Will Tukuafu
American football player From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William T. Tukuafu (born January 3, 1984) is an American football coach and former fullback. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent originally in 2010.[1] He also played for the San Francisco 49ers.[2]
Tukuafu with the San Francisco 49ers | |||||||||||||
| Los Angeles Chargers | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Assistant defensive line coach | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | January 3, 1984 Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 280 lb (127 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Salt Lake City (UT) East | ||||||||||||
| College: | Oregon | ||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2010 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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As a coach: | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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Tukuafu was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.[1] He graduated from East High School, attended Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Arizona, then transferred to the University of Oregon.[1]
College career
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Tukuafu played in 39 games (37 starts) for the Ducks, registering 131 tackles, 32.5 tackles-for-loss, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and four passes defensed.[3] As a senior, he was named Second-team All-Pac-10 by the coaches.[4] He also earned Oregon's Schaffeld Award and the Gonyea Award.[5]
Scottsdale Community College
In 2006, Will Tukuafu had a standout season at Scottsdale Community College, recording 10.5 quarterback sacks for the Artichokes.[4] He was recognized as one of the top junior college defensive linemen in the country and was ranked seventh on the SuperPrep JUCO 100 list.[6] Tukuafu also received a four-star recruit rating from Rivals.com.[7]
University of Oregon
Will Tukuafu had a distinguished career at the University of Oregon, excelling as a defensive lineman and leader. In 2007, as a junior college transfer, he started 11 games, recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, and was named Pac-10 honorable mention all-conference. He was also honored with the Len Casanova Award as the Ducks’ top newcomer.
In 2008, Tukuafu ranked fifth in the Pac-10 in tackles for loss (17.5) and tied for eighth in sacks (7.5). His efforts earned him second-team all-conference honors and recognition as one of the Pac-10’s top defensive linemen.[4]
By 2009, Tukuafu was a team co-captain, contributing 36 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. He was named the Ducks’ Joe Schaffeld Award recipient as the top defensive lineman and shared the Gonyea Award as the team’s most inspirational player.[5][6]
Professional career
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Seattle Seahawks
Tukuafu was signed as an undrafted free agent on June 8, 2010, and was released on June 22, 2010.
San Francisco 49ers
Tukuafu was signed by the 49ers on August 12, 2010. He was released on September 3, 2010, and was re-signed to the practice squad two days later. He was promoted to the 49ers' active roster on December 18, 2010. During his first year in San Francisco, Tukuafu was honored with the Thomas Herrion Award, recognizing his perseverance and ability to turn opportunities into success.[8]
He made NFL debut and recorded his first career fumble recovery on his first career play from scrimmage vs. Seattle on September 11, 2011. During his tenure in San Francisco, he saw action in 20 games from 2010 to 2013 and additionally six career playoff appearances with two starts. His versatility has allowed him to play fullback, defensive line, and on special teams.
At the end of the 2012 season, Tukuafu and the 49ers appeared in Super Bowl XLVII. He appeared in the game on offense, defense, and special teams, but the 49ers fell to the Baltimore Ravens by a score of 34–31.[9]
Seattle Seahawks (second stint)
Tukuafu was signed by the Seahawks on October 29, 2014. He was released on September 3, 2016, and re-signed again on September 13 only to be released again the following week. On October 26, 2016, he was re-signed by the Seahawks.[10] He was placed on injured reserve on December 13, 2016, after suffering a concussion in Week 13.[11]
Will Tukuafu concluded his NFL playing career with the Seattle Seahawks, appearing in 35 games for the team from 2014 to 2016. After signing with the Seahawks on October 29, 2014, Tukuafu quickly became a versatile contributor, making an impact on offense, defense, and special teams. During his first season in Seattle, he played in nine regular-season games and helped the Seahawks reach their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance.[12]
In 2015, Tukuafu played in 14 regular-season games, continuing to provide value across all three phases of the game.[12] Despite multiple roster moves in 2016, including being released and re-signed, Tukuafu appeared in seven regular-season games before being placed on injured reserve on December 13.[12]
Tukuafu’s time in Seattle highlighted his adaptability and commitment, as he played a key role in one of the team’s most successful periods in franchise history. Tukuafu’s unique skill set drew praise from Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, who remarked, "This is extremely unique, that a guy can play on both sides of the football. He's playing tight end, fullback, and defensive tackle. And he's instrumental in our special teams. Not many guys can do that. There's nobody in the league, I don't think, doing that, maybe there is, but it's a fantastic variety of skills that he brings to us".[13]
Coaching career
Will Tukuafu began his NFL coaching career in 2021 as an Assistant Special Teams Coach for the Seattle Seahawks.[14][15] In 2022, he transitioned into a defensive coaching role as a Defensive Quality Control Coach, and in 2023, he served as a Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line Coach.[16][17] During his time with the Seahawks, he contributed to the development and performance of the defensive line unit.
Before his time in Seattle, Tukuafu participated in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship, working with the Atlanta Falcons in the spring of 2019 and the Denver Broncos during their 2019 training camp.
In 2024, Tukuafu joined the Los Angeles Chargers as a Defensive Assistant/Defensive Line Coach.[17]
Personal life
Tukuafu was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Viliami Kauvaka Lavulavu Tukuafu and Ilaise Pasikala Vainikolo Tukuafu, who emigrated from Tonga to the United States. He married Krystal Tukuafu in February 2008. The couple has two daughters, Naiya and Lana, and two sons, Kingston and Will II (source).
References
External links
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