Manti Te'o

Manti Malietau Louis Te'o(/ˈmæntaɪˈtɛʔoʊ/MAN-tyTEH-'oh;born January 26, 1991)is an American former professionalfootballplayer who was alinebackerin theNational Football League(NFL). He playedcollege footballfor theNotre Dame Fighting Irish, earningunanimous All-Americanhonors and receiving multiple national awards. He was selected by theSan Diego Chargersin the second round of the2013 NFL draftand played in the NFL until 2021.
In 2012, Te'o became the victim of acatfishingruse when Naya Tuiasosopo created a fake online persona named Lennay Kekua with whom Te'o became romantically involved.
Te'o played forPunahou School, aprivateco-edinstitution inHonolulu, where he had also attended middle school. Te'o began hisvarsitycareer in 2006 with stellar play that won him selection to the second-team all-state roster as a sophomore.
As a junior in 2007, Te'o was named the state defensive player of the year by theHonolulu Advertiserand theGatoradestate player of the year. He received first-team all-state honors while totaling 90tacklesand fivesackson defense and 400rushingyards and tentouchdownsas arunning back.Te'o drew considerable attention from colleges and recruiters in the process.
Te'o came into his senior year as one of the most celebrated players and recruits both on the state and national levels, landing on a number of national top tenrecruitinglists before the start of the season. He received offers from over 30 college programs. During his senior year, Te'o helped lead Punahou to its first-everstate championship in footballduring the 2008 season. He amassed 129 tackles, including 11 sacks, forced threefumbles, tipped fourpassesand totaled 19 quarterback hurries. On offense at running back, Te'o rushed for 176 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and four touchdowns and had threereceptions, two for touchdowns. He also had three touchdowns, returning one 49 yards for a touchdown. He also returned ablocked puntfor a touchdown.
He received his second straight Gatorade state player of the year award for his play during the season and was named first-team all-state and the state defensive player of the year for the second straight season. Te'o was such a force thatThe Honolulu Advertiserconsidered just naming him the overall state player of the year.He is regarded as one of the most highly recruited athletes, both in football and for any sport, in the history of the state of Hawaii.
In 2008, Te'o won the inauguralButkus Awardat the high school level, awarded to the best preplinebackerin the United States.He was also named the 2008Sporting News High School Athlete of the Year, becoming the first person from the state of Hawaii and the first athlete ofPolynesian descentto receive the award.USA Todaynamed Te'o thenational Defensive Player of the Yearand a first-teamAll-American. He is only the third high school player from Hawaii to be named to theUSA Today All-American team, afterPat Kesiin1990and Jason Ching in1995(Ching, too, is a Punahou and Notre Dame alumnus).Te'o was also named to the 2009 Parade All-American team as well.On January 10, 2010, Te'o was named the Hawaii State Defensive Player of the Decade (2000–2009) by theHonolulu Advertiser.
Te'o was nationally regarded as one of the elite prospects of the class of 2009. Major recruiting serviceRivals.comlisted him as a five-star recruit—the first from Hawaii since Jonathan Mapu in 2002—and ranked him second among inside linebackers only behindVontaze Burfict.Also listed as five-star recruit, Te'o was ranked as the No. 1 strongside linebacker in his class byScout.com.
OnNational Signing Dayof 2009, Te'o committed to the University of Notre Dame.He chose the Fighting Irish, then coached byCharlie Weis, overBrigham YoungandSouthern California. Te'o was the firstUSA TodayDefensive Player of the Year to commit to the Irish sinceKory Minorin 1995.
Te'o enrolled in theUniversity of Notre Dame, where he played for theNotre Dame Fighting Irish footballteam from 2009 to 2012.
Te'o entered his first college game at the start of the second defensive series early in the second quarter versusNevadaon September 5, 2009. On his third snap Te'o tackled Wolf PackquarterbackColin Kaepernickafter an 11-yard gain on third and 15 for his first collegiate tackle. After playing, but not starting, his first three games, Te'o made his first collegiate start in the Irish's game versusPurdue.He played in all 12 games of his freshman season and finished the season with 63tackles, the third-most tackles ever by a Notre Dame freshman behindBob Golic(82 in 1975) andRoss Browner(68 in 1973).Te'o also recorded 5.5tackles for lossand 1sack.
