For young athletes out there, it’s a safe bet that if you’re good enough to play in the NFL, you’ll be found. Today’s NFL players come from all over the country and the world, including Hawaii. In fact, it’s almost surprising how many players find their way to the NFL from a chain of islands with no pro sports franchise. In honor of the 50th state, let’s take a look at some of the best NFL players of all time who were born in Hawaii.
Dominic Raiola
Few people will confuse Raiola with a Hall of Famer, but there’s nothing wrong with the solid career he put together.
He was with the Lions throughout his entire career from 2001 to 2014, starting over 200 games for them, becoming a stable force on the Detroit offensive line for many years.
Rocky Freitas
Coincidentally, Freitas is another Hawaiian-born offensive lineman who spent most of his career with the Lions. He spent 10 years in Detroit from 1968 to 1977 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 1972.
He finished his 11-year career with the Buccaneers before moving home to Hawaii to help the University of Hawaii football team remain relevant on the national stage.
Byron Chamberlain
While he grew up in California and Texas, Chamberlain was actually born in Honolulu. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Broncos as a solid role player, helping them to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
Chamberlain then moved onto the Vikings, going to the Pro Bowl in 2001. Unfortunately, his career only lasted for two more seasons, but he ended up playing nine years and racked up over 2,000 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Max Unger
Unger is yet another Hawaiian-born offensive lineman. The first six seasons of his career were spent with the Seahawks. During that time, he went to two Pro Bowls and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2012. Unger was also the starter when Seattle won Super Bowl XLVIII.
After enduring some injury trouble after he was traded to the Saints, Unger ultimately made himself back into a Pro Bowl center for his final pro season in 2018, ultimately starting all 130 games that he played in the NFL.
Matt Blair
Blair is one of the few standout defensive players who came out of Hawaii, although he did move to Ohio when he was in high school. He spent all 10 seasons of his career from 1974 to 1985 with the Vikings and got to play in two Super Bowls.
During that time, Blair went to the Pro Bowl in six straight seasons and was a First-Team All-Pro selection in 1980 at the peak of his career. He passed away in 2020 but will be remembered forever as a member of the Vikings’ Ring of Honor.
Olin Kreutz
Naturally, the best player to come out of Hawaii is a center. Kreutz was born and raised in Honolulu and was actually a teammate and mentor of Raiola in high school. The Bears were fortunate enough to draft Kreutz in the third round of the 1998 draft.
He repaid them by going to six Pro Bowls during his 13-year tenure in Chicago, being named every year from 2001 to 2006. Kreutz was also named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, which helps distinguish him as the best NFL player to ever come out of Hawaii.