Daniel Te'o-Nesheim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Daniel Te'o-Nesheim

Te'o-Nesheim in the 2012 NFL season.
No. 52, 50
Position:	Outside Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(1987-06-12)June 12, 1987 Pago Pago, American Samoa
Died:	October 29, 2017(2017-10-29) (aged 30) Hilo, Hawaii, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	263 lb (119 kg)
Career information
High school:	Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Waimea, Hawaii)
College:	Washington
NFL Draft:	2010 / Round: 3 / Pick: 86
Career history
Philadelphia Eagles (2010–2011) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2011–2013)
Career highlights and awards
Washington Defensive MVP (2007) Second-team All-Pac-10 honors (2009)
Career NFL statistics
Total tackles: 57 Sacks: 5.0 Player stats at NFL.com

Daniel Te'o-Nesheim (born Nesheim; June 12, 1987 – October 29, 2017) was a Samoan-American football player. He played as an outside linebacker. He was chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Before playing professionally, he played college football at the University of Washington.

Growing Up and High School Years

Daniel Te'o-Nesheim was born in Pago Pago, American Samoa, on June 12, 1987. His parents were David and Ailota Nesheim. When he was five years old, his family moved to Mill Creek, Washington. Sadly, his father, David, passed away when Daniel was in middle school.

At age 12, Daniel moved back to American Samoa. Later, he attended a boarding school in Hawaii. While in high school, his mother suggested adding "Te'o" to his last name. "Te'o" is a Samoan family name. This was a way to honor their Samoan heritage.

At Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Daniel was a top athlete. He was named to the all-league first-team three times. He played as a lineman on both offense and defense. In his senior year, his team had a great record of 11 wins and 1 loss. They were 10-0 in their league. They became the first team from the Big Island to win a state playoff game.

Daniel was also very good at track and field. He won the state championship in shot put. He also placed second in discus during his senior year. He played basketball and baseball too. One of his high school teammates was Max Unger, who also became an NFL player.

After high school, Daniel was recruited by several colleges. These included Oregon, Hawaii, and Washington. He decided to play for the University of Washington in 2005.

College Football Career

Daniel Te'o-Nesheim played college football for the University of Washington. In 2005, he took a "redshirt" year. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. He was named the scout team defensive player of the year.

He was a standout player for the Huskies. In 2007, he was named the defensive MVP. In 2008, he won several important awards. These included the Guy Flaherty Most Inspirational Award. He also won the John P. Angel Defensive Lineman of the Year award. He was chosen as a team captain in both 2008 and 2009. In 2009, he earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors.

Daniel started every game of his college career, playing in 49 games. He made a total of 194 tackles. He also had 30 sacks, which means he tackled the opposing quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. He set a new school record for career sacks. This broke the old record of 28 sacks. He also had 50.5 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

Professional Football Career

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles chose Daniel Te'o-Nesheim in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He was the 86th player picked overall. He signed a four-year contract with the Eagles on June 16, 2010.

During his first year, Daniel had a shoulder injury. This limited his playing time. He played in only six games. He started one game against the Dallas Cowboys. In that game, he recorded his first professional sack. On September 3, 2011, he was released by the Eagles. However, he was re-signed to their practice squad the next day. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Daniel spent most of the 2011 season on the Eagles' practice squad. On November 22, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him from the Eagles' practice squad. He then joined the Buccaneers' main team.

NFL Statistics

Here are Daniel Te'o-Nesheim's statistics from his time in the NFL:

Key

• GP: Games Played
• COMB: Combined Tackles (total tackles)
• TOTAL: Total Tackles (made by the player alone)
• AST: Assisted Tackles (player helped another teammate make the tackle)
• SACK: Sacks (tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage)
• FF: Forced Fumbles (making the ball carrier drop the ball)
• FR: Fumble Recoveries (picking up a dropped ball)
• FR YDS: Fumble Return Yards
• INT: Interceptions (catching a pass meant for an opponent)
• IR YDS: Interception Return Yards
• AVG IR: Average Interception Return
• LNG: Longest Interception Return
• TD: Touchdowns (scoring a touchdown after an interception)
• PD: Passes Defensed (breaking up a pass)

Life After Football and Passing

After his time as a professional football player, Daniel Te'o-Nesheim returned to his high school, Hawaii Preparatory Academy. He became an assistant coach for two years. In 2017, he became the head coach.

Daniel Te'o-Nesheim passed away on October 29, 2017, at the age of 30. His family chose to donate his brain for scientific study. Doctors at the Boston University School of Medicine studied his brain. They learned more about how playing football can affect brain health over time.

See also

• Washington Huskies football statistical leaders