On December 8, 2009, Te'o was named a Freshman All-American byCollege Football News.He was also named a second-team Freshman All-American byRivals.com.
Te'o moved from outside to inside linebacker in 2010 as Notre Dame switched to a3–4 defensive schemeunder defensive coordinatorBob Diaco.On April 30, 2010, Te'o was named to the 2010Lombardi Award&Nagurski Awardwatch lists.
Te'o led the Fighting Irish in tackles with 133, and was second in tackles for loss with 9.5. AgainstStanfordon September 25, Te'o finished with 21 total tackles. This total represents a career-high for Te'o and is also the most tackles in a game by an individual for Notre Dame since 2006.
Te'o was named one of 16 semifinalists for both the Butkus Award (Best Collegiate Linebacker) and the Bednarik Award for top College defensive player.He was also named a Second-team All-American byCNNSI.
Te'o led the Fighting Irish in tackles for the second straight season in 2011 with 128. He also led the team in tackles for loss with 13.5 and finished second in sacks with 5.0.
Te'o was a finalist for theButkus Awardand theLott Trophyand was selected as the 2011 FBS Independent Defensive Player of the Year.
Te'o was named a second-team All-American by theAssociated Press,Walter Camp Football Foundation,Rivals.com,Phil SteeleandCNNSI. He was also named to theCapital OneAcademic All-American second-team.
Te’o announced on December 11, 2011, that he would return to Notre Dame for his senior season. Te'o entered his final season as one of 10 players in Notre Dame history to record over 300 career tackles and started the season eighth on the career tackles list for the Fighting Irish.During the season, Te’o was the leading tackler and leader in interceptions for a 12–0 Notre Dame team which had the second-ranked scoring defense (10.33 points per game) in the country. He had 103 tackles in the regular season (52 solo, 51 assisted, 8.58 per game), including 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks (one for 13 yards ofOklahomaquarterbackLandry Jones.) Te’o also led the team, as well as allFBSlinebackers, in interceptions. Te’o's 7 interceptions during the 2012 season are the most by any FBS linebacker since 2001.He ranked third in the nation at 0.58 interceptions per game, and overall onlyFresno StatesafetyPhillip Thomas had more, with 8 interceptions that season.Te'o's season-high per game was 2 interceptions for 28 yards againstMichigan.
In the 2012 season, Notre Dame ranked second in the nation in scoring defense (10.33 points per game) and ranked in the top 19 nationally in four other defensive categories: fifth in rushing defense (92.42 yards per game), sixth in total defense (287.25 yards per game), 12th in pass efficiency defense (105.58) and 19th in sacks (2.75 per game). Te'o's 8.58 tackles per game is three and a half more per game than the squad's next-most prolific tackler,Zeke Motta(5.09 per game).
Te'o is one of the most decorated defensive players in college football history. He won the 2012 Defensive IMPACT Player of the YearLott Trophy, as well as theMaxwell Award, theChuck Bednarik Award, theBronko Nagurski Trophy, theButkus Award, theLombardi Award, and theWalter Camp Award. In addition, he was named a national scholar-athlete by theNational Football Foundation.One of three finalists for theHeisman Trophy, Te'o eventually finished second in the voting toTexas A&MquarterbackJohnny Manziel.
In theBCS National Championship Game, Te'o recorded 10 tackles in a 42–14 loss to a 12–1Alabamateam which won its third national championship in four years. Alabama took control from the start and led 14–0 after the first quarter and extended its lead to a 28–0 score by halftime. Te'o finished with 7 assists and 3 solo tackles.
Te'o has 437 total tackles in his four-year career at Notre Dame. He ranks third all-time in school history behindBob Crable(521, 1978–81) andBob Golic(479, 1975–78). He started in 47 consecutive games, beginning with the fourth game of his freshman season, at that point the longest streak of any linebacker in the country.He joins Crable as the second player in Notre Dame history to record 100+ tackles in three consecutive seasons.
