Junior Tautalatasi

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Junior Tautalatasi
No. 25, 37
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1962-03-24) March 24, 1962 (age 62)
Oakland, California, U.S.
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

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 (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

Early years[edit]

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[edit]

Philadelphia Eagles[edit]

Tautalatasi was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the tenth round (261st overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft.[7][3] He made the team after showing big play potential in the preseason.[8][9] 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,[10] he finished with 41 receptions (second on the team) for 325 receiving yards (fourth on the team) and 51 carries for 163 rushing yards.[11] 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.[12]

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".[13] 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.[14] Tautalatasi concluded the 1988 season with 48 receiving and 28 rushing yards.[3]

Dallas Cowboys[edit]

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.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Aubrey, Coult (May 11, 1986). "Samoan running back could be Eagles surprise". The Morning Call. Allentown. Archived from the original on October 23, 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. ^ a b c d e "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. ^ a b 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. ^ "1986 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Reid, Ron (August 20, 1986). "By Any Name, A Surprise". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  10. ^ "Potential Trouble Awaits Tautalatasi After 'scope". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on December 31, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  11. ^ Drago, Mike (19 August 1987). "Ryan displeased with Tautalatasi". Reading Eagle. p. 38. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Junior Tautalatasi 1986 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ "Abercrombie Joins Eagles". Reading Eagle. November 10, 1988. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  15. ^ "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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