Mosiula Faasuka Tatupu #30

It's hard to believe that #30, Mosi Tatupi, died the other day at the age of 54. He was one of my all-time favorite players who had a stellar 13 career with the Pats from 1978-1990.

Although he played primarily on special teams, he was also a blocking back and ranks 13th on the all-time rushing list for the Pats with 2,415 yards on 612 carries for a 3.9 yd average and 18 TD's.

He was a trailblazer, becoming the first American Samoan football player to play in the Pro Bowl with his selection in 1986.

He was also a skilled receiver, catching 96 balls for 843 yards and averaging 8.8 yds with 8 TD's. His 126 career points rank him 28th in team scoring.

He was selected in the 8th round of the 1978 draft out of the University of Southern California. He excelled at USC ,carrying the ball 223 times for 1,277 yards and a 5.7 yd average. He played in the 1978 Hula Bowl All-Star game.

He was truly a fan favorite with his gritty play on kickoffs and punts. He was one of the first Pats to have his own cheering section, "Mosi's Mooses", in the end zone of the old Foxboro Stadium.

His play allowed him to carve out a 13 year career with the Pats where he ranks 3rd in games played for them at 194, trailing only Bruce Armstrong (212) and Julius Adams (206). He played an additional season with the Los Angeles Rams under John Robinson, his former coach at USC.

He had many memorable games including a 100 yard one in the infamous "Snow Plow" game against Miami in 1982. He created fumbles on kick-offs against the Raiders and Dolphins that were recovered and turned into scores during playoff games of the Super Bowl run of 1985.

The Mosi Tatupu Award is given annually to the collegiate special teams player of the year.

His son, Lofa Tatupu, currently plays linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks and has played in the Pro Bowl.