Junior Tautalatasi

Taivale "Junior" Tautalatasi Jr. (born March 24, 1962) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Washington State and in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

Junior Tautalatasi
No. 25, 37
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1962-03-24) March 24, 1962
Oakland, California
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:207 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:Encinal (Alameda, California)
College:Washington State
NFL Draft:1986 / Round: 10 / Pick: 261
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Total yards:981
Total touchdowns:2
Kick return yards:406
Kick return average:18.5
Player stats at PFR

Early years

Born in Oakland, California to a Samoan American family, Tautalatasi graduated from Encinal High School in nearby Alameda in 1981.[1][2][3] After high school, he began his college football career at Chabot College, a junior college in Hayward where he would play in the 1981 and 1982 seasons.[4]

He then transferred to Washington State University.[5] After redshirting the 1983 season, he played in 1984 and 1985 with the Washington State Cougars, while playing behind Rueben Mayes (conference rushing leader) and Kerry Porter.[5] With Washington State, Tautalatasi rushed for 402 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.[6]

Professional career

Philadelphia Eagles

Tautalatasi was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the tenth round (261st overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft.[3] He made the team after showing big play potential in the preseason.[7][8] He appeared in all 16 games as the team's third down back and started 2 games, including the season opener, while Keith Byars was recovering from a foot injury. Although he was slowed down by a right knee injury,[9] he finished with 41 receptions (second on the team) for 325 receiving yards (fourth on the team) and 51 carries for 163 rushing yards.[10] He had 11 receptions in the tenth game against the New York Giants. He recorded a 50-yard run in the seventh game against the Dallas Cowboys. He made a 56-yard reception in the fifth game against the Atlanta Falcons.[11]

Buddy Ryan, Tautalatasi's head coach with the Eagles, was unable to pronounce his last name and referred to him most often as "Junior Smith".[12] In 1987, he posted 25 receptions for 176 yards and 26 carries for 69 yards.[3] On November 9, 1988, he was waived to make room for running back Walter Abercrombie.[13] Tautalatasi concluded the 1988 season with 48 receiving and 28 rushing yards.[3]

Dallas Cowboys

On September 26, 1989, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent. A backup running back, Tautalatasi had 157 receiving yards and 15 rushing yards in six games.[3] He was released on August 26, 1990.[14]

References
  1. Aubrey, Coult (May 11, 1986). "Samoan running back could be Eagles surprise". The Morning Call. Allentown. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  2. McGreehan, Mike (November 12, 2009). "Spotlight on Encinal's Hall of Fame athletes". Alameda Times-Star. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  3. "Junior Tautalatasi". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  4. "CSM, Chabot to battle for GGC title again". San Francisco Examiner. September 15, 1982. p. 88. Retrieved October 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Domowitch, Paul (May 10, 1986). "Tautalatasi Would Like To Come Out Of Hiding". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on October 17, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  6. "Junior Tautalatasi". Sports Reference CFB. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  7. Hoffman, Rich (August 29, 1986). "Despite Brilliance, Junior Will Play 2nd Fiddle". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  8. Reid, Ron (August 20, 1986). "By Any Name, A Surprise". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  9. "Potential Trouble Awaits Tautalatasi After 'scope". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on December 31, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  10. Drago, Mike (19 August 1987). "Ryan displeased with Tautalatasi". Reading Eagle. p. 38. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  11. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TautJu00/gamelog/1986/
  12. Reid, Ron (August 11, 1986). "Ryan Promotes Waters And Tautalatasi To First String". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  13. "Abercrombie Joins Eagles". Reading Eagle. November 10, 1988. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  14. "Former Eagle Zendejas Released By Cowboys". The Philadelphia Inquirer. August 27, 1990. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
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