Kevin Mawae
Encyclopedia
Kevin James Mawae is a former American
National Football League
center
. During a 16-year football career, he played for the Seattle Seahawks
(1994–1997), New York Jets
(1998–2005), and the Tennessee Titans
(2006–2009). Mawae was a four-year starter for LSU
and was selected second-team All-SEC by Associated Press and SEC coaches as senior. Mawae is one of the top centers of recent times, having been selected to the Pro Bowl
on six consecutive occasions (1999–2004), and was a eight-time All-Pro
selection.
, Germany
, Georgia
, Kansas
, Huntsville
and Louisiana
.
Mawae earned All-State and All-Academic honors at Leesville High School
.
.
In his sophomore season, he was a first-team All-SEC selection, playing three different positions; left tackle (8 G), center (3 G), and left guard (1 G).As junior, he played left tackle and was chosen second-team All-SEC and was a third-team All-American. For his senior season he moved from left tackle to center for all 11 games. He played in Blue-Gray Game and Senior Bowl
after his senior season. Mawae was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
in the second round (36th overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft
. He saw his first pro action at right guard against the Oakland Raiders
on September 11, and never left the lineup after taking over early in the game versus the Indianapolis Colts
. He finished the season playing in 14 games, starting the final 11 at right guard. After the season Mawae earned first-team All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly
/Pro Football Writers Association
, College and Pro Football Newsweekly and Football News. In 1995 he started all 16 games at right guard, seeing time at center in two games. He was moved to the center position at the start of his 1996 season and has remained at that spot ever since.
.In his first season at New York, Jets offense averaged 357.2 yards per game (second-best in AFC and fourth-best in NFL), while controlling the ball for an average of 32:17 minutes per game (second-best in AFC and third-best in NFL), also helped running back Curtis Martin
to rush for franchise-record eight 100-yard rushing games en route to 1,287-yard season. He started all 16 games. In 1999, he was named to his first Pro Bowl
on December 22, he did not miss a play for the second straight season and paved the way for Martin's then franchise-record of 1,464 yards rushing, and snapped to four different quarterbacks; Vinny Testaverde
, Tom Tupa
, Rick Mirer
and Ray Lucas
.
On 2000, he was member of the line that tied Indianapolis Colts
for fewest sacks allowed during regular season with 20. Also helped Jets offense average 337.2 yards per game was the 12th best in NFL and the passing offense averaged 245.3 yards per game (sixth in NFL). Mawae earned his second consecutive starting spot as AFC team Pro Bowl center he was selected to the Pro Bowl
on six consecutive occasions (1999–2004). In 2002, he underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair damage to left rotator cuff, he missed two preseason games but kept his consecutive games started streak by making 124th consecutive start in season opener against the Buffalo Bills
. His unbroken streak of 177 games came to an end in October 2005 with a serious triceps injury to his left arm, and he missed the rest of the season. On March 5, 2006, he was cut by the Jets.
nine days later on March 14, 2006. In his first season with Tennessee, he helped the offense rank third in the AFC and fifth in the NFL in rushing with 2,214 yards. The Titans set a franchise record by averaging 4.7 yards per carry, and the offensive line, led by Mawae, finished tied for 10th in the league with only 29 sacks allowed, Titans running back Travis Henry
finished 2006 with 1,211 rushing yards and rookie quarterback Vince Young
was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
In 2007, Mawae was voted team captain and started 14 games, helping LenDale White
register his first career 1,000-yard season as he finished with 1,110.
On September 10, 2010, Mawae announced that he was retiring from the NFL after 16 years in the league. His last game was the 2010 Pro Bowl.
descent. Mawae is married to Tracy Dale Hicks, he proposed to her in the summer of 1992 at LSU Fan Day in front of 140 teammates, 10 coaches and 3,000 fans over the public address system, the couple has a son, Kirkland (13), and a daughter, Abigail (9). A few years into his NFL career, Mawae lost his brother, former teammate and best friend, John, in a car accident. John, a former nose guard at LSU, left a profound effect on Kevin by establishing a strong faith prior to his death. Mawae's tragic loss has allowed him to become very spiritual.
with Children’s Cup International Relief, a missions organization that the Mawae family has helped support financially. They traveled primarily in Swaziland
, Mozambique
, Zambia
and Tanzania
. He was Eddie Towne's favorite player in ESPN
's hit show TILT
. He created the First and Goal Challenge, a unique program to benefit Winthrop University Hospital's outstanding Child Life Program and Pediatric Services.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
. During a 16-year football career, he played for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
(1994–1997), 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...
(1998–2005), and the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
(2006–2009). Mawae was a four-year starter for LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
and was selected second-team All-SEC by Associated Press and SEC coaches as senior. Mawae is one of the top centers of recent times, having been selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
on six consecutive occasions (1999–2004), and was a eight-time All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
selection.
Early years
Mawae spent five years of his childhood (age 7–12) in Hanau, Germany, when his father retired Sgt. 1st Class David Mawae, who served 23 years in the U.S. Army, was stationed there, and it was there that he began playing football. His father's career also took him for periods of time to South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
Mawae earned All-State and All-Academic honors at Leesville High School
Leesville High School
Leesville High School is a school located in Leesville, Louisiana, United States. The 9-12 school is a part of the Vernon Parish School Board....
.
College career
Mawae attended LSU and was redshirted in 1989. He started seven games as freshman at left tackle and was Freshman All-SEC, he was also team's long snapperLong snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
.
