Damien Mama

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Damien Mama

| current_team =

| number =

| position = Guard

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|06|27}}

| birth_place = Moreno Valley, California, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 325

| high_school = St. John Bosco
(Bellflower, California)

| college = USC

| undraftedyear = 2017

| pastteams =

Kansas City Chiefs ({{NFL Year|2017}})*
New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2017}})
Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2018}})*
San Diego Fleet ({{AAF Year|2019}})
Los Angeles Wildcats ({{XFL Year|2020}})*
New York Guardians ({{XFL Year|2020}})
TSL Jousters (2021)
Tampa Bay Bandits ({{USFL Year|2022}})
San Antonio Brahmas ({{XFL Year|2023}})

| status = Active

| highlights =

Second-team All-Pac-12 (2016)

| pfr = MamaDa00

}}

Damien Mama (born June 27, 1995) is an American football guard. He played college football at USC.{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/damien-mama-declares-for-the-2017-nfl-draft-leaving-usc-early-010617|title=Damien Mama Declares for the 2017 NFL Draft, Leaving USC Early {{!}} FOX Sports|date=2017-01-06|work=FOX Sports|access-date=2017-04-04|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20170106/usc-guard-damien-mama-leaving-early-for-nfl-draft|title=USC guard Damien Mama leaving early for NFL draft|access-date=2017-04-04|language=en}}

Early years

Mama attended St. John Bosco High School, where he was a two-way player at offensive tackle and defensive tackle.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/165381/damien-mama|title=Damien Mama – Football Recruiting – Player Profiles – ESPN|website=ESPN.com|access-date=2017-04-04}}

As a senior, he contributed to the team winning the CIF Pac-5 Division championship and the CIF state championship Open Division bowl game. He also received All-East Region, All-CIF Pac-5 Division, Max Preps All-State Division I first team, Los Angeles Times All-Area Lineman of the Year, USA Today All-USA first team, Parade All-American first team, Prep Star All-American Dream Team and Max Preps All-American honors.

College career

Mama accepted a football scholarship from USC. As a true freshman, he appeared in 12 games (all but Washington State), starting the first two contests at right guard and two additional games at left guard.

As a sophomore, he started 13 out of 14 games (all but UCLA) at left offensive guard.

As a junior, he started all games at left offensive guard.{{Cite news|url=https://247sports.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/Article/Philadelphia-Eagles-scout-USC-OG-Damien-Mama-at-Senior-Bowl-50782298/|title=Eagles scout USC OG Damien Mama at Senior Bowl}} He declared for the NFL Draft before the start of his senior season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-mama-nfl-draft-20170106-htmlstory.html|title=Damien Mama declares for the NFL draft|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-04-04|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}

Professional career

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 3½

| weight = 334

| dash = 5.84

| ten split =

| twenty split =

| shuttle = 5.38

| cone drill = 8.51

| vertical = 24.5

| broad ft = 8

| broad in = 0

| bench =

| arm span = 35

| hand span = 11

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/damien-mama?id=2558128 |title=Damien Mama Combine Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=February 25, 2020}}

}}

=Kansas City Chiefs=

Mama was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2017 NFL draft on May 6.{{cite web|title=Meet the Kansas City Chiefs' 12 Undrafted Free Agents in 2017|url=http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Meet-the-Kansas-City-Chiefs%E2%80%99-12-Undrafted-Free-Agents-in-2017/75fe9c30-3349-42e7-b988-8a4035f2bd3d|author=Kissel, BJ|website=Chiefs.com|date=May 6, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504133843/http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Meet-the-Kansas-City-Chiefs%E2%80%99-12-Undrafted-Free-Agents-in-2017/75fe9c30-3349-42e7-b988-8a4035f2bd3d|archive-date=May 4, 2018}} He was waived on September 2, 2017, and was signed to the Chiefs' practice squad the next day.{{cite web|title=Chiefs Roster Down to NFL Mandated 53|url=http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-Roster-Down-to-NFL-Mandated-53/29056cc8-800b-4a3f-be18-d873f2470e6b|website=Chiefs.com|date=September 2, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180603165651/http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-Roster-Down-to-NFL-Mandated-53/29056cc8-800b-4a3f-be18-d873f2470e6b|archive-date=June 3, 2018}}{{cite web|title=Chiefs Sign Eight to Practice Squad|url=http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-Sign-Eight-to-Practice-Squad/2095211c-8f3e-45d0-aa31-7a3c74e420b3|website=Chiefs.com|date=September 3, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180603173550/http://www.chiefs.com/news/article-2/Chiefs-Sign-Eight-to-Practice-Squad/2095211c-8f3e-45d0-aa31-7a3c74e420b3|archive-date=June 3, 2018}}