All statistics fromNotre Dame Official Athletic Site,
Te'o decided to return to Notre Dame after the 2011 seasondespite being projected a late first-round pick for the2012 NFL draftas early as mid-season of 2011.In preseasonmock draftsfrom May 2012, Te'o was listed as a late first-rounder for the2013 NFL draftas well.By mid-season, he had moved up to the mid-first round.Notre Dame has not seen one of their linebackers selected in the first round sinceBob Crablein1982. At the conclusion of the 2012 college football season, Te'o signed with agentTom Condon. He was training at theIMG AcademyinBradenton, Florida, in preparation for the NFL Draft.
Te'o attended the NFL Combine under a lot of scrutiny by NFL teams.His comparably slow time of 4.82 in the40-yard dashwas disappointing, but he promised to "do a lot better" at his Notre Dame pro day.After the combine,Sports Illustratedprojected Te'o to fall out of the first round.At Notre Dame Pro Day on March 26, Te'o ran faster according toESPN'sTodd McShay(hand-timed 4.75 and 4.71).
He was selected in the second round, 38th overall by theSan Diego Chargers,as the second inside linebacker in the draft behindAlec Ogletree."It's a perfect scenario. My parents can come and watch, I can go home, it's San Diego," said Te'o on draft day.He was the highest selected Notre Dame linebacker sinceDemetrius DuBosein1993, untilJaylon Smithwas selected in the 2016 NFL Draft.
On May 9, 2013, Te'o signed a four-year contract with the Chargers.The deal included a $2,141,768 signing bonus and was worth just over $5 million with over $3.1 million in guaranteed money.He was the second linebacker ofPolynesiandescent to play for the Chargers (afterJunior Seau).
Te'o injured his right foot in the Chargers' preseason opener against theSeattle Seahawkson August 8, which caused him to miss the remainder of preseason as well as the regular season opener against theHouston Texans.Te'o made hisNFLdebut in a week 4 matchup against theDallas Cowboys. Te'o finished the game with three tackles as the Chargers won.
Te'o ended the season with 61 tackles and 4 passes defended in 13 games started.
Te'o looked to improve from 2013; however, on September 23, 2014, Te'o suffered a fractured foot. He returned in the middle of the season against theOakland Raiders. Against theNew England Patriots, Te'o interceptedTom Bradyin the red zone, while coveringRob Gronkowski, for his first NFL interception. A few weeks later, in the Chargers comeback victory against theSan Francisco 49ers, Te'o earned his first NFL sack by sackingColin Kaepernick—coincidentally, the first player Te'o tackled in his collegiate career—on a 4th down play. Manti finished the season with 61 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 3 pass deflections.
In 2015, Te'o had 63 tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble.He missed four games in mid-season due to an ankle injury.
On September 5, 2016, Te'o was named one of theChargers' team captains for the 2016 season.On September 28, 2016, he was placed on injured reserve with a tornAchilles.
On March 21, 2017, Te'o signed a two-year contract with theNew Orleans Saints.He led the Saints in tackles for loss during the 2017 season.He was a healthy inactive for all but five games of the 2018 season and was not re-signed when his contract expired.
After Te'o did not play for most of the 2019 season, New Orleans re-signed him on December 3, 2019.
On October 20, 2020, Te'o was signed to theChicago Bears' practice squad.He was placed on the practice squad/COVID-19list by the team on December 7, 2020,and restored to the practice squad on December 19.He was elevated to the active roster on January 9, 2021, for the team's wild card playoff loss against theNew Orleans Saints, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.His practice squad contract with the team expired after the season on January 18, 2021.
Te'o was born inLaie, Hawaii, on January 26, 1991, ofSamoan ancestry.He is the son of Brian and Ottilia Te'o and has five siblings: sisters BrieAnne, Tiare, Eden, Maya and brother Manasseh.
