Wow, I had completely forgotten about him - the original Ventrone. I was thinking Tony Gaiter or Bam Childress as the first Ventrone, but Tuitele was involved in far more signings and cuts than either of those two.
'Ula' was his nickname, perhaps created by some frustrated announcer that stumbled once too often over 'Mah-ga-oo-la Too-it-elly'; as a kid he was known as 'Maggy', but that probably wouldn't go over too well in the NFL. He played in one game in 2000, one in 2001, and three in 2002 for the Pats; his prospects of making the roster each season were apparently so slim that he had a different uniform number each year.
Tuitele Sweats It Out On Cut Down Day | The Hartford Courant
Maugala Tuitele | Alumni Bios | Patriots.com
- Originally signed by the Patriots as a rookie free agent on April 19, 2000
- Waived by the Patriots (8/27/00)
- Re-signed by the Patriots (11/22/00)
- Participated at linebacker for the Patriots at Detroit (11/23) and recorded one tackle
- Waived by the Patriots (12/1/00)
- Signed to the Patriots practice squad (12/6/00)
- Re-signed by the Patriots (1/3/01)
- Waived by the Patriots (8/28/01)
- Signed to the Patriots practice squad (9/25/01)
- Released by the Patriots (9/26/01)
- Signed to the Patriots practice squad (11/20/01)
- Signed to the Patriots active roster (12/2/01)
- Participated on special teams against the N.Y. Jets (12/2) and recorded a special teams tackle
- Waived by the Patriots (12/5/01)
- Signed to the Patriots practice squad (12/6/01)
- Released from the practice squad (12/26/01)
- Signed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad (12/27/01)
- Signed by the Patriots (2/11/02)
- Allocated to NFL Europe (2/11/02)
- Tedy Bruschi left the game late in the first quarter and did not return. Maugaula Tuitele filled in at middle linebacker for Bruschi. In his most extensive playing time to date, Tuitele led the Patriots with a game-high 11 tackles.
- Waived by the Patriots (9/1/02)
- Claimed by the Bills (9/2/02)
- Played in nine games for the Bills, with one tackle.
- Waived by the Bills (11/18/02)
- Signed by the Patriots (12/11/02)
- Played in the final three games for the Patriots, with one tackle.
- Tendered a one-year contract as an ERFA (2/28/03)
- Signed by the Patriots (3/24/03)
- Waived by the Patriots (8/31/03)
- Signed by the Raiders (8/24/04)
- Waived by the Raiders (9/5/04)
- Signed by the Raiders (10/29/04)
- Played in one game for the Raiders, and was inactive for three other games.
- Waived by the Raiders (12/1/04)
- Signed by the Raiders (2/14/05)
- Waived by the Raiders (8/29/05)