personality of the Colts Defense from being soft against the run to being monsters against the run. This contributed more to the Colts success in their run to the super bowl than anything else.

There are 7 Hawaiians starting with the starting Center for the Chicago Bears, Olin Kruetz. They made it to the Super Bowl last year but lost to the Colts. The rest of the Hawaiians are starting Centers Kevin Mawae and Dominic Raiola, starting Guard Chris Naeole, back-up Defensive End Travis LaBoy, Defensive Tackle Kimo von Oelhoeffen and back-up Linebacker Ikaika Alama-Francis, a rookie.

The Tongans are well represented also with 7 players in the NFL. There are 3 starters in the NFL of Tongan ancestry, starting with Haloti Ngata at Defensive Tackle for the Baltimore Ravens, Deuce Lutui with the Arizona Cardinals and Maake Kemoeatu, who plays for the Carolina Panthers. Maake’s brother Chris Kemoeatu is a back-up Offensive lineman for the Steelers, and the other Tongans include Steve Fifita, Sione Pouha, and Naufahu Tahi..

The Samoan NFL players include 8 starters and 8 back-ups. The starters include Rookies Samson Satele and Reagan Maui’a of the Dolphins. They also include Superstar Strong Safety Troy Polamalu of the Steelers, Lofa Tatupu, the outstanding linebacker of the Seahawks, Domata Peko a Defensive tackle with the Bengals, Vince Manuwai, of the Jaguars, Edwin Mulitalo of the Detroit Lions, and Pisa Tinoisamoa of the St Louis Rams.

The rest of the Samoans are Jonathan Fanene, Paul Soliai, Brandon Manumaleuna, Blaine Suapaia, Pago Togafau, and Isaac Sopoaga. The perennial outstanding linebacker Junior Seau still plays with the Patriots and is a major contributor while Marques Tuiasosopo is playing back-up Quarterback for the New York Jets.

The AFC teams have more Polynesians than the NFC. Is it just a coincidence that the AFC has won the Super Bowl every year since the NFC powerhouses of San Fransisco and Dallas dominated the NFL. Back then the 49ers and the Cowboys had 2 great Polynesian players, Jesse Sapolu and Mark Tuinei who anchored their offenses. In the current power NFL power structure the new powers the Patriots, the Colts and the Steelers have a strong Polynesian presence. If the trend continues, more NFL teams will start to look carefully at Polynesian athletes to add to their teams because they play with passion, are tough and play smart.

Teams	Starters	Back-ups
Baltimore Ravens	Haloti Ngata, DT
Cincinnatti Bengals	Domata Peko, DT	Jonathan Fanene, DE
Pittsburgh Steelers	Troy Polamalu, SS	Chris Kemoeatu, OL
Indianapolis Colts	Freddie Keiaho, LB
Jacksonville Jaguars	Chris Naeole, OL Vince Manuwai, OL
Tennessee Titans	Kevin Mawae, C	Travis LaBoy, DE
Miami Dolphins	Reagan Mauia, FB Samson Satele, C	Paul Soliai, DT Sione Fifita, DT
New England Patriots		Junior Seau, LB
New York Jets		Marques Tuiasosopo, QB Steve Pouha, NT
San Diego Chargers		Brandon Manumaleuna, TE
Chicago Bears	Olin Kruetz, C
Detroit Lions	Dominic Raiola, C Edwin Mulitalo, OL	Blaine Saipaia, OL Ikaika Alama-Francis, LB
Minnesota Vikings		Naufahu Tahi, FB
Carolina Panthers	Maake Kemoeatu, DT
Philadelphia Eagles		Pago Togafau, LB Kimo von Oelhoeffen, DT
Arizona Cardinals	T. Lutui, OL	Aaron Fransisco, FS
San Fransisco 49ers		Isaac Sopoaga, NT
Seattle Seahawks	Lofa Tatupu, LB
St. Louis Rams	Pisa Tinoisamoa, LB