Maa Tanuvasa
Encyclopedia
Maa Tanuvasa is a former American football
defensive end
, mainly for the Denver Broncos
. He played nine years in the National Football League
, winning two Super Bowl
championships as a main component of the Broncos defense
.
and track and field
at Mililani High School
in Mililani, Hawai'i
. He then moved on to the University of Hawaii
, where he starred for three years, amassing 190 tackles
and 10 sacks
and helping Hawaii to the 1992 Western Athletic Conference
championship.
in the 1993 NFL Draft
and spent his rookie
year with them. In 1994, he was cut by the Rams and spent a part of the season on the Pittsburgh Steelers
' practice squad.
His first National Football League
season was with the Broncos in 1995
, when he played one game. He worked his way into the rotation by the 1996 season
, and by 1998
, was a regular starter
. He led the Broncos in sacks in the 1998
and 1999
seasons. He was on the Bronco teams which won the 1997
and 1998
championships.
After the 2000 season
with the Broncos, he joined the San Diego Chargers
for one year, and the Atlanta Falcons
for the next. He has not been in the NFL since, having returned to his native Hawai'i.
He was inducted into the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame in 2006
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...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, mainly for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He played nine years in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, winning two Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
championships as a main component of the Broncos defense
Defense (sport)
In many team sports, defense or defence is the action of preventing an opponent from scoring. The term may also refer to the tactics involved in defense, or a sub-team whose primary responsibility is defense...
.
High school and college years
Tanuvasa was an Interscholatic All-Star in footballHigh 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....
and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
at Mililani High School
Mililani High School
Mililani High School is the only public high school located in Mililani Town CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. on the island of Oahu....
in Mililani, Hawai'i
Mililani, Hawai'i
Mililani is a census-designated place and master planned community located near the center of the island of Oahu in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It had a population of 28,608 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. He then moved on to the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
, where he starred for three years, amassing 190 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
and 10 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
and helping Hawaii to the 1992 Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
championship.
Professional career
He was drafted in the eighth round by the Los Angeles RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
in the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
and spent his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
year with them. In 1994, he was cut by the Rams and spent a part of the season on the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
' practice squad.
His first National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
season was with the Broncos in 1995
1995 Denver Broncos season
The 1995 Denver Broncos season was the team's 36th year in professional football and its 26th with the National Football League. The season would be noted for being the first year that Mike Shanahan was head coach. A turning point for the franchise would include the drafting of future Super Bowl...
, when he played one game. He worked his way into the rotation by the 1996 season
1996 Denver Broncos season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Awards and records:Pro BowlQB John ElwayRB Terrell DavisTE Shannon SharpeT Gary ZimmermanDE Alfred WilliamsDT Michael PerryLB Bill RomanowskiS Steve AtwaterS Tyrone BraxtonAP Offensive Player of the Year – Terrell Davis...
, and by 1998
1998 NFL season
The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...
, was a regular starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
. He led the Broncos in sacks in the 1998
1998 Denver Broncos season
In 1998 the Denver Broncos had a record of 14–2, second best in the NFL, and won Super Bowl XXXIII. It was John Elway's final season and the season Terrell Davis ran for 2,008 yards, making him only the fourth player to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season....
and 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
seasons. He was on the Bronco teams which won the 1997
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
and 1998
Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played on January 31, 1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion, following the 1998 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football...
championships.
After the 2000 season
2000 Denver Broncos season
The 2000 Denver Broncos season was the team's 41st year in professional football and its 31st with the National Football League. It also was the team's final year at the famous Mile High Stadium.-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-Postseason:...
with the Broncos, he joined the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for one year, and the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the next. He has not been in the NFL since, having returned to his native Hawai'i.
He was inducted into the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame in 2006