Washington Redskins Sign DL Stephen Paea Featured
Editor's Note: Nepituno Tonga Online News is proud to relay to all it's viewers another success story about Tongans around the Globe. This time Stephen Paea of Vava'u.
The Washington Redskins announced on Wednesday 11 March, 2015 that they have signed unrestricted free agent defensive lineman Stephen Paea (“pie-yah”). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Paea (6-1, 300) is a veteran of four NFL seasons after being originally selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 55 career games with 40 starts, all with Chicago, recording 94 tackles (56 solo), 12.0 sacks, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
Last season, Paea established career highs in games played (16), starts (16), total tackles (33), solo tackles (24), tackles for loss (eight), sacks (6.0) and forced fumbles (two).
Paea played collegiately at Oregon State from 2008-10 after beginning his college career at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah from 2006-07. He was a two-time winner of the Morris Trophy, which is awarded annually to the top defensive lineman in the Pac-12.
Paea, 26, attended Timpview H.S. in Provo, Utah, where he earned all-region and all-division honors while playing on the offensive and defensive lines in his first season of football. He was born on May 11, 1988 in Auckland, New Zealand, and was raised on the islands of Vavaʻu in his native Tonga.
Source: The Official Site of Washington Redskins