=New York Giants=

On December 12, 2017, Mama was signed by the New York Giants off the Chiefs' practice squad.{{cite web|title=Giants sign OL Damien Mama, WR Hunter Sharp among roster moves|url=http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-sign-OL-Damien-Mama-WR-Hunter-Sharp-among-roster-moves/8983fd67-abba-4ddf-9218-0e43c6016cbf|author=Eisen, Michael|website=Giants.com|date=December 12, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117205426/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-sign-OL-Damien-Mama-WR-Hunter-Sharp-among-roster-moves/8983fd67-abba-4ddf-9218-0e43c6016cbf|archive-date=January 17, 2018}} He was waived by the Giants on May 7, 2018.{{cite web|title=Giants waive five players ahead of rookie minicamp|url=http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-waive-five-players-ahead-of-rookie-minicamp/24060e90-060c-4c3d-8d01-8b60dc7842c5|author=Eisen, Michael|website=Giants.com|date=May 7, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508121457/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-waive-five-players-ahead-of-rookie-minicamp/24060e90-060c-4c3d-8d01-8b60dc7842c5|archive-date=May 8, 2018}}

=Dallas Cowboys=

On May 21, 2018, Mama signed with the Dallas Cowboys.{{cite web|title=Cowboys release offensive lineman, sign another in his place|url=https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/Article/Cowboys-release-offensive-lineman-Jarron-Jones-sign-Damien-Mama-in-his-place-118402812|website=247sports.com|date=May 21, 2018}} He was waived on September 1.{{cite web|title=Bailey Not Only Surprise Cut As Cowboys Trim To 53|url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/bailey-not-the-only-surprise-cut-as-cowboys-trim-to-53|author=Helman, David|website=DallasCowboys.com|date=September 1, 2018}}

=San Diego Fleet=

On October 14, 2018, Mama signed with the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football (AAF) .{{cite news|last=Sklar|first=Debbie|url=https://timesofsandiego.com/sports/2018/10/14/san-diego-fleet-signs-former-san-diego-state-standout-defensive-end/|title=San Diego Fleet Signs Former San Diego State Standout Defensive End|newspaper=Times of San Diego|date=October 14, 2018|access-date=January 30, 2019}} He was a starter until the league folded in April 2019.{{Cite web |last=Rothstein |first=Michael |last2=Wickersham |first2=Seth |date=June 13, 2019 |title=Inside the short, unhappy life of the Alliance of American Football |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26957796/inside-short-unhappy-life-alliance-american-football |access-date=January 9, 2024 |website=ESPN.com}}

=Los Angeles Wildcats=

Mama was drafted in the 5th round in phase two in the 2020 XFL Draft by the Los Angeles Wildcats.{{cite news |url=https://www.xfl.com/en-US/articles/phase-2-offensive-line-draft-tracker |title=OFFENSIVE LINEMEN DRAFT TRACKER |website=XFL.com |date=October 15, 2019 |access-date=October 16, 2019}}

=New York Guardians=

On January 21, 2020, Mama was sent to the New York Guardians in a three-team trade.{{cite web |title=XFL Transactions |url=https://www.xfl.com/xfl-transactions |website=XFL.com |access-date=January 21, 2020}} In March, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced that it would be cancelling the rest of the season.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/xfl/story/_/id/29030763/xfl-files-chapter-11-bankruptcy-suspending-operations |title=XFL files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after suspending operations |website=ESPN |date=April 13, 2020 |access-date=April 13, 2020}} He played in all 5 games at offensive guard.{{cite web |title=XFL Damien Mama stats |url=https://stats.xfl.com/Player/10339 |website=XFL.com |access-date=February 6, 2020 |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412014343/https://stats.xfl.com/Player/10339 |url-status=dead }} He had his contract terminated when the league suspended operations on April 10, 2020.{{cite news |author=Condotta, Bob |title=XFL suspends operations, terminates all employees, but Jim Zorn says he has hopes league will continue |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/xfl-suspends-operations-terminates-all-employees/ |website=SeattleTimes.com |date=April 10, 2020 |access-date=July 17, 2020}}

=Tampa Bay Bandits=

Mama was selected in the 23rd round of the 2022 USFL draft by the Tampa Bay Bandits.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/usfl-draft-2022-picks-results-rosters/kfjtmrpdeztksutjassswllz|website=Sporting News|title=USFL Draft tracker: Complete results, rosters for new football league|date=February 23, 2022|author=Camenker, Jacob}}

Mama and all other Tampa Bay Bandits players were all transferred to the Memphis Showboats after it was announced that the Bandits were taking a hiatus and that the Showboats were joining the league.{{cite web |last1=Knight |first1=Joey |title=Tampa Bay Bandits won't play in United States Football League in 2023 |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2022/11/15/usfl-tampa-bay-bandits-hiatus-memphis-showboats-todd-haley/ |website=tampabay.com |access-date=1 December 2022}}

=San Antonio Brahmas=

On February 15, 2023, Mama signed with the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL.{{cite web |title=XFL Transactions |url=https://www.xfl.com/xfl-transactions |website=XFL.com |access-date=March 14, 2023}} He was released on March 8.