From humble beginnings in a one-bedroom shack in Samoa to their journey to the United States, Penei Sewell parents, Arlene and Gabriel Sewell Sr., have been unwavering support in his life.
Long before anyone else could recognize the immense potential within Penei, Arlene and Gabriel had already glimpsed the caliber of their son, foreseeing that he would one day rise to become a prominent star in the NFL.
Their steadfast belief in him and the sacrifices they made along the way have been instrumental in shaping Penei’s path to success in professional football.
Penei Sewell was born on October 9, 2000, in Malaeimi, a village in American Samoa near the capital of Pago Pago.
The Detroit Lions picked Sewell seventh overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was said to be one of the top overall prospects in the draft.
Sewell started playing high school football for Desert Hills High School after his family moved to St. George, Utah, in 2012.
He even got the opportunity to play in the US Army All-American and Polynesian Bowls when he was a senior.
Sewell then went to the University of Oregon to play college football for the Oregon Ducks.
The start of his college career was a very rough one. He was selected as an immediate starter during his freshman year.
However, due to his ankle sprain, he was unable to appear in the starting games.
Sewell and former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa were named co-winners of the 2019 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award.
Meet Penei Sewell Parents Arlene And Gabriel Sewell Sr.
Penei Sewell Parents have had a significant impact on his professional football career. Many spectators have even credited his genetics for his performance.
His father, Gabriel Sr., is the head coach of Orem High School, which has won the Utah State Football Championship nine times.
He was a track and field athlete in high school and a graphic design major at Dixie State University.
Arlene is the player’s mother who has showered him with love and support and made him the person he is today.
Sewell grew up with his parents and siblings in a coastal hut in Samoa. His father, a big football fan, was the first coach for him and his brothers.
Gabriel Sr. became a high school football coach on the island by pure coincidence after his government job financing ran out.
From that point forward, football became a means of communication for the Sewell family.
Gabriel Sr. trained his boys by filling 2-litre bottles with pebbles.
The couple later moved to Utah as they had realized the potential of their boys.
Both Gabriel Sr. and Arlene saw that their boys could make it to the NFL. Hence, they were ready to make any sort of sacrifice for them.
Penei Sewell parents and the rest of the family are also interested in community service.
The Sewell Strong Foundation is a charity organization that assists aspiring athletes.
Penei Sewell’s Brother Have Helped Each Other Grow In Life
Penei has three brothers, Gabe Jr., Nephi, and Noah, who motivate each other and have also been each other’s practice partners since day one.
His older brother, Gabriel Jr., was born on December 17, 1996, and he paved the way for his brothers.
He turned his football career into a scholarship at the University of Nevada Reno. There, he earned a degree in kinesiology, and Nephi followed in the footsteps of Gabriel, Jr.
Nephi, also his older brother, was born on December 19, 1998, and is a New Orleans Saints linebacker.
He attended Nevada and Utah in college and graduated with a degree in International Studies
Subsequently, Penei and Noah both won football scholarships to the University of Oregon.
Noah, his younger brother, was born on April 26, 2002, and is a linebacker for the Chicago Bears.
Noah earned the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. The brothers would train with their father when they were kids.
When their parents were not home, they would frequently test their WWE moves on each other.