Manti Te’o

Born on January 26, 1991, in Laie, Hawaii, Manti Malietau Louis Te’o became a standout linebacker known for his exceptional talent in Football. He attended Punahou School in Honolulu, where he quickly made a name for himself, earning second-team all-state honors as a sophomore and state defensive player of the year as a junior and senior. In 2008, Te’o was awarded the inaugural Butkus Award at the high school level for best prep linebacker and was named the Sporting News High School Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Polynesian athlete to receive this honor. He led Punahou to its first state championship in 2008 and committed to the University of Notre Dame in 2009, making him one of the most highly recruited athletes from Hawaii.

At Notre Dame, Te’o continued to excel, playing for the Fighting Irish from 2009 to 2012. He was a Freshman All-American and consistently led his team in tackles, transitioning from outside to inside linebacker in a 3–4 defensive scheme. His senior season in 2012 was particularly notable, as he was a Heisman Trophy finalist and received multiple national awards, including the Maxwell Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award, and Walter Camp Award. This made him one of the most decorated defensive players in college football history. He holds the third all-time record for total tackles at Notre Dame with 437 and led the team to a 12–0 regular season.

Te’o entered the NFL draft in 2013 and was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round, 38th overall. He played four seasons with the Chargers, where he recorded 61 tackles in his rookie year and made his first NFL interception against Tom Brady in 2014. Following his time with the Chargers, he played for the New Orleans Saints from 2017 to 2019 and had a stint with the Chicago Bears in 2020. After his NFL playing career, Te’o joined NFL Network in 2024 as an on-air analyst, contributing to shows like “Good Morning Football” and “Good Morning Football: Overtime,” demonstrating his continued presence and insight in the world of football.