Joe Tuipala

{{Short description|American football player (born 1976)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Joe Tuipala

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| number = 48, 52

| position = Linebacker

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|9|13|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| high_school = Ridgecrest (CA) Burroughs

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lbs = 248

| college = San Diego State

| undraftedyear = 1999

| pastteams =

• Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1999}})*
• New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1999}})
• →Barcelona Dragons (2000)
• Las Vegas Outlaws (2001)
• Jacksonville Jaguars ({{NFL Year|2001}}–{{NFL Year|2003}})
• Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|2005}})*
• →Cologne Centurions (2005)
• Winnipeg Blue Bombers ({{CFL Year|2005}})

| highlights =

• Las Vegas Bowl Defensive MVP (1998)

}}

Joseph Lafaele Tuipala (born September 13, 1976) is a former American football linebacker. He is the nephew of former New England Patriots running back Mosi Tatupu, and first cousin of Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu. He played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL), with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was also a member of the New Orleans Saints and Washington Redskins, including assignments to various NFL Europe teams.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thehogs.net/content/story.php?id=460 |title=Tuipala: The Epitome Of Determination |access-date=April 12, 2013 |archive-date=May 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526101027/http://www.thehogs.net/content/story.php?id=460 |url-status=dead }}

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, he is of Samoan descent. Tuipala is the son of Tautofi Tuipala (father) and Maude "Moki" Scanlan (mother), both from American Samoa. Tuipala attended Sherman E. Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest, California. He went on to play college football at San Diego State, and was named Defensive MVP of the 1998 Las Vegas Bowl.