Beniri T'Chawama
 T'Chawama in the Offseason | |
| No. 35 – Berlin Fire Salamanders | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Offensive Lineman |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 4, 2023 (aged 37) Moroni, Comoros |
| Height: | 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) |
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Username: | Dextaria |
| Career information | |
| College: | University of Oregon |
| ISFL Draft: | 2046 / Round: 1st / Pick: 6th |
| DSFL Draft: | 2045 / Round: 1st / Pick: 6th |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Retired |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Beniri T'Chawama (born June 4, 2023) was an American football offensive lineman for the Berlin Fire Salamanders (BER). He played college football for University of Oregon (ORE) and played as a running back for the Dallas Birddogs (DAL) in the DSFL.
Contents
Early years
Born and raised in Moroni, Comoros, Beniri T'Chawama found himself participating in multiple sports during primary education and secondary school such as football (soccer), basketball, and lacrosse just to name a few. However, Beniri often struggled with the competitive aspect to sports. When playing these sports, T'Chawama would find himself on the sidelines and making minimal, sometimes even negative impacts to the game when he stepped onto the field.
Things changed when T'Chawama first tried American football following a recommendation from his high school PE teacher. As a result of his reputation in other sports, Beniri was once again on the sidelines to start, but this time when he stepped on the field as an offensive lineman he was decent. He stood his ground with his tall and large frame and from that, he saw himself getting more playtime. His high school team still performed poorly overall, but it was then he decided to move away from his family to pursue a career in American football in the United States.
College career
Coming from Comoros, Beniri T'Chawama did no see himself as a desired player in the United States. Rather, he had to work his way up the system from the junior college program to the Division 1 program. His first team was with Iowa Central Community College. T'Chawama did not see much playtime there, but his short stints on the field must have garnered the liking of some Division 2 teams.
Following his time at Iowa Central, he moved onto Shepherd University where he played Division 2 football as a Shepherd Ram. Again, Beniri struggled to get on the field, but once again he found himself wanted by a Division 1 team playing for the Oregon Ducks of the University of Oregon. Here he played the rest of the college days, getting rather low minutes on the field, but making the most of the experience. Although Beniri was not the most impactful player on the field, he was always known as a team player in his college years.
College career statistics
| Career statistics | Offensive Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Pancakes | Sacks Allowed |
| 2041 | ICCC | 12 | 18 | 4 |
| 2042 | SU | 11 | 21 | 3 |
| 2043 | ORE | 8 | 14 | 1 |
| 2044 | ORE | 8 | 17 | 2 |
Professional career
| Ht | Wt | 40‑yd dash | 20‑ss | 3‑cone | Vert jump | Broad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) |
265 lb (120 kg) |
8.55 s | 10.43 s | 9.88 s | 11.72 in | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
DSFL Professional career
- 2044
Fresh out of his 2044 season with the University of Oregon, Beniri T'Chawama was determined to make it to the big leagues. He continued to train hard during the offseason and attended a few training sessions with DSFL teams through his college connections. With T'Chawama entering the DSFL draft that coming season, he peaked the interest of a couple of teams and the Minnesota Grey Ducks, who were on a championship winning season, took a chance on the kid. Entering the last four games of the season, T'Chawama started his professional career with his first pancake in his first game, ending with 6 pancakes total. Being the young offensive lineman on the team, he was primarily sitting on the bench as he watched the Minnesota Grey Ducks win against the Pythons and the Luchadores to claim the S29 Ultimini Bowl. It was overall an amazing experience to be a part of a championship winning team and to get in the mindset of what it takes to make it big.
