Fifita brothers continue climbing Arizona’s football ladder | Greg Hansen

They would first have to outperform the Hunley brothers, Ricky and Lamonte, both of whom were All-Pac-10 linebackers who played in the NFL.

And they have a ton of work remaining to surpass the Black brothers of Tucson High, John and Tom, whom I consider the best brother combination in UA football history.

John was an All-Border Conference lineman, team captain of the Wildcats in 1940, who went on to coach Phoenix Union to the 1948 state football championship, become president of the Wildcat Club and be inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. He was also a starter for the UA basketball team.

Tom, a two-way lineman, started for the Wildcats from 1940-43, became president of the Arizona Towncats booster group, and was inducted into the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He coached Phoenix North High School to the state championship game. 

Not only that, John's son, Jim, became a starter for the UA football team in the early 1970s.

Also to be strongly considered: the Arneson brothers, Mark and Jim, of Palo Verde High School, both of whom became starting football players at Arizona in the early 1970s. The Arnesons combined to play 12 seasons in the NFL.

By comparison, the Fifita brothers are just getting started.