Lofa Tatupu Father: Mosi Tatupu’s Career, Family & Net Worth

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The former American football linebacker Lofa Tatupu’s father, Mosi Tatupu, played in the NFL for 14 seasons as a running back. He primarily played for the New England Patriots and then for the Los Angeles Rams.

Aside from being a player, the University of Southern California alumnus Mosi served as a coach for King Phillip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and Curry College.

Unfortunately, Mosi died of a heart attack on February 23, 2010, in Plainville, Massachusetts.

Mosi Tatpu pic
Former Patriots Running Back Mosi Tatupu Looks on the Field in Foxborough (Source: The Boston Globe)

However, four years later, the CTE Center at Boston University School of Medicine performed research using Lofa’s brain tissue preserved from his 2010 autopsy and posthumously revealed that the cause of death was chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

As for Lofa, he played in the NFL for six seasons and then pursued a coaching career. He was an assistant linebackers coach with the Seahawks.

For more details about father and son, please read the whole article and do not forget to go through the facts table below.

Lofa Tatupu Father | Quick Facts

Birth Name Mosiula Faasuka Tatupu
Known As Mos Tatupu
Date of Birth April 26, 1955
Date of Death February 23, 2010 (Aged 54)
Birthplace Pago Pago, American Samoa
Place of Death Attleboro, Massachusetts, United States
Religion Not Known
Ethnicity Samoan
Sexual Orientation Straight
Father Name Not Known
Mother Name  Not Known
Gender Male
Profession Professional NFL Player
Famous For  Football Player and Coach, Father of Linebacker Lofa Tatupu
Nationality American
Education Punahou School, University of Southern California
Height 6 ft. 0 in/1.83 m/183 cm
Weight 227 lb./103 kg
Eye Color Black
Hair Color Brown
Build Large
Marital Status Married
Wife Linnea Garcia-Tatupu
Children Lofa Tatupu
Siblings Tautofi Tuipala (Brother)
Zodiac Sign  Taurus
Played For New England Patriots (1978-1990), Los Angeles Rams (1991)
As a Coach King Philip Regional HS (MA) (1995–2001) (Head Coach), Curry (2002–2007) (Running Backs)
Position Running Back
NFL Draft 1978 / Round: 8 / Pick: 216
Roster Status Retired
Career Highlights Pro Bowl (1986)

New England Patriots All-1970s & 1980s Team

New England Patriots 35th & 50th Anniversary Team

Jersey Number 30, 44
Net Worth $1.5- $5 Million (Before Death) 
Merch  Autographed Index Card,  Autographed NFL Photos
Social Media of Lofa Tatupu Instagram, Twitter
Last Update March 2024

Lofa Tatupu Father | Early Life, Education & More

Lofa’s father, Mosi Tatupu, was born Mosiula Faasuka Tatupu on April 26, 1955, in the American Samoan, Pago’s territorial capital.

Not much is known about his parents and family background, but it is known that he was of Samoan descent.

Mosi attended Punahou School in Honolulu, where he was a standout player. He set numerous Hawaii state rushing records before graduating in 1974.

Mosi Family
Mosi Tatupu With His Family (Source: YouTube)

After high school graduation Mosi went to the University of Southern California and played college football for USC Trojans.

He played in the 1978 Hula Bowl and finished his career with 223 rushing attempts for 1,277 yards.

Mosi was a highly decorated player in college, so Maui Quarterback Club and Hula Bowl began giving the Mosi Tatupu Award to the College Football Special Teams Player of the Year.

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Lofa Tatupu Father | Age, Height & Weight

As mentioned before, Mosi Tatupu died on February 23, 2010, in Plainville, Massachusetts. He was just 54 at the time.

The cause of the death was said to be a heart attack initially.

It was not until 2014 that the CTE Center at Boston University School of Medicine examined the case using Mosi’s preserved brain tissue from his 2010 autopsy and found that chronic traumatic encephalopathy took his life.

Mosi
Lofa Tatupu’s Father Mosi Tatupu (Source: The Times-Picayune Obituaries)

In more relatable terms, Mosi had a brain disease associated with repeated hits to the head.

About his physique, Mosi had a large build, stood 1.83 meters tall, and weighed approximately 227 lbs.

His nephew and brother Tautofi Tuipala’s son, Joseph Lafaele Tuipala, played in National Football League as a linebacker.

Lofa Tatupu Father | Career

After graduating from college, Mosi declared for the NFL draft and was chosen 215th overall by the New England Patriots in 1978 NFL Draft.

