Stephen Paea
Encyclopedia
Stephen Paea (ˈpaɪ.ə ; born May 11, 1988) is an American football
defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears
.
He played college football
at Oregon State University
. He was taken with the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft
by the Bears.
, which was where he played rugby as a young boy. When he was 16, his family moved to the United States, originally to Lawrence, Kansas
, where his cousin Chris Maumalanga was playing for the Kansas Jayhawks
. After a year, they moved to Provo, Utah
, where Paea attended Timpview High School
. Playing defensive line at only 240 pounds, he drew little attention by Division I schools, so he decided to enroll at nearby Snow College
in Ephraim
.
After redshirting
his initial year at Snow, he added more than 20 pounds to his frame and started the 2007 season as the No. 2 tackle on the depth chart. Finally drawing the attention of major schools, he transferred to Oregon State in mid-season after graduating from Snow with an associate's degree in December 2007.
s. He was selected to College Football News
′ All-Sophomore Second Team and was an All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention.
As a junior, he registered a team-leading 8.5 tackles for loss and was co-leader for sacks with three. He was named All-Pacific-10 First Team and received the Morris Trophy for the best defensive lineman in the conference.
In February 2010, a YouTube
video showed him bench-pressing 225 pounds 44 times.
Paea was invited to the 2011 Senior Bowl
, but tore the lateral meniscus
in his right knee on the opening practice, causing him to miss the remainder of the event.
Paea was a nominee for the Bill Hayward Athlete of the Year Award at the 2011 Oregon Sports Awards.
, recorded 49 repetitions in the 225-pound bench press
, the highest since Justin Ernest's 51 reps in 1999.
by the Chicago Bears
and on July 29, 2011, he signed a 4-year contract with the Chicago Bears.
In a Sunday Night Football game on October 16 against the Minnesota Vikings
, as well as his NFL debut, Paea sacked Donovan McNabb
in the end zone for a safety, being the first Bears player to do so since at least 1970.
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 tackle for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
. He was taken with the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
by the Bears.
Early years
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Paea grew up on Vavaʻu, TongaTonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, which was where he played rugby as a young boy. When he was 16, his family moved to the United States, originally to Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, where his cousin Chris Maumalanga was playing for the Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
. After a year, they moved to Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, where Paea attended Timpview High School
Timpview High School
Timpview High School, abbreviated "THS" , is a public secondary school located in Provo, Utah. Timpview is a 4A school and is part of the Provo City School District. The current principal is Dr...
. Playing defensive line at only 240 pounds, he drew little attention by Division I schools, so he decided to enroll at nearby Snow College
Snow College
Snow College is a rural, two-year state college located in Ephraim, Utah, U.S. It offers certificates and associate degrees in a number of areas...
in Ephraim
Ephraim, Utah
Ephraim is a city in Sanpete County, Utah, United States. The population was 6,135 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Sanpete County. It is the location of Snow College and is located along U.S. Route 89.-History:Ephraim was founded in 1854...
.
After redshirting
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his initial year at Snow, he added more than 20 pounds to his frame and started the 2007 season as the No. 2 tackle on the depth chart. Finally drawing the attention of major schools, he transferred to Oregon State in mid-season after graduating from Snow with an associate's degree in December 2007.
College career
Making an immediate impact for the Beavers, Paea played in all 13 games, starting 12 of them, and recorded 41 tackles, 11 for a loss, and five quarterback sackQuarterback 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...
s. He was selected to College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
′ All-Sophomore Second Team and was an All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention.
As a junior, he registered a team-leading 8.5 tackles for loss and was co-leader for sacks with three. He was named All-Pacific-10 First Team and received the Morris Trophy for the best defensive lineman in the conference.
In February 2010, a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video showed him bench-pressing 225 pounds 44 times.
Paea was invited to the 2011 Senior Bowl
2011 Senior Bowl
The 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2010 college football season, and prospects for the 2011 Draft of the professional National Football League . Final score was South Team 24 to North Team 10.The game was played on January...
, but tore the lateral meniscus
Lateral meniscus
The lateral meniscus, also called the external semilunar fibrocartilage, is a fibrocartilaginous band that spans the lateral side of the interior of the knee joint. It is one of two menisci of the knee, the other being the medial meniscus. It is nearly circular and covers a larger portion of the...
in his right knee on the opening practice, causing him to miss the remainder of the event.
Paea was a nominee for the Bill Hayward Athlete of the Year Award at the 2011 Oregon Sports Awards.
2011 NFL Draft
At the NFL CombineNFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
, recorded 49 repetitions in the 225-pound bench press
Bench press
The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight...
, the highest since Justin Ernest's 51 reps in 1999.
Chicago Bears
Paea was taken with the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and on July 29, 2011, he signed a 4-year contract with the Chicago Bears.
In a Sunday Night Football game on October 16 against the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, as well as his NFL debut, Paea sacked Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
in the end zone for a safety, being the first Bears player to do so since at least 1970.