Mataifale Aigafaimeaso'o Toeaina ( ; born October 9, 1984) is an American former professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...

who played in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL). He was selected by the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...

in the sixth round of the

2007 NFL draft The 2007 NFL draft was the 72nd annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible American football players. It took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draf ...

, and later played for the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

. He is from Pago Pago, American Samoa and played

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Professional career

Cincinnati Bengals

Toeaina was selected by the

in the sixth round of the

. In a 2007

preseason In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of S ...

game against the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

, he returned an

interception In Ball game, ball-playing Competitive sport, competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for ...

for 81 yards and a touchdown—an improbable achievement for a 311-pound defensive tackle. Toeaina, however did not make the Bengals final roster, and was signed to their practice squad.

Chicago Bears

Toeaina was signed by the

to a three-year contract on December 12, 2007. Dusty-d-2008

He saw his first regular season action when the Chicago Bears signed him late in the season. Toeaina registered his first NFL sack against the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

on November 28, 2010. Toeaina signed a 3-year contract extension with the

on December 27, 2010. On December 17, 2012, Toeaina was placed on injured reserve. On March 13, 2013, the Bears announced that they will release Toeaina, and was officially released on April 2. Toeaina ended his tenure in Chicago with 24 starts, recording 66 tackles, two sacks, three passes broken up, and one fumble recovery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Toeaina, Matt 1982 births Living people Players of American football from San Francisco American football defensive tackles Oregon Ducks football players Cincinnati Bengals players Chicago Bears players Players of American football from American Samoa American sportspeople of Samoan descent Pacific Islander American players of American football