Scott Fujita
Encyclopedia
Scott Anthony Fujita is an American football
linebacker
for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at California
.
Fujita has also played for the Dallas Cowboys
and New Orleans Saints
.
, and he is the adopted son of Rodney Fujita, who is Japanese-American, and his wife Helen, who is Caucasian. His father was one of the Japanese-Americans interned during World War II; his father's family was held at the Gila River War Relocation Center
.
Fujita grew up in a traditional Japanese household, celebrating Japanese festivals and holidays, and eating with chopsticks. His grandparents have several bonsai trees on their property.
He attended Rio Mesa High School
in Oxnard, California
.
by the Kansas City Chiefs
. He played 3 seasons with them.
for the 2005 season
.
(now head coach Sean Payton
). He was the first free agent to join the Saints when they returned to New Orleans after their year-long absence
in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
.
Fujita was named defensive captain
of the 2007 Saints
. In Week 1 of the 2008 season, Fujita caught a crucial game-winning interception
in the very end against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. In the 2009 season
, he earned a Super Bowl ring
as a member of the Saints team that won Super Bowl XLIV
on February 7, 2010, defeating the Indianapolis Colts
31-17 to win the team's first league championship.
. In September he was elected one of the Browns' defensive captains for the 2010 season. Through nine games, Fujita was second on the team in tackles and sacks, but he was injured in a November 14 game against the New York Jets
and was expected to be out of action for an extended period.
s preservation, and other causes; he was named the Saints "Man of the Year" in 2009 for his charitable activities.
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...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft
2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
. 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...
at California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
.
Fujita has also played for the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
.
Early years
Although Fujita's last name is Japanese, he is CaucasianCaucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, and he is the adopted son of Rodney Fujita, who is Japanese-American, and his wife Helen, who is Caucasian. His father was one of the Japanese-Americans interned during World War II; his father's family was held at the Gila River War Relocation Center
Gila River War Relocation Center
The Gila River War Relocation Center was an internment camp built by the War Relocation Authority for internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War. It was located about southeast of Phoenix, Arizona....
.
Fujita grew up in a traditional Japanese household, celebrating Japanese festivals and holidays, and eating with chopsticks. His grandparents have several bonsai trees on their property.
He attended Rio Mesa High School
Rio Mesa High School
Rio Mesa High School is located in Oxnard, California and is within the Oxnard Union High School District. It serves the Oxnard communities of Northern Oxnard, River Park, Nyeland Acres, and El Rio, as well as the western portion of the city of Camarillo...
in Oxnard, California
Oxnard, California
Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
.
Kansas City Chiefs
Fujita was drafted in the 5th round of the 2002 NFL Draft2002 NFL Draft
The 2002 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft took place April 20–21, 2002 at the theater at...
by the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. He played 3 seasons with them.
Dallas Cowboys
Fujita signed with the Dallas CowboysDallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
for the 2005 season
2005 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2005 Dallas Cowboys season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record in 2004. Despite a 7–3 start, the Cowboys ended the season with a 9–7 record and narrowly missed the playoffs.-Offseason:...
.
New Orleans Saints
On March 13, 2006, Fujita signed with the Saints, reuniting with his former position coach as well as offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
(now head coach Sean Payton
Sean Payton
Patrick Sean Payton is the current head coach of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. Payton was a quarterback at Naperville Central High School and Eastern Illinois University and played professionally in 1987 and 1988...
). He was the first free agent to join the Saints when they returned to New Orleans after their year-long absence
Effect of Hurricane Katrina on the New Orleans Saints
After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans on August 29, 2005 and caused extensive damage to the Louisiana Superdome, the New Orleans Saints were not able to play any home games there for the entire 2005 NFL season...
in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
Fujita was named defensive captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of the 2007 Saints
2007 New Orleans Saints season
-Game summary:The 2007 New Orleans Saints began their regular season in the annual Thursday night Kickoff game against the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. In the first quarter, New Orleans trailed early as Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning completed a 27-yard TD pass to WR Marvin...
. In Week 1 of the 2008 season, Fujita caught a crucial game-winning interception
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
in the very end against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. In the 2009 season
2009 New Orleans Saints season
The 2009 New Orleans Saints season is the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League and the most successful in franchise history in which they won Super Bowl XLIV. The Saints recorded a franchise record 13 victories, an improvement on their 8–8 record and fourth place finish in the...
, he earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
as a member of the Saints team that won Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
on February 7, 2010, defeating the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
31-17 to win the team's first league championship.
Cleveland Browns
Fujita was a free agent after the 2009 season, and on March 7, 2010, he signed a contract worth $14 million over three years, including $8 million in guaranteed money, with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In September he was elected one of the Browns' defensive captains for the 2010 season. Through nine games, Fujita was second on the team in tackles and sacks, but he was injured in a November 14 game against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and was expected to be out of action for an extended period.
Personal life
Fujita is married with two children; he and his family have a home in Carmel Valley, California. He is politically liberal, and has gone on record as a supporter of abortion rights and gay rights as well as an advocate for adoption, wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s preservation, and other causes; he was named the Saints "Man of the Year" in 2009 for his charitable activities.