Polynesian player numbers in the NFL remain steady.
41 Polys confirmed to play in 2016.

Polynesians in the NFL number 41 of the 1969 total NFL players for the 2016 season. There are 27 Samoan professional football players, 10 Tongans and 4 Hawaiians. There are 4 who are on the squad but are injured and out for the rest of the season. In all there are 37 Polynesians actively playing for NFL teams all over the country.
Polynesians seem to be popular among teams with bird mascots. The Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles have 3 Polynesians each. The only other team with 3 Polynesians is the New Orlean Saints.
Most of the Polynesians in the league are on either the Defensive or Offensive line. The big bodies that work in the trenches are where our young men seem to excel. Many are big and quick for their size. Domata Peko of the Cincinnatti Bengals and Haloti Ngata of the Detroit Lions seem to have lasted more than is normal for the players at this position. The wear and tear on the bodies of these large men makes this a difficult position to last for more than 5 years but both Domata and Haloti have lasted 10 years already and are still contributing to their teams.
25 of the Polynesians in the NFL play on the Defensive side of the ball while 16 play on the Offensive side of the ball. The Offensive players are led by Marcus Mariota, the starting Quarterback of the Tennessee Titans. This is his 2nd year of running the Titan Offense. This year has been a tough year so far as Mariota has been sacked quite a lot in this young season. But the promise is there and he seems to be picking up the nuances of the professional game which should eventually turn around the fortunes of the Tennessee Titans.
Also on Offense is Matt Asiata the running back for the Minnesota Vikings. As the replacement for the injured NFL superstar Adrian Petersen, Matt has provided Viking fans with a solid backup game that has propelled the Vikings to an unexpected 5-0 start and 1st place in their division.
Polynesians seem to be popular among teams with bird mascots. The Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles have 3 Polynesians each. The only other team with 3 Polynesians is the New Orlean Saints.
Most of the Polynesians in the league are on either the Defensive or Offensive line. The big bodies that work in the trenches are where our young men seem to excel. Many are big and quick for their size. Domata Peko of the Cincinnatti Bengals and Haloti Ngata of the Detroit Lions seem to have lasted more than is normal for the players at this position. The wear and tear on the bodies of these large men makes this a difficult position to last for more than 5 years but both Domata and Haloti have lasted 10 years already and are still contributing to their teams.
25 of the Polynesians in the NFL play on the Defensive side of the ball while 16 play on the Offensive side of the ball. The Offensive players are led by Marcus Mariota, the starting Quarterback of the Tennessee Titans. This is his 2nd year of running the Titan Offense. This year has been a tough year so far as Mariota has been sacked quite a lot in this young season. But the promise is there and he seems to be picking up the nuances of the professional game which should eventually turn around the fortunes of the Tennessee Titans.
Also on Offense is Matt Asiata the running back for the Minnesota Vikings. As the replacement for the injured NFL superstar Adrian Petersen, Matt has provided Viking fans with a solid backup game that has propelled the Vikings to an unexpected 5-0 start and 1st place in their division.

Polynesians are becoming a critical part of the growth of this league. The NFL has become one of the richest professional leagues in the world. Contracts for the top players are now over 100 million dollars. But there is also more awareness of the injuries that players in this league suffer. One of the changes being implemented includes tackling rugby style. This has been adopted by such teams as the Seattle Seahawks and is drawing rave reviews from players and coaches alike.
As the 2016 season completes the first quarter, there is alot of football still to be played but one thing we can be assured of, our Polynesian athletes have become a fixture on many teams and are becoming more and more prevalent in the ranks of professional football. This year we see the rise of some new exciting players such as Su'a Cravens the Defensive back for the Redskins, Deforest Buckner the defensive end of the 49ers and Ronnie Stanley the Offensive tackle of the Baltimore Ravens. The future of the NFL and Polynesian players will remain entwined as more Polynesians rise through the ranks of college ball. We wish them all well and may the best team win.
Below is a list of all the current NFL players as compiled by the research of Le Malae.
Name Team Position Status Island
Bronson Kaufusi Ravens DE Inj Res Tonga
Kamalei Correa Ravens LB Active Hawaii
Ronnie Stanley Ravens OT Active Tonga
Rey Maualuga Bengals MLB Active Samoa
Domata Peko Bengals DT Active Samoa
Stephen Paea Browns DT Active Tonga
Danny Shelton Browns NT Active Samoa
Koa Misi Dolphins LB Active Tonga
Jordan Cameron Dolphins TE Active Samoa
Haloti Ngata Lions NT Active Tonga
Larry Warford Lions OG Active Samoa
Tony Moeaki Bears TE Active Tonga
John Timu Bears LB Active Samoa
Matt Asiata Vikings RB Active Samoa
Halapoulivaati Vaitai Eagles OT Active Tonga
Isaac Seumalo Eagles OG Active Samoa
Destiny Vaeao Eagles DT Active Samoa
Su’a Cravens Redskins DB Active Samoa
Shawn Lauvao Redskins G Active Samoa
Xavier Su’a-Filo Texans G Active Samoa
Tyson Alualu Jaguars DE Active Samoa
Roy MIller Jaguars DT InjRes Samoa
Marcus Mariota Titans QB Active Samoa
Brian Schwenke Titans C Active Samoa
Shiloh Keo Broncos DB Active Hawaii
Josh Mauga Chiefs ILB Active Samoa
Tenny Palepoi Chargers DE Active Samoa
Manti Te’o Chargers ILB Injur Res Samoa
Levine Toilolo Falcons TE Active Samoa
Louis Murphy Buccaneers WR Active Samoa
Star Lotulelei Panthers DT Active Tonga
Paul Soliai Panthers DT Active Samoa
Michael Hoomanawanui Saints TE Active Hawaii
Senio Kelemete Saints G Active Samoa
Hauoli Kikaha Saints OLB Active Hawaii
Will Tukuafu Seahawks FB Active Tonga
Alani Fua Cardinals OLB Inj RES Tonga
Mike Iupati Cardinals G Active Samoa
Deforest Buckner 49ers DE Active Samoa
Mike Purcell 49ers NT Active Samoa