Ben Tu'inukuafe
 | This article is pending review by an Approver on the wiki team. Do not award TPE yet. |
 | |
| No. 61 – New Orleans Second Line | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive End |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 19, 2013 (aged 49) Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 300 lb (136 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | University of Otago |
| Career history | |
| "* Tijuana Luchadores (2030 (S15)-2034 (S19)) | |
| Roster status: | Active |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Ben Tu'inukuafe (born June 19, 2013) is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Second Line of the National Simulation Football League (NSFL).
Contents
Early years
Tu'inukuafe was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. He was a talented sportsman and played rugby and cricket from a young age, representing Otago at age group levels in both. His exposure to American football came as a result of certain New Zealand athletes moving to the United States to play in both the DSFL and NSFL.
College career
Tu'inukuafe began playing American football as he entered his first year at the University of Otago, as the sport grew in popularity around the country. Tu'unikuafe played both offensive line and defensive line, drawing on his skills from playing as a prop in rugby. During his first season he was approached by a scout from the Tijuana Luchadores and decided to enter the 2030 DSFL draft. He was regarded as one of the best prospects to come from New Zealand due to his pure strength at Offensive Line and although his technique needed refinement he picked up the game quickly due to playing on both sides of the ball.
College career statistics
Use this page to get the stats table template.
Professional career
DSFL career
Tu'inukuafe was drafted by the Tijuana Luchadores as expected in the second round. His personal relationship with the GM who was also from New Zealand meant this came as no surprise. He teamed up with sophmores Brave Ulysses and Edmond Beaver-Dantes to form the "Bash Brothers" in an already well established offensive line known around the league as the Wall. The Bash Brothers only played one season together before the older two players made their way to the NSFL. Tu'inukuafe decided to forgo the draft but not before attending pre-draft events such as the draft combine, where he had 46 bench press reps, second most all time, shared by five players including hall of famer Angus Winchester. Staying in Tijuana proved to be a good decision as they would go on to win repeat championships in 2031 and 2032. In 2033 Tu'inukuafe would set the record for the best season by an offensive lineman in the DSFL with 67 Pancakes and 0 sacks allowed, winning him the Offensive Lineman of the year award.
NSFL career
| Ht | Wt | 40‑yd dash | 20‑ss | 3‑cone | Vert jump | Broad | BP | Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
300 lb (136 kg) |
5.19 s | 5.01 s | 7.83 s | 22.8 in (0.58 m) |
7 ft 0.7 in (2.15 m) |
46 reps | 25 |
In 2035 Tu'inukuafe agreed to a team friendly 3 year, 3 million dollar deal with the New Orleans Second Line to reunite with former teammate Brave Ulysses, although due to the depth New Orleans already had at the position Tu'inukuafe would find himself switching to the other side of the line and playing Defensive End. He had a relatively quiet rookie season as he adjusted to his new position especially at the faster pace of the NSFL. His sophmore season would see him make the Pro Bowll and contribute to the team's playoff run resulting in an Ultimini championship win. In 2037 he returned to the Pro Bowl and was nominated for Defensive End of the year, but lost the award to fellow Tijuana alumn Immanuel Blackstone.
Professional career statistics
Use this page to get the stats table template.
Achievements and records
Use this section as an example. ""