- 2045
Following his brief stint with the Minnesota Grey Ducks, Beniri T'Chawama was eligible for the 2045 DSFL Draft where teams were quick to notice the offensive lineman. Quite a few scouts were chatting up T'Chawama to see his interest in their respective teams and the league in general, but ultimately Beniri was happy to land anywhere so long as the team was happy. However, unconfident in his own skills and seeing others in his draft, in an interview T'Chawama mentioned "there's a lot of great guys in this draft and I feel like GMs should be taking me in the 3rd round if anything." This did not end up being the case as the Dallas Birddogs took Beniri in the 1st round, 6th overall. Soon after the draft, T'Chawama became a running back, filling that need on the team. In his first season as a running back, T'Chawama had 4.9 yards on average with 8 touchdowns which was enough to lead the team. This resulted in a 9-5 record to lead the conference, but the Birddogs lost in the 1st round of the playoffs against the Luchadores. Of course, despite making the switch, Beniri still snuck a couple of pancakes to get 13 on the season.
- 2046
Prior to the start of his second season with the Dallas Birddogs, Beniri T'Chawama was selected in the 1st round, 6th overall by the Honolulu Hahalua in the 2046 ISFL Draft with hopes to eventually switch back to a offensive lineman. T'Chawama decided to stay down for another season as his goal was out to help the Birddogs bounce back after that 1st round loss. The team around him was looking very promising and the team ultimately finished the season with a 9-5 record once again to lead the conference and league. This season, the teams were a lot tighter in the standings and it could be anyone's to win, but the Birddogs defeated the Seawolves and Coyotes to win the S31 Ultimini Bowl. T'Chawama once again lead the team in rushing statistics with 4.4 yards on average with 13 touchdowns on the season. This tied him for the 2nd most touchdowns in the league that season, while getting 14 pancakes total. Overall, it was a successful season as even the team that drafted him, the Honolulu Hahalua, won the Ultimus Bowl that season. Getting the callup following this Ultimini win, it seems like the future was promising for the young T'Chawama.
ISFL Professional career
- 2047
2047 marked the debut season for Beniri T'Chawama in the ISFL. He prepared well in the offseason, getting used to being an offensive lineman once again after 2 seasons as a running back. In his debut game against the New York Silverbacks, T'Chawama had 9 pancakes which helped the Honolulu Hahalua win the first game of the season 34-28. It was clear that Beniri was not the best offensive lineman in the league, but it was a promising start for the rookie. The Hahalua went 9-2 to start the season, but went on a 5 game losing streak to end it where the team eventually lost to the Arizona Outlaws in the 1st round of the playoffs. In his first playoff game, T'Chawama totaled 8 pancakes to add to his season totals of 90 pancakes and only 1 sack allowed. Quite a ways to go for Beniri, but his career in the ISFL was just getting started.
- 2048
Working hard to avoid a sophomore slump, T'Chawama was back once again with the Honolulu Hahalua in his 2nd season in the league. The Hahalua wanted to reclaim the title of Ultimus champions after a disappointing season following their championship winning run. However, the season started quite poorly once more with 5 straight losses before clawing their way back to a 7-9 record to end the season thanks to a 5 game win streak to finish the season. This was just good enough to make it back to the playoffs where Beniri would play his second ever playoff game against the Outlaws once more and the team lost once again in the 1st round. His second playoff game showed just as much heart with 9 total pancakes, one more than last season. This was the most pancakes by anyone in the game and showed that T'Chawama could be a difference maker. Another 1st round exit for Beniri as he had 94 pancakes and 1 sack allowed, 4 more than last season.
- 2049
Entering his 3rd season in the ISFL on the Honolulu Hahalua, Beniri T'Chawama was looking to continue his improvements as an offensive lineman on a Honolulu team that was looking to bounce back strong after a poor 2048 season. T'Chawama played a large role in the resurgence of the Hahalua as the team climbed the standings early with strong play from the young offensive lineman. These strong first couple of weeks is where Beniri pulled ahead over other offensive linemen in the league, proving himself to be one of the best. He recorded 14 pancakes in their week 4 game against the Colorado Yeti and this helped cement T'Chawama's best season since his 1st season in the league. by the end of the season, he had a career best of 133 pancakes and only 2 sacks allowed, placing him among the top 5 best offensive linemen in the league. In the playoffs, T'Chawama recorded a team-leading 19 pancakes with no sacks allowed, as the Honolulu Hahalua lose in the finals to the Chicago Butchers.