In high school, Te'o had a 3.52grade-point averageand did volunteer work with theShriners Hospital,Head Startpreschool program, Hawai'i Food Bank andSpecial Olympics. Te'o also became anEagle Scoutin November 2008.Te'o is an active member ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In February 2020, Te'o became engaged to his girlfriend, personal trainer and beauty consultant Jovi Nicole Engbino. The couple married in San Diego, California, on August 29, 2020.Te'o has a daughter, Hiro Te'o, born August 12, 2021, and a son, Kyro Te'o, born January 16, 2023.
Te'o is a close friend of quarterbackTua Tagovailoa, a fellow Samoan NFL player who grew up in Hawaii, and refers to Tagavailoa as his "little brother".
Te'o was a member ofNetflix's broadcasting team for the 2024 NFL Christmas day games.
Te'o told many media outlets that both his grandmother and his girlfriend had died on September 12, 2012.Te'o said that his girlfriend,Stanford Universitystudent Lennay Kekua, had been injured in a car accident, and was discovered during her treatment to haveleukemia.Te'o did not miss any football games for Notre Dame, saying that he had promised Kekua he would play even if something had happened to her.Many sports media outlets reported on these tragedies during Te'o's strong 2012 season and emergence as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
After receiving an anonymous email tip in January 2013, reportersTimothy Burkeand Jack Dickey of the sports blogDeadspinconducted an investigation into Kekua's identity. On January 16, they published an article alleging Kekuadid not existand pointed to a man named Ronaiah "Naya" Tuiasosopo (/roʊˈnaɪəˌtuːjɑːsoʊˈsoʊpoʊ/roh-NY-əTOO-yah-soh-SOH-poh) as involved in thehoaxof a relationship with Te'o.Tuiasosopo has been described as a family friend or acquaintance of Te'o.Pictures of Kekua that had been published in the media were actually of a former high school classmate of Tuiasosopo.
On the same day theDeadspinarticle was published, Notre Dame issued a statement that "Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia."In a press conference, Notre Dame athletic directorJack Swarbrickconfirmed the university had hired private investigators to uncover the source of the hoax, and he clarified that Te'o's relationship with Kekua was "exclusively anonline relationship".This conflicted with previous accounts from Te'o and his family that the couple had first met after a football game. Swarbrick then visited Te'o in Hawaii.Swarbrick said Te'o informed Notre Dame of the hoax on December 26, 2012, after receiving a phone call on December 6 from the woman he knew as Kekua, claiming she was still alive. However, Te'o mentioned Kekua's death in at least four separate interviews in the days following the phone call.
In response to the growing suspicions that he was involved in the hoax, Te'o agreed to a January 18, 2013, interview with sports journalistJeremy Schaapin which he maintained his innocence. Te'o explained he had lied to his father and others about meeting her in person because he thought he would be seen as "crazy" for having a serious relationship with a woman he had never met in person.Te'o said he was angered and confused by the December 6 phone call and had continued to speak of Kekua because the situation was unclear to him.Te'o further explained that Tuiasosopo claimed to be a cousin of Lennay Kekua, and that the two of them had communicated online over the last several years and met once in person at the 2012 Notre Dame/USC game. Te'o said Tuiasosopo admitted responsibility for the hoax in a telephone conversation on January 16.
In a January 24, 2013, interview onKatiewithKatie Couric, Te'o played three voicemails left by Kekua and said the voice "sounds like a girl."In an appearance onDr. Philon January 31 and February 1, Tuiasosopo confessed to the hoax and admitted to falling in love with Te'o and using the Kekua identity. Tuiasosopo also recreated the female voice behind aprivacy screen.Relatives of Tuiasosopo told theNew York Postthat Kekua's voice belonged to Tuiasosopo's cousin.Despite the revelation Kekua did not exist, NFL playerReagan Maui'asaid he met someone twice, claiming to be Kekua, and they had been introduced by Tuiasosopo, whom he believed to be Kekua's cousin.
Te'o's experience was the subject of aNetflixdocumentary,Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist, which was released in August 2022.