The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 on Wednesday, which includes Rey Maualuga (Samoan ancestry), Chad Owens (Hawaiian ancestry), Brandon Manumaleuna (Samoan ancestry).
"On behalf of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, it is our privilege to welcome and celebrate the Class of 2026," said Jesse Sapolu, Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Chairman, co-Founder and Inductee, in a statement. "Their accomplishments on and off the field have inspired generations. We look forward to honoring them in Hawai`i this January."
The 2026 class will be enshrined Jan. 16-18, during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement.
Manumaleuna, Maualuga and Owens were selected from a field of more than 100 nominees and eight finalists by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, comprised of Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson (chairman, former NFL player and Inaugural Inductee), coaches Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil, former NFL player and inaugural Inductee Olin Kreutz, inaugural Inductee and past NFL Players Association president Kevin Mawae, former NFL player and class of 2015 Inductee Ray Schoenke, sportscaster Neil Everett, NFL Network Chief National Reporter Steve Wyche, and former NFL player and class of 2023 Inductee Manti Te`o. In addition to the selection committee, all living Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Inductees cast votes to select the class.
Maualuga was the 2008 Chuck Bednarik Award winner at USC, where he was also an All-American and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in '08.
Taken 38th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, the second-round linebacker played eight seasons for the Bengals from 2009-2016 before finishing his career in 2017 with the Miami Dolphins. He posted 607 tackles in 120 NFL games.
Manumaleuna was an All-American tight end in 2011-2012 for Arizona.
He was drafted in the fourth round in 2001 by the St. Louis Rams. Manumaleuna played five seasons for the Rams from 2001-2005, four years with the San Diego Chargers (2006-2009) and his final season with the Chicago Bears in 2010. In his career, he played 158 games with 103 starts, 115 receptions for 1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Owens was a second-team All-American in 2004 playing for Hawaii and is the program's all-time leader with 5,451 all-purpose yards.
Owens was a sixth-round selection of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005 and saw game action in two seasons with the club. However, he made his mark in the CFL, where he's a member of the league's hall of Fame, was a four-time all-star, two-time Grey Cup champion and was the 2012 CFL most outstanding player.
For more information, visit PolynesianFootballHOF.org.
