Christian Fauria
Encyclopedia
Christian Ashley Fauria (born September 22, 1971 in Harbor City, California
) is a retired American football
tight end
.
in Encino, California and lettered in football
, track, and once in basketball
. In football, as a senior, he was the team captain, the team MVP
, a first team All-Del Rey League honoree, and a first team All-CIF honoree. In his only season of high school varsity basketball, he averaged 16.0 points and 13.0 rebounds. Fauria graduated from high school in 1990.
, where he caught 98 passes for 1,458 yards (14.87 yards per rec.), and 12 touchdowns in a successful partnership with quarterback Kordell Stewart. He still holds the Big Eight Conference
record for pass receptions by a tight end. As a senior, he was the team captain on an AP "top 3 team" that posted an 11-1 record, and was part of the offensive line that assisted Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam to a 2,000 yard season. In that year, Fauria was also a first team All-Big 12
choice, a third team Associated Press
All-American choice, and he won the Derek Singleton Award, which is given to the University of Colorado football player who displays the most enthusiasm, dedication, and spirit. While in college, he appeared in an American version
of Takeshi's Castle
with other members of his family called "Storm the Castle" in 1993.
, recording a career high 37 receptions in 1998. He then joined the New England Patriots
in 2002 up until 2005, where he started and played for two Super Bowl champions (2004–2005). Some believed he was signed in 2002 to serve as a mentor to 1st round draft pick and fellow University of Colorado alumnus Daniel Graham
, however Fauria earned the starting position during the season and recorded a career high of seven touchdowns for the year. After the Patriots, Fauria joined the Washington Redskins
for one season. He was released on February 28, 2007 and signed with the Carolina Panthers
on September 10, 2007 to play in his 13th and final season.
On November 18, 2007, Fauria and Quarterback Vinny Testaverde
hooked up for a two-yard touchdown reception that entered the pair into the NFL record books for the somewhat dubious distinction of oldest combined age for a TD reception (over 80 years).
, and currently works as a co-host for Dirty Water TV on NESN.
Fauria is presently part of the Sunday morning Boston radio (WEEI)team which hosts "NFL Sunday", analyzing that day's upcoming games, particularly those of the New England Patriots.
He also contributes as an analyst on ESPN First Take
.
. He is married and has four children. His nephew, Joseph Fauria, currently plays Tight End for the UCLA Bruins after having transferred from the University of Notre Dame after his freshman season.
On Tuesday, September 16, 2010, Fauria was involved in a domestic dispute where his wife was arrested. Officers arrived at the Fauria home at about 9 a.m. Tuesday after being contacted about a potential assault and found Christian Fauria pulled over on the side of the road in his Cadillac Escalade. Rhonda Fauria was later arrested after her husband showed officers scratches on his face and chest and a bruise on his shin.
The couple is currently separated, according to the police report. They have been married for 13 years.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is a retired American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
.
Early life
Fauria attended Crespi Carmelite High SchoolCrespi Carmelite High School
Crespi Carmelite High School, called Crespi, is a private, Roman Catholic, four-year college preparatory all-male high school located in Encino, California in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles...
in Encino, California and lettered in football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, track, and once in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. In football, as a senior, he was the team captain, the team MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
, a first team All-Del Rey League honoree, and a first team All-CIF honoree. In his only season of high school varsity basketball, he averaged 16.0 points and 13.0 rebounds. Fauria graduated from high school in 1990.
College
Fauria attended the University of Colorado at BoulderUniversity of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, where he caught 98 passes for 1,458 yards (14.87 yards per rec.), and 12 touchdowns in a successful partnership with quarterback Kordell Stewart. He still holds the Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
record for pass receptions by a tight end. As a senior, he was the team captain on an AP "top 3 team" that posted an 11-1 record, and was part of the offensive line that assisted Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam to a 2,000 yard season. In that year, Fauria was also a first team All-Big 12
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
choice, a third team Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-American choice, and he won the Derek Singleton Award, which is given to the University of Colorado football player who displays the most enthusiasm, dedication, and spirit. While in college, he appeared in an American version
MXC
MXC was an American comedy television program that aired on Spike TV from 2003 to 2007. It is a re-edit of footage from the Japanese game show Takeshi's Castle which originally aired in Japan from 1986 to 1989...
of Takeshi's Castle
Takeshi's Castle
was a Japanese game show that aired between 1986 and 1989 on the Tokyo Broadcasting System. It featured the Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano as a count who owns a castle and sets up impossible challenges for players to get to him. The show has become a cult television hit around the world...
with other members of his family called "Storm the Castle" in 1993.
Professional football
Drafted with the 39th pick, Fauria played seven seasons with the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, recording a career high 37 receptions in 1998. He then joined the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in 2002 up until 2005, where he started and played for two Super Bowl champions (2004–2005). Some believed he was signed in 2002 to serve as a mentor to 1st round draft pick and fellow University of Colorado alumnus Daniel Graham
Daniel Graham
Daniel Lawrence Grahamhttp://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GrahDa00.htm is an American football tight end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, however Fauria earned the starting position during the season and recorded a career high of seven touchdowns for the year. After the Patriots, Fauria joined the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
for one season. He was released on February 28, 2007 and signed with the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
on September 10, 2007 to play in his 13th and final season.
On November 18, 2007, Fauria and Quarterback Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
hooked up for a two-yard touchdown reception that entered the pair into the NFL record books for the somewhat dubious distinction of oldest combined age for a TD reception (over 80 years).
Post-NFL career
Fauria is a studio analyst for College Football on VersusCollege Football on Versus
The television channel Versus currently aired college football games from various college football conferences. At the time this program began, the channel was known as OLN but, in 2006, it was renamed Versus...
, and currently works as a co-host for Dirty Water TV on NESN.
Fauria is presently part of the Sunday morning Boston radio (WEEI)team which hosts "NFL Sunday", analyzing that day's upcoming games, particularly those of the New England Patriots.
He also contributes as an analyst on ESPN First Take
ESPN First Take
ESPN First Take is an American morning sports talk program on ESPN2 and ESPN2HD. The show was formerly known as Cold Pizza. The official switch was made on May 7, 2007. Two back-to-back two-hour episodes air each weekday from Monday through Friday, with the live episode airing from 10 a.m...
.
Personal life
Fauria currently resides in North Attleborough, MassachusettsNorth Attleborough, Massachusetts
North Attleborough, commonly written North Attleboro, is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,712 at the 2010 United States Census.The village of North Attleborough Center is located in the town.-History:...
. He is married and has four children. His nephew, Joseph Fauria, currently plays Tight End for the UCLA Bruins after having transferred from the University of Notre Dame after his freshman season.
On Tuesday, September 16, 2010, Fauria was involved in a domestic dispute where his wife was arrested. Officers arrived at the Fauria home at about 9 a.m. Tuesday after being contacted about a potential assault and found Christian Fauria pulled over on the side of the road in his Cadillac Escalade. Rhonda Fauria was later arrested after her husband showed officers scratches on his face and chest and a bruise on his shin.
The couple is currently separated, according to the police report. They have been married for 13 years.