Quick Facts
AriesBiography
Taivale "Junior" Tautalatasi Jr. (born March 24, 1962) is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.He played college football at Washington State University.
Early years
Tautalatasi attended Encinal High School, where he received All-league honors in football and track. He moved on to Chabot College, where he practiced football and track. He transferred to Washington State University at the end of his sophomore season.
After redshirting for a year, he posted modest stats in his college career, while playing behind Rueben Mayes (conference rushing leader) and Kerry Porter. As a senior, he registered 53 carries for 364 yards with a 6.8-yard average, including 15 carries for 115 rushing yards against Montana State University.
Professional career
Philadelphia Eagles
Tautalatasi was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the tenth round (261st overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. He made the team after showing big play potential in the preseason. He appeared in all 16 games as the team's third down back and started 2 games, including the season opener, while Keith Byars was recovering from a foot injury. Although he was slowed down by a right knee injury, he finished with 41 receptions (second on the team) for 325 receiving yards (fourth on the team) and 51 carries for 163 rushing yards. He had 11 receptions in the tenth game against the New York Giants. He recorded a 50-yard run in the seventh game against the Dallas Cowboys. He made a 56-yard reception in the fifth game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Buddy Ryan, Tautalatasi's head coach with the Eagles, was unable to pronounce his last name and referred to him most often as "Junior Smith". In 1987, he posted 25 receptions (fourth on the team) for 176 receiving yards (eighth on the team) and 26 carries for 69 yards. On November 9, 1988, he was waived to make room for running back Walter Abercrombie.
Dallas Cowboys
On September 26, 1989, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent. He was a backup running back and was released on August 26, 1990.