D. J. Tialavea

Last updated

D.J. Tialavea
D. J. Tialavea june 2017.jpg
D. J. Tialavea in 2017
Utah State Aggies
Position:Tight ends coach
Personal information
Born: (1991-07-27) July 27, 1991 (age 32)
West Jordan, Utah
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school: West Jordan (UT)
College: Utah State
Undrafted: 2014
Career history
As a player:
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
  • Utah State (2020)
    Graduate assistant
  • Utah State (2021–present)
    Tight ends coach
Career NFL statistics
Games played:2
Receptions:1
Receiving yards:1
Receiving touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Donald Tialavea Jr. [1] (born July 27, 1991) is a former American football tight end who is currently a tight ends coach for Utah State. He played college football at Utah State University. He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 as an undrafted free agent. Tialavea was formerly a tight end prior to switching positions before the 2017 NFL season.

Contents

Early years

Tialavea attended West Jordan High School in West Jordan, Utah. During his high school football career, he also played on the offensive and defensive lines. In addition to being a three-year letterwinner in football, Tialavea was also a three-year letterwinner in basketball and baseball. [2]

College career

Tialavea appeared in 40 games for the Utah State Aggies. He ended his college career with 198 receiving yards and five touchdowns. [2]

Professional career

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tialavea was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars after going undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft. [3] He was released on May 12, 2014. [4]

Buffalo Bills

After being released by the Jaguars, Tialavea was signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad on September 2, 2014. [3] He was released by the Bills on September 30, 2014. [5]

Atlanta Falcons

Tialavea was signed to the Falcons' practice squad on November 24, 2015. [6] After spending almost two seasons on the practice squad, he was promoted to the active roster on December 22, 2016. [7] In his NFL debut two days later against the Carolina Panthers, Tialavea caught a touchdown for his only reception of the day. [8]

Tialavea was inactive for the Falcons' 34-28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. [9] [10]

On September 1, 2017, Tialavea was released by the Falcons. [11]

Chicago Bears

On September 20, 2017, Tialavea was signed to the Chicago Bears' practice squad. [12] He was released on September 26, 2017. [13] He was re-signed on December 27, 2017. [14]

Coaching career

Utah State

In 2020, Tialavea joined the coaching staff at his alma mater, Utah State, as a graduate assistant working with the tight ends. Head Coach Gary Andersen was fired mid-season that year. The following January, Tialavea was promoted to tight ends coach by newly hired head coach Blake Anderson. [15]

Personal life

D.J.'s parents are Don and Tami Tialavea. He has two sisters. Tialavea graduated from Utah State with a degree in sports management in 2013, and then a master's degree in education in 2019, also from Utah State. [15] D.J. is also an Eagle Scout. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bear Pascoe</span> American football player (born 1986)

McKenna Sean "Bear" Pascoe is a former American football tight end. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Moeaki</span> American football player (born 1987)

Anthony Moeaki is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Iowa. He was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, and also played for the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryce Harris</span> American football player (born 1989)

Bryce Harris is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Fresno State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malliciah Goodman</span> American football player (born 1990)

Malliciah Goodman is a former American football defensive end. He played college football at Clemson, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassius Marsh</span> American football player (born 1992)

Cassius Lee Marsh Sr. is a former American football linebacker. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. He played college football at UCLA. He also played for the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcel Jensen</span> American football player (born 1990)

Marcel Esteban Jensen is a former American football tight end. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars after the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State.

The 2015 Atlanta Falcons season was the franchise's 50th season in the National Football League and the first under new head coach Dan Quinn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trey Flowers</span> American football player (born 1993)

Robert Lee "Trey" Flowers III is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football at Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Leslie</span> American gridiron football player (born 1991)

Jordan Leslie is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), Alliance of American Football (AAF), and Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at BYU in 2014 and for UTEP in 2012 and 2013. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings after going undrafted in the 2015 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khari Lee</span> American football player (born 1992)

Khari Lee is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Bowie State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austin Hooper</span> American football player (born 1994)

Austin Manuel Hooper is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft.

Jonathan Woodard is a former American football defensive end. He was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at Central Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Anderson (American football)</span> American football player (born 1993)

Stephen Todd Anderson Jr. is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football at California and signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He has also played for the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Chargers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy McNichols</span> American football player (born 1995)

Jeremy Theron McNichols is an American football running back for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boise State and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft. McNichols has also played for the San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Saubert</span> American football player (born 1994)

Eric Saubert is an American football tight end for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Drake, and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvin Hall</span> American football player (born 1993)

Marvin Hall Jr. is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Washington. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rashaad Coward</span> American football player (born 1994)

Rashaad Coward is an American football offensive tackle for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football as a defensive end at Old Dominion. He has been a member of the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, and Houston Roughnecks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Smith (linebacker)</span> American football player (born 1997)

Andre Smith is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qadree Ollison</span> American football player (born 1996)

Qadree Waymond Ollison is an American football running back who is a free agent. He played college football at Pittsburgh and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaylinn Hawkins</span> American football player (born 1997)

Jaylinn Hawkins is an American football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California and selected in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

References

  1. "About Us". thedontialaveafoundation.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Utah State Bio". utahstateaggies.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "TE D.J. Tialavea to Practice Squad". buffalobills.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  4. "Jaguars release 6, including G Will Rackley". sandiegouniontribune.com. May 12, 2014. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  5. "TE Jamie Childers signed to Bills Practice Squad". buffalobills.com. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  6. "Tialavea Signed to Practice Squad, Jensen Waived". atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  7. Jackson, Curtis. "Falcons Waive Therezie, Goodman; Promote Keyes, Tialavea". atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  8. "Tialavea emerges as unlikely hero for Falcons - Philadelphia Herald". www.philadelphiaherald.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2016. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
  9. Weaver, Tim (February 5, 2017). "Falcons vs. Patriots: Final inactives for Super Bowl LI". USA Today . Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  10. "Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  11. Conway, Kelsey (September 1, 2017). "2017 Atlanta Falcons Roster Cuts Tracker: Deadline To 53 Is 4 P.M. ET On Saturday". AtlantaFalcons.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017.
  12. "Report: D.J. Tialavea signed to Bears practice squad". 247sports.com. September 20, 2017.
  13. Gantt, Darin (September 26, 2017). "Bears add two to practice squad, bringing back Tre McBride". ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com.
  14. "D.J. Tialavea signed to Bears practice squad". 247Sports.com. December 27, 2017.
  15. 1 2 "DJ Tialavea Named Tight Ends Coach at Utah State". utahstateaggies.com. Utah State University SID. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  16. Wendell, Bryan (January 27, 2017). "Atlanta Falcons tight end D.J. Tialavea is an Eagle Scout. On January 3, 2018, Tialavea married former Gonzaga and BYU-Hawaii volleyball player Kalistina Takau". Bryan on Scouting. Retrieved February 5, 2017.