Brandon Manumaleuna facts for kids

Brandon Michael Manumaleuna (born January 4, 1980) is a former professional football player from the United States. He played as a tight end, a position that blocks and catches passes. Brandon played college football at the University of Arizona. Later, the St. Louis Rams picked him in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL draft.

Brandon also played for the San Diego Chargers and the Chicago Bears during his career.

Growing Up: Brandon's Early Life

Brandon Manumaleuna has both Samoan and African-American heritage. He went to Narbonne High School in Harbor City, California. While there, he was a great athlete. He was chosen as a Second-team All-State defensive lineman. He also played basketball and ran track.

College Football Journey at Arizona

Brandon attended the University of Arizona from 1997 to 2000. He was a talented player there. In his junior year, he was named Second-team All-Pac-10. This is a big honor for college football players. While at Arizona, he studied political science.

Brandon started playing at Arizona as a defensive lineman. But he later changed to play tight end and H-back. He finished his college career with 40 catches for 544 yards. He also scored three touchdowns.

Playing in the NFL: Brandon's Pro Career

Brandon Manumaleuna was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in 2001. He was the 129th player chosen overall. He signed his first professional contract with the Rams.

St. Louis Rams: First NFL Team

Brandon played for the Rams from 2001 to 2005. In his first year (2001), he caught his first NFL pass. It was a one-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2002, he had eight catches for 106 yards and another touchdown.

His best year with the Rams was 2003. He caught 29 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. He had a career-high 56 receiving yards in one game. In 2004, he continued to be a key player. He made 15 catches for 174 yards and one touchdown. He even had a long 48-yard catch against the New England Patriots. In 2005, he caught 13 passes for 129 yards and one touchdown. He missed a couple of games due to a knee injury.

San Diego Chargers: A New Team

In 2006, the St. Louis Rams traded Brandon to the San Diego Chargers. He played for the Chargers from 2006 to 2009. In 2006, he caught 14 passes for 91 yards and three touchdowns. He had a great game against the Cincinnati Bengals, scoring two touchdowns. One of his touchdowns came from a special pass by LaDainian Tomlinson.

In 2007, Brandon caught 10 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown. He had a 40-yard catch against the Kansas City Chiefs. This was his longest catch since 2004. He also scored a touchdown from quarterback Philip Rivers. He played in playoff games with the Chargers, showing his importance to the team. In 2008, he played all 16 games and caught 15 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns. The next year (2009), he played in all 16 games again.

Chicago Bears: Final NFL Stop

On March 5, 2010, Brandon Manumaleuna signed a contract with the Chicago Bears. He played one season for the Bears. He was released by the team in July 2011.

Brandon Manumaleuna's NFL Stats

These tables show Brandon's performance during his time in the NFL.

Regular season

Playoffs

About Brandon's Family and Interests

The name Manumaleuna means "bird-of-paradise". When Brandon wasn't playing football, he enjoyed playing basketball. He also loved spending time with his family.

Football runs in Brandon's family! His father, Frank Manumaleuga, was also an NFL player. Frank played as a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1979 to 1981. He played college football at UCLA. Brandon showed his football talent early on. When he was 11 years old, he won the NFL's Punt, Pass, and Kick Competition.

Brandon Manumaleuna is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.