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Tuufuli Uperesa

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Tuufuli Uperesa
No. 75, 62, 61, 66[1]
Position:Offensive guard
Personal information
Born:(1948-01-20)January 20, 1948
American Samoa
Died:June 21, 2021(2021-06-21) (aged 73)
American Samoa
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:254 lb (115 kg)
Career information
High school:ʻAiea (Aiea, Hawaii)
College:Montana
NFL draft:1970: 16th round, 396th pick
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Tuufuli Uperesa (January 20, 1948 – June 21, 2021) was an American Samoan professional football offensive guard who played in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixteenth round of the 1970 NFL draft after playing college football at the University of Montana.

Early life and college

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Tuufuli Uperesa was born on January 20, 1948, in American Samoa.[1] He moved to Hawaii at a young age, and later attended ʻAiea High School in Aiea, Hawaii.[2][1] He participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track in high school.[3][4]

Uperesa first played college football at Wenatchee Valley College.[1] He then transferred to play for the Montana Grizzlies of the University of Montana, and was a two-year letterman from 1968 to 1969.[1] He earned second-team Little All-American honors in 1969 and was a team captain.[5][4]

Professional career

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Uperesa was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 16th round, with the 396th overall pick, of the 1970 NFL draft.[6] However, he instead signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on May 22, 1970.[7] On July 23, it was reported that he had been released.[8] On July 30, Uperesa signed with the Eagles.[9] He was released on September 2, 1970, but signed to the team's taxi squad later in September.[10][11] He was then a member of the Eagles' farm team, the Pottstown Firebirds of the Atlantic Coast Football League during the 1970 season.[12] Uperesa was released by the Eagles in September 1971, signed to the taxi squad, and then promoted to the active roster before the start of the season.[13][14] He played in two games for the Eagles that year before being waived on September 30, 1971.[6][15]

Uperesa signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL on March 24, 1972.[16] He was released on July 31, 1972.[17] He signed with the Blue Bombers again in April 1973.[18] On September 20, Uperesa was "remanded without plea on a charge of assault causing bodily harm" due to an incident on September 14 in Winnipeg where he had an argument with a cyclist.[19] Uperesa dressed in all 16 games for the Blue Bombers during the 1973 season.[1] In March 1974, he was selected by the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League (WFL) in the 1974 WFL pro draft but decided to stay with the Blue Bombers.[20] He dressed in all 16 games for the second straight season for Winnipeg in 1974.[1] He re-signed with the Blue Bombers on April 8, 1975.[21]

In July 1975, Uperesa was traded to the Calgary Stampeders for Ron Southwick.[22] Uperesa dressed in eight games for the Stampeders during the 1975 season.[1] On September 16, it was reported that he had been released so the Stampeders could sign Dave Means.[23]

Uperesa then signed with the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders and dressed in four games for them that year.[1] He dressed in 11 games for the Rough Riders in 1976.[1] On November 28, 1976, Ottawa beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders by a score of 23–20 to win the 64th Grey Cup.[24]

Uperesa was signed by the BC Lions of the CFL in May 1977.[25] He dressed in two games for the Lions before retiring in August 1977.[1][26]

Personal life

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After his football career, Uperesa returned to the University of Montana to finish his degree in health and physical education.[4] He then worked as a teacher and counselor at both the community college and high school level in Pago Pago, American Samoa before retiring in 1997.[4]

Uperesa later suffered from arthritis and had both of his knees replaced.[4] He died of kidney failure on June 21, 2021, in American Samoa at age 73.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "TUUFULI UPERESA". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  2. ^ Bishop, Eric (May 22, 1970). "Attention sportscasters". The Calgary Albertan. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  3. ^ "Kailua and Aiea Teams to Beat". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. September 24, 1965. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Former Griz great, NFL player Tuufuli Uperesa dies". Missoulian.com. June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  5. ^ "Terry Bradshaw Paces Little All-Americans". The Billings Gazette. December 5, 1969. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Tuufuli Uperesa". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  7. ^ "Stampeders Sign A Big Lineman". Red Deer Advocate. Canadian Press. May 22, 1970. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  8. ^ "Calgary cuts four". The Leader-Post. Canadian Press. July 23, 1970. p. 23. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  9. ^ "Tuufuli Signs". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. August 1, 1970. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  10. ^ "Grizzly Star Uperesa Cut". The Billings Gazette. September 3, 1970. p. 42. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  11. ^ Clarke, Norm (September 19, 1970). "Notes 'n Quotes". The Billings Gazette. pp. H11. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  12. ^ Murray, Ken (October 31, 1970). "Firebirds Tackle Neptunes". The Mercury. p. 15. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  13. ^ "Pitts Joins Packers' Taxi Squad". The Saginaw News. United Press International. September 9, 1971. pp. D3. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  14. ^ "Eagles Reactivate 2 Rookies for Opener". Scrantonian Tribune. United Press International. September 19, 1971. p. 58. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  15. ^ Shefski, Bill (October 1, 1971). "Taylor-Made Offense Problem for Eagles". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 52. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "Bombers sign two". The Leader-Post. Canadian Press. March 24, 1972. p. 24. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  17. ^ "Bombers cut pair of defensive veterans". The Calgary Albertan. August 1, 1972. p. 11. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  18. ^ "Signings dominate football activity". The Leader-Post. April 21, 1973. p. 31. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  19. ^ "Bomber guard is remanded". Edmonton Journal. Canadian Press. September 21, 1973. p. 85. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  20. ^ Jones, Terry (March 19, 1974). "Esks pledge allegiance but ..." Edmonton Journal. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "Uperesa inks Bomber pact". Red Deer Advocate. Canadian Press. April 8, 1975. p. 6. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  22. ^ "Esks open season tonight". The Times-Transcript. Canadian Press. July 29, 1975. p. 19. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  23. ^ Chubey, Dick (September 16, 1975). "Stamps hope Willie B. can go tonight". The Calgary Albertan. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  24. ^ "1976 Ottawa Rough Riders (CFL)". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  25. ^ Parrish, Wayne (May 31, 1977). "Usual mixed-up start to Lion training camp". The Vancouver Sun. p. 22. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  26. ^ "Bombers and Roughies hoping to end tailspins". Waterloo Region Record. Canadian Press. August 17, 1977. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
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