- 2050
In Beniri's 4th season in the ISFL, still with the Honolulu Hahalua, T'Chawama's knows that the team and fans would be looking at him once again. Coming off a personal best season, Beniri T'Chawama continued to play the team game and doing what his is known best for. However, this regular season saw a decline in terms of pancakes with 18 fewer pancakes compared to last season. The number of sacks allowed also increased by 1 compared to the previous season. As such a quote from Beniri T'Chawama at the end of the season summed it up best: "The season was yet again a great one for the team, I'm so proud of the team, but I definitely need to step up during the playoffs to prove to myself that I'm still improving." T'Chawama definitely did not disappoint in the playoffs with 11 pancakes in their first playoff game, totaling 18 to help the Hahalua win the Ultimus Bowl, the first of his career after winning 2 Ultimini Bowls.
- 2051
In the 2051 season of the ISFL, Beniri T'Chawama and the Honolulu Hahalua were looking to obtain back-to-back Ultimus Bowls. At this point in time, Beniri has established himself as one of the most promising offensive linemen that season. This season, he also took younger Lane Frost under his wing as the two cornerstone pieces of the Hahalua offensive line. His regular season performance left fans once again expecting a little more with 11 less pancakes compared to the previous season, finishing with the 9th most pancakes in the season. However, with age and additional game knowledge from last years Ultimus Bowl run, T'Chawama had only 1 sack allowed. This is the lowest number so far in Beniri's career. During the playoffs, he had a respectable 17 pancakes in total. This was by no means team-leading and despite another Ultimus Bowl win for the Honolulu Hahalua, many still expect that next step from Beniri in the next season. Regardless, back-to-back Ultimus Bowls for the young offensive lineman is quite the accomplishment along side the 2 Ultimini Bowls already in his collection.
- 2052
Going for the three-peat, Beniri T'Chawama is at the peak of his career. The Honolulu Hahalua started the 2052 season quite average with a 2-2 record and was only able to muster a 3 game winstreak. The team struggled to put things together as they would bounce between winning a couple game and losing the next, finishing the season with a 9-7 record. While the team struggled a bit, T'Chawama put up his best season to date with 136 pancakes and only 1 sack allowed. This was enough to lead the league in pancakes, as well as put up a personal best of 15 pancakes against the Yellowknife Wraiths. In the playoffs, Beniri T'Chawama continued his dominance with 10 pancakes in the team's win against the New Orleans Second Line, but only 6 in the game where they lost against the Arizona Outlaws, the eventual champions. With the three-peat dreams crushed and the team looking like a rebuild is in need, the future for T'Chawama and the Honolulu Hahalua appeared uncertain.
- 2053
As his future was uncertain with Honolulu, during the offseason Beniri had a chat with the GM and they agreed to send T'Chawama off to the New Orleans Second Line for future picks. T'Chawama was hot off of a league-leading season and despite the new team, was aiming to continue that type of season. In his first real game with his new team, Beniri put up 7 pancakes. Eventually, the Second Line ended the season 8-8 in a tight conference, just missing out of the playoffs, but also second last in the conference. T'Chawama also had his worst season since his rookie year with only 92 pancakes, but also he did not allow a single sack that season. Some speculate it could be the new team, or how the team deployed T'Chawama, but regardless, it was a down season for the offensive lineman and he desperately wants to show the New Orlean fans that he was worth trading for.
