:Maa Tanuvasa
{{Short description|Samoan gridiron football player (born 1970)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Maa Tanuvasa
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number = 98, 94
| position = Defensive line
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|11|6}}
| birth_place = Nuʻuuli, American Samoa
| death_date =
| death_place =
| high_school = Mililani (HI)
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 270
| college = Hawaii
| draftyear = 1993
| draftround = 8
| draftpick = 209
| pastteams =
- Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|1993}})
- Pittsburgh Steelers ({{NFL Year|1994}})*
- Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|1995}}–{{NFL Year|2000}})
- San Diego Chargers ({{NFL Year|2001}})
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2002}})*
| highlights =
- 2× Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)
| statlabel1 = Tackles
| statvalue1 = 155
| statlabel2 = Sacks
| statvalue2 = 34
| statlabel3 = FF / FR
| statvalue3 = 3 / 7
| pfr = T/TanuMa20
}}
Maa Junior Tanuvasa (born November 6, 1970) is an American former professional football defensive lineman. He played college football at Hawaii. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL draft. He is best known for his time as a defensive end for the Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2000, during which they won two Super Bowl championships.
Early life and college
Tanuvasa was an Interscholatic All-Star in football and track and field at Mililani High School in Mililani, Hawai'i. He moved on to the University of Hawaii, where he starred for three years, amassing 190 tackles and 10 sacks and helping Hawaii to the 1992 Western Athletic Conference championship.
Professional career
He was selected in the eighth round by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1993 NFL draft and spent his rookie year with them.{{Cite web |title=1993 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1993/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In 1994, he was cut by the Rams and spent a part of the season on the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad.
His first NFL season was with the Broncos in 1995, when he played one game. He worked his way into the rotation by the 1996 season, and by 1998, was a regular starter. He led the Broncos in sacks in the 1998 and 1999 seasons.{{Cite web |title=1998 Denver Broncos Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1998.htm |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=1999 Denver Broncos Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/den/1999.htm |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He was on the Bronco teams which won the 1997 and 1998 Super Bowl championships.
After the 2000 season with the Broncos, he joined the San Diego Chargers for one year, and the Atlanta Falcons for the next. He since returned to his native Hawai'i, where he served as an assistant football coach at his alma mater, Mililani High School.{{cite web |url=http://www.hawaiisportshalloffame.com/cms/index.php?page=tanuvasa-maa |title=Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame Website |website=www.hawaiisportshalloffame.com |access-date=2 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411015710/http://www.hawaiisportshalloffame.com/cms/index.php?page=tanuvasa-maa |archive-date=11 April 2013 |url-status=dead}}
He was inducted into the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.[http://starbulletin.com/2006/02/08/sports/story04.html StarBulletin.com | Sports | /2006/02/08/]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://hawaiisportshalloffame.com/xtanu.htm Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame]
- [http://www.nfl.com/players/maatanuvasa/profile?id=TAN782662 NFL player page]
{{Super Bowl XXXII}}
{{Super Bowl XXXIII}}
{{Los Angeles Rams 1993 draft navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tanuvasa, Maa}}
Category:American sportspeople of Samoan descent
Category:Sportspeople from Honolulu County, Hawaii
Category:American football defensive ends
Category:Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football players
Category:Los Angeles Rams players
Category:Pittsburgh Steelers players
Category:Denver Broncos players
Category:San Diego Chargers players
Category:Atlanta Falcons players
Category:Players of American football from American Samoa
Category:Pacific Islander American players of American football