Stan Mataele

Mataele was born on June 24, 1963, in Tonga. He and Lakei Heimuli were the first Tongan players in the NFL. He grew up in Hawaii and enjoyed surfing, weightlifting, playing rugby football and playing piano. He attended Kahuku High School but did not play sports there. When visiting a family member in Sacramento, California, Mataele decided he liked the city and opted to enroll at Sacramento City College. At Sacramento City College, he was spotted one day while lifting weights by the American football coach, who asked him if he had ever played the sport before. He later broke his own record and reached the Northern California hammer throw finals. Mataele entered the 1985 season as a backup at nose tackle, later moved up to the starting role, and then shifted to defensive tackle. He also joined the Arizona track and field team, setting the school record for hammer throw. ==Professional career==

Mataele was selected in the eighth round (197th overall) of the 1987 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He signed his first contract on July 19, but was released on August 12. When the National Football League Players Association went on strike, Mataele was signed as a replacement player by the Green Bay Packers to play nose tackle. He appeared in two strike games, against the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles as a backup, before being released at the end of the strike. He returned to the Packers in April 1988, but left the team in July 1988, ending his professional career. ==Personal life==

Mataele has five children. ==References==