Matt Toeaina
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Career Summary
Matt Toeaina was an Oregon defensive lineman who played 36 regular-season NFL games for the Chicago Bears.
NFL records list Toeaina in Chicago games from 2007 through 2012, including 24 starts. The league identifies him as a 6-foot-2, 308-pound defensive tackle from Oregon.
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Early Life
Mataifale Aigafaimeaso’o Toeaina was born October 9, 1982, in San Francisco.
Oregon’s player biography identifies Toeaina’s parents as Rev. Albert and Ramona Toeaina and lists his birth in San Francisco.
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High School
Toeaina attended Samoana High School in Pago Pago, American Samoa, where he earned league MVP and scholar-athlete honors.
Oregon said he was a two-year starter at outside linebacker and ended high school with 105 tackles, 14 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and four fumble recoveries.
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College Career
Toeaina played across Oregon’s defensive line, making 12 starts at defensive tackle in 2005 before moving to defensive end as a senior.
He appeared in all 13 games as a 2003 freshman and developed into a consistent front-line player. Oregon described him as capable of playing inside or outside and as a leader of the 2006 defensive line.
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NFL Career
Toeaina played six seasons with Chicago, including starting roles in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
NFL statistics record 10 starts in 16 games during the Bears’ 2010 season and 12 starts in 12 games in 2011. His 2012 season ended after three games and two starts when Chicago placed him on injured reserve.
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Career Accomplishments
Toeaina made 24 NFL starts after developing from a versatile Oregon lineman into a Bears starter.
Chicago stated that he started 24 of his 36 games with the club, recording 66 tackles, two sacks and one fumble recovery. The Bears also signed him to a three-year extension in December 2010.
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Playing Style
Toeaina’s value came from positional flexibility and strength across the defensive front.
Oregon used him at both tackle and end, and its coaching staff praised his ability to shed blocks with his hands and play with leverage. The program also documented his weight-room strength and above-average speed for a lineman.
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Legacy
Toeaina’s career showed the value of a versatile defensive lineman who earned a long-term role with one NFL team.
His Oregon experience at tackle and end preceded six Chicago seasons and 24 professional starts.
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21732, 00-0025574, 1984-10-09, Matt Toeaina, Matt, Toeaina
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