Alfred Pupunu

Last updated

Alfred Pupunu
No. 86, 85, 89, 81
Position: Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1969-10-16) October 16, 1969 (age 54)
Tonga
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school: South (Salt Lake City, Utah)
College: Weber State
Undrafted: 1992
Career history

Alfred Sione Pupunu (born October 16, 1969) is a former professional American football tight end who played nine seasons in the National Football League from 1992 to 2000. He played college football for the Weber State Wildcats.

Contents

High school career

Pupunu attended and played high school football at South High School in Salt Lake City, Utah.

College career

Pupunu played college football at Weber State University, where he went on to earn all-Big Sky Conference and All-American honors and has been inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame. [1] Pupunu earned Walter Camp All-American honors after leading the nation (NCAA Division I-AA, now Football Championship Subdivision) in receptions, with 93, in 1991. The 93 receptions are the second-most ever in a single season by a tight end.

Pupunu was also an All-Conference performer at Dixie State College of Utah.

Professional career

Playing career

Pupunu played for the San Diego Chargers (1992–1997, 1999), the Kansas City Chiefs (1997), the New York Giants (1998) and the Detroit Lions (2000). Pupunu made a championship appearance with the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX in the 1994 season, and helped them get there by scoring a touchdown in the AFC title game.

Though Pupunu only scored five career touchdowns (three regular season, two postseason), he performed a unique celebration after each, in which he mimicked twisting off the top of a coconut and drinking the juice, a very popular celebration among San Diego fans. [2]

Pupunu finished his career with 102 receptions for 1,000 yards and three touchdowns in 103 games.

Coaching career

Pupunu was a volunteer assistant at the University of Utah Utes Football Team for three years (2005–2007).

In 2008, Pupunu was invited to coach the running backs and tight ends at the Southern Utah University (Cedar City, UT) Thunderbirds Football Team by Head Coach Ed Lamb. On February 24, 2010, Pupunu was named assistant coach at the University of Idaho. Pupunu then starting coaching the tight ends at Weber State University beginning in the 2017 season. [1]

In January 2019, he joined the University of Colorado staff as the tight end coach, hired by new CU head coach Mel Tucker. [3] [4]

Personal life

Pupunu was born in Tonga, but moved to Utah with his parents as a baby. [5]

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 "Al Pupunu". Weber State University Athletics. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  2. ↑ Sporting News - Your expert source for MLB Baseball, NFL Football, NBA Basketball, NHL Hockey, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball and Fantasy Sports scores, blogs, and articles Archived October 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ "Al Pupunu - Football Coach".
  4. ↑ "Al Pupunu eager to work with CU Buffs' tight ends". BuffZone. February 12, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  5. ↑ "PUPUNU HASN'T FORGOTTEN HIS ROOTS". Deseret News. January 26, 1995. Retrieved March 12, 2022.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXIX</span> 1995 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion San Diego Chargers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1994 season. The 49ers defeated the Chargers by the score of 49–26, becoming the first team to win five Super Bowl championships. The game was played on January 29, 1995, at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. In turn, this was the first Super Bowl to be played in that area after Hurricane Andrew ravaged the city in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Gates</span> American football player (born 1980)

Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the Pro Bowl eight times and was a six-time All-Pro selection. He retired on January 14, 2020, after 16 years with the Chargers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Clark</span> American football player (born 1979)

Dallas Dean Clark is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Indianapolis Colts. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, earning unanimous All-American honors and recognition as the top college tight end in the nation. He was selected by Indianapolis in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft and he was a member of their Super Bowl XLI championship team against the Chicago Bears. He also played in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Graham</span> American football player (born 1978)

Daniel Lawrence Graham is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes, earning recognition as a consensus All-American in 2001. He was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and also played professionally for the Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints.

Stephen Todd Alexander is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He was originally drafted by the Washington Redskins in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Becht</span> American football player and coach (born 1977)

Anthony G. Becht is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He is currently the head coach of the St. Louis BattleHawks of the United Football League (UFL). He was selected by the New York Jets 27th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia. He was also a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kris Wilson (American football)</span> American football player (born 1981)

Kristopher Wilson is a former American football tight end. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh. Wilson was also a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, and Baltimore Ravens.

Peter Henry Metzelaars is an American former football tight end who played for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills, the Carolina Panthers and the Detroit Lions. He played college football for the Wabash Little Giants and was selected by the Seahawks in the third round of the 1982 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Peelle</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

Justin Morris Peelle is a former American football tight end and coach who is the tight ends coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL).

Steve Allen Heiden is an American football coach and former player who is the tight ends coach for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Jefferson</span> American football player (born 1956)

John Larry Jefferson is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football with the Arizona State Sun Devils, he was selected in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He played three seasons in San Diego, where he became the first NFL player to gain 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. He was traded to the Green Bay Packers after a contract dispute with the Chargers, and later finished his playing career with the Cleveland Browns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dante Rosario</span> American football player (born 1984)

Dante Santiago Rosario is a former American football tight end. He was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football at Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrin Chiaverini</span> American football player and coach (born 1977)

Darrin Earl Chiaverini is an American college football coach and former wide receiver. He is the head football coach for Northeastern State University, a position he has held since 2024. He played college football at Colorado. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

Gordon Lynn Hudson was an American professional football player who was a tight end in the United States Football League (USFL) and National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the 1980s. Hudson played college football for Brigham Young University, was a two-time consensus All-American, and set the NCAA record for most career receiving yards by a tight end (2,484). He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Pitta</span> American football player (born 1985)

Dennis Gregory Pitta Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the BYU Cougars, earning consensus All-American honors in 2009. He was selected by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. After two strong seasons in the National Football League (NFL), Pitta suffered a hip injury in 2013 and played only occasionally until 2016, when he set a career high in receiving yards. A further injury in 2017 ended his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dexter McCluster</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Dexter Marquise McCluster is an American former professional football running back and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, and San Diego Chargers. He played college football for the University of Mississippi. He was selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2010 NFL draft. He also played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Massachusetts Pirates of the National Arena League (NAL).

Dennis Morris is a former American football tight end. Morris was an All-American tight end for Louisiana Tech. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Hanna (American football)</span> American football player (born 1989)

James Hanna is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunter Henry</span> American football player (born 1994)

Hunter Henry is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2015. Henry was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He was a member of the Chargers for five seasons before joining the Patriots in 2021.

Wendell Davis is a former American football tight end and fullback. He played college football at Temple. Professionally, he played for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) and Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. After his playing career, Davis was an assistant coach for various college and NFL Europe teams for eight years.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.