Brandon Manumaleuna grateful for Arizona memories, 10-year career in the NFL

Former Arizona and NFL tight end Brandon Manumaleuna was named honorary captain for the Wildcats' Big 12 home opener against the Cincinnati Bearcats Saturday night at Casino Del Sol Stadium.

"It's great to be able to be on the field with the guys again," said Manumaleuna. "They're doing well and it's just good to be in Tucson." 

Manumaleuna, a Carson, California native and Narbonne High School alumnus, played tight end for the Wildcats from 1997-2000, before becoming a fourth-round pick by the St. Louis Rams in the 2001 NFL Draft.

Manumaleuna played in 158 games for the Rams, San Diego Chargers and Chicago Bears over 10 years. 

Manumaleuna had 115 catches for 1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns in his NFL career. Manumaleuna had 544 yards and three touchdowns at Arizona and was an elite blocker. 

"He's just such a great guy and an awesome guy," said Arizona head coach Brent Brennan, who was a graduate assistant under UA head coach Dick Tomey when Manumaleuna played for the Wildcats. "He was such an incredible player here and in the National Football League, and he had a rare combination of size and athleticism.

"He was an incredibly athletic 300-pound dude. I remember back in the day (UA defensive assistants) Rich Ellerson and Duane Akina kept trying to steal him to play defense, because he was athletic and so big. 

"He had a 10-year career as a tight end in the National Football League, so he made the right choice — and Coach Tomey did, too, playing him where he played him. Great hands, great feet, great blocker, and it was awesome to see the career he had and what he was able to sustain in the NFL. 

In January, Manumaleuna was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, along with Rey Maualuga and Chad Owens. Arizona defensive line coach Joe Salave'a was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in 2019. 

"It meant the world to me," Manumaleuna said of the honor. "It's good to be recognized by your peers and people and the community you grew up in. They put on a great event in Hawaii. ... I wasn't expecting it, so when they called, I was caught off guard. I was like, 'Wait, what?' It was a great experience. I loved it, my family loved it and I wouldn't trade it for the world." 

Before the Arizona-Cincinnati game, Manumaleuna joined "Spears & Ali" on ESPN Tucson to discuss his UA football career, NFL journey and what football means to him. 

What's your assessment of Arizona football under Brennan?

A: "It's off to a great start. Every coach receives criticism in some shape or form, but the brand of football they're playing, the development of players, guys are getting drafted and last year we had guys on NFL rosters. I'm excited. I think it's going to keep growing. In the NIL era, I think we'll be able to keep up with everybody and do well."  

You were initially a defensive lineman and then moved to tight end. How did that transition begin?

A: "I was a tight end in high school as well, and Coach Tomey told me I could play whatever I want. I wanted to play tight end, because everyone wants to score touchdowns. I get to (training) camp my freshman year and I'm like, 'Oh, (jersey) number 90. Well, this is a sign.'

"My first camp, they put me at D-Line and we were going through that stuff. I kept going back-and-forth between D-Line and tight end, but I think they were doing that to keep me happy. We had a couple injuries on the offensive side, so they put me back on offense. After the season, they asked me what I wanted and I chose offense." 

How was it being in a two-quarterback offense with Keith Smith and Ortege Jenkins at Arizona?

A: "They're both great quarterbacks and both great athletes. Keith had the baseball background and O.J. had the basketball background, so they were well-faceted in many ways. I think the coaching staff did a great job working with them two and allow them to show themselves and their talents at the same time. It was great." 

What was your favorite memory of your career at Arizona?

A: "My freshman year, we beat (Arizona State) at ASU. That was a fun game. The (Leap by the Lake) in Seattle with (Jenkins). We beat Oregon at home in (quarterback) Akili Smith's last year. I remember that game really well.

"ASU at home during the Holiday Bowl year (in 1998), when everyone stormed the field and (wide receiver) Brad Brennan sat on the field goal post. Those were fun times and great times in Tucson." 

Did you see the head coaching traits in Brennan when he was a graduate assistant on Tomey's staff?

A: "You play the game long enough and you see the offensive assistant or defensive analyst and you sit back and go, 'He'a going to be a head coach one day. You see the demeanor. Brent Brennan followed those lines. I didn't know it was going to be at Arizona, but you could see his path." 

How was it playing on the 1998 team that went 12-1 and beat defending national champion Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl?

A: "It was a great experience. You had a lot of great seniors on that team and they laid the ground work for how Arizona teams should operate. We had a great work ethic and I learned a lot from those guys. It was a great senior class." 

How do you look back on your 10-year NFL career, especially that Rams team that was fresh off winning a Super Bowl?

A: "It was a great experience. Everybody always asks if I wished I got the ball more. It would've been great to get the ball more, but I was on teams with five Hall of Famers. Being around those guys every day and working with them every day, I learned how to be a pro.

"Being on that (Rams) team catapulted me into having a longer career, because I knew how to carry myself in an NFL environment. The expectations, being accountable with your teammates, things like that. I don't think I would've played as long if I didn't play on the Rams." 

How did Arizona set you up for your NFL career and life beyond football?

A: "So many things. Coach Tomey was on the staff at UCLA with my dad. My dad played in the NFL, so you always want to emulate your dad in some shape or form. I wanted to be better than him, but as I got older, my focus went to, 'Oh, I can make some money doing this.'

"I come from a football family, so it gives us something to talk about on holidays or whenever we all get together. It has instilled in me accountability, how to work with others, learning how to have some resolve and fight through tough times and focus.

"There's so many things football has done for me. I can talk for hours about it. It's a great game and it has brought a lot to my life."