- 2054
After a terrible season, Beniri T'Chawama wanted to show the doubters wrong. T'Chawama started the 2054 season with a personal record setting 16 pancakes in the first game against the Auston Copperheads. While the team lost the game, Beniri wanted to keep up that momentum following that game with a 13 pancake game. Ultimately, the Second Line would go 8-8 once more, but this time it was enough to the playoffs, the first time for Beniri with New Orleans. T'Chawama ended the season with 136 pancakes to lead the league once more with only 1 sack allowed. In the playoffs, the Second Line battled, but eventually lost in the conference finals against the Arizona Outlaws. In the playoffs, Beniri had 5 and 10 pancakes in his two games, respectively. Tying his season best, setting a personal best, and leading the league once more, Beniri T'Chawama could not be happier with such a season as he becomes a veteran in the league.
- 2055
Following a record season for T'Chawama, 2055 was absolutely disappointing. The New Orleans Second Line would have loved to build upon their conference final appearance, but the team really struggled as Beniri T'Chawama struggled as well. The team would win just as many as they would lose, before going on a 5 game losing streak at the end of the season. This put them with a 6-10 record where they squeaked into the playoffs through a weaker conference. One could argue Beniri played a role in such a poor season as he had his worst season in the league with only 88 pancakes and 2 sacks allowed. In the playoffs, the New Orleans Second Line lost once again to the Arizona Outlaws who ended up being the eventual Ultimus champions. In yet another playoff game, Beniri had 9 pancakes, but allowed a sack. Overall, an absolutely disappointing season that T'Chawama hopes to forget.
- 2056
The 2056 season saw an aging Beniri T'Chawama trying to keep up pace with the new, younger players in the league. T'Chawama started the season with the New Orleans Second Line; however, after a disappointing start by the team, going 1-3, the Second Line decided to rebuild this season. Following that decision, T'Chawama was packaged in a deal to the Berlin Fire Salamanders with fellow teammates Mada, Stig, and Ganyu for picks and prospects. The Berlin Fire Salamanders were not having the greatest start either going 1-3 as well, but the team were losing close games and they thought the extra help could push them over to be contenders. Unfortunately, the Berlin Fire Salamanders finished the season at the bottom of the conference with an 5-11 record, the second worst record just ahead of the rebuilding New Orleans Second Line. As disappointing of a season it was for the teams, T'Chawama showed the league he was not done getting pancakes, eclipsing the 100 pancake mark with 101 pancakes. However, this was also the worst season for T'Chawama with 8 sacks allowed, his worst season by a wide margin. With that, T'Chawama's career appears to be waning as he enters what may be his last season.
DSFL Professional career statistics
| Career statistics | Offensive Line | Running Back | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Pancakes | Sacks Allowed | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
| 2044 | MINN | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2045 | DAL | 14 | 13 | 0 | 193 | 941 | 4.9 | 8 |
| 2046 | DAL | 14 | 14 | 0 | 161 | 709 | 4.4 | 13 |
ISFL Professional career statistics
| Career statistics | Offensive Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Pancakes | Sacks Allowed |
| 2047 | HON | 16 | 90 | 1 |
| 2048 | HON | 16 | 94 | 1 |
| 2049 | HON | 16 | 133 | 2 |
| 2050 | HON | 16 | 115 | 3 |
| 2051 | HON | 16 | 104 | 1 |
| 2052 | HON | 16 | 136 | 1 |
| 2053 | NOLA | 16 | 92 | 0 |
| 2054 | NOLA | 16 | 136 | 1 |
| 2055 | NOLA | 16 | 88 | 2 |
| 2056 | NOLA | 4 | 29 | 2 |
| BER | 12 | 72 | 6 | |
Achievements and records
Awards
- Team
- Ultimus Champion (2): 2050 (S35), 2051 (S36)
- Ultimini Champion (2): 2044 (S29), 2046 (S31)
- Individual
- ISFL Pro Bowl ASFC Selection (5): 2049 (S34), 2050 (S35), 2052 (S37), 2053 (S38), 2054 (S39)
- DSFL Pro Bowl South Selection (2): 2045 (S30), 2046 (S31)
- Prospect Pro Bowl Melancholy Hills Manatees Selection (1): 2045 (S30)