In his sophomore season, he was a first-team All-SEC selection, playing three different positions; left tackle (8 G), center (3 G), and left guard (1 G).As junior, he played left tackle and was chosen second-team All-SEC and was a third-team All-American. For his senior season he moved from left tackle to center for all 11 games. He played in Blue-Gray Game and Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
after his senior season. Mawae was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
Seattle Seahawks
Mawae was originally drafted by the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in the second round (36th overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft
1994 NFL Draft
The 1994 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 1994. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and...
. He saw his first pro action at right guard against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 11, and never left the lineup after taking over early in the game versus 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 ....
. He finished the season playing in 14 games, starting the final 11 at right guard. After the season Mawae earned first-team All-Rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
/Pro Football Writers Association
Pro Football Writers Association
Technically known as the Pro Football Writers of America, this organization purports to be "The official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public." Goals of the organization include improving access to practices and locker rooms,...
, College and Pro Football Newsweekly and Football News. In 1995 he started all 16 games at right guard, seeing time at center in two games. He was moved to the center position at the start of his 1996 season and has remained at that spot ever since.
New York Jets
In 1998, Mawae was signed by the New York JetsNew 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...
.In his first season at New York, Jets offense averaged 357.2 yards per game (second-best in AFC and fourth-best in NFL), while controlling the ball for an average of 32:17 minutes per game (second-best in AFC and third-best in NFL), also helped running back Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...
to rush for franchise-record eight 100-yard rushing games en route to 1,287-yard season. He started all 16 games. In 1999, he was named to his first Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
on December 22, he did not miss a play for the second straight season and paved the way for Martin's then franchise-record of 1,464 yards rushing, and snapped to four different quarterbacks; Vinny Testaverde
Vinny Testaverde
Vincent Frank Testaverde is a former NFL quarterback. Testaverde last played for the Carolina Panthers and had previously played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. Testaverde holds the NFL record for having...
, Tom Tupa
Tom Tupa
Thomas Joseph Tupa, Jr. is a former American football punter and quarterback in the National Football League.-Personal life and high school career:...
, Rick Mirer
Rick Mirer
Richard Franklin Mirer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. After a successful collegiate career at the University of Notre Dame, Mirer was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks with the second pick in the 1993 NFL Draft. Mirer was traded to the Chicago Bears during...
and Ray Lucas
Ray Lucas
For the baseball player of the same name, see Ray Lucas Ray Lucas is a studio analyst for the show Jets Nation on New York City-based sports network SportsNet New York...
.
On 2000, he was member of the line that tied 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 ....
for fewest sacks allowed during regular season with 20. Also helped Jets offense average 337.2 yards per game was the 12th best in NFL and the passing offense averaged 245.3 yards per game (sixth in NFL). Mawae earned his second consecutive starting spot as AFC team Pro Bowl center he was selected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
on six consecutive occasions (1999–2004). In 2002, he underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair damage to left rotator cuff, he missed two preseason games but kept his consecutive games started streak by making 124th consecutive start in season opener against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. His unbroken streak of 177 games came to an end in October 2005 with a serious triceps injury to his left arm, and he missed the rest of the season. On March 5, 2006, he was cut by the Jets.
Tennessee Titans
After being cut by the Jets, Mawae was signed by the Tennessee TitansTennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
nine days later on March 14, 2006. In his first season with Tennessee, he helped the offense rank third in the AFC and fifth in the NFL in rushing with 2,214 yards. The Titans set a franchise record by averaging 4.7 yards per carry, and the offensive line, led by Mawae, finished tied for 10th in the league with only 29 sacks allowed, Titans running back Travis Henry
Travis Henry
Travis Deion Henry is a former American football running back for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
finished 2006 with 1,211 rushing yards and rookie quarterback Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
In 2007, Mawae was voted team captain and started 14 games, helping LenDale White
LenDale White
LenDale Anthony White is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Southern California....
register his first career 1,000-yard season as he finished with 1,110.
On September 10, 2010, Mawae announced that he was retiring from the NFL after 16 years in the league. His last game was the 2010 Pro Bowl.
Player reputation
In 2009, Mawae was ranked fifth in a Sports Illustrated poll of "dirty players". The magazine surveyed 296 NFL players to come up with the ranking. Mawae was quoted on the Titans' site as saying he was "proud" of the recognition because he plays the game hard, but conceded, "I’ve been known to leg whip a time or two. I’ve paid the price for those, both physically and in the pocket."Personal life
Mawae is of HawaiianNative Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
descent. Mawae is married to Tracy Dale Hicks, he proposed to her in the summer of 1992 at LSU Fan Day in front of 140 teammates, 10 coaches and 3,000 fans over the public address system, the couple has a son, Kirkland (13), and a daughter, Abigail (9). A few years into his NFL career, Mawae lost his brother, former teammate and best friend, John, in a car accident. John, a former nose guard at LSU, left a profound effect on Kevin by establishing a strong faith prior to his death. Mawae's tragic loss has allowed him to become very spiritual.
Off the field
During the 2008 offseason, Mawae and his family spent two weeks in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
with Children’s Cup International Relief, a missions organization that the Mawae family has helped support financially. They traveled primarily in Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. He was Eddie Towne's favorite player in ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's hit show TILT
Tilt (TV series)
Tilt is a U.S. TV series set against the backdrop of the World Championship of Poker tournament in Las Vegas, and with the tagline "You're playing poker. They're playing you." The series first aired on January 13, 2005, and is the second original drama series from ESPN, following Playmakers...
. He created the First and Goal Challenge, a unique program to benefit Winthrop University Hospital's outstanding Child Life Program and Pediatric Services.