Fui Vakapuna Explained

Fui Vakapuna
Number:37
Position:Fullback
Birth Date:9 March 1984
Birth Place:Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lbs:260
High School:East (Salt Lake City, Utah)
College:BYU
Draftyear:2009
Draftround:7
Draftpick:215
Pastteams:
Pfr:VakaFu00

Fui Vakapuna (pronounced foo-ē vac-uh-poo-nǎ; born March 9, 1984) is a former American football fullbackof American Samoan descent. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft.[1] He played college football at BYU.

Professional career

Cincinnati Bengals

His attempt to make the Bengals' roster was chronicled on the HBO series Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cincinnati Bengals.[2] Vakapuna was released by the Bengals after the preseason and signed to the Arizona Cardinals practice squad. On November 3, 2009 the Bengals re-signed him to their 53-man roster.

New York Jets

Vakapuna was signed by the New York Jets on May 23, 2012.[3] He was waived with an injury settlement on August 1, 2012.[4]

Personal

He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a mission in the Carlsbad, California area from 2004 until early spring 2006. Vakapuna is a cousin to former Vikings Fullback Naufahu Tahi and his father-in-law was American Samoa's governor Eni Faleomavaega. Vakapuna married his wife on July 11, 2009.

Vakapuna has served as the Assistant to the Athletic Director for Student Services at Brigham Young University beginning in 2013.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2009 NFL Draft Listing . 2023-05-13 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  2. Web site: Hard Knocks IV . 2011-09-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120308091809/http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Hard-Knocks-IV/99653656-6746-4cb8-beec-cf18bbf9cd89 . 2012-03-08 . dead .
  3. News: Jets to sign free-agent fullback Fui Vakapuna . The Star-Ledger . Vrentas, Jenny . 23 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120525222121/http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2012/05/jets_to_sign_free-agent_fullba.html . 25 May 2012 . 23 May 2012 . dead .
  4. News: Rex Ryan frustrated by depleted receiving corps . The Star-Ledger . Vrentas, Jenny . 1 August 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131203193947/http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2012/08/rex_ryan_frustrated_by_deplete.html . 3 December 2013 . 1 August 2012 . dead .
  5. Web site: Fui Vakapuna Staff Bio. April 18, 2017.