Jesse Sapolu

Samoan gridiron football player (born 1961)
American football player
Jesse Sapolu
refer to caption
Sapolu in June 2009
No. 61
Position:Center
Guard
Personal information
Born: (1961-03-10) March 10, 1961 (age 63)
Apia, Samoa
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:278 lb (126 kg)
Career information
High school:Honolulu (HI) Farrington
College:Hawaii
NFL draft:1983 / Round: 11 / Pick: 289
Career history
  • San Francisco 49ers (1983–1997)
Career highlights and awards
  • Super Bowl champion (XIX, XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
  • 2× Pro Bowl (1993, 1994)
  • First-team All-WAC (1980)
  • Second-team All-WAC (1981)
Career NFL statistics
Games played:182
Games started:154
Fumble recoveries:1
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Manase Jesse Sapolu (born March 10, 1961) is a Samoan former American football player in the National Football League (NFL). He played both center and offensive guard, and played his entire career for the San Francisco 49ers.

Sapolu attended Farrington High School and the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. Standing 6 feet 4 inches, 278 lbs., he was selected by the Oakland Invaders in the 17th round (199th pick overall) of the 1983 USFL Draft, and selected by San Francisco 49ers in the 11th round (289th pick overall) of the 1983 NFL Draft. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers on July 10, 1983.

Sapolu is one of six 49ers to own four Super Bowl championship rings (1984, 1988, 1989, and 1994), and the only one of those to earn a ring with the '94 team rather than their first title in 1981.[1] He earned Pro Bowl honors in 1993 and 1994.

Since retiring in 1997, Sapolu and his wife Lisa have lived in Southern California,[2] and remains active in the community as well with the San Francisco 49ers alumni.

Sapolu has been an integral part in establishing the Polynesian Pro Football Hall of Fame, of which he is a co-founder. He now runs Men In The Trenches (MITT) in California.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Super Bowl winners by player: Who has the most rings in NFL history?". Sporting News. 8 February 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  2. ^ Virgen, Steve (February 1, 2013). "Sapolu remains passionate, humble". Daily Pilot. Orange County, California.
  3. ^ "MITT 2020 Opening Day - February 2020".

Further reading

  • Sapolu, Jesse (2012). I Gave My Heart to San Francisco. Newport Beach: Celebrity Publishing. ISBN 9780983705963.

External links

  • Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame profile
  • Media related to Jesse Sapolu at Wikimedia Commons
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San Francisco 49ers 1983 NFL draft selections
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San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XIX champions
Head coach
Bill Walsh
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San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XXIII champions
  • Head coach: Bill Walsh
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San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XXIV champions
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San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XXIX champions