Ma'ake Kemoeatu
Encyclopedia
Ma'ake Tu'amelie Kemoeatu (maˈʔake kemoeˈatu; born January 10, 1979) is Tonga
n professional American football
defensive tackle who is a free agent
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football
for the University of Utah
Utes
.
Kemoeatu has also played for the Carolina Panthers
and Washington Redskins
. He is the older brother of NFL offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu
, and is one of several Tongans currently playing in the NFL.
, who would also go on to play football at the University of Utah
and later entered the NFL. When he was a child his family moved to the U.S. state of Hawaii
. He grew up in Kahuku, Hawaii, near Honolulu, and attended Kahuku High School
.
. He started 35 of 43 games played in college, finishing his career with 160 tackles and nine sacks. He was suspended by the NCAA for his last college game, the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl
, for buying two math books for his younger brother, Tevita, using scholarship money.
from 2002 to 2005. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002.
as a free agent in 2006.
Kemoeatu suffered a torn right Achilles' tendon during the team's 2009 training camp. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on August 5. He was released on March 5, 2010.
. He was released on July 28, 2011.
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle who is a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
Utes
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
.
Kemoeatu has also played for the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. He is the older brother of NFL offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu
Chris Kemoeatu
Uikelotu Christopher "Chris" Kemoeatu is a Tongan professional American football player who is currently a guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Utah Utes, and was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2005...
, and is one of several Tongans currently playing in the NFL.
Early years
Kemoeatu was born in Tonga. His younger brother is Chris KemoeatuChris Kemoeatu
Uikelotu Christopher "Chris" Kemoeatu is a Tongan professional American football player who is currently a guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Utah Utes, and was drafted by the Steelers in the sixth round of the 2005...
, who would also go on to play football at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and later entered the NFL. When he was a child his family moved to the U.S. state of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. He grew up in Kahuku, Hawaii, near Honolulu, and attended Kahuku High School
Kahuku High School
Kahuku High & Intermediate School, located in Kahuku CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of Oahu, serves approximately 1,850 students in grades seven through twelve and is part of the Windward District on the island of Oahu. It is a part of the Hawaii Department of Education...
.
College career
Kemoeatu was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at UtahUtah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
. He started 35 of 43 games played in college, finishing his career with 160 tackles and nine sacks. He was suspended by the NCAA for his last college game, the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl
2001 Las Vegas Bowl
The 2001 edition to the Las Vegas Bowl was the 10th edition of that annual game. It featured the USC Trojans, and the Utah Utes.The game was dominated by defense. Utah opened the scoring on a 3 yard touchdown run by Adam Tate, leading 7–0. They increased their lead to 10–0 in the second quarter,...
, for buying two math books for his younger brother, Tevita, using scholarship money.
Baltimore Ravens
Kemoeatu played four seasons with the Baltimore RavensBaltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
from 2002 to 2005. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002.
Carolina Panthers
Kemoeatu signed with the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
as a free agent in 2006.
Kemoeatu suffered a torn right Achilles' tendon during the team's 2009 training camp. He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on August 5. He was released on March 5, 2010.
Washington Redskins
On March 13, 2010 Kemoeatu signed a two year, $7 million contract with the Washington RedskinsWashington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. He was released on July 28, 2011.