Mark Tuinei

Mark Pulemau Tuinei (March 31, 1960 – May 6, 1999) was an American professional football player who was an offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. Known as a "gentle giant", his career lasted for 15 years (1983–1997) and his ability to protect quarterback Troy Aikman and to run-block for running back Emmitt Smith helped them win Super Bowls in 1992, 1993, and 1995 and the NFC East Division in 1985 and 1992–96. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl in 1994 and 1995.

Early life Tuinei was born in Oceanside, California, and raised in Nānākuli, Hawaii. He attended Punahou School in Honolulu. He was named the Hawaii Prep Lineman of the Year as a senior, won the state shot put championship and was an All-Star basketball player on the same team as Barack Obama.

College career Tuinei played for two seasons at University of California, Los Angeles where he started at defensive tackle as a sophomore, finishing fifth on the team in tackles. The next year, he decided to drop out of the school before facing the possibility of being expelled after a fight incident.

As a junior, he transferred back home to the University of Hawaiʻi, but was suspended for the year, after being indicted on assault charges that led to spending three months in prison. He was nagged by injuries his senior year and played in only seven games, including 5 starts at defensive tackle.

In 2007, he was inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was inducted into the Polynesian Hall of Fame.

Professional career

Although he was selected by the Boston Breakers in the 19th round (227th overall) of the 1983 USFL draft, he opted to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 1983. He suffered knee injuries most of his career, yet he would play a total of 195 games, more than any other Cowboys offensive player ever. He also helped to protect Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and pave the way for Hall of Fame running back Smith to become the National Football League all-time leading rusher.

Tuinei was a key member of the Cowboys offensive line, helping the team win Super Bowl XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX, along with the NFC East Division in 1985 and from 1992 to 1996. His role in some of the greatest offensive lines in NFL history was detailed in the 2013 NFL Network's film A Football Life: "the Great Wall of Dallas".

On April 14, 1998, he was released in a salary-cap move, finishing tied with Ed "Too Tall" Jones and Bill Bates for the most seasons in a Cowboy uniform—with 15. He is considered to be one of the greatest offensive tackles in Cowboys franchise history.

Death In May 1999, Tuinei was found unconscious in his antique Ford car, and he was pronounced dead upon arrival at a hospital in the Dallas suburb of Plano. He had been planning to return to Punahou School to serve as the offensive line coach. The autopsy revealed that Tuinei died of a combination of heroin and a form of the drug ecstasy. His death was ruled an accidental overdose. Upon the release of the autopsy results, Plano police chief Bruce Glasscock was quoted alleging that it was Tuinei's first experience with heroin.

"What you had was a 39-year-old male, 6'5", in excess of 300 pounds, a healthy individual, took one shot of heroin and basically dropped dead as a result", Glasscock said during his press conference regarding Tuinei.

Tuinei got the heroin from four people who belonged to a drug ring. The four men were charged, tried and convicted for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine. Jesus Carbajal received a life sentence. Julian Solis Perez and Andres Milan were sentenced to eleven-year prison terms, and Favian Ramos received a twelve-year sentence.

Family and personal life Mark's brother, Tom, was an All-WAC defensive tackle at the University of Hawaiʻi, before playing for the Detroit Lions and the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. Another brother, Van, played defensive end in the National Football League. A cousin, Dan Saleaumua, was an All-Pro nose tackle in the NFL. A nephew Lavasier, played wide receiver in the Canadian Football League. Another nephew, Tumua Tuinei III, played defensive back at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

In 1982, Mark Tuinei had a small role as a Samoan college student in the episode "Italian Ice" of the TV series Magnum, P.I.

At the time of his death, he was married to Pono Tuinei and had 2 children.