He played fullback and became excellent on special teams. In the 1993 season, he led the league with 5.5 rushing yards per attempt.

Mosi was mainly used on special teams kick coverage and had seven kick returns for 56 yards throughout his career.

Mosi Playing Football
Mosi Tatupu (Left) Playing For The New England Patriots in 1986 (Source: NPR) 

After concluding his National Football League career with a five-game stint with the Rams in 1991, Mosi retired.

After retiring from football, Mosi pursued a career in coaching. From 1995 to 2011, he served as the head coach for King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts.

After that, he became running backs coach at an NCAA Division III school in Milton, Massachusetts, Curry College.

He stayed in Curry from 2002 to 2007 and served under the head coach Steve Nelson, Mosi’s former Patriots teammate.

Short Bio On Lofa Tatupu

The son of Mosi Tatupu, Lofa Tatupu played six seasons in the NFL as a linebacker.

Just like his father, he played college football for the University of Southern California and played football for USC Trojans.

However, he spent his freshman year at the University of Maine.

After college, he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

During his time with the Seahawks, he became a teammate with Matt Hasselbeck, son of Don Hasselbeck, who had been a teammate of Lofa’s father, Mosi during his Patriots days.

Lofa Tatupu
Former American Football Linebacker Lofa Tatupu (Source: O’Neill and Associates)

Lofa spent five seasons with the Seahawks, and after a few injuries and highs and lows with the team, Seahawks released Lofa on July 31, 2011.

The actual reason for his release was that both parties could not come to an agreement on a restructured contract.

Lofa then signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons on March 10, 2012.

However, he suffered a torn pectoral and missed the entire 2012 season because the Falcons released Lofa the very next day. 

Lofa then went on to pursue a broadcasting career.

Lofa Tatupu Father | Honors

Mosi was honored on the Patriot’s 35th Anniversary. 

Mosi was honored as a special teamer on the New England Patriot’s 50th Anniversary Team in 2009.

He also participated in a ceremony at Gillette Stadium during halftime of the 2009 season opener.

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Lofa Tatupu Father | Net Worth

While there is not an exact number on Mosi’s net worth, various sources have claimed it to have been somewhere around $1.5 to $5 million before his death.

He earned mostly through his football career.

His son, on the other hand, has over $10 million net worth as of 2022.

Lofa signed a six-year $42 million contract extension with the Seahawks on March 21, 2008. The deal guaranteed $18 million in the years 2008 to 2010.

This deal made Lofa one of the six highest-paid linebackers in the league.

Similarly, he signed a two-year $5.75 million deal with the Falcons on March 10, 2012.

And even though he left organized football years ago, Lofa has not left the money making game. He owns a CBD company named Zoneln CBD which he founded in 2019.

Lofa Tatupu | Social Media Presence

The former linebacker Lofa knows how to connect with his admirers, which is why he is active on almost all modern social media platforms.

He has over 11.8k Instagram followers.

Similarly, his Twitter handle has more than 8k followers.

He shares his professional and personal life on both platforms now and then to let his fans know what he’s been up to.

Lofa Tatupu Father | Unknown Facts

Mosi’s name was used in the ‘King Kong’ parody segment ‘King Homer’ on a Halloween episode of Fox’s ‘The Simpsons.’

Tatupu never won Super Bowl.

Mosi had his section of fans, “Mosi’s Mooses,” at Foxboro Stadium. These fans embellished moose heads and chanted Mosi’s NAME throughout the game.

Despite being one of the most famous players in the New England Patriots history, Mosi retired from playing with the Los Angeles Rams.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)

When was Mosi’s son Lofa drafted and by who?

Mosi’s son Lofa was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks 45th overall in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft.

What are Lofa Tatupu’s major career achievements?

Lofa was two times AP national champion, three times Pro-Bowl, and was in Seattle Seahawks 35th Anniversary Team.

Did Lofa coach?

On February 9, 2015, Seattle Seahawks announced that Lofa would be joining Pete Carroll and Kris Richard’s staff as assistant linebacker coaches. Lofa served for two years with the Seahawks and resigned from his position two years later in 2017.

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Pranaya Poudel
Pranaya Poudelhttp://playersbio.com
Stargazer, & Rock n' Roller I Pranaya Poudel, am a content writer and editor for playersbio.com. Coffee lover and kind of a loner. Favorite Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) Favorite Players: Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden & Patrick Mahomes FYI I believe in Alien!!!

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