Steve Fifita
Encyclopedia
Steve Fifita is a free agent American football
defensive tackle. He was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
at Utah
.
in Fountain Valley, California
. He was the team captain and defensive player of the year for the football team. In 1999 he made 62 unassisted tackles, 17 tackles for a loss and recovered four fumbles including one returned for a touchdown
. On offense, he scored on runs of 55 and 65 yards.
Fifita started all 12 games at nose guard during the 2003 season, earning an honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference
selection. On the year he had 31 tackles, 8 tackles for a loss and three sacks. He posted a career-high six tackles against Texas A&M
.
As a junior in 2004, Fifita experienced a breakout season. He once again started all 12 games at nose guard, and earned a first team All-Mountain West selection with 45 tackles, nine tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. His 23 solo tackles were the most by a Utes lineman during the year while his sack total tied him for the team lead.
During a 35-7 rout of Pittsburgh
in the Fiesta Bowl
, Fifita had five tackles, two tackles for a loss and a 12-yard sack in a performance that earned him defensive MVP honors.
Fifita earned his second consecutive All-Mountain West selection as a senior in 2005 with 44 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and six sacks.
contract with the Miami Dolphins on May 1. On August 29, Fifita was waived from the team. He worked out for the Minnesota Vikings
the following October but was not signed.
Despite a new head coach in Miami, Fifita was signed to a future contract by the Dolphins on during the 2007 offseason. He played for the Frankfurt Galaxy
of NFL Europa in the spring, and made the team's 53-man roster out of training camp.
Fifita was released by the Dolphins on April 29, 2008.
. Fifita was among the last cuts by the New England Patriots
on August 29, 2008 before the final 53 man regular season roster.
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. He was originally signed by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2006. 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 Utah
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...
.
Early years
Fifita was twice an all-conference selection as well as an all-county selection at Fountain Valley High SchoolFountain Valley High School
Fountain Valley High School is a public high school located in Fountain Valley, California. It was established in 1966 and is a part of the Huntington Beach Union High School District...
in Fountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 55,313 at the 2010 census. A classic bedroom community, Fountain Valley is a middle-class residential area.- History :...
. He was the team captain and defensive player of the year for the football team. In 1999 he made 62 unassisted tackles, 17 tackles for a loss and recovered four fumbles including one returned for a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. On offense, he scored on runs of 55 and 65 yards.
College career
After being redshirted his freshman year at the University of Utah in 2001, Fifita played in 11 games including one start as a redshirt freshman in 2002. On the year, he had 16 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception for 14 yards, two fumble recoveries and one pass breakup.Fifita started all 12 games at nose guard during the 2003 season, earning an honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
selection. On the year he had 31 tackles, 8 tackles for a loss and three sacks. He posted a career-high six tackles against Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
.
As a junior in 2004, Fifita experienced a breakout season. He once again started all 12 games at nose guard, and earned a first team All-Mountain West selection with 45 tackles, nine tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. His 23 solo tackles were the most by a Utes lineman during the year while his sack total tied him for the team lead.
During a 35-7 rout of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, Fifita had five tackles, two tackles for a loss and a 12-yard sack in a performance that earned him defensive MVP honors.
Fifita earned his second consecutive All-Mountain West selection as a senior in 2005 with 44 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and six sacks.
Miami Dolphins
He went undrafted and signed a free agentFree 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....
contract with the Miami Dolphins on May 1. On August 29, Fifita was waived from the team. He worked out for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
the following October but was not signed.
Despite a new head coach in Miami, Fifita was signed to a future contract by the Dolphins on during the 2007 offseason. He played for the Frankfurt Galaxy
Frankfurt Galaxy
The Frankfurt Galaxy was a professional American football team that originally played in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. The team was based in Frankfurt, Germany and played in the Commerzbank-Arena, formerly called the Waldstadion.-History:In 1991, the...
of NFL Europa in the spring, and made the team's 53-man roster out of training camp.
Fifita was released by the Dolphins on April 29, 2008.
New England Patriots
On May 5, 2008, Fifita was signed by the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. Fifita was among the last cuts by the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on August 29, 2008 before the final 53 man regular season roster.
Personal
- Majored in sociologySociologySociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
at Utah. - Has 2 daughters. Makayla Melenaite and Nia Christine.
- Married to Heidi Glatt Fifita
- Is a distant cousin of former WWE wrestler Tonga Fifita (Haku).
- Utah Utes bio